Success in Athletics and how to obtain it

16o SUCCESS IN ATHLETICS feet may be reversed or not at the thrower's dis– cretion. If the feet are reversed, their position after the discus has left the hand will be as shown in diagram 24. The acquiring of the art is by no means an easy matter, and a good style is only to be learnt after much practice. The disc,us-thrower has the advantage, however, that he can throw, and keep on throwing, without risk of straining himself, on account of the light weight of the implement. Like hammer-throw– ing, this game is es– sentially one in which the "pulling" muscles are brought most pro– minently into play ; the athlete who takes it up is therefore advised to eschew javelin-throw– ing and shot-putting in which the directly op- Diagtam z 4 . posed pushing muscles are employed. During his training the discus-thrower should run at distances varying from . 100 yards to 88o yards ; this short-distance running does more to build up the muscles than any amount of physical culture. He should also do a little standing jumping to make him light on his feet, and to teach him to move his body from rest into action without any difficulty or hesitation. For the rest, he must do plenty of gymnastic exercises to build up his body, and light dumb-bell exercises to develop his arms; but the