Athletics of To-Day for Women

248 Athletics of To-day for Women stage is also desirable. All one's energy and str ngth n1ust be concentrated during the final strides upon getting a good push off from the ground. In making the spring the heel of the jumping foot is placed down first. That is the left foot in the case of Lady Heath, who e form is under review. The jumper then comes through on to the ball of the left foot with an ankling movement, the body rising right up on to the toes as the right leg, perfectly straight and with toes pointed, is flung as high as possible, and the left leg is straight ned out in the spring. At this stage much depends upon how the arms are used. They must help the spring from the left leg and the strong upwards swing of the right leg to lift the body into the air. The arms, there– fore, should swing strongly upwards, but should not rise above the 1 v 1 of the shoulders. Do not, on any account, exaggerat the arm action and swing; or you will straighten your body up too much. As soon as you are off the ground the arms and shoulders mu t help to keep the body rising; the head should be kept turned slightly away from the bar to pr v nt the body from 1 aning in towards it ( ee Picture zo6, Magda Toma~son, thonian r ord holder, who is coming towards you, for corr t hang of take-ofi leg and turn of head away from the bar). In fact the body rises traightly, with the take-off 1 g hanging, until the other foot is over th bar, when the h ad is turn l towar s the lath, ov r which th body has to b work d, an thi turning of th h ai s th pr ss. Wh n the right foot (1 ft-fo t d jump r) is crossing th b r the right 1 n e is slightly b nt, a in hurdling (s icture rgr). Th straight right 1 g po ition and bend of th head sideways is w 11 hown in Picture 195 of Miss Voorhees. This shows the pois and action an in t nt befor the po ition of Lady H ath in icture rgr is reached. The left I g continues to hang as the right leg is straightened out ov r the bar (s e Picture rgz), and th n the kn of the jumping 1 g is b nt and drawn high, as hown by Mi s Hatt (a right-foot jump r, r m mb r, h n e th rev rsal of po itivn) in Pi tur rg .