Grab your sneakers and tighten those laces – the Presidential Fitness Test is back.
President Donald Trump revived the decades-old test for public school children this week, calling it “an important step in our mission to make America healthy again.”
“My administration is working hard to defend America’s cherished sports tradition and pass on our values of excellence and competitiveness to the next generation,” he said at an Oval Office ceremony on Tuesday, surrounded by children and professional athletes.
The original test required participants to run a mile, complete as many sit-ups as possible in 60 seconds, perform pull-ups or push-ups for as long as possible, and perform a flexibility test.
Annual testing ran from the 1950s until 2013, when it was phased out under the Obama administration in favor of a program that focused public health over personal athletic achievement and performance-based standards.
“We’re bringing it back,” Trump said, formally rescinding the Obama-era initiative and reinstating the awards for top performers, calling them a “certification of achievement of the gold standard of physical fitness.”
While the Presidential Fitness Test may target school-age students, fitness experts say Americans should still be able to complete its basic movements long after graduation.
Here’s how many sit-ups, push-ups and squats you should aim for at every age.
Crunches
This no-frills move targets your abdominal muscles, helping build core strength as well as improving posture, balance, and overall stability.
“Core work gives you the ability to lift yourself up. Stand tall and walk with confidence and purpose.” Joseph Davida group fitness trainer and certified personal trainer at a luxury health and fitness club lifepreviously told The Post.
On average, David said the minimum number of sit-ups you should be able to do in a row varies by age group:
- 20s: 40-50
- 30s: 30-40
- Forties: 20-30
- 1950s: 15-25
- 60+: 10-20
To really see results, you need to do at least three sets of sit-ups for each age group several times a week, David said.
“You won’t show your abs if you do the bare minimum at a time,” he said, adding that he himself aims to do at least 500 exercises a day. And remember: “If you have to adjust, it’s still a win,” he said. “Any movement is still a movement.”
Push-ups
This exercise builds strength in the core and upper body, while also supporting cardiovascular, bone and joint health.
“Push-ups engage multiple muscle groups—back, shoulders, triceps, and core—not just your chest.” Mary Onyangoa certified personal trainer and trainer at a luxury health and fitness club lifepreviously told The Post. “This results in an effective and effective workout for the entire upper body!”
As with abdominal exercises, the number of push-ups you should be able to do in one session varies by age. Onyango said that in every decade, you should target these numbers:
- 20s: 15-30
- 30s: 12-25
- Forties: 10-20
- 1950s: 8-15
- 1960s: 6-12
- 70s: 5-10 (knee push-ups)
- 80s: 3-7 (knee push-ups)
- 90s: 2-5 (knee push-ups)
“While most people view push-ups as just another exercise, they show up and can predict a lot about your health and longevity,” Onyango noted. “A study by researchers at Harvard University found that middle-aged men who could do at least 20 push-ups had a significantly lower risk of death from all causes over 10 years.”
Squatting
This movement builds lower body and core strength, helping burn calories while improving mobility, bone density and daily function – from lifting and bending to sitting and standing.
“The basic requirements for daily life do not differ much from one age group to another.” Christine Collinsa trainer at Life Time Fitness, previously told The Post. “The squat is arguably our primary movement pattern.”
When it comes to squats, there is no one size fits all when it comes to how many exercises you should be able to do. But Collins said a strong standard would be:
- 20s: 50 non-stop squats, or 10 squats carrying 40% to 50% of your body weight.
- 30s and 40s: 50 non-stop squats, or 10 squats with 50% to 60% of your body weight.
- 50s: 40 non-stop squats with body weight, or 10 squats with 40% to 50% of body weight.
- 60s: 30 squats without stopping, or 10 squats carrying 30% of your body weight.
- 70s and up: 20 non-stop bodyweight squats, or 10 squats with 20% of your body weight
“No matter how old you are, your body will adapt to the stress you put on it,” Collins added. “Increasing the time you spend under tension, repetitions or weight for example will continue to develop your strength and endurance.”