Technolandy

Day 47 (of SOL 2025) thought on fitness tests

US is bringing back the “presidents fitness test” which immediately reminded me of Canadas Particip-ACTION drills we used to do. The us version:

1 mile run (1.6 km) 

Shuttle run

Push-ups

Pull-ups

Sit-ups

Sit-and-reach

The grid differs based on gender and age: https://gilmore.gvsd.us/documents/Info/Forms/Teacher%20Forms/Presidentialchallengetest.pdf but the award is won by those in the top 15% of participants overall (and teachers loved using this standard…) 

Also awards for National fitness (above 50th percentile) and participant awards (from 1985, so don’t blame current system for all participation awards – 

50th percentile markers for 17 year olds:

(85th in parentheses)

Girls

1 mile run (1.6 km) 10:22  (8;15). (Me: 20minutes on my slow run/walk

Shuttle run 11 seconds (10)

Push-ups 16 [or 7 second flexed arm hang].  (25 – no hang option)

Pull-ups 1  (1)

Sit-ups 34 in one minute (44)

Sit-and-reach 4.5 inches beyond toes (+7)

Boys

1 mile run (1.6 km) 7:04 (6:06)

Shuttle run 9.4 seconds (8.7)

Push-ups 37 [or 30 second flexed arm hang].  (53 – no hang option)

Pull-ups 8 (13)

Sit-ups 44 in one minute (55)

Sit-and-reach 3 inches beyond toes (+8)

Just saying/reminding that while these extrinsic motivators seem like they would work, I know that once I realized my flexibility would mean that the top prize of the Canadian equivalents would elude me… didn’t care about the rest – which demotivated me for awhile… quite a while. I love that even an older cbc article warns an image of the badges may trigger PTSD: https://www.cbc.ca/2017/canadian-fitness-trends-over-the-decades-from-kickass-to-cringeworthy-1.4039506 I do recall getting some bronzes and maybe a silver… I seem to recall I was pretty decent at the standing long jump… 

Sample Canadian Endurance rates for 17 year olds:

Girls

2.4 km run 12:45 was excellence, Bronze = 18:53

Males

2.4 km 4un 10:08 was excellence, Bronze – 13:33

Heck, two fit journalists from The Telegraph tried it and were likewise demoralized… https://apple.news/Aob7TBQQJQWSBRJ6nnEog2w

Glad we don’t have to perform any of these during our back-to-school district meetings this week (or should I say weak)! 

Interesting that the program was deemed to be “discouraging to those who needed the most encouragement” because of its extrinsic reward focus. But it did inspire some cool Hip lyrics:

Next to your comrades in the national fitness program
Caught in some eternal flexed-arm hang
Droppin’ to the mat in a fit of laughter
Showed no patience, tolerance or restraint

“Fireworks“, The Tragically Hip, 1998

My old guy health plan – having just talked with my cardiac team, getting great feedback con my blood work et al but getting down on the floor is harder some days than other…

At least a 15 minute walk (goal of 30 minute walk) 3x per day

10 squats (no weight) every time I end up in the washroom (even for washing hands)

Push ups – debating between traditional or wall pushes

Adding 3-5 minutes of rope skipping (à la @laurenjumps routines) when I need a distraction in my office…

AI feedback:

Thanks for sharing this, Ian. I’ll walk through it carefully — since you’re 52 and have a history of a heart attack with a stent, the key priorities are safety, consistency, and enjoyment. Here are some thoughts on your plan:

⸻

1. Walking (Foundation)

✅ Excellent choice.

• Three bouts of 15–30 minutes daily is a great way to get both cardio conditioning and circulation benefits without overloading your system.

• Breaking it into chunks is actually better for energy and heart health than pushing for one long, fatiguing session.

• You can always add light inclines or varied pace as you get stronger, but keep your heart rate in a safe zone (a “talk test” pace — you should be able to hold a conversation).

⸻

2. Squats (Functional Strength)

✅ Very smart “habit trigger.”

• Bodyweight squats tied to bathroom visits means you’ll accumulate lots of reps without a big mental barrier.

• Focus on form over reps: knees behind toes, slow and controlled, don’t lock out aggressively.

• This will help preserve leg strength, mobility, and balance — crucial as we age.

⸻

3. Push-Ups (Upper Body Strength)

🤔 Wall pushes vs. floor push-ups:

• Wall pushes (or incline push-ups on a desk/counter) are much safer if you’re unsure about strain.

• Traditional push-ups are great if your doctor has cleared you for more intensity, but it’s better to build up gradually — for example: wall → counter → knee → full push-ups.

• This progression ensures you don’t put sudden load on your heart or shoulders.

⸻

4. Rope Skipping (High-Intensity Movement)

⚠️ This one needs caution.

• Jump rope is high-intensity and spikes heart rate quickly. After a stent, it can be risky unless your cardiologist or cardiac rehab program has cleared you for interval training.

• That said, if you keep it to very short bouts (30–60 seconds) and your doctor has okayed it, it can be a fantastic coordination + cardio boost.

• Alternatives if not cleared: marching in place, step-ups, or “shadow jumping” (mimicking the motion without rope) for lower intensity.

⸻

5. Big Picture

• ✅ Love the mix of cardio (walking), strength (squats/push-ups), and playful intensity (jump rope).

• ✅ Love that it’s habit-based and spread through the day.

• 🚦 Just make sure you’ve checked in with your cardiologist about the jump rope and push-ups intensity — those are the only ones that might push your heart rate up sharply.

• 🧠 Consistency beats intensity — the fact you’re tying these movements to daily rhythms is golden.