Success in Athletics and how to obtain it

106 SUCCESS IN ATHLETICS of clearing, and his whole attention must be con– centrated upon learning the perfect style. In any other single event it may be said that style and method vary with the individual, but in pole– jumping this is not so. To the pole-jumper the trainer is able to say, " In one way, and in no other, is the pole-jump carried out; any deviation from the fixed style is wrong. All the details can be mastered if you have tli'e patience to stick to it ! " The first thing necessary to the pole-jumper is a good ·pole; a light bamboo of a suitable length is best. This should be bound round with rubber or adhesive medical strapping to give a grip to the hands. Under no circumstances whatever must the athlete be persuaded to jump with a pole of any solid wood, no matter whether it be hickory, ash, or what not; to do so is to take his life into his hands, for at some time or another such a pole is certain to snap, and then the jumper stands a very fair chance of being impaled on the splintered end. With a bamboo this cannot happen; the pole may give way and collapse, but it can never break off with a sharp spike as does a solid pole. It is just possible that a really experienced jumper might gain a little advantage by having his pole weighted at the top end, so that as the pole swings through an arc the weight at the top forces it up. Having got a pole, the athlete now wants to know how to hold it. For the purpose of description it is assumed that the jumper takes off from his left foot and swings himself up on the right-hand side of the pole. The pole is grasped firmly, with the hands about 18 inches apart; the right hand is nearest to the