Why? The Science of Athletics

2 I 2 WHY?-THE SCIENCE OF ATHLETICS showed a falling off of 5 ins. after steadily working up to his best peak of performances (I I ft. I I ins.) for that period (I 933). The boy in question was a keen and usually very consistent young athlete, with numerous championships and the Public Schools record to his credit. He showed none of the normal signs of staleness, although he was undoubtedly "vaulting tired", as the expression goes, when he won the Midland Counties Championship at far below his best form on June 24th, 1933. His graph showed nothing more than that he had worked up most admirably to a peak and had then fallen off, which circumstance might, of course, be due to the disappoint– ment of not actually reaching I 2 ft. when he cleared an inch less, believing the bar to be at I 2 ft., in the County Match on June 1oth. They do react that way sometimes. Examination of his training book, from which the appropriate extract is given hereunder, soon, however, revealed the true story. - - EXTRACTS FROM POLE VAULTER"S TRAINING- BOOK June I 7th. Sat. I 8th. Sun. Up 8 a.m. Breakfast, eggs and bacon, toast and tea. 3 p.m. final trial. Heights cleared, IO ft., 10ft. 6 in. I I ft., I I ft. 3 in., I r ft. 6 in., nothing higher attempted. ro minutes body-building exercises. Lunch, roast beef, one potato. Milk pudding, lemon drink. Supper, boiled fish, one potato . Bed g p.m. REST DAY Up 8.30 a.m. Breakfast, grape-fruit, kidney and bacon, toast and tea. Morning, five miles stroll. Lunch, two cutlets, one potato, Rye-Vita bread. Milk pudding, lemon drink and glucose. Afternoon. Home-work. Supper, cold chicken and salad. Jelly, lemon drink and glucose.