Bredin on Running & Training

TRAINING. 53 twice a week of the greatest benefit. Sparely-built men are apt to carry their superfluous flesh inside instead of on the outside of the body, and although the fact may therefore not be apparent, are in reality stuffed up thereby, and consequently not in a suitable condition to allow the heart and lungs sufficient space to work with freedom, the more so as the heart itself becomes enlarged through violent exertion. This may be frequently noticed with regard to horses somewhat advanced in age, when, after a few days' rest and an easy time generally, they leave the stable with ribs showing and every outward appearance of being thin and in good condition, but if pushed along at a fair pace from the start commence to puff and blow within a mile, demonstrating that they are not fit enough to stand fast work. If any of my readers who find their running does not seem altogether satisfactory (after due time pent in training)-that they run some– what mechanically, without feeling able to put any life and dash into their work-would try on such an occa– sion what improvement twenty minutes spent in skipping will effect, heavily clothed, practising this exercise once a day for about a week, in addition to their usual running, I believe I shall have proved this point to their satisfaction. Turkish baths are beneficial at the commencement of training, and they thoroughly clean and open the pores of the skin; but after indulging in these somewhat unnatural means of forcing perspiration on tvvo or three occasions, a much better plan may be adopted by punching a ball hanging from a low ceiling, and attached to it by a cord tied to the top of the ball, the sort used by most boxing men during training,