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Requirements September 1991 until January 1998

If meeting any of the requirements for this merit badge is against the Scout's religious convictions, it does not have to be done if the boy's parents and the proper church officials state in writing that

• To do so would be against religious convictions
• The parents accept full responsibility for anything that might happen because of such exemption. They release the Boy Scouts of America from any responsibility.

1. (a) Before you try to meet any other requirements, have your physician give you a thorough examination. He or she is to use the Scout medical examination form. Describe the examination. Tell what questions you were asked about health. Tell what recommendations your doctor made. Report what you have done about them. Explain the following:

(1) Why physical exams are important
(2) Why preventative habits are important in maintaining good health
(3) Diseases that can be prevented and how
(4) The seven warning signs of cancer

(b) Have an examination made by your dentist. Get a statement saying that your teeth have been checked and cared for. Tell how to care for your teeth.

2. Explain to your merit badge counselor verbally or in writing what personal fitness means to you, including

(a) Components of personal fitness.
(b) Reasons for being fit in all components.
(c) What it means to be mentally healthy.
(d) What it means to be physically healthy and fit.
(e) What it means to be socially healthy. Discuss several healthy social traits.
(f) What you can do to prevent social, emotional, or mental problems

3. From the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet, answer the questions titled "Evaluating Your Personal Fitness" and list several signs of poor personal fitness. Describe your activity in the eight areas listed.

4. With your counselor answer and discuss the following questions:

(a) Are you free from all curable diseases? Are you living in such a way that your risk of preventable diseases is minimized?
(b) Are you immunized and vaccinated according to the advice of your family and school physicians?
(c) Do you understand the meaning of a nutritious diet and know why it is important for you? Does your diet include foods from all food groups?
(d) Is your body weight and composition what you would like it to be and do you know how to modify it safely through exercise, diet, and behavior modification?
(e) Do you carry out daily activities without noticeable effort? Do you have extra energy for other activities?
(f) Are you free from habits relating to nutrition and the use of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and other practices that could be harmful to your health?
(g) Do you participate in a regular exercise program or recreational activities?
(h) Do you sleep well at night and wake up feeling refreshed and energized for the new day?
(i) Are you actively involved in the religious organization of your choice and do you participate in their youth activities?
(j) Do you spend quality time with your family and friends in social and recreational activities?
(k) Do you support family activities and efforts to maintain a good home life?

5. Explain the following about physical fitness:

(a) The components of physical fitness
(b) Your weakest and strongest component of physical fitness
(c) The need to have a balance in all four components of physical fitness
(d) How the components of personal fitness relate to the Scout Laws and Scout Oath

6. Explain the following about nutrition:

(a) The importance of good nutrition
(b) What good nutrition means to you
(c) How good nutrition is related to the other components of personal fitness
(d) The three components of a sound weight (fat) control program

7. From the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet, perform the physical fitness test (chapter 8) with your patrol leader, Scoutmaster, parent, adviser before doing the next two requirements. Be evaluated above the 50th percentile in the aerobic endurance test, flexibility test, and muscular strength test.

Aerobic Endurance Test

There are several tests that can be used. They are the 9- or 12-minute run and the 1- or 1 1/2-mile run. In the timed run, the objective is to run as far as you can in the allotted time (9 or 12 minutes). In the distance run, the objective is to run the given distance (1 or 1 1/2 miles) in the shortest time. Walking it permitted but the Scouts should not stop. If they need to stop running, they should walk until they can continue to run.

Flexibility Test

By using the sit-and-reach test, boys should remove their shoes and sit down facing the sit-and-reach box with knees fully extended and flat on the floor and feet up against the end of the board. The arms are extended forward with the hands placed on top of each other with palms down. The boy bends at the hips and reaches forward along the measuring scale four times. Record the farthest reach.

Muscular Strength Test

Using timed sit-ups, the boy lies on his back with his knees flexed, feet on the floor, and heels 12 to 18 inches from the buttocks. The arms are crossed on the chest with the hands on the opposite shoulders. The feet are held by partners to keep them in touch with the floor. The boy curls to the sitting position until the elbows touch the thighs. Arms must remain on the chest and the chin remains tucked on the chest. The number of sit-ups that the boy can correctly do in 60 seconds is the score.

