Tenderfoot Fitness requirement

[CubScoutJo]

For Tenderfoot, the scout is required to practice the skills for 30 days. We are coming up with a problem with the pullups. Only a few boys have any way to practice this daily. A couple have a swingset in the backyard, but other than that, there is no access to a pull up bar. Half of them don't even have PE this semester.

 

We do have a pull up bar at our meeting place. We are considering just having the boys who are working on this practice the pull ups every week when they are at the meeting rather than every day. Would this be kosher? Or could anyone recommend another exercise they could do that would strengthen the same muscles used in the pull ups that we could have them do instead?

 

The problem is that we have many boys for whom this Tenderfoot fitness requirement is the only stumbling block all the way to First Class.

[evmori]

This requirement in no way should be a stumbling block. Remember it says show improvement. Now improvement could be one more pull up, one pull up done faster, one pull up done with better form, etc.

 

The requirement states to practice these skills for 30 days. Now does that mean everyday for 30 days? Or does that mean from the time of the initial recording, does the Scout have 30 days to practice and improve his skills but not necessarily practice them each & every day.? I would argue the latter.

 

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[Lisabob]

We have a problem with that requirement for the reason you mention too. One solution some boys have found is to go to the local park during not-busy times. Most parks still have a swingset, jungle-gym, or something that can be used to practice pull ups. It isn't ideal but at least that way they can say they've practiced. I guess there are bars you can put up in doorways too - don't know how stable these are? - but I don't think they're expensive.

[Oak Tree]

Bars in doorways are cheap and effective. But not everyone wants to get one.

 

Another thing you can do is to use a mop handle, or dowel of some sort, and put it between two tables. Lie on your back and pull yourself up. It's not exactly the same muscles as a pull-up, but it's pretty close.

 

Ed's interpretation of showing improvement is one way that leaders interpret the requirement. You can find past threads on this topic if you're interested in searching them out. I don't really like that interpretation - my common sense way of reading the requirement is to say that you should do more pull-ups the second time than the first - but I do agree with Ed that the requirement is not meant to be a big obstacle, and that therefore you may want to look at how rigidly you interpret it. That holds true for what it means to practice for 30 days, as well.

 

 

[Beavah]

Yeh don't have trees in your area, CubScoutJo? I reckon tree climbin' is where most active lads develop that kind of strength. As an added bonus it's fun. Run a good natural-fiber rope up into the lower branches and let the lads climb the rope - same muscles, and a well-defined goal of gettin' up to the top / into the tree.

 

Perhaps now instead of trees it's climbin' gyms? They're sure to have such things, too.

 

Practically speakin', for strength training you should tell your guys to practice every other day, eh? Just like weight trainin'. Muscles need time to "recover" and grow after exercise. Dat's what makes 'em stronger, not the exercise itself.

 

I'm with Oak on the requirement interpretation, eh? But goin' from zero to one pullup can sometimes be too much for an out-of-shape lad to do in a month or two, so most of us adjust in some way or another for such kids. I recommend the flexed-arm hang (see http://www.presidentschallenge.org).

 

Beavah

 

[Gold Winger]

Pull-up are one of those exercises that you have to practice daily to see any improvement. I remember the Presidents Physical Fitness test from back in grade school.

 

A week before the test, the announcement would be made "We're gonna practice for the PPFT. Even though we were active, no one practiced sit ups or pull ups throughout the year and consequently only one boy ever passed the test.

 

As others have said, there are parks.

 

I built a pull-up bar for my son. I got a three foot length of black iron gas pipe, a couple elbows, a couple 6" nipples (can I say "nipples"), and two threaded plates to bolt to the wall. Screw the elbows onto the pipe, attach the nipples, thread the plates onto the open end of the nipples and then attache to the wall with lag screws. It held me.

 

 

 

[Bob White]

Please note that nothing in the requirement says that the scout must practice daily, or that he must do every excercise daily. The purpose is for the scout to understand the value of regular excercise and to get in the habit of setting aside time for personal fitness.

 

The requirement is to "practice regularly" not daily. A Scout who excercises every other day practices regularly do they not?

 

A Scout who practices his excercises every Wednesday and Saturday does so "regularly" do they not? Be careful not to create requirements that do not exist. The goal here is to help the scout learn to make a fitness program a regular part of his life, and to see how a fitness plan can improve his strength and health.(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[BrentAllen]

We are taking this requirement and building it into part of our regular troop program, as part of our Honor Patrol competition. Once a quarter, the patrols will compete on these very excercises. Points are awarded as follows:

Sit-ups in two minutes - 1 point

Push-ups - 3 points

Pull-ups - 10 points

Standing long jumep - 4 points per foot

1/4 mile run - 1 point for each second under 2 1/2 minutes

The individual overall winner will receive the Iron Scout award to hold until the next quarterly competition, and any Scout who can beat the SM gets treated at Brusters - that helps keep me in shape!

