Boy Scout Merit Badge Notes

PERSONAL FITNESS

Requirement #6

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

Aerobic Fitness Test

Record your performance on one of the following tests:

Run/walk as far as you can in nine minutes

Run/walk one mile as fast as you can

Percentile Norms for the 1-Mile Run for Boys Ages 10-18 (in minutes and seconds)
Age	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17+
Percentile
99	6:25	6:04	5:40	5:44	5:36	5:44	5:40	5:41
95	6:56	6:50	6:27	6:11	5:51	6:01	5:48	6:01
90	7:26	7:19	6:44	6:22	6:05	6:08	6:02	6:13
85	7:40	7:30	6:57	6:33	6:13	6:18	6:12	6:28
80	7:57	7:48	7:12	6:42	6:21	6:29	6:22	6:30
75	8:10	8:00	7:24	6:52	6:36	6:35	6:28	6:36
70	8:23	8:08	7:37	7:00	6:41	6:42	6:41	6:42
65	8:34	8:21	7:48	7:06	6:48	6:56	6:47	6:57
60	8:49	8:39	7:59	7:14	6:54	7:02	6:53	7:07
55	9:03	8:56	8:08	7:20	7:01	7:07	7:03	7:15
50	9:19	9:06	8:20	7:27	7:10	7:14	7:11	7:25
45	9:34	9:25	8:34	7:40	7:15	7:23	7:19	7:30
40	9:45	9:46	8:51	7:51	7:24	7:30	7:27	7:45
35	10:10	10:10	9:10	8:02	7:34	7:41	7:40	7:58
30	10:38	10:40	9:30	8:24	7:54	7:52	7:51	8:06
25	11:05	11:31	10:00	8:35	8:02	8:04	8:07	8:26
20	11:31	12:02	10:42	8:50	8:15	8:26	8:41	8:38
15	12:11	12:40	11:20	9:09	8:43	8:48	9:10	9:05
10	13:00	13:37	12:07	9:39	9:30	9:25	9:52	10:37
5	14:28	15:25	13:41	10:23	10:32	10:37	10:40	10:56
Health-Related Physical Fitness Test from the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance

Percentile Norms for the 9-Minute Run for Boys Ages 10-18 (in yards)
Age	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17+
Percentile
99	2,520	2,520	2,880	2,615	2,686	2,757	2,828	2,899
95	2,250	2,250	2,400	2,402	2,473	2,544	2,615	2,615
90	2,120	2,109	2,175	2,320	2,391	2,462	2,533	2,304
85	2,013	2,025	2,042	2,213	2,284	2,384	2,455	2,526
80	1,950	1,970	2,000	2,150	2,221	2,292	2,363	2,434
75	1,910	1,925	1,975	2,096	2,167	2,238	2,309	2,380
70	1,859	1,890	1,900	2,049	2,120	2,191	2,262	2,333
65	1,810	1,860	1,860	2,008	2,079	2,150	2,221	2,292
60	1,780	1,808	1,810	1,964	2,035	2,106	2,177	2,248
55	1,725	1,770	1,790	1,926	1,997	2,068	2,139	2,210
50	1,690	1,725	1,760	1,885	1,956	2,027	2,098	2,169
45	1,633	1,690	1,740	1,844	1,915	1,986	2,057	2,128
40	1,600	1,640	1,680	1,806	1,877	1,948	2,019	2,090
35	1,584	1,600	1,620	1,762	1,833	1,904	1,975	2,046
30	1,536	1,575	1,590	1,721	1,792	1,863	1,934	2,005
25	1,487	1,540	1,500	1,674	1,745	1,816	1,887	1,958
20	1,420	1,440	1,450	1,620	1,691	1,762	1,833	1,904
15	1,356	1,390	1,356	1,557	1,628	1,699	1,770	1,841
10	1,250	1,275	1,300	1,450	1,521	1,592	1,663	1,734
5	1,110	1,170	1,000	1,368	1,439	1,510	1,581	1,652
Health-Related Physical Fitness Test from the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance

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 for 15 seconds to qualify.

Making "Sit-and-Reach" Devices

To make the box, cut the following pieces using any sturdy wood or ¾" plywood.

4 pieces: 12" X 12'

1 piece: 12" X 21"

Assemble the pieces using wood screws and glue.

Inscribe the top panel with gradations so that the 9-inch mark is in line with the vertical panel against which the boy's feet are placed. The measuring scale should extend from 0 at the front edge to 21 inches at the far end. You may choose to simply tape a yardstick to the top panel.

