USA Trump's Fitness Test Revival: Push-Ups and Pull-Ups Are Back

[webfact]

File photo for reference only

 

President Trump is set to bring back the famed Presidential Fitness Test, aiming to tackle the nation’s health woes. He’ll sign an executive order reinstating the test, a staple in schools from 1956 to 2013. This bold move seeks to address spiralling obesity and inactivity.

 

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will oversee the initiative. Known for his efforts against childhood obesity, Secretary Kennedy believes that enhancing fitness in schools is crucial. His report, “Make America Healthy Again,” highlighted sedentary lifestyles as a key concern.

 

Trump’s vision targets a healthier future for young Americans, focusing on building “a culture of strength and excellence.” The original test, founded in the 1950s, challenged students with exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups. Those who excelled received the coveted Presidential Physical Fitness Award.

 

Altered in 2013 under President Obama, the test shifted focus to individual health rather than pure athletic ability. Now, Trump’s plan is to reinstate a competitive edge by introducing a new Presidential Fitness Award aimed at inspiring youthful dynamism.

 

The developments will be managed by the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. Leading this initiative is golfer Bryson DeChambeau, who will join Trump for the signing alongside sports stars such as Harrison Butker and Lawrence Taylor.

 

TThis initiative marks a significant step towards reversing unhealthy trends among American youth. By focusing on physical fitness, Trump hopes to spark a nationwide movement towards better health and active lifestyles.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from NBC News 2025-08-01

 

 

[spidermike007]

A great place to start would be to see if Trump was capable of either five push-ups or pull-ups. I seriously doubt it. 

[In Full Agreement]

8 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

A great place to start would be to see if Trump was capable of either five push-ups or pull-ups. I seriously doubt it. 

 

 

No way could he even do a single pull up.

 

 

[Smokey and the Bandit]

Excellent idea, looking at the number of obese kids in the US, maybe other countries should follow!

[Will B Good]

Love it when they lead by example.......roll models

[Eric Loh]

Push ups and sit ups are for muscle gain and wouldn't cause weight loss. I hope Secretary Kennedy will include nurition and cardio policies like the Obama's policies that were successful in reducing obesity. Obama was a good role model for the young people. Trump? Too funny. 

[James105]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

A great place to start would be to see if Trump was capable of either five push-ups or pull-ups. I seriously doubt it. 

 

I don't get this kind of comment.  America has an obesity problem and the best time to set people up for a lifetime of better health is at school.   Are you suggesting that kids should not be encouraged to be healthy simply because the 80+ year old obese president is not a good example of someone who is healthy and its too late for him to set an example?   Should the kids just accept their obese fate until America gets a president capable of doing 5 push ups and 5 pull ups?     I don't think that geriatric push up/pull up competitions are part of this initiative.  

[nick supreme]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

A great place to start would be to see if Trump was capable of either five push-ups or pull-ups. I seriously doubt it. 

How many can you do? 

[Chomper Higgot]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

A great place to start would be to see if Trump was capable of either five push-ups or pull-ups. I seriously doubt it. 

I seem to recall Stormy confirmed he can do two pushups.

 

 

[HappyExpat57]

All the way up to and including High School where I grew up, physical education was a priority, available to all who wanted to take advantage of it.. That costs money which the current system is not providing nor willing to cough up. As well, music/arts are important for a well rounded education, and these are all things that have been cut and slashed. Either invest in youth or invest in jails, and guess which the US has placed as its priority? (Hint - it ain't investing in youth)

[angryguy]

31 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Push ups and sit ups are for muscle gain and wouldn't cause weight loss. I hope Secretary Kennedy will include nurition and cardio policies like the Obama's policies that were successful in reducing obesity. Obama was a good role model for the young people. Trump? Too funny. 

Push ups and situps burn calories, thus do cause weight loss

[Mike_Hunt]

1 minute ago, HappyExpat57 said:

All the way up to and including High School where I grew up, physical education was a priority, available to all who wanted to take advantage of it.. That costs money which the current system is not providing nor willing to cough up. As well, music/arts are important for a well rounded education, and these are all things that have been cut and slashed. Either invest in youth or invest in jails, and guess which the US has placed as its priority? (Hint - it ain't investing in youth)

The US invests plenty of money on primary education.  

 

https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/policy-issues/education-financing.html

 

 

 The US is in the top 6 in spending on primary education.  But the money is not well spent.  

 

 

[bamnutsak]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

The developments will be managed by the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. Leading this initiative is golfer Bryson DeChambeau, who will join Trump for the signing alongside sports stars such as Harrison Butker and Lawrence Taylor.

 

Nice to see trump yucking it up with another registered sex offender: Lawrence Taylor.

 

[Eric Loh]

5 minutes ago, angryguy said:

Push ups and situps burn calories, thus do cause weight loss

Yes it does increase calorie burn during exercise but not sufficient on their own to significantly reduce obesity. 

[Eric Loh]

38 minutes ago, James105 said:

 

I don't get this kind of comment.  America has an obesity problem and the best time to set people up for a lifetime of better health is at school.   Are you suggesting that kids should not be encouraged to be healthy simply because the 80+ year old obese president is not a good example of someone who is healthy and its too late for him to set an example?   Should the kids just accept their obese fate until America gets a president capable of doing 5 push ups and 5 pull ups?     I don't think that geriatric push up/pull up competitions are part of this initiative.  