8. Outline a 4-week physical fitness program using the results of your physical fitness tests. Use the guidelines in chapter 8 to write your program. Use exercises to develop aerobic endurance, upper body muscular strength, and flexibility of the lower back and legs. Have the program approved by your Scoutmaster or adviser and your parents.

(a) Fulfill requirement 1 for this merit badge.
(b) Complete one of the four aerobic endurance tests, the flexibility test, the muscular strength and endurance test, and the body composition measurements.
(c) Fill in your results on the record sheet and chart your percentile ranks for each test (using the norms found in the appendix) on the progress chart.
(d) Determine the types of exercises you want or need to do, the amount of time you have to exercise, and the equipment or facilities that are available for your use.
(e) If muscular strength exercises are to a part of your program, determine how many push-ups and pull-ups you can do.
(f) Use the guidelines discussed in the text concerning cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, and muscular strength and endurance to determine the frequency, intensity, and duration of your exercises.
(g) Write your exercise program out for each day of the week on a sheet of paper. Have it approved by your adviser or Scoutmaster and parents.
(h) Retest yourself after 2 full weeks of exercising. Also retest for the number of pull-ups and push-ups you can do. Record the results of this test on the record sheet and graph the percentile ranks on the progress chart.
(i) Retest yourself after another 2 full weeks of exercising and record your results on the record sheet and progress chart.

9. Carry out the physical fitness program you wrote in requirement 7. Keep a log of all your exercises (i.e., how long you exercised; how far you ran, swam, or biked; how many exercises you did; your exercise heart rate; etc.). Test yourself again after two weeks of exercise on the information sheets provided in the merit badge pamphlet. Compare improvements. Describe your experience.

10. Describe your long-term plans regarding your personal fitness.

Requirements January 1998 until January 2000

If meeting any of the requirements for this merit badge is against the Scout's religious convictions, it does not have to be done if the boy's parents and the proper church officials state in writing that

• To do so would be against religious convictions
• The parents accept full responsibility for anything that might happen because of such exemption. They release the Boy Scouts of America from any responsibility.

1. (a) Before you try to meet any other requirements, have your physician give you a thorough examination. He or she is to use the Scout medical examination form. Describe the examination. Tell what questions you were asked about health. Tell what recommendations your doctor made. Report what you have done about them. Explain the following:

(1) Why physical exams are important
(2) Why preventative habits are important in maintaining good health
(3) Diseases that can be prevented and how
(4) The seven warning signs of cancer

(b) Have an examination made by your dentist. Get a statement saying that your teeth have been checked and cared for. Tell how to care for your teeth.

2. Explain to your merit badge counselor verbally or in writing what personal fitness means to you, including

(a) Components of personal fitness.
(b) Reasons for being fit in all components.
(c) What it means to be mentally healthy.
(d) What it means to be physically healthy and fit.
(e) What it means to be socially healthy. Discuss several healthy social traits.
(f) What you can do to prevent social, emotional, or mental problems

3. From the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet, answer the questions titled "Evaluating Your Personal Fitness" and list several signs of poor personal fitness. Describe your activity in the eight areas listed at the end of the chapter titled “Special Fitness”.

4. With your counselor answer and discuss the following questions:

(a) Are you free from all curable diseases? Are you living in such a way that your risk of preventable diseases is minimized?
(b) Are you immunized and vaccinated according to the advice of your family and school physicians?
(c) Do you understand the meaning of a nutritious diet and know why it is important for you? Does your diet include foods from all food groups?
(d) Is your body weight and composition what you would like it to be and do you know how to modify it safely through exercise, diet, and behavior modification?
(e) Do you carry out daily activities without noticeable effort? Do you have extra energy for other activities?
(f) Are you free from habits relating to nutrition and the use of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and other practices that could be harmful to your health?
(g) Do you participate in a regular exercise program or recreational activities?
(h) Do you sleep well at night and wake up feeling refreshed and energized for the new day?
(i) Are you actively involved in the religious organization of your choice and do you participate in their youth activities?
(j) Do you spend quality time with your family and friends in social and recreational activities?
(k) Do you support family activities and efforts to maintain a good home life?

