Personal fitness is an individual effort and desire to be the best you can be. Regardless of your current levels of personal fitness, in the twelve weeks it will take you to complete the athletic requirements for this merit badge, you will be in better shape, feel better about yourself, have more energy, and gain self-confidence in your overall abilities.

PERSONAL FITNESS MERIT BADGE 2021

Recorded by James Schultz as taught by Eagle Scout Jared Schultz

1. Immediately do req. 1a and make an appointment for 1b

2. Then do req. 63. Get started now with req. 7,8 . This

one will take you 12 weeks to do.4. Now work on req. 2-5, 9.5. Let’s get started!!

Let me start with some words of wisdom. This merit badge is going to take at least 3 months to do. It is going to take a lot of self discipline and hard work. If you are out for a school sport or summer league or even in a gym class at school, this would be a great time for you to do this MB.I suggest you do the MB in this order:

Hi, I’m Jared. I am going to lead you through this

merit badge.

A special thanks to Cub Foods for letting me take pictures in their store and to Fitness Evolution in Buffalo for letting me use their “health club” to photograph workouts and use their InBodymachine (for free). Thanks for promoting Boy Scouts.

You can do it…be strong!!

Backpacking Banff National Park, Canada

YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH EVALUATION

Medical Evaluation Dental Evaluation Personal Evaluation

Before starting any fitness

program, you should have a

physical done to determine if

there are any health risks.

Make an appointment to get a physical done. While you are at it, bring in your physical form for scouts and a physical form for school sports. Get them all done at the same time.

See your dentist yearly for an exam and also the dental hygienist to get your teeth cleaned.

This is where you ask yourself the tough questions about your life style, weight, abilities, goals, body condition, substance use/abuse…

GET YOUR PHYSICAL AND DENTAL EXAM DONE NOW!!

BSA physical forms can be found at:http://www.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/680-001_ABC.pdf

PART 1: YOUR MEDICAL/PERSONAL EVALUATION

What is a medical exam? A physical examination, medical examination, or clinical examination (more popularly known as a check-up) is the process by which a medical professional investigates the body of a patient (you the scout) for signs of disease or over all general condition of the body.

If you are having a medical exam because you have been sick, then the general procedure is to:1. Get a medical history2. Investigate symptoms3. Run any appropriate tests4. Develop a diagnosis5. Develop a treatment plan6. Record in medical history

If you are basically healthy and are going to a scout camp or participating in school sports or just need a base line, then you will get a “Physical”. The general procedure is to:1. Get a medical history2. Run tests like a blood test, urinary test, EKG…3. Check all the parts of the body for over all

condition, weight…4. Record in medical history5. Make recommendations

You should get a physical every year or two to make sure you are healthy enough to do the activities you want to do and to be sure you are maintaining your health goals.

WHAT ARE THE PARTS OF A PHYSICAL EXAM?

Medical History

In clinical medicine, the patient's past and present which may contain relevant information bearing on their health past, present, and future. The medical history, being an account of all medical events and problems a person has experienced is an important tool in the management of the patient. This is your chance to mention any complaints or concerns about your health. Your doctor will also likely quiz you about lifestyle behaviors like smoking, alcohol use, diet, sexual behavior and exercise. The doctor will also check on your vaccination status and update your personal and familymedical history.

Physical Exam

Your doctor will check out these systems:✓ Heart: Blood pressure, sounds✓ Skin and nails: Blemishes, acne,

moles…✓ Lungs: Sounds✓ Head and neck: check teeth,

mouth, nose, ears, sinuses, tonsils…say “ahhhh”

✓ Abdominal exam: liver size, fluids, palpate for tenderness, spleen, hernia, prostate exam

✓ Neurological exam: Nerves, muscle strength, reflexes, balance, mental state

✓ Blood: Number of WBC, RBC, platelets, weakness, fatigue, bruising, hemoglobin

✓ Urinary system: Urine test, kidneys, blood sugar, pH, clarity, odor, specific gravity, color, composition…

Listening to your chest with a

stethoscope can tell the doctor

about how healthy your lungs

and heart are.

Your blood pressure is measured with a

sphygmomanometer and is an indication of the strength of

your heart , an indicator of heart

problems.

Blood Tests Blood tests help doctors check for certain diseases and conditions. They also help check the function of your organs and show how well treatments are working.

