What is the sit and reach test?
The sit and reach test measures flexibility — mainly of the lower back and the hamstrings (the muscles at the back of the thigh). It is the flexibility test in the Fit India battery.
Sit and Reach Test diagram
Who takes the sit and reach test
Age 9–18 — Class 4 to 12.
Equipment
- Sit-and-reach box: sides 12" × 12", front and back 12" × 10", top 12" × 21" with centimetre gradations
- A wall to place the box against
Sit and Reach Test procedure
- Place the box against a wall. The plane of the feet must be exactly at the 23 cm mark of the box.
- The student removes shoes and sits with the soles of the feet flat against the box and the knees locked flat. A partner may hold the knees down.
- Palms face down, one hand on top of the other, with the hands level.
- After a few practice reaches, the student reaches forward as far as possible and holds the position for 1–2 seconds, without jerking, while the distance is read.
- Repeat the trial if the hands are uneven or the knees bend.
Sit and Reach Test scoring
- Score is the distance reached in centimetres — more is better.
Enter the score in the fitness calculator to get the level and points for one student, or use class analysis for a whole class.
Teacher tips
- A gentle warm-up before the test gives a truer score.
How to improve
Activities suggested in the Fit India protocol:
- Toe touching
- Climbing stairs
- Chakrasana
- Halasana
- Paschimottanasana
- Hastottanasana
- Trikonasana
- Katichakrasana
- Tadasana
- Tai-chi
- Pilates
Sit and Reach Test norms by age
Score ranges for each level L1–L7, for boys and girls, from the Fit India benchmarks. Points for each level are shown in the header.
Unit: cm · Higher is better · Ranges below use the default PDF boundary rule. “—” means no score can reach that level for that age as printed in the PDF.
Boys
| Age | L1Work Harder · 2 pts | L2Must Improve · 4 pts | L3Can Do Better · 6 pts | L4Good · 7 pts | L5Very Good · 8 pts | L6Athletic · 9 pts | L7Sports Fit · 10 pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | ≤ 10.7 | > 10.7 to ≤ 14.4 | > 14.4 to ≤ 17.6 | > 17.6 to ≤ 19.4 | > 19.4 to ≤ 21.4 | > 21.4 to ≤ 26.8 | > 26.8 |
| 10 | ≤ 10.8 | > 10.8 to ≤ 14.4 | > 14.4 to ≤ 17.7 | > 17.7 to ≤ 19.4 | > 19.4 to ≤ 21.5 | > 21.5 to ≤ 26.9 | > 26.9 |
| 11 | ≤ 10.8 | > 10.8 to ≤ 14.4 | > 14.4 to ≤ 17.7 | > 17.7 to ≤ 19.4 | > 19.4 to ≤ 21.5 | > 21.5 to ≤ 26.9 | > 26.9 |
| 12 | ≤ 10.8 | > 10.8 to ≤ 14.5 | > 14.5 to ≤ 17.8 | > 17.8 to ≤ 19.6 | > 19.6 to ≤ 21.7 | > 21.7 to ≤ 27.1 | > 27.1 |
| 13 | ≤ 11.1 | > 11.1 to ≤ 14.8 | > 14.8 to ≤ 18.2 | > 18.2 to ≤ 20 | > 20 to ≤ 22.2 | > 22.2 to ≤ 27.7 | > 27.7 |
| 14 | ≤ 12.1 | > 12.1 to ≤ 16.2 | > 16.2 to ≤ 19.9 | > 19.9 to ≤ 21.9 | > 21.9 to ≤ 24.2 | > 24.2 to ≤ 30.3 | > 30.3 |
| 15 | ≤ 13.7 | > 13.7 to ≤ 18.3 | > 18.3 to ≤ 22.4 | > 22.4 to ≤ 24.6 | > 24.6 to ≤ 27.2 | > 27.2 to ≤ 34 | > 34 |
