Presidential Test of Fitness

Independent reference — not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.

FitnessGram

FitnessGram is the youth fitness assessment that replaced the original Presidential Physical Fitness Test in U.S. schools in 2012. Developed by the Cooper Institute, it scores students against a “Healthy Fitness Zone” (a health-based standard) rather than ranking them by percentile — measuring aerobic capacity, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition.

What FitnessGram measures

  • PACER (20m beep test) — Aerobic capacity — the multistage 20-meter shuttle run.
  • One-mile run — Aerobic capacity alternative, timed.
  • Curl-ups — Abdominal strength & endurance, in cadence.
  • Push-ups (90°) — Upper-body strength & endurance, in cadence.
  • Trunk lift — Trunk extensor strength & flexibility.
  • Back-saver sit-and-reach — Hamstring & low-back flexibility, one leg at a time.
  • Shoulder stretch — Upper-body flexibility (pass/fail).
  • Body composition — BMI or percent body fat against the Healthy Fitness Zone.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between FitnessGram and the Presidential Fitness Test?

The Presidential Physical Fitness Test (1966–2012) ranked students against percentile norms and gave awards for top performance. FitnessGram, which replaced it in 2012, instead checks whether each student reaches a health-based “Healthy Fitness Zone.” In 2025 a federal executive order revived a Presidential test alongside it.

What is the Healthy Fitness Zone?

It’s the range on each FitnessGram test associated with good health for a student’s age and sex — set by the Cooper Institute. Scoring in the zone is the goal, rather than beating a percentile or earning an award.

Does FitnessGram use the PACER test?

Yes — the PACER (20-meter beep test) is FitnessGram’s primary aerobic-capacity assessment, alongside an optional one-mile run or walk test.

Is FitnessGram still used?

Many states and districts still use FitnessGram for required fitness assessment. The 2025 executive order reestablished a separate Presidential Fitness Test; how the two coexist is being decided at the state and district level.