Why? The Science of Athletics

SUCCESS OR FAILURE 223 ''Always keep your chin in advance of the knee of your leading leg." This principle is well exemplified in Fig. 43, Plate 10, which shows F. R. Webster, former holder of the Bedfordshire Colts' Hurdles Record in action. If the hurdler does not so dispose his head that he can thrust his chin out, as W.ebster is seen doing, it is impossible for him to produce the all-important "body-dip" in effecting hurdle-clearance, because it is the forward thrust of the chin that draws th~ chest down over the thigh of the leading leg. Without this body-dip it is not possible for the hurdler to take the fence, literally, in his stride, nor can he chop down close enough to the hurdle upon landing, and that means that he will have difficulty in reaching the take-off for · the next flight in the regulation three strides, because he will not be able to get a high enough pick-up of the knee of the rear leg as the leading foot takes the ground preparatory to the body swinging forward over the fulcrum thus provided. The knee pick-up action is well shown by H. P. Bowler, C.U.A.C., in Fig. 50, Plate 13. There is another important point about the forward thrust of the hurdler's chin, since this balanced position of the head allows him to fix his eyes, when clearing one hurdle, upon the top rail of the next ensuing hurdle. He will not rap the hurdle he is taking if he watches the top rail of the next hurdle beyond the one he is clearing. In jumping of all kinds the balance of the head, and the adjustment of the balance at all stages of the evolutions involved, is even more important. One of the most important secrets of high jumping is to ·be found in the ability of the jumper, in crossing the bar, to get all the heavy parts of the body down to his centre of gravity as shown by the athletes portrayed in Plates 14, 15 and 16. If the head is held up this cannot be done. Apart from that, the question of balance and counterbalance is involved, or one might say that the athlete, to succeed, is bound to apply Newton's Third Law of Motion, "To every action there must be an equal and opposite reaction."