5. Explain the following about physical fitness:

(a) The components of physical fitness
(b) Your weakest and strongest component of physical fitness
(c) The need to have a balance in all four components of physical fitness
(d) How the components of personal fitness relate to the Scout Laws and Scout Oath

6. Explain the following about nutrition:

(a) The importance of good nutrition
(b) What good nutrition means to you
(c) How good nutrition is related to the other components of personal fitness
(d) The three components of a sound weight (fat) control program

7. From the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet, perform the physical fitness test (*Physical Fitness” section) with your patrol leader, Scoutmaster, parent, adviser before doing the next two requirements. Be evaluated above the 50th percentile in the aerobic endurance test, flexibility test, and muscular strength test.

Aerobic Endurance Test

There are several tests that can be used. They are the 9- or 12-minute run and the 1- or 1 1/2-mile run. In the timed run, the objective is to run as far as you can in the allotted time (9 or 12 minutes). In the distance run, the objective is to run the given distance (1 or 1 1/2 miles) in the shortest time. Walking it permitted but the Scouts should not stop. If they need to stop running, they should walk until they can continue to run.

Flexibility Test

By using the sit-and-reach test, boys should remove their shoes and sit down facing the sit-and-reach box with knees fully extended and flat on the floor and feet up against the end of the board. The arms are extended forward with the hands placed on top of each other with palms down. The boy bends at the hips and reaches forward along the measuring scale four times. Record the farthest reach.

Muscular Strength Test

Using timed sit-ups, the boy lies on his back with his knees flexed, feet on the floor, and heels 12 to 18 inches from the buttocks. The arms are crossed on the chest with the hands on the opposite shoulders. The feet are held by partners to keep them in touch with the floor. The boy curls to the sitting position until the elbows touch the thighs. Arms must remain on the chest and the chin remains tucked on the chest. The number of sit-ups that the boy can correctly do in 60 seconds is the score.

8. Outline a 4-week physical fitness program using the results of your physical fitness tests. Use the guidelines in the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet to write your program. Use exercises to develop aerobic endurance, upper body muscular strength, and flexibility of the lower back and legs. Have the program approved by your Scoutmaster or adviser and your parents.

(a) Fulfill requirement 1 for this merit badge.
(b) Complete one of the four aerobic endurance tests, the flexibility test, the muscular strength and endurance test, and the body composition measurements.
(c) Fill in your results on the record sheet and chart your percentile ranks for each test (using the norms found in the appendix) on the progress chart.
(d) Determine the types of exercises you want or need to do, the amount of time you have to exercise, and the equipment or facilities that are available for your use.
(e) If muscular strength exercises are to a part of your program, determine how many push-ups and pull-ups you can do.
(f) Use the guidelines discussed in the text concerning cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, and muscular strength and endurance to determine the frequency, intensity, and duration of your exercises.
(g) Write your exercise program out for each day of the week on a sheet of paper. Have it approved by your adviser or Scoutmaster and parents.
(h) Retest yourself after 2 full weeks of exercising. Also retest for the number of pull-ups and push-ups you can do. Record the results of this test on the record sheet and graph the percentile ranks on the progress chart.
(i) Retest yourself after another 2 full weeks of exercising and record your results on the record sheet and progress chart.

9. Carry out the physical fitness program you wrote in requirement 8. Keep a log of all your exercises (i.e., how long you exercised; how far you ran, swam, or biked; how many exercises you did; your exercise heart rate; etc.). Test yourself again after two weeks of exercise on the information sheets provided in Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet. Compare improvements. Describe your experience.

10. Describe your long-term plans regarding your personal fitness.

Requirements January 2000 until January 2007

If meeting any of the requirements for this merit badge is against the Scout's religious convictions, it does not have to be done if the boy's parents and the proper church officials state in writing that

• To do so would be against religious convictions
• The parents accept full responsibility for anything that might happen because of such exemption. They release the Boy Scouts of America from any responsibility.

1. (a) Before you try to meet any other requirements, have your health-care provider give you a physical examination using the Scout medical examination form. Describe the examination. Tell what questions you were asked about health. Tell what health or medical recommendations were mad and report what you have done in response to the recommendations. Explain the following:

(1) Why physical exams are important
(2) Why preventative habits are important in maintaining good health
(3) Diseases that can be prevented and how
(4) The seven warning signs of cancer
(5) The youth risk factors that affect cardiovascular fitness in adulthood

(b) Have an examination made by your dentist. Get a statement saying that your teeth have been checked and cared for. Tell how to care for your teeth.