Some of the most common blood tests are:A complete blood count (CBC)Blood chemistry testsBlood enzyme testsBlood tests to assess heart disease risk

Specifically, blood tests can help doctors:✓ Evaluate how well organs—such as the

kidneys, liver, thyroid, and heart—are working

✓ Diagnose diseases and conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, anemia (uh-NEE-me-eh), and coronary heart disease. Find out whether you have risk factors for heart disease

✓ Check whether medicines you're taking are working

✓ Assess how well your blood is clotting

A small needle is inserted into the arm. Almost painless.

Several tubes are filled.

The Lab technician examines and runs tests.

Diseases and immunizations

Common diseases in the USA TRIVIA: Top 10 causes of death (73% of all deaths)• Heart disease• Cancer (malignant neoplasms)• Chronic lower respiratory disease• Accidents (unintentional injuries)• Stroke (cerebrovascular disease)• Alzheimer’s disease• Diabetes (diabetes mellitus)• Influenza and pneumonia• Kidney disease (nephritis, nephrotic syndrome,

and nephrosis)• Suicide (intentional self-harm).

Disease Deaths 2013

1. Heart 611,105

2. Cancer 584,881

3. Chronic lung 149,205

4. Stroke 128,978

5. Alzheimer’s 84,767

6. Diabetes mellitus 75,578

7. Influenza and pneumonia

59,979

8. Chronic kidney 47,112

9. Septicemia 38,156

10. Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis

36,427

Many of these diseases are preventable with proper

nutrition, vaccinations

and a healthy life style

HELP!!

Vaccine Birth 1 mo 2 mos 4 mos 6 mos 9 mos 12 mos 15 mos 18 mos 19–23 mos 2-3 yrs 4-6 yrs 7-10 yrs 11-12 yrs 13–15 yrs 16–18 yrs

Hepatitis B1 (HepB) 1st dose 2nd dose 3rd dose

Rotavirus2 (RV) RV1 (2-dose series); RV5 (3-dose series) 1st dose 2nd dose See

footnote 2

Diphtheria, tetanus, & acellular pertussis3 (DTaP: <7 yrs) 1st dose 2nd dose 3rd dose 4th dose 5th dose

Haemophilus influenzae type b4 (Hib) 1st dose 2nd dose See

footnote 4 3rd or 4

th dose,

See footnote 4

Pneumococcal conjugate5 (PCV13) 1st dose 2nd dose 3rd dose 4th dose Inactivated poliovirus6 (IPV: <18 yrs) 1st dose 2nd dose 3rd dose 4th dose

Influenza7 (IIV; LAIV) Annual vaccination (IIV only) 1 or 2 doses Annual vaccination (LAIV or IIV) Annual vaccination (LAIV or IIV) 1 or 2 doses

1 dose only Measles, mumps, rubella8 (MMR) See footnote 8 1st dose 2nd dose

Varicella9 (VAR) 1st dose 2nd dose

Hepatitis A10 (HepA) 2-dose series, See footnote 10

Meningococcal11 (Hib-MenCY > 6 weeks; MenACWY-D >9 mos; MenACWY-CRM ≥ 2 mos) See footnote 11 1st dose Booster

Tetanus, diphtheria, & acellular pertussis12 (Tdap: >7 yrs) (Tdap)

Human papillomavirus13 (2vHPV: females only; 4vHPV, 9vHPV: males and females) ( 3 -

d o s e s e r i e s )

Meningococcal B1 1See footnote 11

Pneumococcal polysaccharide5 (PPSV23) See footnote 5

Recommended immunization schedule for persons aged 0 through 18 years – United States, 2016.

Why become immunized?• Can save your child’s life (you)• Very safe and effective• Protects others you care about• Save your family time and money• Protects future generations

Measles Mumps Rubella

Common cold virus Influenza virus Rotavirus

Polio Chicken Pox Pertussis (whooping cough) Tetanus

This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion, when viewed electron microscopically. A novel coronavirus, named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China in 2019. The illness caused by this virus has been named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:Fever or chillsCoughShortness of breath or difficulty breathingFatigueMuscle or body achesHeadacheNew loss of taste or smellSore throatCongestion or runny noseNausea or vomitingDiarrhea

COVID-19

Heart Disease…#1 cause of death

The term "heart disease" is often used interchangeably with the term "cardiovascular disease." Cardiovascular disease generally refers to conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke. Other heart conditions, such as those that affect your heart's muscle, valves or rhythm, also are considered forms of heart disease.

