Taking the Presidential Physical Fitness Test

President Dwight D. Eisenhower initiated the Presidential Physical Fitness Test in 1956. The test was adjusted over the decades, but the version that most people are familiar with consisted of five parts: a one-mile run, pull-ups or push-ups, sit-ups, shuttle run, and sit-and-reach. The aim was to assess cardiovascular fitness, upper-body and core strength, endurance, flexibility, and agility.

"While the test was designed for young people and has changed over the years, older adults can still benefit from taking it," says Patricia Cordeiro, a certified athletic trainer with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Brigham. "With some modifications, the test can be a valuable tool to assess their current fitness and identify where they need to improve."

Here's a breakdown of the original test, what you can learn from it, and how to take it.

One-mile run

The one-mile run measured cardiovascular fitness based on speed. But older adults should instead use it to measure intensity, according to Cordeiro. National guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, with moderate intensity defined as 50% to 70% of one's maximum heart rate. A commonly used formula to estimate maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age.

"A one-mile run or power walk using a heart rate monitor can help you maintain proper intensity and track your progress," says Cordeiro. "Ideally, most men want to be in the moderate-intensity range for most of their workout."

Run or power walk for one mile at your usual pace and record your average heart rate. In subsequent mile workouts, take note of your perceived effort as well as your heart rate. At first, try increasing your pace, which probably will raise your average heart rate. However, as you become more fit you might find that your heart rate slows a bit, even as you put in more effort. The test also works using a stationary bike.

Sit-ups

The original test measured how many sit-ups you could complete in a minute as a way to gauge core strength. The core consists of muscles in the abdomen, back, hips, pelvis, and buttocks. A strong core helps you avoid pain in the neck, shoulder, and lower back, and even sore knees and hips.

"However, timed sit-ups are not the best way to measure core strength, nor are sit-ups considered the best exercise for improving core muscles," says Cordeiro. A better move, she says, is the plank pose, as it engages all the core muscles (unlike sit-ups) and places less stress on the back.

Time how long you can hold a plank pose while maintaining good form. "If you can only hold it a few seconds, it's a sign of a weak core," says Cordeiro. "But your duration will increase as your core strength improves." Here's how to perform a plank:

• Lie facedown with your forearms on the floor, legs extended, and feet together. To make this more comfortable, you can use a mat or towel under your arms.
• Push into your forearms as you raise your body to form a straight line from your head and neck to your feet. (Do not let your hips rise or sag.)
• Keep your gaze down and hold this position as you engage your abdominal muscles. Take steady, even breaths.

Try to hold the position for up to 30 seconds, then lower your body and rest. Repeat two to three times. Eventually aim toward increasing the time to one to two minutes. If resting on your forearms is uncomfortable, do the plank from a push-up position, with your arms fully extended. If you have back pain or other back issues do the plank on your knees.

Push-ups

While the original test offered a choice between push-ups or pull-ups, Cordeiro recommends push-ups, as they are easier to do with more modification options. "Push-ups help improve upper-body strength — chest, shoulders, arms, and back," she says.

The push-up test was based on how many a person could do. Cordeiro says the focus should always be on maintaining good form. "A properly executed push-up means going low enough to fully engage your muscles," she says. "Doing five good push-ups is better than doing 10 poor ones."

To do a proper push-up, begin in a full plank position with your arms extended, palms flat and just below shoulder level, feet together or about 12 inches apart. Keep your back straight and your weight evenly distributed. Look down, lower your body until your elbows are at a 90° angle, and then push back up to complete one rep.

One way to ensure you go low enough is to roll up a towel to about the height of your fist and place it on the ground under your forehead. Lower into the push-up until your forehead touches the towel. Another option is to have your chest touch the floor and then push back up. Perform as many push-ups as possible while keeping good form. If this is too difficult, do a modified version from a hands-and-knees position.

Sit-and-reach

This move measured flexibility in the hamstrings (the muscles in the back of the thighs) and lower back. Tight-ness in these areas increases the risk of pain and injury and makes bending over difficult. The original test used a sit-and-reach ruler box to measure flexibility, but you can replicate it like this:

• Sit on the floor with your knees locked and your legs straight out.
• Lean forward from the hips, keep your knees locked, and extend your outstretched hands down your legs as far as comfortable without rounding your back. Note where your fingertips reached. Repeat for accuracy.

"The shorter distance you can reach, the greater the tightness in the low back and hamstrings," says Cordeiro. Adopting a daily stretching routine or doing yoga can help increase flexibility. Return to the test periodically to gauge your progress. "Choose certain spots on your legs as goals," says Cordeiro. "Aim to reach your kneecaps, then the middle of your shins, the top of your socks, and eventually, even your toes."

Shuttle run

This test involves moving back and forth as fast as possible between two points. It measures balance, agility, and the ability to change speed and direction — skills older adults need to prevent falls.

Here's a version of the test. Place two books or yoga blocks on the floor 20 feet apart. Starting at one end, run or briskly walk to the other side. Bend over, pick up the object, and run or walk to the starting spot. Place the object on the ground. Pick up the other object, run or walk to the other side, and place it on the ground. Go back and forth until you complete four trips.

Adopting certain activities can help improve your performance, such as jumping rope, stair climbing, tai chi, and pickleball. "Periodically repeat the test to assess your progress," says Cordeiro. "As you improve, you should move quicker between the two points and can do more back-and-forth trips or even increase the distance."

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