Why? The Science of Athletics

CHAPTER XVII SOME MORE MATHEMATICS FOR ATHLETES Concentrated Explosive Effort-Speed Leading to Pro– jection-Velocity of Projection-Range of Arm Contribution -Behaviour of Missiles in Flight-Drag, Lift and Momen– tum-Optimum Point when Lift is Greatest as Compared · with Drag-Experiments to Ascertain the Influence of Head and Tail Winds- Initial Path Angle and Angle o( Inclination are Identical and Consistent-Angles of Pro- jection of Missiles. THROWING provides perhaps a wider field for scientific research than any other department of t{ack and field athletics ; because, in throwing, sheer skill will always beat mere brute force, even when a really large disparity in strength and size exists between any two competitors. In proof of this contention one may instance the case of Matti Jarvinen, the Finnish Javelin Thrower, who holds the World's Record of 25I ft. 6 I / IO ins. He is neither very big, nor, apparently, phenomenally ~trong ; not so big, for example, as Eric Lemming, the Swedish policeman who stood 6 ft. 3 ins., weighed 14 stone, and won the Swedish Olympic Trial, rgi2, with a world's record of r88 ft. I r/Io ins., while Jonni Myyra, another Finn, who made a world's record of 2 I6 ft. IO 3/8 ins. in rgrg, was as tall as Lemming and, if anything, heavier. My impression of Jarvinen is that he stands about 6 ft. and weighs less than I3 stone, and yet even his expert countrymen Eino Pentilla and Matti Sippala, the best throwers after himself, have yet to get within 20 ft. of his world's record. <' Javelin throwing, and, indeed, all forms of throwing, m which I will include shot putting for convenience of argument, are matters not of strength, but of well ll72