Coaching and Care of Athletes

WARMING UP AND COOLING DOWN period. In the case of the field-events men, who are to make three or, if they reach the final of their event, six trials, a good deal of judgment is necessary. None the less field-events men of this type should by experience learn how much limbering up it is necessary for them to do in order that they may produce their very best effort at least once in the course of the competition. You will see, of course, from what has been said, that it is pos– sible to carry on the limbering-up process into the competition, so that the big effort may be produced towards the end of the staircase phenomenon. This may come possibly with the fifth put, throw, or jump. Where distance runners and pole-vaulters, whose competition is likely to be protracted, are concerned, the case is somewhat different. The pole-vaulters, even in the middle of the competition, may find a further limbering-up period to be necessary. When, let us say, a shot-putter gets his best measure– ment with his first or second put it is a sure indication that the preliminary limbering up has brought him very near to the peak of the staircase phenomenon early in his competition. A proper limbering-up process while the athlete is wearing his sweat suit lowers the viscosity of the muscles, and also warms them to an admirable degree of regular r:esponsiveness. In addition the depth of intertidal breathing and the rapidity of the heart-rate are adjusted, while the functions of the respiratory system are facilitated. Limbering up should be carried out by means of informal move– ments which involve numerous contractions and relaxations of the muscles, thereby producing heat, which is maintained for a long time afterwards. When an athlete does exercises which call for arm-swinging, and when he runs, hops, skips, or moves his trunk and limbs quickly in accordance with the exercises he is practising, heat is liberated, and the blood-flow from inside the body is sensibly increased. In this way the organism is prepared for a greater expenditure of energy. The informal movements should be followed by set exercises of a stretching nature. Stretching exercises increase efficiency, and also supply a safeguard against injury. I say this, to take but one example, because the tendons which attach the muscle substance to the bone are not very strong, and their efficiency and power to resist strain depend largely upon their elasticity. If they are stretched by preliminary exercises during the limbering,.up pro– cess the elasticity of the tendons is considerably increased. Further 1 55