Swimming

Merit Badge Workbook

TYPE OR WRITE THE ANSWERS TO ALL HIGHLIGHTED REQUIREMENTS

The requirements were last issued or revised in 2023 • This workbook was updated in December 2022.

Scout’s Name: ________________________________________________ Unit: ______________________________________________

Counselor’s Name: ________________________ Phone No.: ___________________________ Email: ____________________________

1. Do the following:
a. Go online to take the Scouting’s Safe Swim Defense online Course It anticipates, helps prevent and mitigate,
and provides responses to likely hazards you may encounter during swimming activities.

Each Scout must complete the online certification for Safe Swim Defense. Please see the instructions below.

If you are not signed in to my.scouting.org, then create a user name and password at https://my.scouting.org/
and follow the instructions below. Be patient; sometimes, this is a bit confusing.

1. Once you are logged in https://my.scouting.org/

2. Click "BSA Learn Center "on the right side about halfway down the page.
3. Scroll down to "Explore Our Catalog" and click on it.
4. Type Safe Swim Defense "Search Bar", and it will take you to the Course.
5. When completed, print the Certificate or take a screenshot.

b.Write in detail the prevention and treatment for health concerns that could occur while swimming, including hypothermia,
dehydration, sunburn, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, muscle cramps, spinal injuries, hyperventilation. stings and bites,
and cuts and scrapes.
Hypothermia:

Dehydration:

Workbook © Copyright 2022 - U.S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. - All Rights Reserved
Requirements © Copyright, Boy Scouts of America (Used with permission.)
This workbook may be reproduced and used locally by Scouts and Scouters for purposes consistent with the programs of the Boy
Scouts of America (BSA), the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) or other Scouting and Guiding Organizations.
However it may NOT be used or reproduced for electronic redistribution or for commercial or other non-Scouting purposes without
the express permission of the U. S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. (USSSP).
Swimming Scout's Name: ________________________

Sunburn:

Heat
exhaustion:

Heatstroke:

Muscle cramps:

Spinal injuries:

Hyperventilation:

Stings and bites:

Cuts and
scrapes:

 2. Before doing the following requirements, successfully complete the BSA swimmer test:
Jump feet first into water over your head in depth, swim 75 yards in a strong manner using one or more of the following
strokes: sidestroke, breaststroke, trudgen, or crawl; then swim 25 yards using an easy, resting backstroke. The 100
yards must be swum continuously and include at least one sharp turn. After completing the swim, rest by floating.

Swimming - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 2 of 8

Swimming Scout's Name: ________________________

 3. Swim continuously for 150 yards using the following strokes in good form and in a strong manner: front crawl or trudgen
for 25 yards, back crawl for 25 yards, sidestroke for 25 yards, breaststroke for 25 yards, and elementary backstroke for
50 yards.
4. Do the following:
 a. Demonstrate water rescue methods by reaching with your arm or leg, by reaching with a suitable object, and by
throwing lines and objects. Explain why swimming rescues should not be attempted when a reaching or throwing
rescue is possible, and explain why and how a rescue swimmer should avoid contact with the victim.
 b. With a helper and a practice victim, show a line rescue both as tender and as rescuer. The practice victim should be
approximately 30 feet from shore in deep water.
5. Do the following:
 a. Float face up in a resting position for at least three minutes with minimal movement.
 b. Demonstrate survival floating for at least five minutes.
 c. While wearing a properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jacket, demonstrate the HELP and huddle
positions.
Explain their purposes.

d. Explain why swimming or survival floating will hasten the onset of hypothermia in cold water.

Swimming - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 3 of 8

Swimming Scout's Name: ________________________

6. In water over your head, but not to exceed 10 feet, do each of the following:
 a. Use the feet first method of surface diving and bring an object up from the bottom.
 b. Do a headfirst surface dive (pike or tuck), and bring the object up again.
 c. Do a headfirst surface dive to a depth of at least 5 feet and swim underwater for 3 strokes. Come to the
surface, take a breath, and repeat the sequence twice.
 7. Following the guidelines set in the BSA Safe Swim Defense, in water at least 7 feet deep*, show a standing headfirst
dive from a dock or pool deck.
 Show a long shallow dive, also from the dock or pool deck.

* If your state, city, or local community requires a water depth greater than 7 feet, it is important to abide by that
mandate.
8. Explain the health benefits of regular aerobic exercise, and discuss why swimming is favored as both fitness and
therapeutic exercise.
Aerobic exercise has many benefits. It increases stamina and strength, activates your
immune system, strengthens your heart, boosts your mood, gives you a longer life span,
and can prevent obesity, type two diabetes, low blood pressure, and more.

When working on merit badges, Scouts and Scouters should be aware of some vital information in the current edition of
the Guide to Advancement (BSA publication 33088). Important excerpts from that publication can be downloaded from
http://usscouts.org/advance/docs/GTA-Excerpts-meritbadges.pdf.
You can download a complete copy of the Guide to Advancement from http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33088.pdf.

Swimming - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 4 of 8