GET FIT!

A Handbook For Youth Ages 6-17

GET FIT!

How to get in shape to meet The President’s Challenge

A Program of the President’s

Council on Physical Fitness and

Sports, U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services
Table of Contents

01 Message from the President’s Council

02 Introduction

03 Motivational Tips

04 Principles of Exercise

06 Physical Activity

07 Presidential Active Lifestyle Award

08 Physical Fitness

08 Measuring Physical Fitness

10 The President’s Challenge Physical Fitness Test

11 Physical Fitness Award (Test Items)

14 Physical Fitness Award (Standards)

15 Getting in Shape to Meet the President’s Challenge

27 Health Fitness Award

27 Health Fitness Award (Standards)

30 Accommodating Students with Disabilities

32 Fitness Links

GET FIT! A Handbook For Youth Ages 6-17: How to get in shape to meet 

the President’s Challenge

The President’s Challenge is a program of the President’s Council on 

Physical Fitness and Sports, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

This booklet can be downloaded from the President’s Challenge website at 

www.indiana.edu/~preschal/getfit.pdf. For ordering multiple copies of this 

booklet please contact the President’s Challenge office at 800-258-8146 or 

visit the website at www.indiana.edu/~preschal.

Revised 8/2001 by Brendon S. Hale, Ph.D. Candidate, Indiana University, 

Department of Kinesiology; B.D. Franks, Ph.D., University of Maryland, 

Department of Kinesiology

Photos and text of exercises on pages 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23 and 24 of this 

booklet reprinted, by permission, from B.D. Franks, E.T. Howley and Y. Iyriboz, 

1999, The Health Fitness Handbook, (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics).
1

GET FIT!

A Message from The President’s Council 

on Physical Fitness and Sports

Be active and improve fitness! Simple advice but it can be one of the most

important things you can do to improve how you feel, look, and your current

and future health.

This booklet can help you understand and prepare for the three ways you can

receive Presidential awards:

1. Be active five days per week for six weeks.

2. Score at high levels on physical fitness tests.

3. Reach health standards for fitness tests.

Start today. Use the suggestions in this book to begin your personal action and

fitness program. Add your own ideas to make it fun so that you will continue

being active with high levels of fitness throughout your life. Your fitness and

health are worth the time and energy you spend!
Introduction

In 1956 President Eisenhower identified the importance of physical activity 

for a person’s health. In 1966 President Johnson began the Presidential Physical

Fitness Program. This program became the President’s Challenge in 1986. Since

then American youth between the ages of 6 and 17 have been participating 

in an awards program that rewards all kids for being active, fit and healthy,

including those with special needs.

Currently the President’s Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness Awards 

program has 3 separate programs to encourage America’s youth to be active,

healthy, and fit. One of the primary goals of the President’s Challenge is to

encourage and promote healthy and active lifestyles among young people. 

Since 1966 the Presidential Physical Fitness Award (PPFA) (for outstanding

physical achievement) has been awarded to American youth. In 1987 the

National Physical Fitness Award (NPFA) was added to the program to reward

children who achieve a basic and challenging level of fitness. Beginning in 1991

the Participant Physical Fitness Award (PA) was introduced. This award acknowledges any student who attempts all five events of the President’s Challenge but

does not meet the standards for the National or Presidential Awards. 

In 1996 an award was added to the President’s Challenge program to reward

children who achieve healthy levels of physical fitness. The Health Fitness Award

(HFA) was created to award healthy fitness levels of American youth based on

health-criterion standards. In 2001 the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA)

was created to acknowledge children who are active daily for a predetermined

period of time. By earning these awards you are more 

likely to be active and healthy and less likely to suffer from

injuries or health related illnesses. 

This booklet is designed to help you BE ACTIVE and

GET FIT. On the following pages you can learn how to get

in shape, learn the importance of being active every day,

and learn how to practice for each event in the President’s

Challenge Physical Fitness and Health Fitness programs.

Being active and improving fitness levels will allow you to

receive one or more of the President’s Challenge Awards.

2
Motivational Tips

Every person can be active and improve physical fitness. By following the

instructions in this book you can gain fitness and improve your physical 

capabilities. With determination, work, and commitment you will improve your

physical abilities. All of you can improve your fitness, even those of you who are

already active.

When beginning a fitness program it is

important to do the correct amount of work.

If you try to do too much work too soon

you might hurt or injure yourself. Getting in

shape requires time and the right amount

of effort. When exercising, your effort

should be challenging, but not painful. If

you feel too much pain or exhaustion you

should ease off and talk to your parents or teachers. As you get in better shape

your effort will improve. 

Being fit and healthy means performing exercises that will improve

endurance, flexibility, and strength. There are many advantages to trying to be

active in ways that improve these elements of fitness. People who are active are

healthier, feel better, and perform better in school and in daily activities. 

