Athletic Sports (extract)

The Physical Proportions of the Typical Man legs would have to bear the burden of the weight above if the individual engaged in any kind of physical activity in an upright position; but a person with his weight so unequally distributed would find it very irksome to walk or run, and would naturally avail himself of all the modern conveniences for locomotion. In choosing his life's work, the chances are that he would gravitate into some sedentaryoccu­ pation in which he could render an equiv­ alent service to any who were willing to do his back and leg work for him. Had he been advised to enter a gymnasium or join an athletic club for the purpose of improving his physical condition, he would probably have selected that exercise from which he could derive the greatest amount of pleasure with the leastamount of effort. This would be something to call into play the muscles that were already strong. The result of this inharmonious development would be a further modification of struc­ ture, which would eventually throw the remaining organisms out ot gear, and constitute a greater or less tendency to disease. " Cultivate both mind and body along the line of the least resistance." " Study yourselves; and most ot all note 43