As an alternative to the sit-and-reach box, tape a yardstick to the top of a bench. Or, tape a yardstick to the edge of a bench laid on its side so that the seat is the panel against which the feet are placed. Make sure to mount the yardstick so that the 9-inch mark is in line with the panel against which the feet are placed.

Muscular Strength Test

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

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 this merit badge pamphlet.
Pull-ups. Record the total number of pull-ups completed consistent with the procedures presented in this merit badge pamphlet.
Push-ups. Record the total number of push-ups completed consistent with the procedures presented in this merit badge pamphlet.

Percentile Norms for Sit and Reach for Boys Ages 10-18 (in centimeters)
Age	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17+
Percentile
99	37	38	52	41	43	47	45	48
95	33	34	35	36	39	41	42	45
90	31	32	32	34	37	39	40	43
85	30	31	31	33	36	37	38	41
80	29	30	30	32	34	36	37	40
75	28	29	29	30	33	34	36	40
70	28	28	29	29	31	33	35	38
65	27	27	28	28	30	32	34	37
60	26	26	27	27	30	32	32	36
55	26	26	27	27	29	31	31	35
50	25	25	26	26	28	30	30	34
45	24	24	25	25	27	29	29	33
40	23	23	24	24	26	28	28	32
35	22	23	23	23	25	27	27	31
30	21	22	22	22	24	26	26	30
25	20	21	21	20	23	24	25	28
20	19	20	20	19	22	23	23	26
15	18	18	18	18	21	22	21	25
10	17	16	16	15	18	19	18	23
5	12	12	13	12	15	13	11	15
Health-Related Physical Fitness Test from the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance

Percentile Norms for Situps for Boys Ages 10-18
Age	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17+
Percentile
99	59	61	68	70	70	69	70	65
95	50	51	56	58	59	59	61	62
90	47	48	52	54	54	55	59	59
85	44	46	50	52	52	52	55	56
80	42	44	48	50	51	50	53	54
75	40	42	46	48	49	49	51	52
70	39	41	45	46	48	48	50	51
65	37	40	43	45	46	47	49	50
60	36	39	42	44	45	46	47	49
55	35	38	40	42	44	45	46	48
50	34	37	39	41	42	44	45	46
45	33	35	38	40	41	42	44	45
40	31	34	36	39	40	41	42	44
35	30	33	35	38	39	40	40	43
30	29	31	33	36	38	39	39	40
25	27	30	31	35	36	38	38	38
20	25	28	30	33	35	36	35	37
15	23	26	28	31	33	34	33	34
10	19	23	25	29	31	31	30	31
5	15	17	19	25	27	28	28	25
Health-Related Physical Fitness Test from the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance

Sample Physical Fitness Program

Warm-Up Routine

(Practiced before each aerobic or strength routine)

Do ONE of the following:
1. Jog or run in place two to three minutes.
2. Do an easy rope skip for one to two minutes.
3. Walk briskly for three to five minutes.
4. Swim an easy stroke at a slow speed for 100 yards.
Do stretching exercises for three to five minutes.

Aerobic Routine

(Two or three ties per week; alternate with the strength routine. The distance, repetitions, and rest intervals should be reviewed and adjusted weekly as your performance improves.)

Wind sprints:
1. Running distance _____ Repetitions _____ Rest time _____
2. Swimming distance _____ Repetitions _____ Rest time _____
Mid-distance workout (best time). Do ONE of the following:
1. 600-yard run
2. 400-yard swim

Flexibility Routine

(Five times per week)

Floor reaches (palms touch forward; knuckles touch between; fingertips touch behind) - 10 repetitions, from full upright to each position
Back bends (with a buddy holding feet down) - 10 repetitions, holding 10 seconds on each
Isometric stretch (legs outstretched together; hands grasping insteps; toes pointed forward while pulling back with arms) - 10 repetitions, holding 10 seconds on each

Strength Routine

(Two or three times per week; alternate with aerobic routine; weights, repetitions, and rest intervals to be reviewed and adjusted weekly, as appropriate)

Weight Lifting

Press: Weight _____ Repetitions _____ Sets _____ Rest time _____
Curls: Weight _____ Repetitions _____ Sets _____ Rest time _____
Bench press: Weight _____ Repetitions _____ Sets _____ Rest time _____
Squats: Weight _____ Repetitions _____ Sets _____ Rest time _____

Cool Down

(Five-minute "walk-and-talk" after each aerobic or strength routine)

Don't neglect the cool-down period, which helps prevent muscle cramps after exercise and enhances the benefits of your physical fitness program.

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Last modified on Friday, July 30, 2004