When you make exercise an important part of your day you will begin to see

the benefits. Keep a daily log of your activity. This should include time spent

walking, biking, swimming, or running. Many times it is fun and rewarding to

include your friends and family members in your physical activities. You can try

skating, playing active games, or other fun activities with friends or family 

members. Oftentimes you will help each other to continue to be active and 

you can now earn an award for doing just that (see page 7). 

Frequently people say that they do not have enough time to be active. Try to

set aside a specific time of day to be active; if you can not do this try to be active

by watching less television, limiting your time spent on a computer, or playing

fewer video games. The most important aspect is making the commitment to

being active and healthy. Try your best to be active every day and after a period

of time you will begin to see the benefits. 

3

GET FIT!
Principles of Exercise

To improve your fitness level and

improve at completing the President’s

Challenge physical fitness test items you

should follow certain principles of exercise

Regularity, Overload, Specificity and

Progression.

Regularity: Set up a regular schedule for

exercising. You should accumulate at least 1

hour of activity daily with more vigorous workouts 3 to 4 days a week. You are

more likely to see improvements when you exercise regularly and have a regular

schedule for exercise. Additionally, you are more likely to continue to exercise

when you have a regular exercise schedule.

Overload: For your muscles to get stronger, or your body to get fit, you must

work harder when exercising than when you are at rest. Your heart should beat

faster and your breathing should increase when you are performing aerobic

exercise and when you are lifting weights. Make sure you work harder when

you are exercising but do not overdo it. Lifting too much weight or working out

too hard can cause you to be injured.

Specificity: You need to exercise your body the same way that you are going to

use it. For example, aerobic exercise will not build flexibility and lifting weights

will not increase your aerobic endurance. To be flexible you must stretch, to be

aerobically fit you must do aerobic activities and to become stronger you must

work your muscles. To be good at a certain sport or activity you must practice

that activity and exercise in ways that are similar to the sport or activity.

Progression: Gradually increase the number of times you do an exercise, 

the length of time that you perform an exercise, and how hard you exercise. It

generally takes 6 to 8 weeks to be able to see physical improvements, but you

will feel better shortly after starting to exercise. For example, do not increase the

number of curl-ups you perform from 5 to 35 in just a few days. You should

begin to do a few more curl-ups each week until you have reached your goals.

4
Following is an outline of how you should exercise:

Warm-up: Before you exercise you should always warm up your body. When

you warm up your body you increase your blood flow and get your muscles 

and joints ready to exercise. Most people are warmed up when they begin to

sweat and breathe heavier. Warming up makes your muscles more limber and

decreases your chance of being injured during exercise.

Stretching: Once you have

warmed up you can complete

stretching exercises that will 

prepare your whole body and

specifically, the muscles that will

be used while you are actively

exercising.

Exercise: Complete the exercise

activities in which you choose to

participate. Always make sure 

to take appropriate safety precautions when participating (e.g., wear protective gear) and to exercise for a

duration and at an intensity that is appropriate for your fitness level.

Cooling Down: Once you have completed exercising you are ready to cool

down. It is just as important to cool down after exercise as it is to warm up

before exercise. When you cool down you should let your breathing return 

to normal. It is best to walk around for a few minutes to make sure your 

breathing is normal and let your heartbeat slow down. After you have walked

around for a few minutes following vigorous exercise you are ready to begin

your cool down stretches.

The stretching exercises you do after exercise can be the same exercises 

you did for your warm-up or you can add other stretches. Most importantly 

you should stretch all major muscle groups, especially those that you used 

during exercise.

5

GET FIT!
Physical Activity

Physical Activity is a general term that encompasses most movements that are

produced by skeletal muscles and result in an increase in energy expenditure.

Being physically active leads to many lifestyle improvements, including physical

and mental health benefits. Activities that would generally result in a change in

energy expenditure include tumbling, walking to school, and playing games that

require movement. 

You should try to be as active as possible at an early age. Building active

habits now will result in keeping these habits into adulthood.

6
Directions for Recording

Physical Activities

Example

Other activities that count might include any teams that you play on, activities in

physical education class or at recess, active games with your friends or any other

activity that takes effort.

This activity log can be downloaded from the President’s Challenge website at

www.indiana.edu/~preschal.

Monday Rode Bicycle, Skate Board, PE Class 70

Tuesday Pedometer 12,050

Wednesday Dance Lessons, Walk the Dog, Recess 75

Thursday Pedometer 11,177

Friday Roller Blading, Street Hockey, PE Class 65

Saturday Scooter Riding, Soccer 75

Sunday Went to Park w/family, Karate Lessons 60

Participant Signature

Week 1 Activities # Minutes or

Pedometer Steps

Presidential Active Lifestyle Award

The President’s Challenge is offering recognition and awards to children who

are active. Individuals of all fitness and skill levels can achieve the Presidential

Active Lifestyle Award (PALA). The PALA is awarded to children who are active

for 60 minutes, at least 5 days a week, for 6 weeks. An additional way to earn

the PALA is by using a pedometer that measures the number of steps you take

in a day. By completing a minimum of 10,000 steps per day you can earn the

PALA. When you earn this award, hopefully, you will have begun to lead an

active lifestyle that will continue throughout your life.

