Friday, August 19, 2011

How Fit Does the President Think You Are?

I got to thinking about the physical fitness tests we used to do growing up in school and looked it up online, what I didn't know was that there is The President's Challlenge Adult Fitness Test.  They bill it as a fitness test for healthy adults 18 and older.   Here is what the site says about fitness

There are two types of fitness:

Performance-related fitness is linked to athletic performance (for example: a 50-yard dash time or the ability to maneuver around obstacles quickly) and is linked to speed, reaction time, and coordination.
Health-related fitness is linked to fitness components that may lower risks such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or low back pain. Health-related physical fitness includes the following components:
  • Aerobic fitness - ability of the heart and lungs to deliver blood to muscles,
  • Muscular strength and endurance - enough to do normal activities easily and protect the low back,
  • Flexibility - ability to move your many joints through their proper range of motion, and
  • Body composition - not too much body fat, especially around the waist.


Here are my test results, with a three year old for a photographer

The Half Sit-up test   My results 52
The Push up Test  My results  40
I would like to dedicate this picture to Amanda at Runninghood.  She has a problem with wearing her Zensah tights inside out.  I noticed when I was cropping the picture that mine here are inside out, although mine are Nike and not as cool as her Zensah tights
The Sit and Reach Test 14 inches
Aerobic Fitness Test 1.5 mile run  10:08 minutes
Note:  I did not go out and run this morning I just used a recent time from the first 1.5 miles of a race, so  I still think I could do it faster, but this will work
BMI and Waist Circumference

Then you plug it all in to this form HERE and it tell you how you did
I did pretty good except for the flexibility which I knew I was going to not be good at given that my hamstrings are wound up so  tight right now, but I did not expect the fifteenth percentile!  Wow, I need to work on my flexibility. I thought I would be able to do more pushups and situps, not that those are bad scores, but I do see me trying this again in a week to see if I improve my score.


Did you know that this Presidential test existed?
 Anyone else as not limber as I am?

On a different note, here is the race packet for the 5 mile race I have tomorrow.  T-shirt is actually better than it was last year.  4 pens and a pencil, a tote bag, some advertising and coupons to local stores, a water bottle and a bottle of water.  


Linking up today also for the Fitness Friday Blog hop  over at Life..As I See It,  check it out HERE

Happy Friday!
Who else is doing a race this weekend?  
Why did you pick the race you are doing?



29 comments:

  1. I actually did the adult fitness test a couple of years ago. I'm pretty good on everything other than the flexibility...I should try again!

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  2. Wow that is cool! I never knew that existed!

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  3. I never new this test existed... going to do it tonight:)

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  4. Great idea. I didn't know 3 year olds could take photos! Haha.

    I remember doing this test in elementary school. I think I'd do alright on the stretching myself. Yoga helps!

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  5. I knew about the test, but I didn't know that it was for more than just students in schools. I'll check it out, thanks!

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  6. I didn't know the test existed. My 10 year old did it last year in school... I'm going to go check it out.

    Good luck with your race!

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  7. I know they have a similar test for kids. At my sons school 2 kids got the Presidents fitness award with a certficate signed by him. That was the first I had heard of it.

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  8. This is a really neat idea to test your fitness--I'm going to try it this weekend!

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  9. OH this brings back SOOO many memories. I vividly remember doing these tests in the 5th grade. ha ha I had no idea they still did them. Great scores by the way. You are awesome!

    Good luck at the race tomorrow!!!

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  10. ahhhhhhhh!!! no....the presidential fitness test was the worst in grade school. i hated it. haha. i think i would actually do better now but i bet my flexibility still sucks :) good luck at your race!

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  11. I didn't know there was an adult version of the President's Fitness Test - I'll have to check it out.

    Good luck with your race!

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  12. Pretty amazing photography if you ask me! I did not know about this but I hated hated this stuff as a kid I was awful at it and lets not even talk about the mile. Wow how things change. Good luck on your race, can't wait to hear about it.

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  13. I did the Presidential Fitness thing as part of a group a couple of years ago. We got up to a silver medal...it was nothing like you describe...I'm guessing it's all been revamped.
    No worries, I'm SURE I am at least that unflexible. Running will do that. Ugh.

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  14. I remember doing something like this in elementary school. Wonder how i'd do now... :)

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  15. This is a great idea. I am not very flexible either. Your 3 year old is a pretty good photobug!

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  16. Very cool stuff. Might have to find out how fit I am.

    I am running the South Valley Half. I was given a free entry to the race. Then I was roped into pacing. Could be very interesting.

    Have a great weekend! And good luck tomorrow!

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  17. Ha ha! So funny about the tights. :) Good luck tomorrow girl!

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  18. I had no idea there was an adult version of this test! I have absolutely no desire to relive my elementary PE days. :)

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  19. The only part of that I didn't flunk in junior high was the "V-Sit" because I am/was super flexible!

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  20. I remember the test from school but no clue there was an adult version. Also, doesn't seem that kids do it in my school, which they should, because many would fail, and maybe that would be a wakeup call to parents! Your 1.5 mile time is ridic. You are just awesome. I'm doing my first tri this weekend - I picked it because I knew nothing about tris and some girls I was running with told me it was fun! And it's all women, which I'm excited about. Have a good race!

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  21. ahh the presidential test. we did this in school though all i remember is the "sit and reach" and maybe trying to jump high against the wall? i will have to retry this one - the adult version / see how well i score. i'm sure my flex test is not good either...

    great photographer! :)

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  22. I'm really impressed with your 40 push-ups. : ) Wishing you a fast race tomorrow!

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  23. I have never heard of this test! Stopping by from Fitness Friday. Good luck on your run!

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  24. I didn't know about the fitness test you did, but I signed up for the presidents physical fitness challenge a few weeks ago. Crap! That reminds me I should start logging my workouts into that again!

    I like the race bag you got. Pens and water bottle are great!

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  25. Hah. WOW! I haven't done that test since high school..which was....um...a couple of years ago. You know what I always did badly in was the chin ups! I think 2 was a C and I may have done 2. Maybe. That is funny. I should try to do it again. I wonder if I am in better or worse shape than when I was 17?

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  26. I love that you did this, that is pretty funny to me but its funny to look at the standards! (ps on my blog today I threw a shout out to you, although my husband probably doesn't like you because I want to go to lululemon asap!!)

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  27. I'm going to take the test! I'll let you know how it goes. No I didn't know it existed for adults.

    I'm running my first trail relay race this morning. I have the first leg. No pressure!! Sitting here hoping it doesn't rain.

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  28. I hadn't thought of the presidential fitness test since they made us do it in jr high. I should go try it again. Hopefully I would do better this time!

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  29. I didn't realize that there was an adulttest too. I used to be really good at sit ups and pull ups way back then. I was never good at flexibility and I would fail that portion today.

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