Personal Fitness
Resources
- Personal Fitness Workbook
- Scoutmaster Bucky's Merit Badge Advancement Quick Reference
- Scoutmaster Bucky's Acknowledgement Form
Related
Personal Fitness Requirements Current Scouts BSA requirements
as of March 8, 2025
as of March 8, 2025
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 parent or guardian and the proper religious advisors state in
writing that to do so would be against religious convictions. The Scout's
parent or guardian 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 Health
and Medical Record form. Explain the following:
1.
Why physical exams are important
2.
Why preventive 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 your
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 counselor verbally or in writing what personal fitness
means to you, including
a.
Reasons for being mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually fit
b.
Reasons for being fit in all components
c.
What it means to be physically healthy
d.
What it means to be socially healthy.
3.
With your counselor, answer and discuss the following questions:
a.
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
healthcare provider and the direction of your parent(s)/guardian(s)?
c.
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?
d.
What are the advantages to getting a full night's sleep?
e.
Define a nutritious, balanced diet and why it is important.
f.
Do you participate in a regular exercise program or recreational
activities?
g.
What are you doing to demonstrate your duty to God?
h.
Do you spend quality time with your family and friends in social and
recreational activities?
i.
Do you support family activities and efforts to maintain a good home
life?
4.
Explain the following about physical fitness:
a.
The areas of physical fitness
b.
Your weakest and strongest area of physical fitness
c.
The need to have a balance in the four areas of physical fitness
d.
How a program like the President's Council on Sports, Fitness &
Nutrition can lead to lifelong healthful habits
e.
How the areas 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.
How to maintain a healthy weight.
6.
Before doing requirements 7 and 8:
a.
Complete the aerobic fitness, flexibility and muscular strength tests
as described in this merit badge pamphlet. Record your results and
identify those areas where you feel you need to improve.
b.
Keep track of what you eat and drink for three days. Identify three
healthy eating goals you want to work on.
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 this merit badge pamphlet.
Before beginning your exercises, have the program approved by your
counselor and parent or guardian.
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.). Keep a log of your weekly healthy eating goals.
Repeat the aerobic fitness, muscular strength, and flexibility tests every
four 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. Discuss how well you met your
healthy eating goals over these 12 weeks. 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 this
profession. Discuss what you learned with your counselor, and explain why
this profession might interest you.