7

GET FIT!
Physical Fitness

Physical fitness is made up of many parts. When you are physically fit you have

the energy and strength to perform daily activities without getting tired. Also,

you have the energy to participate in leisure and recreation activities. When you

are fit you have a strong heart, lungs, and muscles. Being fit benefits your daily

activities and makes it easier to meet daily demands. Fitness also improves your

mental health and your ability to cope with stressful events or occurrences. Being

fit will help you be successful at recreational activities, school, sports and work.

The time to begin being fit is now! Children who are physically active and eat

correctly become healthier and more active adults.

Measuring Physical Fitness

Each of the four components of physical fitness can be measured.

Additionally, specific exercises can be done to improve each of these areas. The

four components of physical fitness are: Aerobic Capacity, Muscular Strength

and Endurance, Flexibility, and Body Composition.

Aerobic Capacity, or the ability of your heart and lungs to supply the muscles

of your body with oxygen, is an indicator of aerobic fitness. Exercises like cycling,

running, swimming, and walking build this type of endurance. How quickly 

you can run a mile (or shorter distances for younger children) is a test of 

cardiorespiratory endurance.

Muscular Strength and Endurance

Muscular Strength is the amount of force you can exert with a muscle. There

are many muscles in the body and you should exercise all of them to help make 

all of them strong. The amount of weight you can move can be your body

weight or additional weights like a barbell or the weight that is on special weight

training machines.

You should do exercises to improve your strength because people who are

strong are less likely to get injured when working or playing. Being strong is also

good for your posture and helps to strengthen your bones. 

8
9

GET FIT!

Muscular Endurance, or the ability of your muscles to move for long 

periods of time, is an indicator of a muscle’s ability to do work. Exercises 

like curl-ups and push-ups are good for building muscular endurance. The

number of repetitions you can do at these exercises is an indicator of muscle

strength and endurance. 

You need to build endurance so you have more energy and are able 

to play or work harder for longer periods of time. When you have good 

endurance you will not be “out of breath” as easily. When your heart and 

lungs are in good shape you will be healthier and will be less likely to 

develop some diseases.

Flexibility, or the ability to move your muscles and joints through their 

full range of motion, is beneficial in injury prevention and relaxation.

Stretching exercises help you increase your flexibility. When stretching you

should reach easily in the direction and hold the stretch, do not bounce. 

Flexible people are able to reach, bend and stretch more easily. When 

you are flexible you are less likely to injure your muscles and joints. 

Stretching also helps to relieve stress and will help you relax.

Many other factors can help you be fit. Some factors that can help 

you do well in completing the physical fitness portion of the President’s

Challenge are Agility, Coordination, and Speed. When you do exercises to

improve these factors your performance in daily and sport activities will

improve. 

Body Composition is the amount of lean body mass, including bones, 

muscles, organs, and tissues, that your body has in comparison to the 

amount of your body mass that is fat. People who are physically fit generally

will have much more lean body mass than fat body mass.

Being active and exercising will give your body and muscles shape. People

who exercise generally have less body fat than people who are inactive and

are not in shape; additionally, adolescent boys and men tend to have less

body fat than adolescent girls and women. If you want to know if your body

composition is good ask a physical education or health teacher to measure

your percent body fat or to calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI).
The President’s Challenge 

Physical Fitness Test

American children have been earning a Presidential Physical Fitness Award

(PPFA) for fitness since 1966. Those of you who reach or exceed the 85th 

percentile, meaning the top 15 percent of your age group, on all five items of

the test are eligible to receive the PPFA for outstanding achievement. The PPFA

is a round blue badge embroidered with an eagle.

Those of you who complete the President’s Challenge physical fitness test

items and exceed the 50th percentile on all of the test items, but do not achieve

the 85th percentile on one or more, qualify for the National Physical Fitness

Award (NPFA). The NPFA is a round red badge embroidered with an eagle. 

Those of you who complete the President’s Challenge physical fitness test 

but do not exceed the 50th percentile on all test items qualify to receive the

Participant Physical Fitness Award (PA). The PA is a round white badge embroidered with an eagle.

Earning any of these awards is something of which to be proud. We encourage you to continue to try to improve from year to year. Remember! People who

are trying to be fit and active are all winners!

Each of the five items in the President’s Challenge physical fitness test 

measures a specific aspect of fitness.

