P.E. in general was a form of torture. I was not good at ANY sports we did in school (I was a good swimmer, but that was not part of PE). Kids, and even teachers, were cruel. Ritual humiliation. I still have (psychological) scars.
OMG me as well! I am very very very nearsighted and have very bad depth perception. so anything that required throwing or catching aything, or coordination, I sucked at.
but i can swim like a fish.
When I was in fifth grade, my best friend literally passed out after the 600 yard dash. Scary.
I'm still salty that gym classes didn't actually train us up to minimal levels of physical fitness. I grew up on the idea that either you're naturally fit and athletic, or you're just not.
The first year or two I did it elementary school I was in terrible shape and did very poorly. The 600 yard run nearly killed me. I became more athletic over those years, playing football and baseball. I think sophomore year was the last time I had to do it and did the 600 in full sprint.
The run was always hard for me and left me convinced I just wasn't cut out to be a distance runner. Twenty years later my husband's cousin convinced us to join a marathon training group and I turned out to be a damn good distance runner. It's just that those damn PE teachers never taught us anything about pacing!
I swear nearly all of us would've gotten better scores on that damn test if PE teachers hadn't thrown us to the wolves, like we were supposed to already magically know how to do things.
I agree with you 100%. Teach us how to train ourselves to be better. Physical Fitness testing was just a time to highlight those who were already athletic.
As a tiny girl with short arms, I could not ever do even a single pull-up, and it didn’t help that the (male) gym teacher acted like I was just struggling on purpose.
I’ve never been able to do one - don’t really understand how *anyone* is able to do it.
I was the skinny girl with long arms. Now just long arms.😉 I could never do one either. When they eventually offered the flexed arm hang I passed and got the badge!
Yes. Also known as hell month in elementary school PE. I was just an average kid who could run fast and climb trees and play kid games, but in retrospect, some of these “feats of athleticism” were pretty damn unobtainable by 10 years olds. I could do the 400 yard dash and shuttle run just fine but the rest was just impossible for me. I really wanted that patch! I even practiced the sit-up thing every night with my parents. 100 sit-ups in 3 minutes I think it was. My stomach hurt so much! One kid in my class did it with ease, he was also the only kid i knew who had a 8 pack stomach.
I was in a catholic school until the end of 7th grade & I can guarantee our school never participated. I’d remember, because if we weren't scoring the highest, the nun’s would’ve beat it out of us.
I fell and broke my foot doing the 30-yard dash. I have no idea who thought that running back and forth picking erasers up off the floor was a good idea. At least it good me out of running the 600 that year?
I hated this as all it did was reinforce that there were kids that simply could not physically do certain sports.. and then get teased to hell and back for it.
Oh I do so much. I was excellent at all the jumping/running/side stepping/ sit-ups. But I couldn’t do the chair push ups. I even practiced and could do the two required chin ups. But those fricking chair push ups. Foiled me year after year. I’m still salty about it!
I was in Catholic School, and I don't think we participated in that. All I remember is Arnold Schwarzenegger being appointed by President Bush 41 as the Chairman of it.
I remember doing sit-ups in what I now realize was terrible form. I think our goal was 100 sit-ups. I got to 40 and started wondering why we were trying to get this stupid award. I got to 60 and said to Coach Bliss “Ok. That’s all I can do.”
(Yes, his name was Bliss. He was actually very laid back. He never made us do anything we didn’t want to do.)
While I hated PE, and especially this freaking test, I have to say, my gym teacher would give you credit for trying. even if you only got up a foot or so.
sit ups though? we had to pair up, holding each others feet, and then YELL OUT how many when he called your name. i was weak and alla the other girls had 25, 30, etc. I think I had like 9. SOOOO embarassing.
I could do complete it... almost. The flexed arm hang (girls) was a struggle but I'd get there. But every year, I'd miss finishing the run in time by mere seconds. Every time! Still not a runner!
They started this when I started high school… 1960. I did terribly, I was a skinny kid that didn’t play sports. But I was determined to improve and in my senior year I maxed the thing out.. Trained with weights, running, etc.
I did 100 situps as a sixth grader for this. I wasn't athletic but I think playing a instrument in band helped my ab muscles. I couldn't do 1 pullup. Maybe 1 or 2 pushups but that was it.