Heart disease symptoms depend on what type of heart disease you have.• Chest pain (angina)• Shortness of breath• Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness

in your legs or arms if the blood vessels in those parts of your body are narrowed

• Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or back

• Fluttering in your chest• Racing heartbeat (tachycardia)• Slow heartbeat (bradycardia)• Lightheadedness• Dizziness• Fainting (syncope) or near fainting• Fatigue• Irregular heartbeat• Swollen feet or ankles• Pale gray or blue skin color (cyanosis)

Seek emergency medical care if you have these heart disease symptoms: Chest pain, Shortness of breath, Fainting

EKG (Electrocardiogram)An EKG is a simple, painless test that detects and records the heart's electrical activity. The test shows how fast the heart is beating and its rhythm (steady or irregular). An EKG also records the strength and timing of electrical signals as they pass through the heart.

Stress TestingDuring stress testing, you exercise to make your heart work hard and beat fast while heart tests are done. As part of some stress tests, pictures are taken of your heart while you exercise and while you rest. These imaging stress tests can show how well blood is flowing in your heart and how well your heart pumps blood when it beats.

EchocardiographyEchocardiography (echo) uses sound waves to create a moving picture of your heart. The test provides information about the size and shape of your heart and how well your heart chambers and valves are working.Echo also can show areas of poor blood flow to the heart, areas of heart muscle that aren't contracting normally, and previous injury to the heart muscle caused by poor blood flow.

Chest X RayA chest x ray creates pictures of the organs and structures inside your chest, such as your heart, lungs, and blood vessels.A chest x ray can reveal signs of heart failure, as well as lung disorders and other causes of symptoms not related to CHD.

Blood TestsBlood tests check the levels of certain fats, cholesterol, sugar, and proteins in your blood. Abnormal levels may be a sign that you're at risk for CHD. Blood tests also help detect anemia, a risk factor for CHD.During a heart attack, heart muscle cells die and release proteins into the bloodstream. Blood tests can measure the amount of these proteins in the bloodstream. High levels of these proteins are a sign of a recent heart attack.

Coronary Angiography and Cardiac CatheterizationThis test uses dye and special x rays to look inside your coronary arteries.

DIAGNOSIS

What you do as a kid, your life style, will affect you greatly as an adult.

The time to start living in a healthy way….starts today, not tomorrow!!

These youth risk factors…your life styletoday as a kid…will affect your cardiovascular system when you get older. Ask yourself some questions…• Am I out for 2-3 sports per year or

am I a video game junky?• Do I eat really well or do I chow on

chips and candy all day?• Do I smoke or breathe in a lot of

second hand smoke in the car and house or do I get outside and breathe fresh air?

• Do I exercise and eat low fat foods so I look good, or am I over weight and mostly just sit around eating French fries?

Face it…look around you. The chances of you getting in shape, exercising, doing sports, eating right, loosing weight…as an adult if you did not learn those habits as a kid are really slim. Just go to the mall and look around you at the adults and you will see what I mean. So, get going…now!

➢ Obesity➢ High blood

pressure➢ High cholesterol➢ Diabetes➢ Smoking➢ Family history➢ Lack of exercise

Youth Risk Factors

I love playing

lacrosse!!

Cancer…#2 cause of death

Cancer begins in your cells, which are the building blocks of your body. Normally, your body forms new cells as you need them, replacing old cells that die. Sometimes this process goes wrong. New cells grow even when you don't need them, and old cells don't die when they should. These extra cells can form a mass called a tumor. Tumors can be benign or malignant. Benign tumors aren't cancer while malignant ones are. Cells from malignant tumors can invade nearby tissues. They can also break away and spread to other parts of the body.

There are more than 100 types of cancer, including breast cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and lymphoma. Symptoms vary depending on the type.If you have any of these signs, see your doctor. These are potential cancer symptoms.• Change in bowel or bladder habits • A sore that does not heal • Unusual bleeding or discharge • Thickening or lump in the breast or

elsewhere • Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing • Obvious change in a wart or mole • Nagging cough or hoarseness

I lost a very dear friend to cancer. She

was only in 6th

grade. It was really sad.

Every year, 300,000 families around the world will hear, “Your child has cancer.” But you can do something about it.

If you want to get involved in the fight against childhood cancer, here are 10 facts you should know.1. Childhood cancer is the number one disease killer of children in the U.S. 2. Every two minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer.3. The average age of a child diagnosed with cancer is 6. 4. 80% of children diagnosed with cancer are in developing countries.5. The most common childhood cancer is acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). 6. In 80% of kids with cancer, the cancer has already spread to other areas of the body by the time it is diagnosed.7. Much of what we know about treating adult cancers has been learned from childhood cancer research.8. There are over a dozen types of childhood cancer and hundred of different subtypes. 9. One in five children diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. will not survive.10. Because of the treatments they had as kids, by the time they’re in their 30s or 40s, more than 95% of childhood cancer survivors will have a chronic health problem and 80% will have severe or life- threatening conditions.

