We Tried the Presidential Fitness Test as Adults—Here’s What Happened

December 6, 2023

Remember the Presidential Fitness Test from elementary school? Yeah, that traumatic event where we all pretended we knew how to do a pull-up? Well, Sara and Caleigh from Nacho Fitness Coach decided to face their gym-class ghosts and take the test again—this time as grown-ups (and with a little sass).

But before the sit-ups and shuttle runs, they took a detour into the science of full-body workouts, talking about movement patterns, why deadlifts rock, and why core work doesn’t always mean holding a plank forever.

Let’s break it down.

What Makes a Full-Body Workout?

Sara breaks it down in classic coach fashion:

Squat – Think Bulgarian split squats, traditional squats, etc.
Hip Hinge – Aka deadlifts in all their glorious forms (Romanian, straight-leg, trap bar, dumbbells—you name it).
Push Movements – Chest presses, push-ups, dumbbell presses—anything that works the front of your body.
Pull Movements – Pull-ups, lat pulldowns, rows—focus on your back and biceps.
Core Work – Twists, planks (ugh), medicine balls, crunches—just engage that midsection.

Sara emphasizes movement patterns over specific muscles (sorry, bicep curls). Why? Because when you’re crunched for time, compound movements give you more bang for your workout buck.

“If you only have 30-45 minutes, 3 days a week, focus on exercises that hit multiple muscle groups at once.”

Cue the Flashback: The Presidential Fitness Test

Yes, that test—the one that haunted kids across America. Caleigh admits she never passed it, and Sara was a little too competitive for her own good back then.

The Main Events They Revisited:

Sit-ups (in 1 minute) – Caleigh: 30 | Sara: 27
🏆 Caleigh wins! But let’s be honest, Sara did sit on her feet, so…
Shuttle Run – Coming up!
Pull-ups / Flex Arm Hang – Still pending. (Spoiler alert: they’re already dreading it.)
V-sit Reach – Also TBD. Flexibility check coming soon.
One-mile run – They’ve done it before and could probably still ace it (or at least survive it).

Quick Facts:

Presidential Fitness Test goals for 17-year-old girls:
Sit-ups in 1 minute: 44
Shuttle run (30 feet x2): ~10 seconds
Flex arm hang: More than 10 seconds
One-mile run: Under 10 minutes

"I don’t think I could’ve done 44 sit-ups in a minute unless I was trying to escape a bear,” Caleigh joked.

The Sit-Up Showdown

Full sit-ups on a hard floor? Not for the faint of heart—or the lower back. But the girls went for it anyway:

Sara sat on Caleigh’s feet (and crushed her shoes).
Then Caleigh sat on Sara’s feet (she was gentler, apparently).
Both laughed, grunted, and powered through like champions of middle school flashbacks.

“It’s probably been since high school that I’ve done a full sit-up,” Sara admitted. “We usually just do crunches or twists now.”

Despite the questionable flooring and old-school moves, Caleigh edged out the win—and may never let Sara forget it.

What’s Next?

Stay tuned for:

The Shuttle Run Showdown: Slippers and all.
Pull-Up or Hang (if they survive).
Sit-and-Reach: Flexibility test incoming.
More laughs, groans, and sore muscles.

“We’re gonna get some really great behind-the-scenes footage,” they teased.

Final Thoughts: Fitness Is About Function, Not Just Flash

Whether you're revisiting gym class trauma or trying to get strong in short sessions, this episode proves:

You don’t need hours in the gym to be fit.
Focus on movement patterns, not isolated muscles.
Fitness should be fun—even if you're failing pull-ups again.

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