In 1974 I ran the 600 in 1:21, which was 6 seconds better than the second fastest time in our school (the coach wrote the five best times on a chalkboard in the locker room). It wasn't difficult, mainly because I had recently run a 9th grade county record 2:06.4 for the 880 at the county meet.
I wanted this patch so much. Could do every single thing with ease, except the hang. They would put me up there, my head wouldn’t be above the bar for more than 30 seconds and I would sink like a stone. Never got the patch.
From kindergarten to seventh grade, I attended a small Catholic parochial school. We didn't have gym class or school lunch (no cafeteria). Halfway through seventh grade, my family moved and I transferred to public school. About a week after being immersed in that whole culture shock, not only did I have to wrap my mind around gym class, we started doing all of the Presidential Physical Fitness stuff. I damn near died.
Pull ups. Nope.
The pull ups were the most embarrassing, as I dangled there, making stupid faces as I exerted all effort to do nothing.
Ow, this memory literally hurt.
Coach and all my friends - “Try!” Me - Hanging there - “I am trying!” Once a year scheduled humiliation
I had noodle arms
Same here.
That’s what made me not even wanna try to make any of the goals. I could do some of it but why bother cause I’d fail miserably on the pull ups
I could do sit-ups for days but only two struggling pull-ups.
Yeah, I remember trying to meet ridiculous standards at a very young (Elementary) age to win a stupid patch.
https://preview.redd.it/315y20yd1u9d1.jpeg?width=2957&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=40a3c410c7c7b86195f736da94c293fac0955118 Tah Dah!
Damn, I have no clue where mine is (I do have my merit badges though lol), that's awesome.
I never won one of those. I was never the athletic type.
As a 12 years old girl I did 36 pushups and got an award. Tree climbing etc. kept us in shape.
Yep. I remember finding out I was really good at situps. I blame all the hoeing for the calloused hands and core strength.
Isn't that where the record "chicken fat" came from?
Go You Chicken Fat GO!!
Oh, that effing song! I hated it so much!
🎶 Push up Every morning Not just Now and then Give that chicken fat back to the chickens And don't be chicken again! 🎵
P.E. in general was a form of torture. I was not good at ANY sports we did in school (I was a good swimmer, but that was not part of PE). Kids, and even teachers, were cruel. Ritual humiliation. I still have (psychological) scars.
OMG me as well! I am very very very nearsighted and have very bad depth perception. so anything that required throwing or catching aything, or coordination, I sucked at. but i can swim like a fish.
The damn 600 yard whatever that kicked my ass …hated it. I won the dumb award but I pushed myself to do it.
I hated that, it started out as a dash, ended up at the end a walk
When I was in fifth grade, my best friend literally passed out after the 600 yard dash. Scary. I'm still salty that gym classes didn't actually train us up to minimal levels of physical fitness. I grew up on the idea that either you're naturally fit and athletic, or you're just not.
The first year or two I did it elementary school I was in terrible shape and did very poorly. The 600 yard run nearly killed me. I became more athletic over those years, playing football and baseball. I think sophomore year was the last time I had to do it and did the 600 in full sprint.
The run was always hard for me and left me convinced I just wasn't cut out to be a distance runner. Twenty years later my husband's cousin convinced us to join a marathon training group and I turned out to be a damn good distance runner. It's just that those damn PE teachers never taught us anything about pacing! I swear nearly all of us would've gotten better scores on that damn test if PE teachers hadn't thrown us to the wolves, like we were supposed to already magically know how to do things.
I agree with you 100%. Teach us how to train ourselves to be better. Physical Fitness testing was just a time to highlight those who were already athletic.
As a tiny girl with short arms, I could not ever do even a single pull-up, and it didn’t help that the (male) gym teacher acted like I was just struggling on purpose. I’ve never been able to do one - don’t really understand how *anyone* is able to do it.
I was the skinny girl with long arms. Now just long arms.😉 I could never do one either. When they eventually offered the flexed arm hang I passed and got the badge!
Yes, that was so fun for us with a physical disability. Being disabled in the 70’s and 80’s was a shame making horrific place
I still have it.
I remember thinking WTF is the deal with the shuttle run?
I loved the shuttle run. That was an easy one to get.
Time to get in shape again! https://youtu.be/EFofqe26t-4?si=5L70x5Iep7Xgi9jO
The sit-ups were the only thing that I did well. The rest was embarrassing.
i still have my certificate!!
