Why? The Science of Athletics

I 1 32 WHY?-THE SCIENCE OF ATHLETICS heart and the arteries have relaxed and it is physiologically unsound to ask them to readjust suddenly and rapidly their action to the quite unreasonable demands which would be made upon them by violent early-morning exercise. It is probable that complete equilibrium does not become restored until at least three hours after getting up. We come now to the question of insomnia, that bug– bear of athlete a:ad coach alike. When the condition is persistent a man is obviously unfitted for training a_nd should consult a doctor, because there must be something radically wrong with the sufferer. None the less, there are various causes which undoubtedly render the athlete in training, and especially when a competition is close at hand, liable to temporary insomnia, and most men will agree that nothing has a worse effect upon one's performances than lack of sleep. To avoid this it is necessary for the athlete to make himself complete master of his own mind. Fear and anxiety are the two main causes of athletic-insomnia. But these two evil counsellors do not make their presence felt, in the usual run of things, until the contest for which training has been undertaken is close at hand. Wherefore it behoves the athlete to induce the sleep habit from the very commencem~nt of his training. That this can be done is beyond question. That famous neurologist and mental specialist, the late Sir Maurice Craig, once told me that 9-uring the war he found himself capable of sleeping through the very worst of air-raids, simply because he had trained himself not to allow anything to disturb his slumber. As a commencement in this all-important mental training, a man should try, the moment he is in bed, to forget everything that has happened during the day. He should not spend those last waking moments in review– ing his performances, as compared with those of the men with whom he is training, nor -should he strive to solve problems in athletic technique which have been puzzling him. Least of all should he look forward to the