Trump Reinstates Presidental Fitness Test For Michigan Children

I remember growing up and having to do tons of fitness tests during the school year to measure not only my athletic ability but my overall health as a young man. Some of these tests were awful like the 1-mile run and the pacer test but other things like pushups, pull ups, sit ups, jump rope, and other tasks weren't so bad.

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The tests had been administered to children during their school years for decades for the Obama Administration finally decided that some changes needed to be made. They did away with the traditional fitness test and focused more on improving or maintaining the health of each child as they grow.

Do You Remember Taking The Fitness Test In School?

President Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday to reinvigorate the exam for schoolchildren all over the country. This means, students in Michigan will begin taking the tests again this school year. MLive reports:

In the test, children had to run and perform situps, pullups or pushups and a sit-and-reach test, but the program changed in 2012. It evolved into the Youth Fitness Program, which the government said “moved away from recognizing athletic performance to providing a barometer on student’s health.” Then-first lady Michelle Obama also promoted her “Let’s Move” initiative focused on reducing childhood obesity through diet and exercise.

There will be a council put together to known formally as the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition to oversee manners like the fitness exam and various issues with college athletics. The council includes but is not limited to the following names:

• Jack Nicklaus
• Gary Player
• Tony Romo
• Saquon Barkley
• Wayne Gretzky
• Roger Goodell
• Bryson DeChambeau
• Lawrence Taylor
• Harrison Butker
• Annika Sorenstam
• Paul “Triple H” Levesque

There were mixed reactions to the announcement of the fitness exam returning, the main criticism is that the exam will help showcase where they are physically but will not help them improve and should be paired with lesson planning that teaches and encourages physical health.