Success in Athletics and how to obtain it

MASSAGE OR RUBBING 215 tion, 1s immediately deemed to be a person of no sense. Does the rubber realise that the athlete, who is in the dressing-room preparing for an event, is out to do his best in muscular exertion? The rubber punishes the muscles before the competitor goes out for competition-punishes them severely-by pinch– ing, punching, rubbing, etc. What for? Ask him! He does not know! Does it not stand to reason and common-sense that the athlete's muscles are to be used for a!l attempt at competition with a view to victory, an:l therefore this exertion means wear and tear of ·muscle and consequent fatigue of muscle. The fatigue is due to the waste material contained within the muscle substance caused by wear and tear. The athlete returns to the dressing-room, and again the unskilled rubber keeps up the vicious practice, and so the cycle goes on; until the final heat is reached and the race is won or lost. What is the inexpert rubber doing? He is usually causing greater wear and tear of the muscles, creating more and more of the products of exertion in the substance of the structure, and not as a rule aiding in getting rid of the poisonous substances which are likely to be retained in the muscle which has been used for great exertion. Massage may be divided into four principal methods. Unfortunately for the English reader the terms used in this little scientific branch are French; yet, at the risk of offending the reader, the English equivalents will be used here as well. I. Ejjleurage, or touching lightly, or smoothing superficially.-In using this method, it will be well for the rubber to see ~hat his hands are thoroughly