Personal Fitness Merit Badge How do I start

Personal Fitness Merit Badge

How do I start? • If you are here, you MUST have a “Blue Card” signed by your Scoutmaster and filled out by you! • You must have a copy of the CURRENT requirements for Personal Fitness. • You must be prepared to take this seriously!

What is Personal Fitness • Personal Fitness is not the same as Physical Fitness. • What does it mean to be Fit? – To be healthy and in a state of readiness. • Fitness then, is achieving the best quality of life. • Personal Fitness must then be YOUR effort to reach a desired quality of life.

Personal Fitness = Total Fitness * • Personal fitness can be thought of as total or complete fitness with 5 components or elements: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Social Fitness Mental and emotional Fitness Spiritual Fitness Physical Health Physical Fitness

Is everyone the same? • Personal fitness is different for everyone. • Your level of Personal Fitness (highest quality of life) is determined by your level of all 5 components. • All 5 components interact; so neglecting one, affects the others. • High levels of one component will likewise affect the others. (eg. Bridge)

Measuring these Components • Can we measure all 5 components of Personal Fitness? – Yes but its not easy. • For our purposes, we will only be measuring Physical Fitness, but will talk about the others.

Balance is good! • If you know your weaknesses, you can begin to strengthen them. • The Scout who eats the right things but does not exercise will do poorly in physical activities. • You may be tall and strong, but not a good leader…recognize that and work on it.

More reasons for Balance * • If you exercise a lot but don’t eat properly, you may cramp or be to tired or even get sick. • A scout who works and plays hard all day during camp, but does not eat or sleep well, will be weak the next day. • If you’re fit, then you know you are making the best use of your physical talents.

How do the 5 components relate to the Scout Oath and Law? * • What is the Scout Oath, Law, slogan and Motto? • Being personally fit allows you to be cheerful, strong, mentally awake, helpful and prepared. It also helps you to remember to do a good turn daily.

The Physical Examination • Most doctors offices have you or your parents fill out a personal and medical questionnaire. – It asks about diseases you or your family members have had; about allergic reactions and about any medicines you take.

What’s included in the physical? • Measurements of: – Height and weight. – Heart rate, blood pressure – Heart and lung sounds • Examination of EENT • Testing of your reflexes

What will they ask you? • The health care worker (Dr, Nurse or physician’s assistant), may ask about: – Your psychological (mental and social) traits. – Your nutritional habits – Your physical activity – Your family circumstances

Why is a physical exam important? • At each exam, your Doctor may identify symptoms or conditions that need to be treated. • You may not have given these symptoms a second thought.

Why do we need them? * • Regular exams help your doctor keep track of your health. • He/She monitors your health and records the changes. • This is important later in life when your complete medical history is needed. • Regular visits and exams help to maintain your physical health! • Many diseases are preventable!

Disease Prevention • What things make you susceptible to disease? – Daily habits…interacting with others. – Poor eating habits weaken your body. – Weak muscles make you more vulnerable to injuries. – Not dressing warmly in wet and cold weather.

Primary Prevention • What does that mean? – Practicing good health habits – Preventing bad habits from forming • Identifying and eliminating Risk Factors help to prevent disease.

What are Risk Factors? • A risk factor is something that increases the chance, (risk), of getting the disease. • Some risk factors can’t be changed – Age, Gender or Race. • Some risk factors can be changed. – Dietary habits, Sun Exposure, exercise, smoking.

What are the Youth Risk Factors that affect Cardiovascular Disease in Adulthood? * • • Obesity High blood pressure High blood cholesterol Diabetes Smoking Gender Exercise Family history

Why preventive habits help * • When you are young, you are usually in good health. You exercise, don’t smoke etc. • As you get older, you develop bad habits, or don’t care. • These bad habits can lead to serious health problems later. (Heart, Lungs etc. ) • Preventive habits help you live better and longer.

What are some Preventable diseases? * • Those prevented by Vaccination: – Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Meningitis, Polio, mumps, measles. • Those prevented by good health habits: – Acquired Immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) – Rheumatic Fever – Colds

What are the Seven Danger signs of Cancer? * • • Appearance of any unusual lump. Any unusual bleeding or discharge. Any change in a wart or mole. Chronic indigestion or difficulty in swallowing. • Persistent cough or hoarseness. • A sore that will not heal.

What is Social Fitness? * • Social Fitness is a component of Personal Fitness. • Social Fitness is living the Scout Law, the motto, slogan and the Oath. • Trying to live these Scout virtues makes you Socially Fit…think about it! • The Scout who is recognized as a Scout by his actions rather than by a uniform has truly live the Scout Law.

