Success in Athletics and how to obtain it

APPENDIX 23}' exercise can be performed for two or three minutes. The athlete can be wonderfully deceived in the matter of time unless he consults the second-hand of his watch. EXERCISE 6 This exercise consists in placing the toes together and separating the heels to form an angle similar in degree to that formed with the heels approximated in Exercise 5 (45 degrees). To put it simply, the feet are placed in the position of" pigeon toes," and the movements are don~ as in Exercise 5, rising upon the toes and dropping forcibly upon the heels (figs. 89, 90). At first the athlete may find some difficulty in sustaining his balance, but this can be . overcome by resting one or both -hands upon the back of a chair. With practice he will soon dispense with any aid to balance. EXERCISE 7 In this exercise the feet are placed parallel ; the knees are maintained in a stiff position. The athlete rolls the feet out– wards, thus supporting himself on the outer edges of the feet ; the toes are curled inwards. Finally he drops back on the flat of the feet (figs. 91, 92). To this exercise may be added the pra£tice of walking on the outer edges of the feet. EXERCISE 8 This is a combination of the movements set out in Exercise 7 and those of 5· The feet are placed parallel and close together, but not so close as to click the ankles at the end of the movement. The athlete rolls the feet outwards, so that he is supported by the outer edge of the feet (fig. 93). From the foregoing position he rolls the feet inwards and rises upon the toes. Finally he drops down on to the heels. Balance being difficult to maintain at first, he may take support by resting the hand on the back of a chair. EXERCISE 9 "In this exercise the athlete may sit on the edge of a chair, with his foot placed in an easy position ; he then folds the foot or arches it from before backwards and from side to side, so that a