Modern Athletics 1868

CHAPTBE YI. WALKING. Tins brancli of pedestrianism is undoubtedly the most arduous, and requires more severteraining than any other; and yet, as the means olfocomotion used in practicevery day, all should become acquainted with its principleAs.s an exercise forbringing into play all the muscles of the body none can equal it, since in faswt alking, not only the muscles of the feet, legs, and loins are used, but those of the ribs, chest, shoulders, andalso arms, while they work across the body. No description ofrace is more pleasing to spectators thana closely, and I may add fairly, con­ tested walkingmatch, inwhich the competitors walk in the strict sense otfhe word, and attempt noli"fting," the technical term for unfair going. Walking ought to consisotf a succession of steps, not of leaps, which constitute running. Pair walking is gene­ rally called "toe and heel," and one foot should always be on the ground. The steps are taken as much as possible from heel to heel, which part of the foot must touch the ground first and be firmly dug into it. The ball and toe of the foot should not be on the ground for any percep­ tible space of time; if they are dwelt on the walker loses a certain amount oftime in each stride, besides causing the knee tobend by bringing theweight of the body on the toes, which areunable to bear it. The latter pointis one of the great differences between running and walking; in the formerall the weight ofthe body is thrownon the toes and balls ofthe feet, and in thelatter on the heels. At each stride the loin and hip, correspondingto the leg which is being put forward, shouldbe twisted well round, the right loinand hip towards theleft, and the left loin and hip towards the right.By this means the walker is enabled to put his feet down almost in a geometrical straight line, one infront of the other, and therebygains