Athletic Sports (extract)

The Physical Proportions of the Typical Man dropping, as it does, from the 80 per cent to the 5 per cent class. This is decidedlythe weak point in this individual. It is not apparent in the illus­ trations, nor would it be detected readily in the individual. It isattributable to aninward or antero­ posterior curve of the spine, between the shoulder-blades, and a depression of the lower part of the sternum, orbreast-bone. There hasbeen considerable compensa­ tion, as evidenced by the size of the chest and the lateral prominence of the ribs; but it will be observed that the breathing ca­ pacity, although higher than we would expect from the depth of the chest, is still lower than it should be. The depthof the abdomen falls in the 80 per cent class, as do nearly all the breadths and lengths, the only exception being the triflingdeficiency in the breadth of head and the slight excess in the breadth of hips. In most persons the horizontal length is about one-half of an inch greater than the height. This is undoubtedly due to the straightening of the spine and the re­ laxing of the cartilageswhile in the hori­ zontal position. In this case the spine is comparatively straight, so that little differ- 40