Coaching and Care of Athletes

COACHING AND CARE OF ATHLETES passing practice, and, after an appropriate rest, take the men over to the sprinting track and let them dig their holes under your super– vision, taking care that each man understands what he is doing and is getting the proper foot-spacing for the style of start he is going to use. When they are still in their sweat suits get them on the mark and criticize their" On your marks" and "Get set" positions. Correct the position of each man by touch, to give him the sense of balance you want to inculcate in his mind. See that the surface of the track is brushed off, so that the spike-marks made by each man will be clearly visible. Before doing actual starting practice have your sprinters do a few deep-breathing exercises, but take care that none of the men carries on with deep breathing to the point of becoming dizzy. When every one is ready give the men two or three starts without the gun at something under full power. Now comes the time to strip your runners out, if the weather is fine, and to give them three or four starts with the gun, letting them run go yds. to breast a tape set up at that distance from the starting-holes. When the men have had their starting practice let them rest for romins. - in their sweat suits, of course-and while they are resting encourage them to manipulate their muscles with their hands through their sweat suits. Mter the rest limber them up very lightly, and put them on to a speed and endurance practice. In this practice each man will run a distance of goo yds. You should make them go the first go yds. almost flat out, and then coast for the next 70 yds. at just under full speed; they may drop to almost half speed over the next roo yds., but the final roo yds. should be run at almost full effort. This is a fine practice for building up the sprinting endurance of your top-class furlong men._ Finish off the day's training with a quiet jog around the track, the men wearing their sweat suits, and have them quickly through their showers and on to the massage table. Tuesday. Limber up as for Monday, and after a few starts without the gun let your men run a roo yds. time trial. If the whole of the team does not break even it would be a good thing to. handicap the men in accordance with your knowledge of their form; but do not always run these Tuesday time trials flat out. It is far better to let a man hold a little in reserve, so that you do not draw too much upon the store of energy which you are building up for the big com– petitions later on. Mter the roo yds. time trial has been run let your men do some easy jogging and a few bending and stretching exer– cises, and then, if possible, get them into the dressing-roohl and let each man be given light massage as part of 20 mins. to half an hour's rest. Mter the rest period get your men out to the track again for a light warm-up. Again give them a few starts without the gun and under full power. Then give them a full 220 yds. time trial, but again warn the men not to go quite flat out. In both the time rg6