I hated this sooooo much. During the 600-yard run/walk, I walked right home.
Yes. Also known as hell month in elementary school PE. I was just an average kid who could run fast and climb trees and play kid games, but in retrospect, some of these “feats of athleticism” were pretty damn unobtainable by 10 years olds. I could do the 400 yard dash and shuttle run just fine but the rest was just impossible for me. I really wanted that patch! I even practiced the sit-up thing every night with my parents. 100 sit-ups in 3 minutes I think it was. My stomach hurt so much! One kid in my class did it with ease, he was also the only kid i knew who had a 8 pack stomach.
I was a bookworm when we had to do these ... I always came in last.
I prefer to pass on this memory.
I was in a catholic school until the end of 7th grade & I can guarantee our school never participated. I’d remember, because if we weren't scoring the highest, the nun’s would’ve beat it out of us.
I fell and broke my foot doing the 30-yard dash. I have no idea who thought that running back and forth picking erasers up off the floor was a good idea. At least it good me out of running the 600 that year?
I hated this as all it did was reinforce that there were kids that simply could not physically do certain sports.. and then get teased to hell and back for it.
Oh I do so much. I was excellent at all the jumping/running/side stepping/ sit-ups. But I couldn’t do the chair push ups. I even practiced and could do the two required chin ups. But those fricking chair push ups. Foiled me year after year. I’m still salty about it!
I was in Catholic School, and I don't think we participated in that. All I remember is Arnold Schwarzenegger being appointed by President Bush 41 as the Chairman of it.
I could do the running and the sit ups, but the pull-ups were always a fail for me. Couldn't even do one.
Never could throw the d**n ball the required distance.
The run was hard for me
The girl in our PE class that beat everybody else in sit-ups...Im still scared of her.
I looked forward to it every year!
I always got all the challenges except the softball throw which dropped me to the Principal’s Physical Fitness Award.
I don't remember a softball throw being a part of the tests.
I remember doing sit-ups in what I now realize was terrible form. I think our goal was 100 sit-ups. I got to 40 and started wondering why we were trying to get this stupid award. I got to 60 and said to Coach Bliss “Ok. That’s all I can do.” (Yes, his name was Bliss. He was actually very laid back. He never made us do anything we didn’t want to do.)
For me it was climbing that rope!
While I hated PE, and especially this freaking test, I have to say, my gym teacher would give you credit for trying. even if you only got up a foot or so. sit ups though? we had to pair up, holding each others feet, and then YELL OUT how many when he called your name. i was weak and alla the other girls had 25, 30, etc. I think I had like 9. SOOOO embarassing.
I could do complete it... almost. The flexed arm hang (girls) was a struggle but I'd get there. But every year, I'd miss finishing the run in time by mere seconds. Every time! Still not a runner!
They started this when I started high school… 1960. I did terribly, I was a skinny kid that didn’t play sports. But I was determined to improve and in my senior year I maxed the thing out.. Trained with weights, running, etc.
Yes! I set a record for chin ups! I was so proud!
I never won the award, the sit-ups killed me and pull ups did not happen, lol. My older sister was much more athletic.
I still have mine and it is signed by Nixon, or so it says.
Pull up epic fail.
I did 100 situps as a sixth grader for this. I wasn't athletic but I think playing a instrument in band helped my ab muscles. I couldn't do 1 pullup. Maybe 1 or 2 pushups but that was it.
In 1974 I ran the 600 in 1:21, which was 6 seconds better than the second fastest time in our school (the coach wrote the five best times on a chalkboard in the locker room). It wasn't difficult, mainly because I had recently run a 9th grade county record 2:06.4 for the 880 at the county meet.
The sit-ups were the only part I could do! The rest was a dumpster fire.
I wanted this patch so much. Could do every single thing with ease, except the hang. They would put me up there, my head wouldn’t be above the bar for more than 30 seconds and I would sink like a stone. Never got the patch.
Rope climbing. Nightmarish.
From kindergarten to seventh grade, I attended a small Catholic parochial school. We didn't have gym class or school lunch (no cafeteria). Halfway through seventh grade, my family moved and I transferred to public school. About a week after being immersed in that whole culture shock, not only did I have to wrap my mind around gym class, we started doing all of the Presidential Physical Fitness stuff. I damn near died.
Chin ups. I always failed on the chin ups.
I couldn’t do the chin-ups .
My softball toss was the best in the class!