Manual of British Rural Sports

LEAPING AKDVAULTING. 443 modeof walking, or he is again called upon to turn, and thus equally loses the match by tlie necessity for constant turning. The distance and ground to be -walked over are alsofixed by the articles. 283. I K K DNNING- M ATCHES, there is no necessity forconditions, except to specify the ptound and the distance, as well as to name the umpires, <fec. 284. L EAPINGis effected by a sudden con­ traction of the legs, followed by a still more sudden and jerking extension of all the joints,by which thebody isprojected into the air clear of the ground. It may be either from a standing position, orwith a run; andboth may be overa heightor across a width. Vaulting is leaping with the assist­ anceof the hands; and, in addition, some­ timestho aid ofa pole iscalled in, termed "the Icaping-pole." In all leaps, besides thoseof the lowerlimbs, the whole of the musclesof the body are violently in action, and especially those ofthe abdomen and back. 2M. I N THE S TANDING- L EAP OVER A IlEKirr the legs are brought close together, the knees are considerablybent, the hips nrothrown back and the shoulders f o ward, with tho head well up. The arms are slightlyand slowly swungbackwards and iawards, thebody sinks till the calves touch the back of the thighs, and then by a rapid extension of all parts in unison with tlie swing of the arms, the body is projected overtho height to be cleared, and descends uponthe toes and ball of the foot, with the 1' bent, in order to form a spring to break ibe fall. In thisway some men can clear the height of their waists. IHE STANDKO-LEAP OVER A WIDTH 'effected in the sameway, butwith less onbractien of the limbs, and more swinging ' the arms. The greatest width I have "•tnowu thus cleared was 14 feet. ' ^ IIE RUNNING-LEAPOVEK A HEIGHT 1 Unres a start of about from 9 to 12 paces, w., ?' ofrshou l<i be at thedistance of ' , , hs'ght of the object to be cleared, f-mt f.v 8 slloulcl be we!1 drawn up in war ° f ' h ® during the spring. In this Irtn ol, y a trick of throwing the legs fi M . r ' zon tal position, some mencan With a »^ •' ect higher than their heads, dfsro '• ai(1 of a spring-board and a 11111 three times thi s height has surmounted. *BIH B ^ KUNNIF,Q - LEA1> OVER A WIDTH 20naoo! 5 " lana S e d with a run of about andsiiJ+« s . teps s hould be very quick tbemnm I . ncreasi "g in these points up to v «y odep nf th Spri " ging ' whicU 13 from the m ' "Seof the spaceto be cleniwl Tho jnnlncr on."' spac to cleared. The mj ver! 1 , 8 ! lown ei ther upon his heels iulJ leap, or upon his toes in ne where his whole powers are not exerted. On level ground, 211 fcet have been cleared to my knowledge, and 22 feet are saidto h ve been done. 289. H OP, S TEP, AND J UMP, is a very common kind of c ntest in leaping, and is conducted as follows"A tarting point" is marked off, then, 10 yards further, another, called "the spring." The players are ranged in line on the first, and must r n to and start from the second, when the one who can cover the most ground by ne long hop, one long step, and a similarjump, is the winner. 290. V AULTING is effected by leaping with the aid of tho hands, flrom a standing po tion or a very slow run orwalk. The vaulter stands in front of the gate or bar and springsupwards, placing his hand on the top; in this way he swingshis body over, lifting it by a musculareffort of tho arm and shoulder still higher t an the legs alone would carry it, and then guiding it by the aid of the arms it is dropped gently on the feet beyond the gate. Sometimes t vaulter throws the body obliquely over the gate, using one hand and ann only, and sometimes through both arms. By vault­ ing aman can easily clear his own height, and often considerably more. • 291. T HE L EAPING- P OLE I S either of fir or bamboo, about two, three, or even five feet higher than the height of the party using It, and becoming stronger towards the bottom. When used for leaping wide ditches, a pole with a flatdisk of several inches diameter at the bottom is ofgreat use In preventing its sinking into themud, and In peaty bottoms often saves a ducking. The pole is thusused:—Tho right hand is placed at theheight of the head, and the left on a level with the hips, then grasping it firmly, it is dropped into the ditch till it touches the bottom, when making a spr with the left loot, the weight is carried upon the arms, and describes a segment of a circle, the centre of which is at theend of the pole in the ditch. In thus swinging over, the body passes the pole, andfrom facing the side to which it springs, it changes to facing that from which it sprung. The leap should be made the moment the pole touches the bottom, and too much weight should not be carried upon t. The learner should begin by clearing small ditches, gradually Increasing their width, and when expert in these, trying wider ones until he cannotproceed further without a run; then venturing upo a fewyards' preparatory run, which will give additional power in clearing space; and Anally adopting a good quick run of about six, eight,or ten yards, gradually taking hold of the polo higher and higher as