Curl-ups OR Partial Curl-ups

abdominal strength/endurance

Endurance Run/Walk

heart/lung endurance

Pull-ups OR Right Angle Push-ups

upper body strength/endurance

Shuttle Run

leg strength/power/agility

V-Sit Reach OR Sit and Reach

lower back/hamstring flexibility

10

PRESIDENTIAL

PHYSICAL FITNESS AWA

R

D

NATIONAL

PHYSICAL FITNESS AWA

R

D

PARTICIPANT

PHYSICAL FITNESS AWARD
Physical Fitness Award (Test Items)

On the following pages are the exercises that you will be asked to complete

when you take the President’s Challenge. You can also view these events on our

website (www.indiana.edu/~preschal). Additionally, there are some suggested

exercises that can help you meet the President’s Challenge. When doing these

exercises make sure you follow the directions. If you are unsure about what to

do or would like more or different exercises to perform, ask your instructor.

Curl-ups: Lie on a cushioned,

clean surface with your knees

flexed and feet about 12

inches from your buttocks.

Place your hands on the

opposite shoulders with your

arms crossed. Have a partner

hold your feet and count

your curl-ups. Holding your

elbows close to your chest

raise your trunk up to touch

your elbows to your thighs. A

complete curl-up is counted

for each time you lie back

and touch your shoulders to

the floor. Do as many curl-ups as you can in one minute. This should be used

only for testing purposes — not regular exercise.

OR Partial Curl-up: Lie on a cushioned clean surface with your knees flexed

and your feet 12 inches from your buttocks. Your arms will be extended forward

with your fingers resting on your legs and pointed toward your knees. Have a

partner cup his or her hands underneath your head. To do a partial curl-up you

will slide your hands up your legs until your fingers touch your knees. A partial

curl-up is complete when you place your head back in your partner’s hands. Do

one partial curl-up every 3 seconds until you cannot complete one at this pace.

These should be used for regular exercise.

11

12

12

GET FIT!
Endurance Walk/Run: At the

signal “Ready, Go” begin the

endurance run on a safe and

marked course. You may walk

during the test but you should

try to complete the distance in

the shortest time possible.

Children who are 6 or 7 years

old may run one-quarter of a

mile and children who are 8 

or 9 may run one-half of a mile. 

Pull-ups: You should grasp a bar, with either an

overhand or an underhand grip, and hang from the

bar with your feet hanging freely (not touching the

floor). You should raise your body until your chin

clears the bar and lower yourself back to the 

beginning position. Try to complete as many 

pull-ups as you can.

OR Right Angle Push-ups: You should lie face

down on a mat in the push-up 

position with your hands under

your shoulders, fingers straight,

and legs straight, parallel and

slightly apart with your toes 

supporting your feet. Straighten

your arms, keeping your back

and knees straight while you

lower your body until there is a

90-degree angle at your elbows

and your upper arms are parallel to the floor, then push back up. Do one 

push-up every 3 seconds until you cannot complete one at this pace. 

Shuttle Run: Start with two lines 30 feet apart. Place two blocks of wood or

similar objects behind one line. Go to the opposite line and at the signal “Ready,

12

90°
Go” run to the other line, pick up one

block, run back to the line you started

at and place it on the floor behind the

line. Run back to the other line, pick up

the second block and run back and

cross the starting line. Do this as fast as

you can, without throwing the blocks.

V-Sit Reach: With your shoes off 

place your feet 8 to 12 inches apart on

a line marked on the floor. This is the

baseline, which will be crossed by a

measuring line that will be used to

measure your flexibility. Clasp your

thumbs so your hands are together

with palms facing down, then place

them on the measuring line. Have a

partner hold your legs straight and

keep your toes facing upward. As you

reach forward exhale, and reach as far

as you can while staying in good position. Try this three times for practice

and the fourth trial will be recorded. 

OR Sit and Reach: Using a specially

constructed box sit on the floor with

your legs straight and your feet flat

against the end of the box. A measuring line is marked on top of the box

and is even with your feet. This line is

marked 23 centimeters. Place your

hands evenly along the measuring line

and reach forward as far as you can.

Do this three times for practice and

your fourth trial will be recorded.

13

GET FIT!
The Presidential Physical Fitness Award

14

AGE PARTIAL* SHUTTLE V-SIT SIT AND ONE-MILE RT. ANGLE*

CURL-UPS CURL-UPS RUN REACH REACH RUN DISTANCE OPTION** PULL-UPS PUSH-UPS

(# one (#) (seconds) (inches) (centimeters) (min:sec) (min:sec) (min:sec) (#) (#)

