While I do believe my bugle should arrive tomorrow, I still want to get started on a new badge. I'm strongly considering the athletics badge, but there's one problem.
I'm not a 15 year old boy in 1911.
Seriously. The badge requirements are pretty unforgiving. I'd need to write an article on how to train for an athletic event, provide rules for one track and one field event, and meet some very strict physical standards. How strict? Oh good heavens.
The Handbook divides young aspirants into five weight classes: under 90 lbs, under 110 lbs, under 125 lbs, under 140 lbs, and over 140 lbs. (First, do we even need to talk about what a different time period this was? These boys were scrawny.) I will openly admit I fall into category 3. So what do I need to do?
* A running broad jump of 14 feet
* A running high jump of 4'4"
* A standing broad jump of 7'6"
* A standing high jump of 3'6"
* 9 pull ups
* A 20 yard swim in 16 seconds
* A 40 yard swim in 38 seconds
* A 50 yard dash in 7 seconds
* An eight-potato race (kind of a shuttle run) in 41 seconds
* Throw an 8 lb shot put 30 feet
* Complete 13 push ups
* Climb a rope in 12 seconds
* Run a 13 second 100 yard dash
This seems absolutely impossible to me. Seriously. I'm the first to admit this, but I'm kind of a klutz and kind of a wimp. (Also, as previously mentioned, a teenage boy and I are totally different animals.)
So what do you think? What physical fitness standards should I shoot for? I've been considering the APFT (push ups, sit ups, and a run)? The Presidential Physical Fitness standards I missed every time when I was a kid? Something else completely? I'm completely at a loss here -- help!
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Maybe you need a different badge?
ReplyDeleteAs someone who is lazy and a klutz, but also was once on a track & field team (I know! ME?!?! what??) I can tell you the high jumps at least are really not that bad. 4' is not that hard for us as we're pretty tall. The shot put is "ehhh" - that was my event. 8lb is a standard shot for females actually so it's not that heavy. I think at my best I was hitting in the 20s of feet. If you really want to shot, I can try and remember and teach you the form, ha ha! "broad jump" = long jump? Those look a little tougher. I was hitting maybe 10' consistently, I don't remember all that well, but 14' seems long and standing 7'6" seems INSANE to me.
ReplyDeleteThe real problem with these things is WHERE would you do them/get the equipment? High jump involves a pad to land on so you don't bruise the crap out of yourself. Long jump is easier if it's one of those sand-pit things (you can measure to your footprints to see how you did). Where are you going to climb a rope, you know?
I think the specific "events" don't matter so much - choose something that challenges you in a couple of different areas (like not just running) and that you would have to work towards to meet the standards, but are not totally impossible.
Mostly what I learned on track was strength and speed matter, but a large part of your success with some of these was form and practice. So in that spirit, you could also choose anything where learning proper form would allow you to greatly improve your own performance, even if you never got to a "championship" type score. Learn to pitch, or work on your tennis serve, shoot baskets, whatever, along with the standard sprint time/# pushups type things (either APFT or PPF).