The President's Challenge physical fitness test will help you find out what kind of shape you're really in. Sponsored by the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the challenge measures how fast and how far you can run, how strong you are, and how far you can stretch. Then you can measure your scores against what the experts say a person of your age should be able to do. If you can match or beat the standards, great! If not, just keep working out; you'll get there eventually.

President's Challenge Fitness Tests
There are five tests that make up both the Presidential Physical Fitness Award and the National Physical Fitness Award. It takes practice to meet the qualifying times so work hard and don't give up.

Curl-Ups
How many curl-ups can you do perform in one minute. Test your abdominal strength. Lie on the floor with your knees up and your hands resting on opposite shoulders. Raise your upper body and touch your elbows to your thighs; then lie back down and touch your shoulders to the floor.

Pull-Ups
See how many pull-ups you can do. Grasp a bar using an overhand or underhand grip. Keep your legs straight. Pull your body up until your chin comes over the bar; then let yourself back down, and count how many pull-ups you can do.

V-Sit Reach
How far can you reach? Remove your shoes and sit on the floor with your heels eight to twelve inches apart and lean forward with your legs straight. Clasp your hands together , palms down and stretch them forwards as far as you can. See how far beyond your heels you can touch.

Shuttle Run
You'll run twice from the starting line to another line 30 feet away, grab a small block, and run with it back to the starting line. Time yourself to see how fast you can make it.

One-Mile Run
Challenge your endurance. Try to complete a mile run within the official limits. It takes a lot of practice.

Helpful Tips on the Road to Fitness
• Chart your progress. Gradually increase how hard, how long, and how many times you do an exercise over a period of time.

• Exercise regularly. Set up a schedule and work out every day--at least 3 or 4 times per week. What you don't use--you lose.

• Get stronger. For a muscle to become stronger, it must work harder. During your exercise, gradually do more repetitions of an exercise. Take your time, don't over do it, and strength improvements will come.

The Presidential Physical Fitness Award Qualifying Standards