minute) 1/4 mile 1/2 mile

06 33 22 12.1 +3.5 31 10:15 1:55 02 09

07 36 24 11.5 +3.5 30 09:22 1:48 04 14

08 40 30 11.1 +3.0 31 08:48 3:30 05 17

09 41 37 10.9 +3.0 31 08:31 3:30 05 18

10 45 35 10.3 +4.0 30 07:57 06 22

11 47 43 10.0 +4.0 31 07:32 06 27

12 50 64 09.8 +4.0 31 07:11 07 31

13 53 59 09.5 +3.5 33 06:50 07 39

14 56 62 09.1 +4.5 36 06:26 10 40

15 57 75 09.0 +5.0 37 06:20 11 42

16 56 73 08.7 +6.0 38 06:08 11 44

17 55 66 08.7 +7.0 41 06:06 13 53

06 32 22 12.4 +5.5 32 11:20 2:00 2 09

07 34 24 12.1 +5.0 32 10:36 1:55 2 14

08 38 30 11.8 +4.5 33 10:02 3:58 2 17

09 39 37 11.1 +5.5 33 09:30 3:53 2 18

10 40 33 10.8 +6.0 33 09:19 3 20

11 42 43 10.5 +6.5 34 09:02 3 19

12 45 50 10.4 +7.0 36 08:23 2 20

13 46 59 10.2 +7.0 38 08:13 2 21

14 47 48 10.1 +8.0 40 07:59 2 20

15 48 38 10.0 +8.0 43 08:08 2 20

16 45 49 10.1 +9.0 42 08:23 1 24

17 44 58 10.0 +8.0 42 08:15 1 25

GIRLS BOYS

OR OR OR OR

y

AGE PARTIAL* SHUTTLE V-SIT SIT AND ONE-MILE RT. ANGLE* FLEXED-ARM

CURL-UPS CURL-UPS RUN REACH REACH RUN DISTANCE OPTION** PULL-UPS PUSH-UPS HANG

(# one (#) (seconds) (inches) (centimeters) (min:sec) (min:sec) (min:sec) (#) (#) (sec)

minute) 1/4 mile 1/2 mile

06 22 10 13.3 +1.0 26 12:36 2:21 1 07 06

07 28 13 12.8 +1.0 25 11:40 2:10 1 08 08

08 31 17 12.2 +0.5 25 11:05 4:22 1 09 10

09 32 20 11.9 +1.0 25 10:30 4:14 2 12 10

10 35 24 11.5 +1.0 25 09:48 2 14 12

11 37 26 11.1 +1.0 25 09:20 2 15 11

12 40 32 10.6 +1.0 26 08:40 2 18 12

13 42 39 10.2 +0.5 26 08:06 3 24 14

14 45 40 09.9 +1.0 28 07:44 5 24 20

15 45 45 09.7 +2.0 30 07:30 6 30 30

16 45 37 09.4 +3.0 30 07:10 7 30 28

17 44 42 09.4 +3.0 34 07:04 8 37 30

06 23 10 13.8 +2.5 27 13:12 2:26 1 06 05

07 25 13 13.2 +2.0 27 12:56 2:21 1 08 06

08 29 17 12.9 +2.0 28 12:30 4:56 1 09 08

09 30 20 12.5 +2.0 28 11:52 4:50 1 12 08

10 30 24 12.1 +3.0 28 11:22 1 13 08

11 32 27 11.5 +3.0 29 11:17 1 11 07

12 35 30 11.3 +3.5 30 11:05 1 10 07

13 37 40 11.1 +3.5 31 10:23 1 11 08

14 37 30 11.2 +4.5 33 10:06 1 10 09

15 36 26 11.0 +5.0 36 09:58 1 15 07

16 35 26 10.9 +5.5 34 10:31 1 12 07

17 34 40 11.0 +4.5 35 10:22 1 16 07

GIRLS BOYS

OR OR OR OR OR

The National Physical Fitness Award

**Norms from Canada Fitness Award Program, Health Canada, Government of Canada with permission.

**1/4 and 1/2 mile norms from Amateur Athletic Union Physical Fitness Program with permission.
Getting in Shape to 

Meet the President’s Challenge

On the following pages are some suggested exercises that can help you meet

the President’s Challenge physical fitness award standards. When doing these

exercises make sure you follow the directions. If you are unsure about what 

to do or would like additional or different exercises to perform, ask your physical 

education or health teacher.

15

GET FIT!
Warm-up: 

Before you exercise you should always warm up your body. When you warm

up your body you get your muscles and joints ready to exercise. Most people

are warmed up when they begin to sweat and breathe more heavily. Warming

up makes your muscles more limber and decreases your chance of being

injured during exercise.

Flexibility:

When training flexibility you should have already warmed up; you should

never perform flexibility exercises when your muscles are cold. Once you have

warmed up and are beginning to stretch, the proper form is to stretch until there

is some tension on the muscle; do not bounce or try to reach repeatedly while

holding a single stretch. When stretching you should reach and hold the stretch

while maintaining the proper position for each specific stretching activity.

Following are listed a few examples of flexibility exercises.

Neck Stretch 

While sitting or 

standing with your 

head in its normal 

upright position, 

slowly tilt it to the 

right until tension 

is felt on the left

side of your neck. 

Hold that tension 

for 10 to 30 

seconds and then 

return your head to 

the upright position. 

Repeat to the left 

side, and then 

toward the front. 

Always return to the 

upright position 

before moving on. 

16
Reach to the Sky

Stand with feet 

shoulder-width apart.