Not all cancer is preventable, but some of it is and as we saw, it can start at an early age. Look at the list to the left and ask yourself how you are doing. Do you breathe in second hand cigarette smoke, are you over weightor go out in the sun without sun screen? Agents that cause cancer are called “carcinogens.” How can you reduce these or get these out of your life?If I smoke or breathe second hand

smoke, I increase my chances greatly of having these problems:Lung cancer, heart disease, strokeCOPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, diabetes, reproductive effects (women), premature low birth-weight babies blindness, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, other cancers

Both of thesesay “SUN”. One is good, one not so good.

Body weight and compositionYour body is made of bone, muscle, fat, organs, liquids. These need to be in a good balance with each other for the person to be healthy. It is not the same for every person. A person who weighs 200 pounds may be hugely fat or hugely muscular…or even just tall and normal. So it is the balance between all factors that makes one healthy.

Online tool for figuring out your BMI:http://reference.medscape.com/calculator/body-mass-index-percentile-boys

BMI (Body mass index) is a tool used to screen for weight problems. It is not a measurement of fat. It is based on average people. It can be used by you as a measurement tool to see progress in your fitness plan.Formula: Your weight (pounds) times 703 divided by your height in inches divided by your height in inches again. Then compare it with the chart for your percentile.

I’m 15, weigh 140 lbs. and am 71 inches tall

so my BMI = 19.5Percentile = 44.8

YOUR DENTAL EXAMINATION During a dental exam, the dentist or hygienist will:✓ Evaluate your overall health and oral

hygiene✓ Evaluate your risk of tooth decay,

root decay, and gum or bone disease✓ Evaluate your need for tooth

restoration or tooth replacement✓ Check your bite and jaw for problems✓ Remove any stains or deposits on

your teeth✓ Demonstrate proper cleaning

techniques for your teeth or dentures✓ Assess your need for fluoride✓ Take dental X-rays or, if necessary, do

other diagnostic proceduresHey…You’re pretty good looking.

You talking to me? You’re not so bad yourself!

Once a year, get your teeth cleaned, x-rayed and checked by your dentist

Brush your teeth a couple of times daily and don’t forget to floss to get at the bacteria between your teeth.

Time to answer some questions!! Pull out your worksheets.These are the ones we have covered so far….more to come later!

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. Describe the examination. Tell what questions the doctor asked about your health. Tell what health or medical recommendations the doctor made and report what you have done in response to the recommendations. 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 fitness 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. 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 health-care provider and the direction of your parent(s)/guardian(s)?d. What are the advantages to getting a full night’s sleep?

.Sorry guys. I’ve had enough for one day. I need to rest my brain. Good Night…

zzzzz

•Benefits of getting a good night’s sleep•1. Maintaining a healthy body

•2. Improving memory

•3. Spurring creativity

•4. Sharpening attention

•5. Reducing stress and bringing a better mood

•6. Keeping a beautiful appearance

•7. Living longer

•8. Curbing inflammation

PART 2: YOUR PERSONAL FITNESS

YOU

MENTAL PHYSICAL

SPIRITUAL SOCIAL/FAMILY

Self evaluation:❖ How do I feel about my body’s condition?❖ What is my spiritual life like?❖ Other than social media, what is my social

life like. Family life? Friends?❖ Mentally, do I consider myself to be solid?❖ Am I positive person or a negative person?❖ Do I like myself?

Alright. We have got our physical evaluation done and have answered some important questions. Now we will investigate what makes up the mental, physical, spiritual and social aspects of your personal fitness.

Mental Fitness Exercise that brain of yours. Just like your physical body, if your brain isn’t exercised, it can get sluggish, depressed, slow…and kinda boring.

What can I do to become more mentally fit?✓ Stop multitasking✓ Be positive with yourself✓ Try something different✓ Play games✓ Read more✓ Take time to relax, visualize, affirm✓ Spend time with positive friends✓ Go for walks, get outside✓ Exercise physically like running✓ Get off the social web✓ Eat healthy foods✓ Decompress after every day✓ Spend time with God, meditation, prayer✓ Spend time giving, not getting✓ Find humor in life✓ Do memory exercises✓ Travel, eat out, take in a play or concert✓ Get enough sleep✓ Stay away from self-medicating

(drugs/alcohol)

The life of a teenager can be really stressful with pressure to do well in school, divorced parents, breaking up with a girl friend, abuse, unmet expectations. Talk to a friend you trust, an adult or youth pastor to get help. You do not have to go

through life alone.

