Remember the Beltloops are for the scout doing their best to learn about the sport or academic activity, and by putting the new techniques to practice with fellow scouts, in their community, or working with an adult.

1. Give a short report to your den or family on the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

2. Practice finding your pulse and counting your heartbeats per minute. Determine your target heart rate.

3. Practice five physical fitness skills regularly. Improve performance in each skill over a month. Skills could include pull-ups, curl-ups, the standing long jump, the 50-yard dash, and the softball throw.

The President's Challenge

The President's Challenge is a physical fitness awards program of the President's Challenge on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS). The program is for youth ages 6 through 17, including youth with special needs.

• The Presidential Physical Fitness Award (PPFA) recognizes an outstanding level of physical fitness.

• The National Physical Fitness Award (NPFA) is awarded for achieving a basic yet challenging level of physical fitness.

Finding Your Target Heart Rate

First, subtract your age from 220. Multiply the answer by 0.70 (70 percent). The result gives you a safe heart rate for exercising.
Example: If your 10 years old, subtract 10 from 220.   Answer: 210

Now multiply this by 0.70.
Example: 210 X 0.70   Answer: 147

This means that a safe heartbeat for you, during exercise, is around 147 beats a minute.

How do you check the number of times your heart is beating in a minute? Find the pulse in your wrist. Count the number of pulses in six seconds and multiply that number by 10. That gives you the number of pulses per minute. If it is around 147, you are doing OK. If it is higher than 147, slow down.

A good rule of thumb: If you cannot talk while you are exercising, your are exercising too hard.

Four-Step Exercise Plan

• Start with a warm-up period of stretching exercises - about 10 minutes.

• Move into your main exercise period - from 20 to 30 minutes.

• Check your heart rate every five minutes or so.

• Finish with a cool-down exercise - about five minutes.

Many books are available on good nutrition and exercise. Check your local bookstore or library. Another good source is your family physician. The world Wide Web is full of information about health, nutrition, and exercise. But a word of caution:

Check with your adult partner or your doctor about the accuracy of the information you find.