Raise both arms 

overhead so that your

hands are intertwined

with palms together.

Hold for 10 to 30 

seconds and relax.

Reach Back

Stand with feet 

shoulder-width apart

and hold your arms 

out to the sides with

thumbs pointing down.

Slowly move both arms

back until you feel 

tension. Hold for 10 to

30 seconds and relax.

Arm Circles

Stand with feet

shoulder-width apart

and hold arms

straight out to the

side with your palms

facing up. Start 

moving your arms

slowly in small circles

and gradually make 

larger and larger 

circles. Come back 

to the starting 

position and reverse

the direction of your

arm swing.

17

GET FIT!




Side Bend

Stand with feet shoulder-width

apart and place your hands on

your waist. Slowly bend to one

side until you feel tension. Hold

for 10 to 30 seconds and relax.

Repeat on the other side.

Sit and Twist

Sit on a mat with your right leg straight in front of you. 

Bend your left leg and cross it over your right leg so 

that your left foot is alongside your right knee. Bring 

your right elbow across your body and place it on the 

outside of your left thigh near the knee. Slowly twist 

your body as you look over your left shoulder. 

Your right elbow should be exerting pressure 

against your left thigh. Hold the stretch 

for 10 to 30 seconds, relax, and repeat 

for the other side.

18
19

GET FIT!

Knee to Chest

Lie on your back on a mat with

your legs straight. Bend your left

knee and bring it up toward

your chest. Grasp the underside

of your thigh and slowly pull

your thigh to your chest. Hold

for 10 to 30 seconds. Release,

and repeat with the right leg.

Groin Stretch

Sit on a mat with your knees bent. Put the soles of your 

feet (or shoes) together and hold onto your ankles. Place 

your elbows on the inner sides of your knees and slowly 

apply downward pressure until you feel tension. Hold for 

10 to 30 seconds and repeat.

Hurdler’s Stretch 

While seated, place one foot on the inside of the

other leg just above your knee. Keep the other leg

extended and straight. With your back straight,

press forward toward the thigh of your extended

leg. Use your hands for support. When 

you feel some tension in the back 

of your leg hold the stretch for 

15 to 20 seconds. Do not 

bounce while holding this 

stretch. Repeat twice with 

legs in each position. 
20

Thigh Stretch 

Keep your body upright and place the ankle of 

one of your legs in the hand on the same side 

of your body. Be sure to keep the leg you are 

stretching underneath your body and close to 

the other leg. Hold the stretch for 15 to 20 

seconds once you feel some tension in the front 

of your leg. Repeat twice with each leg.

Calf Stretch

Place your hands against a wall 

while standing upright. Bend one

knee to be slightly in front of your

body while you extend the opposite

leg backward until the foot is placed

flat on the floor. With your back

straight you should feel some 

tension in the back of your leg. 

Hold the stretch for 15 to 20 

seconds and repeat twice with 

each leg. 




Back Flexibility

Kneel on all fours and raise first one arm and then the other arm. Next, raise one leg and then

the other leg. Finally, raise the arm and leg from opposite sides and then repeat with the other

arm and leg. Do all movements slowly and hold for a few seconds.

Cat and Camel

On your hands and knees with your head parallel to the floor, arch your back and then let it

slowly sag toward the floor. Try to keep your arms straight.

21

GET FIT!
Aerobic Exercises:

Aerobic exercises are going to help you increase your cardiorespiratory fitness.

See below for a few examples of activities that you can do that will help you

improve your cardiorespiratory fitness.

Bicycling

Swimming 

Skating (Rollerblading)

Running/Jogging/Walking/Hiking

Cross-country Skiing

Hurdler’s Jumps

Lateral Jumps

Running Zig-Zags

Soccer

Full-court Basketball

Singles Racquetball/Tennis/Badminton

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GET FIT!

Muscular Strength and Endurance Exercises: 

After you have warmed up you can begin to perform exercises that will

strengthen your muscles and improve your muscular endurance. When doing

these exercises always make sure you are using the correct form. Doing 

excessive repetitions or lifting more weight does not make you stronger sooner.

By trying to do too much when performing strengthening exercises you can

increase your risk of injury. Always pay attention to your body and its safety.

Performing the exercises listed below are some ways you can improve your

strength and muscular endurance. 

Crunch

Lie down on the floor 

with your legs bent and 

your feet placed flat on the 

floor. Cross your arms on 

your chest. Lift your chest 

toward your knees until 

your shoulders come off of 

the floor. Lie back down 

once your shoulders come 

off the floor. Repeat for a 

predetermined number of repetitions. 

Diagonal Curl

To strengthen different parts of the abdominal muscles than those developed with the 

curl-up, alternate the diagonal curl to the left and to the right.
Push Away

Start developing your upper body with the push-away until you can comfortably do three sets

of 10 in one workout.