Spiritual Fitness

“Where does religion come in? Well, my reply is … it does not come in at all. It is already there. It is the fundamental factor underlying Scouting and Guiding.” Baden Powell, founder of Boy Scouts.

To be a boy scout, all that is required is the acknowledgment of belief in God as stated in the Declaration of Religious Principle and the Scout Oath, and the ability to be reverent as stated in the Scout Law. All parents of scouts, sign the Declaration of Religious Principle on the youth membership application.

Spiritual Fitness is really about your relationship with God, your beliefs, your faith and how you live those out. Even though it is between you and God, there are some things that can help build that relationship:✓ Pray, worship✓ Go to your affiliates

youth group✓ Do mission work✓ Find a project/role you can

do for your religious group✓ Make your religious group a

part of every week✓ Read the Bible or other

religious books.✓ Spend time with God alone

When I die, and I will, it will not matter how in shape I am physically. I will be dead. What will matter is my persoalrelationship with God. 5 major religions: Trivia

• Hindus acknowledge multitudes of gods and goddesses.

• Buddhists say there is no deity.

• New Age followers believe they are God.

• Muslims believe in a powerful but unknowable God.

• Christians believe in a God who is loving and approachable

Social/Family Fitness

• Know your personal strengths and which traits strengthen the character of those around you. Use those strengths to work well with others in a give and take manner. This can lead to good working relationships and strong friendships.

• Communicate in a confident, clear, controlled and respectful way. Clearly express what you would like to say and then be sure to listen well to the other person.

• Respond to others with constructive feedback. Criticism alone doesn’t help. Provide concrete suggestions and praise to others so they can strengthen their skills and excel. People can be motivated to do well when they know they are on the right track and that their efforts are appreciated.

• While at school or at home, make sure to spend some of your downtime around others – even if it’s something as simple as playing a game of catch.

• Look out for your friends. If you notice anyone isolating him or herself, try to draw that individual into group activities.

• Take on leadership roles whenever possible. Building leadership skills is helpful at all stages of your teenage years and helpful in life when you grow older.

• Reach out to others you think may need someone with whom to talk.

Think for a second… Where do you spend your free time? At home alone doing video games or out with your friends kicking a soccer ball or talking to your dad while out turkey hunting? Being social makesyou healthier and awhole lot happier.

✓ Get involved with activities at home, school, church or in your community. For instance, you may be able to play in a band or take part in an athletic tournament.

✓ Maintain regular contact with family and other loved ones at home talking around dinner, helping with chores, playing games.

✓ If you can, volunteer for a charity, mentoring program, or other community organization. Helping others in need can give you renewed hope and strength

Peer pressure (or social pressure) is direct influence on people by peers, or an individual who gets encouraged to follow their peers by changing their attitudes, values, or behaviorsto conform to those of the influencing group or individual.❖ Are you a positive influence on your

friends?❖ Are you as good a listener as you are a

talker?❖ Do you make friends with positive people

or those who are into “bad” stuff?❖ Do you like spending time with your

family? Team mates? Dog?❖ Do you express your feelings in appropriate

ways?

Social media is not the same thing as social fitness and actually gets in the way of having deep meaningful connections. Talk to your friends directly and not by texting.

Physical Fitness

Physical Fitness includes four components:1. Cardiovascular and pulmonary endurance2. Muscular strength and endurance3. Flexibility4. Body compositionAll four of these need to be worked on in order to be

at your peak performance levels.Self Evaluation:❖ When you run does it feel like your heart is going to

explode?❖ Do you run out of breath just walking up the stairs at

school?❖ Do you have a hard time bending down to tie your shoes?❖ When you look in a mirror can you see some “definition” in

your muscles?❖ Are you way too skinny….or way to fat?❖ Do you avoid lifting heavy objects because you are too

weak to do so and don’t want to be embarrassed?❖ A friend asks you to join in playing a sport with him or

helping him practice, and you decline because you don’t think you can do it physically?

❖ You make New Year’s resolutions about getting in shape and break them almost immediately?

Getting in shape is not easy…but it can be really fun. It is about TIME, COMMITMENT, GOALS, EFFORT, DESIRE and KNOWLEDGE.

Start by getting involved in a fun physical activity: Sports, walking, hiking, swimming. Start to enjoy getting in shape. I like scuba diving.

Then map out a course of action, a plan on how you can get in shape to be better at what you love to do.

Get a friend who has similar interests who will either do it with you or encourage you along the way and hold you accountable.

