Physical exercises are an intensive form of development where you cannot get good
or frequent opportunity of games, and may well be used in addition to games,
provided that:
- They are not made entirely a drill, but something that each boy can really
understand and want to practise for himself because of the good that he knows
it does him.
- The instructor has some knowledge of anatomy and the possible harm of many
physical drill movements on the young unformed body. The six body exercises
given in Scouting for Boys can be taught without any danger to the lad by
Scoutmasters who are not experts in anatomy, etc. (These exercises should
be done by the Scout himself - once he has learned the proper actions and
breathing - at his own time, at home, and should not become a routine part
of a Troop meeting.)
We should do everything to get the boy to interest himself in steadily exercising
his body and limbs, and in practising difficult feats with pluck and patience until
he masters them!
It is a good plan, for instance, for each Troop to adopt certain standards for simple
exercises like "standing high jump," "hop, step and jump," "putting the bag," and
so on, so that each individual Scout can try to increase his own ability and reach a
higher standard.
Then a team uniform of sorts is an attraction to the boys, promotes esprit de
corps in his athletic work, and incidentally involves changing his clothes before and
after playing, encourages a rub down - a wash - cleanliness.
"How to keep fit," soon becomes a subject in which the athletic boy takes a close
personal interest, and can be formed the basis of valuable instruction in self-care,
food values, hygiene, continence, temperance, etc., etc. All this means physical
education.
