Success in Athletics and how to obtain it

HURDLING 125 Baker's team, walked over the hurdle course after the race and observed that throughout Ashington had not once allowed his heels to touch the ground. SPECIAL HURDLE TRAINING Before ever the athlete goes upon the track, it is necessary for him to undergo a special course of training in the gymnasium, for if the hurdler goes to the running-track and commences straight away to run over the hurdles after "lying fallow" all winter, a break-dqwn will almost inevitably result. _ Such exercises as "storking," "kicking," "lifting," "skipping," and the " splits" are specially recom– mended for making the hip-joints supple. (A descrip– tion of these exercises, and those for raising the arches of the feet and building up the haunch muscles, will be found in the Appendix devoted to exercises.) To develop the upper part of the body, work on the rings, parallel bars, and horizontal bar should be done; light dumb-bells (not exceeding one pound in weight, or the athl€te's movements will be made slow) should also be used. In hurdling a great deal of work_falls upon the muscles of the back and abdomen, as will be explained later, and for the building up of these muscles we do not think that we can serve the novice better than by recommending to him Lieut. Mtiller's excellent book of exercises, entitled "My System." We would, however, warn him that these exercises will probably prove painful at first, but the ultimate results will more than compensate for the first few days of pain and stiffness resulting from the exercise given to those muscles, which in the ordinary way do not receive much attention.