The Athlete for 1866

HINTS ON TRAINING 115 the art ofswinging while running is acquired ; to learn this therun should be taken at first only six orseven yards from the scratch ; Ijefore the run swing the ham­ mer well like a pendulum in the direct ion of the mark two or three times, until it has acquired a good momentum, and then start, taking, at the first ew attempts, one turn only in the run; afterwards, asthe practice becomes easier, two turns oan he made, and the run lengthened in proportion. Some athletes, however take three or four turns, but, as a rule, two willbo found sufficient, between the turns, run as far towards the scratch as possible, taking long, even strides to acquire a good impetus, and keeping up the centrifugal force of the hammer by swinging it well round low, and ina plane at right angles to the body. The arms should be kept quite straicrht the whole time, merely acting as it they were a prolongation of the handle. The work is done by th musclesof the back and loins ; and, in delivering the hammer at the scratch, the athlete should, above all Jungs, bear in mind that he does not lift it as it hitting toleg. The "devil must beput into the swing as the hammer descends in thelast half ofthe tura, so that the force has culminated by the time the hammer is crossing the line parallel to the scratch, w ere it must be let go, the body at thesame moment being thrown back to counteract the impetus of the swing. Thehammer should describe a curve at its highest point ot more than 11 or 12 feet fromthe ground. Avoid pulling at the handle in the run, and increase the pace and swing at each successive turn. The farthest throw of the lllbs. hammer, 3 feet handle, on re­ cord s 176 feet. The 221b. hammer has been thrown over94 feet. These feats were performed at one of the northern gatherings, and quite put in theshade any of the like attempts atom- southern athletic meetings. PUTTING THE WEIGHT. Putting the weight, or as it is often called the sho or stone, is another of the athletic innovations fromScotland, and is now much practised by the most sturdyof our athletes; the method of throwing it, or to speak properly, "putting it, is however a subject of much discussion at most meetings, and so various are the ways adopted that comparison as to excellencecan floldom be made. A run of any length is frequently allowed, and the weight is delivered on the scratch, the thrower following his stone over the mark: this run and follow account for the wonderful distances we see in print. The Scotchdistance allowed for the run is seven feet; two paralled lines, even feet apart are drawn, and within this space the competitor may do anything in the way of running or jumping to assist his throw; the following manner, however, has been found mostenectivo in putting either theavy or the light yreight. Balance the body on the light leg, the left side turned towards the scratch, the right foot being placed aa ne r the seven-foot mark as possible, and the right-hand balancing the weight,with the knuckles close to the shoulder, raise the weight up to the full stretch of th arm, twoor three times, till the muscles get into play, still keeping the weight of the body thrown on to the right leg, the ieftfoi>t fcouohing the ground slightly, when the balance of the body is obtained, hop three feet towards the in irk,and then spring up sharply to thescratch-line, throwing the weight away at the same moment, and bringing the right leg down, with the toetouching the scratch hue, and the right side of the body to themark. By this means-the follow ofthe body after the weight is prevented, and by ringing the right leg forward at the moment ofthrowing, the whole force of the thighs are brought into play, iirtcl the muscles of the loins assist in the sudden turu of the bodyfrom left to right The weight must be held on the lowest joints of the fingers, and the palm ot the hand, the wrist being kept as stiff as possible, anil all tendency to throw it as • J.