Anybody remember the standing long jump?  Or the endurance run or partial curl-ups or the shuttle run?

As I remember it, there were 6 tests in the much loved (or much hated) Canada Fitness Test from the 1980s and 90s: 2400 m endurance run, shuttle run (4 trips back and forth, picking up and dropping objects), push ups, sit- ups (number you could do in a minute), standing long jump and the 50 m run.

In order to win the award of excellence, you had to achieve the excellence level in ALL six events.  The badges appeared in the same colour as described by their name, with the excellence badge appearing in a dark red.  Gold was yellow with gold thread, silver was grey with silver thread, and bronze was brown.  Was there a participant badge – I am not sure.  The badges were circular and measured 3 inches in diameter.   Along with the excellence award badge came a Certificate of Excellence signed by the Prime Minister and the Minister of State for Fitness and Amateur Sport.  The certificate read:  ” To (your name) in recognition of attaining the highest achievement in the CANADA FITNESS AWARD ”

If anyone has seen the episode of Corner Gas where one of the three plots revolved around the Canada Fitness Program.  Oscar (crotchety dude) waved the book around and had the local police officer running the drills throughout the show.  As Oscar said, “The Canada Fitness Program was the last great thing this country ever did”.  Funny shit.

Here is a .pdf file to the requirements for the CFT.  fitness_test

For a few quick numbers to compare yourself……

Excellence in Pushups for a 15yr old boy: 42

Excellence in Pushups for a 15yr old girl: 20

 

Excellence in Shuttle run for a 15yr old boy:  10.8 s

Excellence in Shuttle run for a 15yr old girl: 11.6 s

 

Excellence in Curlups for a 15yr old boy: 75

Excellence in Curlups for a 15yr old girl: 38

 

Excellence in Standing long jump for a 15yr old boy: 223 cm

Excellence in Standing long jump for a 15yr old girl: 188 cm 

 

Excellence in 50 m run for a 15yr old boy:  7.2 s

Excellence in 50 m run for a 15yr old girl: 8.0 s

 

Excellence in 2,400 m run for a 15yr old boy:  10 min 23 s

Excellence in 2,400 m run for a 15yr old girl: 13 min 31 s

 

Now, to my long-winded point….. BRING SOME SORT OF PROGRAM BACK!!!  Statistics show that obesity rates are rising year after year.  I’m not sure if a fitness test is going to stop these rising rates of fatties.  I do believe that having some sort of program or initiative would be a way to slow them down.  Dropping the CFT isn’t an indicator of bad planning or timing, but by not having it, I believe it has started a chain of events.   I’m not really blaming the government or teachers…..my main blame is aimed directly at parents.  Inactive parents make inactive children.  The program doesn’t necessarily have to be like the CFT.  The CFT has been looked on as cruel and to inactive, un-athletic children, an embarrassing time in their youths.  This may be what we need.  You don’t want to be embarrassed?  Exercise!!  Play sports!!  BE ACTIVE!!!  Yes, parents, I’m talking to you. 

Toot my own horn time.  I got 6 Excellence Badges in a row.  BOOYA!

Below are some links to some other efforts….

http://www.usask.ca/archives/participaction/english/educate/APEX.html

http://www.fitnesschallenge.ca/ShowPage.jsp?ids=0653064406410718072107360620