The Physical Fitness Test recognizes students for their level of physical fitness in 5 events: curl-ups or partial curl-ups, shuttle run, endurance run/walk, pull-ups or right angle push-ups, and V-sit or sit and reach.

The Physical Fitness Test offers three awards for students who meet the program qualifications:

The Presidential Physical Fitness Award
This award recognizes students who achieve an outstanding level of physical fitness. Boys and girls who score at or above the 85th percentile (based on the 1985 School Population Fitness Survey) on all five events are eligible for this award.

The National Physical Fitness Award
Students who score above the 50th percentile on all five events - demonstrating a basic, yet challenging, level of physical fitness - are eligible for this award.

The Participant Physical Fitness Award
Students whose scores fall below the 50th percentile on one or more events receive this award for taking part in all five events of the Physical Fitness Test.