Bent Knee Push-up

Once you meet your goal for push-aways, 

try the bent-knee push-up, starting with 

two sets of 5 and increasing until you can 

do two sets of 10 in a single workout.

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GET FIT!

Right Angle Push-up

You should lie face down with your hands under your shoulders, fingers 

straight, legs straight, parallel and slightly apart with your toes 

supporting the feet. Straighten your arms while keeping 

your back and knees straight, lower your body until 

you have a 90-degree angle at the elbows. Repeat 

for a predetermined number of repetitions.

Modified Pull-up

Place a pole or pipe that will support your body weight on the seat of two chairs that are about

four feet apart. Lie on your back underneath the bar and grasp it with both hands about 

shoulder width apart. Pull your chest up to the bar keeping your body straight from head to

toe. Lower your body back to the floor, repeat for a predetermined number of repetitions. 

Dip/Chair Dip

If you have a dip bar, place your hands on the bars

with your arms straight and your feet hanging free.

Lower your body by bending your elbows until your

arms are bent at a 90-degree angle. Repeat for a 

predetermined number of repetitions. Also, you can

do these with chairs as support if you do not have 

the proper dip bar. Place two chairs approximately

shoulder width apart and use the arms of 

the chairs as your support. Place both feet

together in front of you with your heels 

resting on the floor and legs straight. 

Perform the dip the same 

as it was performed on a 

dip bar.
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Cooling Down:

Once you have completed exercising you are ready to cool down. It is just as

important to cool down after exercise as it is to warm up before exercise. When

you cool down you should let your breathing return to normal. It is best to walk

around for a few minutes to make sure your breathing is normal and let your

heartbeat slow down. After you have walked around for a few minutes following

vigorous exercise you are ready to begin your cool-down stretches.

The stretching exercises you do after exercise can be the same exercises you

did for your warm-up or you can add other stretches. Most importantly you

should stretch all major muscle groups, especially those that you used during

exercise. 
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Health Fitness Award

Another program of the President’s Challenge is the Health Fitness Award

(HFA). The HFA can be achieved if you reach the scores for your age group on

the following chart. By reaching these scores you will have attained “a healthy

level of fitness.”

Most of the events of the Health Fitness Award are the same as the physical

fitness test, with the addition of a measure of body fat, the Body Mass Index

(BMI). The following items make up the Health Fitness Award:

Partial curl-ups

One Mile Run/Walk or the appropriate distance options for age

V-sit Reach or the Sit and Reach option

Right angle push-ups or the Pull-up option

AGE PARTIAL ONE-MILE V-SIT SIT AND RT. ANGLE

CURL-UPS RUN DISTANCE OPTION REACH REACH PUSH-UPS PULL-UPS BMI

(#) (min:sec) (min:sec) (min:sec) (inches) (centimeters) (#) (#) (range)

1/4 mile 1/2 mile

06 12 13:00 2:30 1 21 03 1 13.3-19.5

07 12 12:00 2:20 1 21 04 1 13.3-19.5

08 15 11:00 4:45 1 21 05 1 13.4-20.5

09 15 10:00 4:35 1 21 06 1 13.7-21.4

10 20 09:30 1 21 07 1 14.0-22.5

11 20 09:00 1 21 08 2 14.0-23.7

12 20 09:00 1 21 09 2 14.8-24.1

13 25 08:00 1 21 10 2 15.4-24.7

14 25 08:00 1 21 12 3 16.1-25.4

15 30 07:30 1 21 14 4 16.6-26.4

16 30 07:30 1 21 16 5 17.2-26.8

17 30 07:30 1 21 18 6 17.7-27.5

06 12 13:00 2:50 2 23 03 1 13.1-19.6

07 12 12:00 2:40 2 23 04 1 13.1-19.6

08 15 11:00 5:35 2 23 05 1 13.2-20.7

09 15 10:00 5:25 2 23 06 1 13.5-21.4

10 20 10:00 2 23 07 1 13.8-22.5

11 20 10:00 2 23 07 1 14.1-23.2

12 20 10:30 2 23 08 1 14.7-24.2

13 25 10:30 3 25 07 1 15.5-25.3

14 25 10:30 3 25 07 1 16.2-25.3

15 30 10:00 3 25 07 1 16.6-26.5

16 30 10:00 3 25 07 1 16.8-26.5

17 30 10:00 3 25 07 1 17.1-26.9

GIRLS BOYS

OR OR OR

GET FIT!

