103: The Presidential Fitness Test

An Old Timey Podcast

True Crime, Comedy, History

4.9 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 13 May 2026

⏱️ 79 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The Presidential Fitness Test has been a gym class staple for decades. Generations of Americans have performed pull-ups, sit-ups, mile runs and flexibility tests under the watchful eye of their sweaty peers. In the end, a select group of kids were given the coveted Presidential Physical Fitness Award.

At the time, it all seemed *so important*! But was it, actually? Whose idea was it? And did it accomplish what it set out to do?

Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Kristin pulled from:

“A brief history of the bizarre and sadistic Presidential Fitness Test,” by Phil Edwards for Vox
“Tools of the trade: The Presidential Physical Fitness test,” by Elissa Nadworny for NPR
“The report that shocked the president,” by Robert Boyle for Sports Illustrated
“The soft American,” by John F. Kennedy for Sports Illustrated
“The origins of the Presidential Fitness Test,” by Vince Guerrieri for Mental Floss
“Remember running the mile in school? The Presidential Fitness Test is coming back,” by Rachel Treisman for NPR
“The first 50 years, 1956-2006,” by Julie Sturgeon and Janice Meer for the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
“The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and the Systematisation of Children’s Play in America,” by Matthew T. Bowers and Thomas M. Hunt for the International Journal of the History of Sport
“Exercise pioneer Bonnie Prudden dies at 97,” by Kimberly Matas for the Arizona Daily Star

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Transcript

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1:37.8	Hear ye. You are listening to an old-timey podcast.
1:39.5	I'm Kristen Caruso.
1:40.6	And I'm Normie C.
	...

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