What Social Skills help to be Socially Fit? • Friendship…everyone needs someone to talk to and share feelings with. • Communication…this means being a good listener as well as a good talker. • Accepting others and accepting someone without judging them. • Spending time with friends helps strengthen friendships and builds understanding, trust and respect.

What is “Peer Pressure? ” • You can’t stop Peer pressure…but DON’T allow people to tease you or push you to take part in activities that make you uncomfortable! • You can always walk away or just ignore others who make you feel uncomfortable. • The key to peer pressure is whether or not YOU allow it to guide your actions. • Don’t be afraid to talk about uncomfortable situations with someone, (friend or adult), whom you trust!

What is Mental and Emotional Fitness? * • It is being free of excessive anxiety and worry that interfere with school, family, friendships and a healthy social life. • Anxiety and worry are normal parts of life. When it becomes excessive though, it is not healthy. • Don’t be afraid to talk to someone about it that you trust, (friend or adult).

What is Spiritual Fitness? * • Every Scout has a Duty to God…we say it in our Oath and Law. • You are expected to recognize your duty to God and the religious principles you learn.

Nutrition * • If your body does not get the nutrients it needs, it will not function at its best. • Poor nutrition can lead to fatigue, lack of energy, slow healing of injuries, dehydration, weight loss, fat build up.

Nutrients • Six basic nutrients come from the foods we eat – Protein – essential for cell growth and repair; also helps make antibodies. – Fat – part of cell walls. – Carbohydrates – main source of energy for your muscles and nervous system. – Water – essential to your life. (60%) – Vitamins – help with bodily chemical reactions – Minerals – also help with chemical reactions

Food Groups • They are: – Grains (Bread, Crackers, Cereal, Rice, etc. ) – Vegetable/Fruits – Meats/legumes (main provider of protein) – Dairy

Prioritize Foods • Rank the food groups when preparing meals or snacks. – 1. – 2. – 3. – 4. – 5. Vegetables Grains Fruits Dairy Products Meats and Legumes

Components of a Weight Control Program * • Exercise – builds stronger muscles and muscular endurance. • Good Nutrition – eating properly balances your calories and shrinks excess body fat. • Behavior Modification – changing your behavior. One change might be to exercise everyday.

Physical Fitness • This is one of the original elements of PERSONAL Fitness. • What is Physical Fitness: – Being able to do vigorous physical work without getting to tired and still having energy to do normal daily things.

Four Elements of Physical Fitness * • • Cardiovascular Endurance Muscular strength and endurance Flexibility Body Composition

Why is it important to have balance among these elements? * • Exercise and good health are related to each other. • You will live longer • The four elements rely on each other.

Cardiovascular Endurance • The ability to maintain activity that is Aerobic. (exercises that involve muscles, are continuous and rhythmic) • Examples include: – Running, walking and bicycling. – Swimming

Guidelines to improve Cardiovascular Fitness • Warm Up First – 5 to 10 minutes of low intensity movements followed by several minutes of stretching. – Warm up will help decrease chances of injury and will get your body’s muscles, heart and metabolism ready to exercise. • • Exercise using aerobic activities Exercise 3 to 5 times each week. Exercise 20 to 60 minutes each time. Exercise at 60 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate.

Muscular Strength and Endurance • Muscular strength is: the ability of your muscles to contract and exert force against an opposing force. (lifting a certain amount of weight. ) • Muscular endurance is: the ability of your muscles to contract repeatedly or hold a contraction against an opposing force. (hiking up a mountain or carrying supplies to camp. )

Flexibility • Defined as a joint’s range of motion. – For the most part, the lower back and the legs need the most attention. • Stretching is an important part of the warm up. – Stretch during warm up and again at the end of your exercises. (15 to 30 seconds sustained each stretch)

Sit and Reach • Easiest way to measure the flexibility of your lower back and the back of the thighs. • Can do this with a chair or other household item.

Body Composition • Defines as the proportion of your body that is fat or muscle. • Can calculate it, or actually measure it. • Aerobic exercise helps control your weight and therefore your body composition. • When exercising to lose weight, lowintensity exercise for long periods of time is best. (lap swimming or jogging)

Sample Program

Keeping Track * • Outline a 12 week physical fitness program for yourself using the results of your fitness tests. • Be sure to include endurance, intensity and warm up guidelines. • Get the program approved before starting.

Aerobic, Muscular and Fitness Tests. • Repeat these tests that you did initially. Do it every 2 weeks. • Watch as these things change over the 12 weeks. • We’ll meet again in 12 weeks for the final requirement.

Questions about what we discussed ?