 

We have our very first High Adventure trip planned for the summer of 2009 to Northern Tier. We watched that segment on the High Adventure DVD so the boys could see what they are in for. I used the analogy of High Adventure being the Super Bowl of Scouting. Just like a football team, we train year round for the big event. Every campout is like a game in the season, where we try to get better, learn from our mistakes and increase our skills. When the Super Bowl comes, you want to be at the top of your game, be the best you can be, because you are going to need all those skills to have a great trek. Being physically fit is a huge part of being prepared, and we can start taking care of that part of the game right now.

 

Some of our stronger boys (all our boys are 5th and 6th graders) can do 40 - 50 sit-ups, a dozen push ups, only a couple of pull-ups and jump 4 + feet. They run the 1/4 mile between 1 1/2 - 2 minutes. On the other end, we have one boy who can't do a single sit-up, push-up or pull-up. He can't jump over 3 feet, and it took him 3:08 to run the 1/4. He is not overweight, and he takes martial arts and plays soccer. He is always the last in anything the troop does - setting up or taking down his tent, packing up at the end of a campout, hiking, cleaning up, etc. Our goal is for his patrol mates to work with him to get him in shape so that he won't be so far off from the rest of the boys. He needs to get in shape or he will always be the anchor of the troop on our hikes and backpacking trips.

 

My only concern is that since I didn't meet either BP or Greenbar Bill face to face, I'm not sure if this competition is considered Parlour Scouting, Troop Method Scouting, or if the patrols should be 300 feet apart from each other when competing. The boys sure enjoy the competition, regardless. ;^)

[Gold Winger]

"A Scout who practices his excercises every Wednesday and Saturday does so "regularly" do they not?"

 

Hey, that means that if I exercise on the first Monday of every month that I can tell my doctor that I exercise regularly. Even better, if I exercise every January 1st, I've done regular exercise.

[Bob White]

Yes, you could say that. Although your fitness level would likely give away your self-deception. Excercising one day a month will not have the benefits of excercising two to three times a week which is what most health experts recommend. Then as the Scout Handbook explains, when you read past the requirements page, you should supplement that excercise program with an active lifestyle that would include things like hiking, canoeing, cycling, backbacking...or in other words being active in a scouting program.(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[Gold Winger]

My fitness level really isn't the issue. By your standards, if a boy exercises once a month, it is considered regular exercise and meets the requirements.

[evmori]

Actually (cover your eyes as to not be blinded by the seering light) I agree with Bob on this. Regularly could be once a week, month, hour, day, year, etc. There is nothing in the requirement that specifies a certain frequency. Regularly is what ever is regular to you.

 

Amazing, huh!

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[BrentAllen]

Now I remember why I stopped coming here... Is arguing about what regular means really being helpful? Is coaching a boy that excercising once a year is a good health habit? If not, then why waste time and energy even discussing it? Good grief!

[Bob White]

I agree Brent.

 

Advancement requires that the scout learns and that the requirements be met. Daily excercise is not a part of the requirement, and teaching the scout to abuse the requirement by excercising only once a month is not showing responsible leadership.

 

It takes a balance of qhality instruction and an understanding of the requirement, which can easily be found when one reads the handbook beyond the requirements page.

 

CubScoutJo's concern was partially based on the concern that there were no resources handy fpor the scout to do pull-ups every day. The responsible answer is that the requirement does not demand "daily practice" it calls for regular practice. As others have pointed out there rae likey resources where the scout can get to the needed equioment 2 or three times a week and still meet the requirements and gain the benefits of a regular excercise program.

 

The suggestion that excercising once a month is a responsible way to meet the requirements is silly in concept, and inane if endorsed by the adult leadership.

 

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[Gunny2862]

I've used alternate methods at times which are especially appropriate when people are only doing one or two pullups.

For instance, pushups are great for pullups especially if you vary your hand placement and do very close or "diamond"pushups and wide hand pushups.

 

Two chairs with a broom handle is also good, takes off some of the weight, can progress from the seat portion up to the high back portion and develop muscles along the entire back. It does have the flaw of not being specific to the "full"pullup actually being tested but if done daily or every other day should result in an increase of the specific pullup being tested.