Scuba diving in Cozumel MexicoBackpacking in the Canadian Rockies

Cardiovascular and pulmonary endurance

The heart is a muscle and it needs to keep in shape just like any other muscle. To do that, it needs to be fed good nutrients, given lots of oxygen and exercised. Exercise comes in the form of cardiovascular workouts, activities that cause the heart to pump harder and faster for a period of time (generally 20 min or longer) and then given time to rest, repair, refuel and grow. This exercise also works the muscles surrounding your veins and arteries.

Running/walking, aerobics, dancing, swimming and cycling are good aerobic exercises for your heart. Do them 3-5 times a week for 30-60 min. Start slow and increase your speed/time as you get better. Check your heart rate as you go.

Muscular strength and enduranceYou need to learn your body’s muscular system. Muscles come in pairs and both need to be exercised in order to have balance. These muscle are “antagonistic pairs.”

The bicep is a “flexor” muscle. When it contracts, the triceps relaxes.

The triceps is an “extensor” muscle. When it contracts the biceps relax.

Both of these athletes excel in their sport. But they do not have the same body types. What is good for swimming (like Phelps and winning gold medals) isn’t good for a body builder competition. One has more strength and the other more endurance. What do you want your body to look like?

Strength is the ability of your muscles to contract and exert force against an opposing force.Endurance is the

ability of your muscles to contract repeatedly or hold a contraction against an opposing force.

I play soccer so I need a lot of endurance.

FlexibilityFlexibility or limberness refers to the absolute range of movement in a joint or series of joints, and length in muscles that cross the joints to induce a bending movement or motion

1. Before stretching…warm up. Do light reps or jogging or some light aerobic exercise.

2. Now stretch.3. Then do your exercise routine.

Remember to breathe properly for your event and stay hydrated.

4. Now cool down by doing some easy light exercise.

5. Finally, stretch again.

Static stretching consists of the lifter holding a joint in a stretched position for a designated length of time (usually 20-30 seconds) allowing the muscle to slowly adapt to the new range of motion. This is a passive stretch in that the muscle is relaxed throughout the entire exercise.Dynamic stretching consists of moving the body through an increased range of motion using bodyweight movements like squats and lunges. By moving the body in multiple planes of motion, dynamic stretching helps prepare your body for a hard training session. Dynamic stretching is considered an active stretch since the muscle is contracting and relaxing.

Body Composition

A weight control program should include the following areas:Exercise: Several times a week to increase your cardiovascular system, increase your metabolism, burn calories and increase over all muscular performanceGood nutrition: Eating a balanced diet from all the food groups, staying away from empty calorie foods and foods high in fat, eating only the amount of calories you needBehavior modification: Watching how much you eat, cutting back on in between meal snacks, eating slower, changing your life style, staying away from drugs/alcohol/tobacco

Fitness Evolution let me use their InBody machine to find out my body’s composition. Everything looks great but I need more muscle mass in my arms.

Go to: https://www.scouting.org/resources/scoutstrong/

“To carry out all the duties and work of a scout properly, one has to be strong, healthy, and active.”

Robert Baden-Powell

Check out these three awards you can earn.

The Boy Scout Oath: On my honor, I will do my best To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

The Boy Scout Promise: A Scout is: Trustworthy,Loyal,Helpful,Friendly,Courteous,Kind,Obedient,Cheerful,Thrifty,Brave,Clean,and Reverent.

What is the relationship between the Scout Oath and Scout Law with the components of personal fitness?

I hope you can see that the scout Law/Oath places a high emphasis on your physical and mental and spiritual wellbeing. So…get in shape and go backpacking!!

Ahhh!!!... part two is done…I need a break!! Nothing like a nice hot Jacuzzi after a hard workout.

Time to answer some questions!! Pull out your worksheets.

1a 5: 5. Explain: The youth risk factors that affect cardiovascular fitness in adulthood.

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

a. Reasons for being mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually fitb. What it means to be mentally healthyc. What it means to be physically healthyd. What it means to be socially healthy

3. With your counselor, answer and discuss the following questions: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 fitnessb. Your weakest and strongest area of physical fitnessc. The need to have a balance in the four areas of physical fitnessd. How a program like ScoutStrong can lead to lifelong healthful habitse. How the areas of personal fitness relate to the Scout Law and Scout Oath

OK…So far we have gotten our physical exam and now know what it says, what it means and the importance of getting an exam each year and before we start a physical fitness program. We have had our teeth checked out and cleaned. And we have investigated lots of areas of personal fitness like the roles our physical, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing, play in ourover all health.

We have also taken our own assessment of how we feel and think about ourselves.

