VOYAGEUR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENT #15 (PHYSICAL) #5
Demonstrate basic fitness level in five different exercise areas:
This is a fun activity that we get the scout youth involved in. This requirement generates a lot of
laughs and is popular with the kids. We exercise this requirement in several methods as follows:
PROGRAM ACTIVITY #1: 3 x 15 min activities.
In your indoor meeting, put aside time for some or all of the following:
Push-ups: Show the scouts the correct
profile of a push up. Have fun correcting
the posture the kids use when trying to
perform push-ups. 5 Push-ups are required.
Shuttle runs: You can have
a lot of fun with this
activity by setting up patrol
challenges and having the
youth race each other in
shuttle runs.
A variation on this theme is to use pylons. Have the scouts run to
each pylon, bend down and put their head on the top of the pylon
and then rotate once around the pylon and then sprint back to the
start line. Shuttle runs should last for at least 14 seconds.
Curl-ups: There are two variations of curl-ups. You
can do this yourself by keeping your feet on the
ground and curling with one arm, or divide into pairs
and have one person hold your feet when doing curl-ups.
17 curl-ups are required.
Standing long jump: These are fun for the youth to try. Mark
a line on the floor and have the youth with their feet behind
the line. Draw a line at 1.35 meters from the original line.
(4.33ft). Have each youth jump from a standing start. Mark the
longest attempt and have the scout youth make repeated
attempts to break the longest jump record.
50Meter run: You can do this inside your meeting place (if
there is enough room) or outside at a sports track. You can setup a patrol challenge for the youth
with a 50 meter run. There is a 10 second timer requirement to complete a 50 meter run.
VOYAGEUR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENT #15 (PHYSICAL) #5
Demonstrate basic fitness level in five different exercise areas:
Endurance run 1600 meters: Take your youth to an outdoor running track and have them run
around the 400 meter race track for 4 laps (1600 meters). This may seem to be a chore for the
scout youth to perform, however, you can setup patrol challenges with this activity and/or combine
it into a wider outdoor fitness challenge activity.
ADDITIONAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES
With scout youth, there is an element of bragging and experimentation and bragging. Have the
youth try out these ideas.
Side-Bridge:
Participants
shall start by moving to the
side-lying position of their
dominant side, supported by
the elbow, forearm, fist and
foot of the top leg. The foot of the bottom leg is wrapped around so as to be on top of the other
foot. Firmly press into the ground with the supporting arm, and then raise the trunk and pelvis
straight upward until they form a straight line with the legs. Do not let the trunk rotate forward or
back, nor should the hips move to the rear. Hold this position as long as possible while continuing to
breathe.
Jumping Jumps: Jumping Jacks are fun and one of the
simplest cardiovascular exercises you can do. You need only
enough space to stand in. Made famous by the military they
are still used in circuit training classes and martial arts
clubs. Start by standing up straight with arms by your
sides and facing forward. Then jump and simultaneously
fling out your arms and legs so that when you land your feet
are spread about shoulder width apart and your hand are
reaching up to the sky. Then jump again to return to the start position. An attractive and fun
alternative the kids like is to perform the Rock Star Jump. No guitar is necessary; however a stick
or similar implement seems to lend an air of additional enthusiasm to this popular alternative
jumping style.
Squat Thrusts:
When
your
scouts
are
feeling
particularly
boisterous, you
can
threaten
them with this incredibly intense
cardiovascular activity.
Start in the
standing position, and then move into the
crouch position, wait one second and then kick your feet backwards (keeping them together) into the
upright push-up position. Wait for one second and then kick your feet back up into the crouch
VOYAGEUR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENT #15 (PHYSICAL) #5
Demonstrate basic fitness level in five different exercise areas:
position, wait for one second and then jump upright. Repeat 10 times. Ask the youth if they have
energy after this.
Butt Bending Series: (The scouts seem to like the name of this exercise the best)
Get in the upright pushup position, spread your feet wider than shoulder
width and push your backside up into the air. This is also the “back”
position and constitutes one rep.
At the “forward” command simply drop your hips down until your body is
parallel to the floor.
Make sure you keep your elbows in close to your body for the “down”
command and you stay a few inches off the ground.
Keep your hips close to the ground and push your shoulders towards the
sky for the “up” command. Pause here for a second and, while keeping your
arms straight, push your butt up and back into the position in the first
picture above.
WEEKLY CHALLENGES
If you have a keen and energetic scout group as we seem to have – why not challenge the kids to a
weekly push up test? The kids will complain, but they do it and seem to enjoy the challenge and
show off their prowess.
SINGLING OUT YOUTH
We often single out a youth who is not paying attention at the start of an opening and a closing and
say with a large grin…. “You’re not paying attention - Give me five…” The youth then drops and
performs 5 push-ups. Though this may seem rather military – it the youth never complains and it
always get the other youth’s immediate attention.
After the push-ups are done we always remark with a grin and a statement similar to this:
“Other than your butt sticking in the air – that was an excellent set of reps – well done. Now pay
attention or you’ll do them again”.
VOYAGEUR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENT #15 (PHYSICAL) #5
Demonstrate basic fitness level in five different exercise areas:
WORDS OF CAUTION AND WISDOM
Some of your youth may have physical disabilities which may not allow them to compete or achieve
the physical fitness requirements that the Scout Handbook asks for. Use your judgment and never
let a youth with physical limitations fail a test as this can be destructive to their mental health and
moral.
Encourage ALL youth to do their absolute best and praise them loudly and challenge them to
compete on friendly terms with one another.
ALWAYS HAVE A SCOUT LEADER WITH FIRST AID PRESENT.
When a youth states that they are getting dizzy or feeling feint or light headed, stop them from
continuing with the physical activity until they say they are okay to continue. If a youth tells you
they have hurt something, then likewise, stop them from continuing the exercise.