Success in Athletics and how to obtain it

MASSAGE OR RUBBING 217 blood, but upon the lymph circulation. The layman knows, or fancy he knows, much of the circulation of the blood, but he more often than not knows little or nothing of the lymphatic circulation. It might possibly be well to confine our account of massage to a description of the benefits to be derived from effleurage, for if the other methods are applied improperly, more harm results than if they are omitted altogether. 2. Massage a friction, or rubbing with friction or pressure.~ This method is followed by pressing with the fingers used for rubbing in a circular, varied with a spiral, movement, at the same time exercising more or less pressure upon the parts manipulated. 3· Petrzssage, or kneading.-By this method the skin is pinched and kneaded with the fingers, as also are the muscles, with a deeper and sounder grasp. 4· Tapotement, or tapping.-This method consists in tapping lightly or strumming with the ·finger-tips (as one would upon ·a piano), or with the whole fingers or the half-closed hands: or in digging with the fingers approximated to the thumb. These latter methods are cruel and fatiguing to the already tired athlete during the intervals of his competltwns. Why punish the muscles which are already suffering from fatigue? Rather use effleur– age to rid the muscles of the fatigue-inducing sub– stances-the poisons induced by action. The last three methods may with skill be useful in early stages of training or getting fit, but when the athlete is in .condition, " trained to the letter," they are superfluous, unnecessary, and useless, and, in the hands of the unskilled masseur, may even be danger– ous to the muscles of the athlete.