Next, we will investigate the role nutrition plays in our personal fitness.Let’s talk…FOOD!!

PART 3: YOUR NUTRITIONAL FITNESS

Chews food into smaller pieces to increase the surface area for chemical reactions. Adds Amylase in saliva to digest carbohydrates and saliva helps in swallowing.

Produces digestive enzymes to aid in breaking down food.

Absorbs fluids, produces vitamins, absorbs nutrients

Transports food by peristalsis action to the stomach

Holds food, digests proteins, breaks food into smaller pieces

Produces digestive enzymes

First half digests most of the food. Second half absorbs most of the nutrients. Produces digestive enzymes and neutralizes the stomach acid.

Collects unused food, forms “poop”, holds it in till ready to come out the anus.

When I eat a hotdog, where does the food go?

Let’s first learn a little bit about food itself and how it goes through our digestive system.

Components of Food

CarbohydratesSugarsStarchesFiber (cellulose)

Fats and LipidsProteinVitamins and mineralswater

Food

Carbohydrates:Foods high in carbohydrates are

an important part of a healthy diet. Carbohydrates provide the body with glucose, which is converted to energy used to support bodily functions and physical activity.

Foods high in carbs are fruits, vegetables, flour, grain, seeds, candy, breads. Most things have some carbs in them.

Carbohydrates are a major energy source for your body. They are easy to find in the grocery store. These foods also give you other nutrients you

need for your body to grow and function.

Fats and Lipids Proteins

Proteins are large, complex molecules that play many critical roles in the body. They do most of the work in cells and are required for the structure, function, and regulation of the body's tissues and organs.

You get the amino acids you need to make protein by eating, meat, fish, nuts, soybeans, legumes, seafood, eggs, seeds…

SaturatedUnsaturated

• Polyunsaturated• monounsaturated

CholesterolTrans fatOmega-3 fatty acids

Lipids, fats, oils, triglycerides

Oils are fats at room temperature. They are made of lipids. Saturated fats are not very good for you, but unsaturated fats are (in moderation).

Foods high in oils: canola oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, mayonnaise, margarine, lard, butter, nuts, fish, salad dressing, milk, beef fat, suet, shortening, olives, avocados, cheese, ice cream …

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins:AThiamin, B1

Riboflavin, B2Niacin, B3B6B12 BiotinCCholineDEFolic AcidKPantothenic Acid, B5

Minerals:CalciumChlorideChromiumCopperFluorideIodineIron

Vitamins and minerals are involved in every aspect of your body and its functions. By definition, you must eat these. Your body can not produce them in high enough quantities. And you must eat them daily since many can not be stored in the body.

Weight control is all about calories. If you eat more calories than your body needs, it will store them as fat. If you eat less than your body needs, your body will burn off the fat you already have stored up. Different foods have different amounts of calories in them, so your choice of food is really important.

What is a calorie anyway?By definition a calorie is the energy it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of

water 1 degree Celsius. The important word to take away from this definition is ENERGY. Calories are ENERGY that fuel our bodies; much like gasoline fuels our cars. We get our needed calories by eating food. Each food item has a different amount of calories. So if you eat a celery stick you would get a lot less calories than if you ate a candy bar the same size. Many of us have no idea how many calories our body needs just to exist.

In general, an adult body needs at least 1000 to 1400 calories to have enough energy to fuel key organs like the brain, heart, and lungs. This minimum number of calories is called your resting metabolic rate (RMR) and it varies greatly depending on age, sex, weight, and muscle mass.

It takes an excess of 3500 calories to gain 1 lb. of fat. For example, if your body needs 2000 calories a day to maintain its current weight and every day you consume 2500 (one 20 oz Mocha Swirl Latte could add 500 calories) in one week you would gain 1 lb.

You make choices in life. You can choose candy like my evil twin to the left or eat good snacks like fresh fruit and be healthy like me. Choices!

There are lots of ways to control your weight. Limit your fat intake since fat has a lot of calories. You can also increase your metabolism or exercise more to burn off extra calories. It will take time to figure it all out so don’t loose hope. If you are too thin…..eat more calories.

What type of food you eat, your diet, does make a difference. 2000 calories of chocolate (empty calories) won’t provide you with the nutrients you need. You are better off getting those 2000 calories from eating a wide variety of foods as seen in the picture “MyPlate” to the left.

The type of food you eat can influence more than just your weight. Failure to eat properly can result in some illnesses like heart disease and cancer. Even some learning disabilities have been linked to foods people eat.