The Health Fitness Award

HEALTH

FITNESS AWARD

Criterion standards listed above adapted from Amateur Athletic Union Physical Fitness Program; AAHPERD Physical Best;

Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research, Fitnessgram; Corbin, C. & Lindsey, R., Fitness for Life, 4th edition; and YMCA Youth

Fitness Test.
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The final item of the Health Fitness Award is BMI. This is used to compare

your weight relative to your height and estimate your total body fat. Here is how

to calculate your BMI:

w(kg) / h(m)

Example:

Step One: Convert your weight to kilograms (kg)

2.2 lbs = 1 kg

Step Two: Convert your height to meters (m)

1 inch = .0254m

Step Three: Square your height

height x height 

Step Four: Divide your weight 

by your height squared

w(kg) / h(m)2

Example:

A 16 year old boy weighing 154 pounds

(70 kg), and 68 inches tall (1.727 meters) 

has a BMI of:

70 kg 70 = ≈ 23.5 kg/m2

(1.727m)2 2.98

Based on the BMI range for a 16 year old 

boy listed in the table on page 24; a BMI 

index of 23.5 puts this boy in the desirable 

range. Use the BMI chart (next page) for 

quick calculation.
29

HEIGHT

BODY MASS INDEX

Read

BMI

here

WEIGHT

GET FIT!

Body Mass Index

Directions: Use a ruler to connect the height column to the weight column and read the BMI number in the middle.

Modified with permission from David C. Nieman, Fitness and Sports Medicine: A Health-Related Approach,

(3rd edition), Bull Publishing Co., Palo Alto, CA, 1995.
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Accommodating Students with Disabilities

President’s Council on Physical Fitness and 

Sports Statement of Policy

Students with disabilities or special needs have the right to an individualized

physical fitness program. Thus, the PCPFS includes suggested guidelines for 

accommodating these students in its President’s Challenge Physical Activity and

Fitness Awards Program. These students can be motivated to develop lifetime

habits of appropriate physical activity through recognition of achievement in 

physical fitness. The suggestions for accommodation have been prepared to 

permit boys and girls with

disabilities, ages 6-17, to 

be acknowledged for their

achievement and to qualify

for the Presidential Active

Lifestyle Award, the 

Presidential, the National,

the Participant Physical 

Fitness, or the Health 

Fitness Awards in the 

President’s Challenge 

Physical Activity and 

Fitness Awards Program.

Teachers or fitness 

leaders may decide that

other students without identified disabilities also need accommodations in one 

or more of the test categories or awards. Making accommodations is consistent

with the goal of providing motivation for life-long physical activity through 

physical fitness achievement.

Qualified instructors, using their professional judgement, may qualify students

who do not reach PCPFS standards on one or more of the test items in the

awards program. For questions or information concerning these guidelines, 

please call our Toll Free Number: 1-800-258-8146.
These Modifications Apply to All Awards

Guidelines for Qualifying Students with Disabilities for the 

Presidential Active Lifestyle Award; Presidential, National, and 

Participant Physical Fitness Awards; or the Health Fitness Award

1. The instructor has reviewed the individual’s records to identify medical, 

orthopedic, or other health problems which should be considered prior to 

participation in physical activities including physical fitness testing.

2. The individual has a disability or other problem that adversely affects 

performance on one or more test items.

3. The individual has been participating in an appropriate physical fitness 

program that develops and maintains cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular

strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition.

4. The instructor has administered all five test items for the Physical Fitness

Awards program or the Health Fitness Award program, making needed 

modifications or substituting alternative test items for the individual, or has

modified any of the requirements for the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award

program (i.e., modification of time requirements or number of steps).

5. The instructor judges that the individual has been tested on all five test items

and/or in each of the five fitness categories and has performed at a level

equivalent to a Presidential, National, Participant Physical Fitness, or the Health

Fitness Award and/or The Presidential Active Lifestyle Award.

GET FIT!

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Fitness Links

President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports

http://www.fitness.gov

Amateur Athletic Union

http://www.aausports.org

American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance

http://aahperd.org

American Heart Association

http://americanheart.org

Center for Disease Control

http://cdc.gov/kidsmedia/

Fitness for Youth

http://Fitnessforyouth.umich.edu

Kids Health

http://www.kidshealth.org

The Locker Room: Sports for kids, rules, history, tips

http://members.aol.com/msdaizy/sports/locker.html

National Safe Kids Campaign

http://www.safekids.org

Runner’s World for Kids

http://www.kidsrunning.com

Special Olympics

http://www.specialolympics.org/index.html

Sports Illustrated for Kids

http://www.sikids.com

Youth Fitness Links

http://kidsclick.com

Youth Leagues

http://www.youthleagues.com
We hope you are 

well on your way 

to earning your PALA—

Presidential Active Lifestyle Award.

Now, encourage your parents, 

grandparents, teachers, fitness leaders, 

doctors, and others to receive 

their own recognition by earning 

the PAAL to the PALA.

Call 1-800-258-8146 for information.

GET FIT!
THE PRESIDENT’S CHALLENGE

400 East 7th Street 

Bloomington, IN 47405-3085 

Phone 1-800-258-8146 

Web Site www.indiana.edu/~preschal 

E-mail Address preschal@indiana.edu

THE PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL ON 

PHYSICAL FITNESS AND SPORTS

200 Independence Ave., SW

Room 738H 

Washington, DC 20201

Web Site www.fitness.gov