Personal Fitness Merit Badge

For requirement 1 you can click on the following
link to get a copy of the New, Simplified Annual Health and Medical Record

The new form has replaced all previous versions and the former Class 1,
2, and 3 Personal Health and Medical Record Forms.

It is designed to be filled in and saved on your local computer and then
printed out on 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheets.

Click Here to download the Annual Health and Medical Record Form

NOTE: 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:
   1. 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 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 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.

   2. 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:
   1. Reasons for being mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually
      fit
   2. What it means to be mentally healthy
   3. What it means to be physically healthy
   4. What it means to be socially healthy

3. With your counselor, answer and discuss the following questions:
   1. Are you living in such a way that your risk of preventable diseases
      is minimized?
   2. Are you immunized and vaccinated according to the advice of
      your healthcare provider and the direction of your parent(s)/guardian(s)?
   3. 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?
   4. What are the advantages to getting a full night’s sleep?
   5. Define a nutritious, balanced diet and why it is important.
   6. Do you participate in a regular exercise program or recreational
      activities?
   7. What are you doing to demonstrate your duty to God?
   8. Do you spend quality time with your family and friends in social
      and recreational activities?
   9. Do you support family activities and efforts to maintain a good
      home life?

4. Explain the following about physical fitness:
   1. The areas of physical fitness
   2. Your weakest and strongest area of physical fitness
   3. The need to have a balance in the four areas of physical fitness
   4. How a program like ScoutStrong can lead to lifelong healthful
      habits
   5. How the areas of personal fitness relate to the Scout Law and
      Scout Oath

5. Explain the following:
   1. The importance of good nutrition
   2. What good nutrition means to you
   3. How good nutrition is related to the other components of personal
      fitness
   4. How to maintain a healthy weight

6. Before doing requirements 7 and 8, do the following:
   1. 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.
   2. 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.
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.

BSA Advancement ID#:
10

Requirements last updated in:
2020

Pamphlet Publication Number:
35927

Pamphlet Stock (SKU) Number:
641577

Pamphlet Revision Date:
2019