Personal Fitness

Personal Fitness merit badge requirements

If meeting any of the requirements for this merit badge is against the Scout's religious convictions, the requirement does not have to be done if the Scout's parents and the proper religious advisors state in writing that to do so would be against religious convictions. The Scout's parents must also accept full responsibility for anything that might happen because of this exemption.

1. Do the following:

   a. Before completing requirements 2 through 9, have your health-care practitioner give you a physical examination, using the Scout medical examination form. Explain the following:

   1. Why physical exams are important

   2. Why preventative habits (such as exercising regularly) are important in maintaining good health, and how the use of tobacco products, alcohol, and other harmful substances can negatively affect our personal fitness.

   3. Diseases that can be prevented and how.

   4. The seven warning signs of cancer.

   5. The youth risk factors that affect cardiovascular health in adulthood.

   b. Have a dental examination. 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 your activity in the areas of healthy social fitness.

   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 lifestyle?

   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 poor 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 ready to start the new day?

   i. Are you actively involved in the religious organization of your choice, and do you participate in its 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 five components of physical fitness.

   d. How a program like ScoutStrong can lead to lifelong healthful habits.

   e. How the components of personal fitness relate to the Scout Law and Scout Oath.

5. 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, and muscular strength tests along with the body composition evaluation as described in the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet. Record your results and identify those areas where you feel you need to improve.
7. Outline a comprehensive 12-week physical fitness program using the results of your fitness tests. Be sure your program incorporates the endurance, intensity, and warm-up guidelines discussed in the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet. Before beginning your exercises, 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 tests every two weeks and record your results. After the 12th week, repeat all of the required activities in each of the three test categories, record your results, and show improvement in each one. For the body composition evaluation, compare and analyze your preprogram and postprogram body composition measurements. Discuss the meaning and benefit of your experience, and describe your long-term plans regarding your personal fitness.
9. Find out about three career opportunities in personal fitness. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for these professions. Discuss what you learned with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.

NOTE: The text of requirements 6 & 8 above are taken from the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet, not the Boy Scout Requirements book.
 
The Physical Fitness Tests and Body Composition Evaluation specified for requirements 6 and 8 are as follows:

AEROBIC FITNESS TEST

Record your performance on one of the following tests:

a. Run/walk as far as you can as fast as you can in nine minutes

OR

b. Run/walk one mile as fast as you can.

FLEXIBILITY TEST

Using a sit-and-reach box constructed according to specifications in the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet, make four repetitions and record the fourth reach. This last reach must be held steady for 15 seconds to qualify. (Remember to keep your knees down.)

STRENGTH TESTS

You must do the sit-ups exercise and one other (either push-ups or pull-ups). You may also do all three for extra experience and benefit.

a. Sit-ups. Record the number of sit-ups done correctly in 60 seconds. The sit-ups must be done in the form explained and illustrated in the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet.

b. Pull-ups. Record the total number of pull-ups completed correctly in 60 seconds. Be consistent with the procedures presented in the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet.

c. Push-ups. Record the total number of push-ups completed correctly in 60 seconds. Be consistent with the procedures presented in the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet.

BODY COMPOSITION EVALUATION (Calculating Your BMI percentile):

Step 1 - Multiply your weight in pounds by 703.

Step 2 - Divide the figure you get in No. 1 above by your height in inches.

Step 3 - Divide the figure you get in No. 2 above by your height in inches to get your BMI.

Step 4 - Use the chart in the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet to determine the BMI percentile for your age.

As an example, if you are 15 years old, you weigh 130 pounds, and you are 5'8" (68") tall, then:

1. 130 x 703 = 91390

2. 91390 / 68 = 1344

3. 1344 / 68 = 20. This means your BMI is 20.

4. From the chart in the pamphlet, you are at the 50th percentile.

The official source for the information shown in this article or section is: Boy Scout Requirements, 2018 Edition (BSA Supply SKU #641568)

A FREE workbook for Personal Fitness is available here! with the maps, charts, links, diagrams, and checklists you need! Or click here to print just the Personal Fitness requirements.

meritbadge.org has PDF and DOC versions of Boy Scout merit badge workbooks, Webelos workbooks, Cub Scout workbooks, and Nova Award workbooks.

• Per the BSA: "You should read the merit badge pamphlet on the subject." Pamphlets (books) are at local Scout Shops and online at ScoutShop.org.
• "Get a signed Merit Badge application from your Scoutmaster." An online, printable Word doc file version is available.

• Boy Scout merit badges: American Cultures - American Heritage - Citizenship in the Community - Citizenship in the Nation - Citizenship in the World - Communication - Disabilities Awareness - Family Life - Genealogy - Personal Fitness - Personal Management - Public Speaking - Reading - Scholarship - Traffic Safety
• Venturing: TRUST Award - Quest Award - Ranger Award electives: Physical Fitness - Backpacking
• Webelos activity badges: Citizen - Communicator - Family Member -Fitness - Scholar; Other resources: Flag Ceremonies
• Cub Scout belt loops & pins: Citizenship - Communicating - Heritages - Language and Culture - Physical Fitness

• An Introduction to Merit Badges – how to get started, who chooses the counselor, etc.
• Merit Badge revision dates – latest revision dates of each merit badge pamphlet.
• Merit Badge Worksheets & Requirements – with the revision dates, diagrams, charts, checklists, logs, and links you need.
• Merit Badge Application – offers online resources to let you print "Blue Cards," etc.
• Merit Badge FAQ – answers dozens of questions like: Who can be a counselor? Can requirements be added or removed?
• Merit Badges Requiring Prior Approval – Certain requirements need prior approval. Most do not. Here is the list.
• Also see: List of how many boys have earned each Merit Badge – Merit Badge policies – Merit badges required for the Eagle Scout rank – Merit Badge Days
• Additionally: List of Merit Badges by Field of Study – Merit Badge Pamphlets & Libraries
• Merit Badge Counselors must complete Youth Protection Training, file an Adult Application (and Merit Badge Counselor Information Form); and be approved by the local council. (See the Guide for Merit Badge Counselors for additional details.)
• See Submitting New Merit Badge Ideas for guidance on how to submit suggestions for new merit badges to BSA.