He can still set an example by reducing his photo ops eating his unheathly diet and boasting about his unorthodox theories of why exercise is misguided. 

[BLMFem]

Anyone remember when the then FLOTUS Michelle Obama introduced the “Let’s Move” initiative to combat childhood obesity?

The right absolutely lost it, claiming among other things that this was the “nanny state” in overdrive, and Glen Beck of Fox News speculated* that offering children healthy food choices would lead to imprisonment for eating fries.

Wonder if the push-back will be as fierce this time.😄

 

*https://www.mediamatters.org/glenn-beck/beck-fearmongers-offering-children-healthy-food-choices-will-lead-imprisonment-eating

[EVENKEEL]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

A great place to start would be to see if Trump was capable of either five push-ups or pull-ups. I seriously doubt it. 

When's the last time you did a pullup? 

 

Libtards are sooo boring.

[Chomper Higgot]

51 minutes ago, angryguy said:

Push ups and situps burn calories, thus do cause weight loss

They burn calories, increase hunger and reside within the constrained energy model.

 

They do not in and of themselves cause weight loss.

[Chomper Higgot]

7 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

When's the last time you did a pullup? 

 

Libtards are sooo boring.

Yesterday.

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, In Full Agreement said:

 

 

No way could he even do a single pull up.

 

 

That broken down knucklehead has to cheat to play even one hole of golf without embarrassing himself. Yet he manages to do so with the entire world looking on and witnessing his caddy cheating on his behalf.

 

What an incredibly bizarre specimen of a human being, how twisted his logic must be to engage in that kind of below the waist, atrocious behavior, and dishonor, what a sorry specimen of a man. 

[spidermike007]

9 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

When's the last time you did a pullup? 

 

Libtards are sooo boring.

Have you ever stopped to think of how boring you're ridiculously juvenile name-calling is? Are you 13 years old? 

[Wingate]

37 minutes ago, angryguy said:

Push ups and situps burn calories, thus do cause weight loss

Do fifty push ups and fifty sit-ups, and maybe you burn the calories in 3 sips of Coke.

 

Anyone who thinks that low level of activity is going to make a material difference in weight must be obese.

 

People wildly over estimate their calorie burn from exercise, often believing they've earned some food cheating just because they did 20 minutes on a Pelaton.

 

A much better way than lifting weights is dropping the fork.

 

 

[Wingate]

10 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

When's the last time you did a pullup? 

 

Libtards are sooo boring.

Did 20 this morning. 38 dips, too. Benched 140 kg 5 reps as my last set. Also did sprinting. Last DEXA had me at 11.6% bodyfat. I'd guess Trump is 40%. He's not hiding a 6-pack behind his overly long tie.

 

Let's see if the obese POTUS can do 10% of what I can do. He's the clown who said he doesn't exercise, because "a person only has a finite amount of energy in a life".

 

MAGAs are so silly defending their butterball golf cheating liar.

[EVENKEEL]

20 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Have you ever stopped to think of how boring you're ridiculously juvenile name-calling is? Are you 13 years old? 

Ahh to be 13 again, thank you.

 

14 minutes ago, Wingate said:

Did 20 this morning. 38 dips, too. Benched 140 kg 5 reps as my last set. Also did sprinting. Last DEXA had me at 11.6% bodyfat. I'd guess Trump is 40%. He's not hiding a 6-pack behind his overly long tie.

 

Let's see if the obese POTUS can do 10% of what I can do. He's the clown who said he doesn't exercise, because "a person only has a finite amount of energy in a life".

 

MAGAs are so silly defending their butterball golf cheating liar.

That's pretty good for an 80 yr old, good on you.

[Airalee]

59 minutes ago, angryguy said:

Push ups and situps burn calories, thus do cause weight loss

Leftists don’t exercise.  
 

Have you ever seen one on a treadmill or exercise bike?   They are the embodiment of low effort.   They probably think HIIT is an acronym for some “right wing fascist organization”.

 

Besides.  Exercise is racist.

 

The White Supremacist Origins of Exercise, and 6 Other Surprising Facts About the History of U.S. Physical Fitness

https://time.com/6242949/exercise-industry-white-supremacy/

 

[angryguy]

17 minutes ago, Wingate said:

Last DEXA had me at 11.6% bodyfat

Some women are lower than that. You can do better

[DezLez]

12 minutes ago, Airalee said:

Leftists don’t exercise.  
 

Have you ever seen one on a treadmill or exercise bike?

What a ridiculous generalist post based solely on your blinkered MAGA view of the world!

[Mike_Hunt]

41 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Have you ever stopped to think of how boring you're ridiculously juvenile name-calling is? Are you 13 years old? 

Pot meet kettle. 

[Mike_Hunt]

34 minutes ago, Wingate said:

Did 20 this morning. 38 dips, too. Benched 140 kg 5 reps as my last set. Also did sprinting. Last DEXA had me at 11.6% bodyfat. I'd guess Trump is 40%. He's not hiding a 6-pack behind his overly long tie.

 

Let's see if the obese POTUS can do 10% of what I can do. He's the clown who said he doesn't exercise, because "a person only has a finite amount of energy in a life".

 

MAGAs are so silly defending their butterball golf cheating liar.

Video exercise game? 

[Mike_Hunt]

The lefties are having that fit that Trump is trying to improve kids physical fitness.