2. Explain to your merit badge counselor verbally or in writing what personal fitness means to you, including

(a) Components of personal fitness.
(b) Reasons for being fit in all components.
(c) What it means to be mentally healthy.
(d) What it means to be physically healthy and fit.
(f) What you can do to prevent social, emotional, or mental problems

3. With your counselor answer and discuss the following questions:

(a) Are you free from all curable diseases? Are you living in such a way that your risk of preventable diseases is minimized?
(b) Are you immunized and vaccinated according to the advice of your health-care provider?
(c) Do you understand the meaning of a nutritious diet and know why it is important for you? Does your diet include foods from all food groups?
(d) Are your body weight and composition what you would like them to be, and do you know how to modify them safely through exercise, diet, and behavior modification?
(e) Do you carry out daily activities without noticeable effort? Do you have extra energy for other activities?
(f) Are you free from habits relating to nutrition and the use of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and other practices that could be harmful to your health?
(g) Do you participate in a regular exercise program or recreational activities?
(h) Do you sleep well at night and wake up feeling refreshed and energized for the new day?
(i) Are you actively involved in the religious organization of your choice and do you participate in their youth activities?
(j) Do you spend quality time with your family and friends in social and recreational activities?
(k) Do you support family activities and efforts to maintain a good home life?

4. Explain the following about physical fitness:

(a) The components of physical fitness
(b) Your weakest and strongest component of physical fitness
(c) The need to have a balance in all four components of physical fitness
(d) How the components of personal fitness relate to the Scout Laws and Scout Oath

4. Explain the following about nutrition:

(a) The importance of good nutrition
(b) What good nutrition means to you
(c) How good nutrition is related to the other components of personal fitness
(d) The three components of a sound weight (fat) control program

6. Before doing requirements 7 and 8, complete the aerobic fitness, flexibility, muscular strength, and body composition test as described in the Personas Fitness merit badge pamphlet. Record your results and identify those areas where ou feel you need to improve.

AEROBIC FITNESS TEST

Recod your performance on ONE of the following test:

(a) Run/walk as far as you can In nine minutes.
(b) Run/walk one mile as fast as you can.

FLEXLITY TEST

Using a sit-and-reach box, constructed according to specifications in this merit badge pamphlet, make four repetitions and record the fourth result. This last reach must be held sterdy for 15 seconds to qualify.

MUSCULAR STRENGTH TEST

You must use the sit-up test and EITHER the pull-up or push-up test.

(a) Sit-ups. Record the number of sit-ups done correctly in 60 seconds. The sit-ups must be dome in th form
(b) Pull-ups. Record the total number of pull-ups completed consistent with the procedures presented in this merit badge pamphlet.
(c) Push-ups. Record the total number of push-ups completed consistent with the procedures presented in this merit badge pamphlet.

BODY COMPOSITION TEST

Have your parent, counselor, or other adult take and record the following measurements:

(a) Circumference of the right upper arm, midway between the shoulder and the elbow, with the arm hanging naturally and not flexed.
(b) Shoulder, with arms hanging by placing the tape two inches below the top of the shoulder and around the arms, chest, and back during breathing expiration.
(c) Chest by placing the tape under the arms and around the chest and back at the nipple line during breathing expiration.
(e) Right thigh, midway between the hip and knee.

If possible, have the same person take the measurements whenever they are recorded.

7. Outline a comprehensive 12-week physical fitness program using the results of your physical fitness tests. Be sure your program incorporates the endurance, intensity, and warm-up guidelines discussed in the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet. Before beginning the program, have the program approved by your counselor and parents.

8. Complete the physical fitness program you outlined in requirement 7. Keep a log of your fitness program activity (how long you exercised; how far you ran, swam, or biked; how many exercise repetitions you completed; your exercise heart rate; etc.). Repeat the aerobic fitness, muscular strength, and flexibility test every two weeks and record your results. After the 12^th week, repeat all four tests, record your results, and show improvement in each one. Compare and analyze your program and postprogram body composition measurements. Discuss the meaning and benefit of your experience.

9. Describe your long-term plans regarding your personal fitness.