Instructions in All Kinds of Gymnastic Exercises (extract)

51 by making" a few steps either longer or shorter, just as he going* to make the spring, the leap is rendered tame and difficult. 3. I hefixing of the pole in the ground, and the spring must take place precisely at the same instant, since by that means the con­ sequent swinging*upward is performed with the greatestfacility, the powersof the upper and lower members operating at the same moment. The pole is not always fixed exactly at the same place in front of the cord; in very low leaps of about four feet, the distance of one foot in front of the cord is sufficient; in higher leaps, fromone and a half to two feet. The best plan is to have a small pit dug in frontof the cord, (seefigs. 2 and 3, Plate VI.) and either to remove the leaping-stand fartherfrom it, as the height of the leads,increases, or, to let the leaping stand remain at the distance of one and a half feet from the pit, and accustom the learners tomake all the leaps fromit; which is not in the least difficult. The spring" is madewith one foot, at the distance of two, three, four, or five feet fromwherethe pole is to be fixed in the ground. If the leaper is accustomed to keep the left hand the lowest, e 2