Coaching and Care of Athletes

COACHING AND CARE OF ATHLETES arms not swung forward and up to help body forward over the fulcrum of the feet. Here are some suggested schedules for one week in each of the four periods into which training should be divided: PRELIMINARY-SEASON TRAINING If the preliminary training is to last for two months-as it should do, since the training of the broad jumper is at least as strenuous as that of the sprinter, for he must be trained in sprint– ing as well as in jumping-the first two weeks should lay -a good foundation of stamina, with walking or jogging on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday of each week and, if needed, massage on the days between. In the third and fourth weeks, still training on three days a week, there can be easy striding runs at 200 to 300 yds. and 440 yds. jogging. Sprint practice starts in the second month, by which time the athlete should begin work to build up the sort of limbering-up process with which each day's training or competition must begin. (N.B. Unless the broad jumper is also a sprinter his sprinting practice throughout training should be done from the standing-start position shown by Owens in Plate XLVI, Fig. I37·) Here is a typical schedule for one week in the second month : Monday. Trot 440 yds. Sprint 30 yds. at half effort three times and at three-quarter effort twice. Run I 50 yds. at half effort-;- striding freely. Tuesday. I hour in gymnasium. Skipping, hopping, and suppling exercises. Massage. Wednesday. Stride an easy 220 yds. Sprint 40 yds. at half effort twice and go yds. at three-quarter effort twice. Jog 440 yds. Thursday. r hour in gymnasium. Stretching exercises, skipping, apparatus work, and agility exercises. Massage. Friday. Rest. Saturday. Jog 440 yds. 5 mins. of leg-stretching exercises. Sprint go yds. at half effort twice, and at three-quarter effort twice. 5 mins. of skipping. Run I 50 yds. at quarter effort for even striding. Massage and passive leg-stretching exercises. EARLY-SEASON TRAINING The athlete should now be ready to begin jumping, but should not do so more than three times a week, nor make more than ten 370