| 16 | ≤ 14.6 | > 14.6 to ≤ 19.3 | > 19.3 to ≤ 23.6 | > 23.6 to ≤ 25.9 | > 25.9 to ≤ 28.6 | > 28.6 to ≤ 35.6 | > 35.6 |
| 17 | ≤ 15.5 | > 15.5 to ≤ 20.4 | > 20.4 to ≤ 24.8 | > 24.8 to ≤ 27.2 | > 27.2 to ≤ 30 | > 30 to ≤ 37.2 | > 37.2 |
| 18 | ≤ 15.5 | > 15.5 to ≤ 19.3 | > 19.3 to ≤ 24.8 | > 24.8 to ≤ 27.3 | > 27.3 to ≤ 30.2 | > 30.2 to ≤ 37.4 | > 37.4 |
Girls
| Age | L1Work Harder · 2 pts | L2Must Improve · 4 pts | L3Can Do Better · 6 pts | L4Good · 7 pts | L5Very Good · 8 pts | L6Athletic · 9 pts | L7Sports Fit · 10 pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | ≤ 13.1 | > 13.1 to ≤ 16.9 | > 16.9 to ≤ 20.3 | > 20.3 to ≤ 22.1 | > 22.1 to ≤ 24.2 | > 24.2 to ≤ 29.6 | > 29.6 |
| 10 | ≤ 13.7 | > 13.7 to ≤ 17.5 | > 17.5 to ≤ 20.9 | > 20.9 to ≤ 22.7 | > 22.7 to ≤ 24.8 | > 24.8 to ≤ 30.1 | > 30.1 |
| 11 | ≤ 14.5 | > 14.5 to ≤ 18.4 | > 18.4 to ≤ 21.7 | > 21.7 to ≤ 23.5 | > 23.5 to ≤ 25.6 | > 25.6 to ≤ 31 | > 31 |
| 12 | ≤ 15.8 | > 15.8 to ≤ 19.7 | > 19.7 to ≤ 23.1 | > 23.1 to ≤ 24.9 | > 24.9 to ≤ 27.1 | > 27.1 to ≤ 32.5 | > 32.5 |
| 13 | ≤ 17.3 | > 17.3 to ≤ 21.3 | > 21.3 to ≤ 24.8 | > 24.8 to ≤ 26.7 | > 26.7 to ≤ 28.9 | > 28.9 to ≤ 34.4 | > 34.4 |
| 14 | ≤ 18.6 | > 18.6 to ≤ 22.7 | > 22.7 to ≤ 26.3 | > 26.3 to ≤ 28.2 | > 28.2 to ≤ 30.4 | > 30.4 to ≤ 36.1 | > 36.1 |
| 15 | ≤ 19.5 | > 19.5 to ≤ 23.6 | > 23.6 to ≤ 27.2 | > 27.2 to ≤ 29.1 | > 29.1 to ≤ 31.3 | > 31.3 to ≤ 37 | > 37 |
| 16 | ≤ 20 | > 20 to ≤ 24.1 | > 24.1 to ≤ 27.6 | > 27.6 to ≤ 29.5 | > 29.5 to ≤ 31.8 | > 31.8 to ≤ 37.5 | > 37.5 |
| 17 | ≤ 20.3 | > 20.3 to ≤ 24.4 | > 24.4 to ≤ 27.9 | > 27.9 to ≤ 29.8 | > 29.8 to ≤ 32.1 | > 32.1 to ≤ 37.8 | > 37.8 |
| 18 | ≤ 20.7 | > 20.7 to ≤ 24.7 | > 24.7 to ≤ 28.2 | > 28.2 to ≤ 30 | > 30 to ≤ 32.3 | > 32.3 to ≤ 38 | > 38 |
Source: Fitness Protocols and Guidelines for Age 5-18 Years (v1), Fit India Mission, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Section 7 Benchmarks, pages 48-57 (baseline reference for academic year 2020-21). Values verified against the PDF.
Sit and Reach Test for Class 11 and 12 Physical Education
Students in Class 11 and 12 Physical Education often record this test in their practical file. A complete write-up ofthe sit and reach test has the aim, the equipment, the procedure, a labelled diagram (you can redraw the one above), the scoring method and your own result with its level from the norms table.
For all the tests on one page, see the printable practical file summary on the SAI Khelo India Fitness Test page.
Frequently asked questions
Can a student improve quickly?
Yes — daily hamstring and lower-back stretching often shows progress within a term.
How do I write up the sit and reach test in a Class 12 Physical Education practical file?
Write the aim (what the sit and reach test measures), the equipment, the procedure step by step, a labelled diagram, how it is scored, and your own result with the level from the norms table. The SAI Khelo India Fitness Test page has a printable summary of every test.