Go on line (with your parent’s permission) to Choosemyplate.gov and play around with the website. It has very good information on healthy foods and you can even put in the foods you eat to see how well you are doing.

The MyPlate way…• Make half your plate veggies

and fruit• Add lean protein• Include whole grains• Don’t forget the dairy• Avoid extra fat• Take your time eating• Use a smaller plate• Take control of your food• Try new foods• Satisfy your sweet tooth in a

healthy way.

Careers in health and fitness are extremely popular, especially for those with a background that includes athletics. The Health and Fitness jobs category is very broad and includes these specialties:

Athletic TrainerPhysical Therapist JobsMedical AssistantSports Medicine Aid (or Aide)Physical Therapy AssistantSports Massage Therapist JobsSports and Fitness NutritionistStrength and Conditioning (S&C) CoachExercise PhysiologistSports PhysicianSports PsychologistSports Performance Management SpecialistExercise PhysiologistDietitianSports CoachesCertified Athletic TrainerPhysical TherapistsLife guardsMassage Therapist.

I work out at Fitness Evolution in town. There are a bunch of trainers running around ready to help me or give advice when I need it.

Come join me.

Time to answer some questions!! Pull out your worksheets.

3c. 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? 3e. Define a nutritious, balanced diet and why it is important.

5: Explain the following : 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.

You are now done with all the book learning stuff. I hope I was able to help you understand the material. Now we will go on to the actual “physical” part of the

merit badge.

Time to take a break. I am going to pop some popcorn. Why don’t you cut up some fruit and make a fruit salad and we will all just hang-out and eat a snack. We are going to need our energy for this next section.

Requirement 7 has you designing your physical fitness program. What you are training for will make a difference on how you exercise.

You will need a balance of strength exercises (above) and endurance exercises (below). What are your over all goals?

YOUR PERSONAL 12-WEEK PHYSICAL FITNESS PROGRAM6. Before doing requirements 7 and 8, do

the following:a. Complete the aerobic fitness,

flexibility, and muscular strength tests, as described in the Personal Fitness 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 the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet. Before beginning your exercises, have the program approved by your counselor and parents.

Go on line or read the merit badge book to see how you are to do each of the different exercises/stretches.

Physical Fitness Tests specified for requirements 6 and 8 are as follows:

• Aerobic Fitness Test

Record your performance on one of the following tests:

o Run/walk as far as you can as fast as you can in nine minutes

OR

o Run/walk one mile as fast as you can

• Flexibility Test

Using a sit-and-reach box constructed according to specifications in this 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.

o 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 merit badge pamphlet.

o Pull-ups. Record the total number of pull-ups completed correctly in 60 seconds. Be consistent with the procedures presented

in the merit badge pamphlet.

o Push-ups. Record the total number of push-ups completed correctly in 60 seconds. Be consistent with the procedures

presented in the merit badge pamphlet.

Click here to see the test procedures presented in the merit badge pamphlet.

Sit and Reach Box for the Flexibility Test:

To see instructions for building the Sit and Reach Box, Click here.

The illustration shows dimensions for constructing the reach box in inches, while the requirement table in the pamphlet stipulates

measuring the Scout's reach in centimeters (cm). Either attach a tape measure calibrated in both inches and cm to the top panel, or mark

the top panel in cm. The measuring scale should extend from 0 at the front edge of top panel to 53 cm at a point 0.34 cm before the back

edge. That should place the 23 cm point 0.14 cm behind the face of the foot panel.

According to the new 2021 methods, this is how you do each exercise.

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 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. Discuss the meaning and benefit of your experience and describe your long-term plans regarding your personal fitness.

Before you start, you must get your program OK’d by your parent and counselor.

Getting in shape is one thing…staying in shape is another. Don’t quit just because you earned your merit badge. Incorporate it into your everyday lifestyle…forever.

EXAMPLES OF CHARTS TO LOG YOUR WORK OUT ON. SEE BOOKLET FOR MORE EXAMPLES.

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.

This seems to be a good website. Scroll down it and it will give you the education requirements, job description and more. Also, if you google: “list of career opportunities in personal fitness”, you will find everything you need.

https://work.chron.com/careers-personal-fitness-4214.html

•Athletic trainer. ...

•Exercise physiologist. ...

•Fitness trainer. ...

•Massage therapist. ...

•Occupational therapist. ...

•Physical therapist. ...

•Recreational therapist.

•Group Exercise

•Personal Trainer

•Athletic Trainer

•Coach

• Health Club Manager

•Wellness Coordinatior

•Spa Professional

•More, more, more…..

Congratulations…You are now doneand you have muscles like me.

Good Job!

THE END