Why? The Science of Athletics

298 WHY?-THE SCIENCE OF ATHLETICS the best type for the transmission of range of stride and speed production by leverage, since the transmission is to the distant point, which, in this case, is the runner's foot. What has just been said is made yet clearer by the study of Diagram C. From this diagram it will be seen F DIAGRAM C that the fulcrum is at the hip joint, the resistance, or weight, coming at the foot, which is the end of the lever, and the power, or muscular force, falling mid– way between the two. Again, the leg is raised forward by the flexor muscles of the thigh, the knee supplying the re– sistance and the hip the fulcrum, while the backward pull of the leg, prepara– tory to the push off of the drive for the next ensuing stride, is carried out by the hamstrings and the gluteal muscles. There is a further arrangement of the same type when the quadriceps and calf muscles straighten the leg at the knee-joint and extend the foot as it pushes against the track. Since shorter legs shorten the stride by shortening the resistance arm of the 3rd class lever, it follows that this type of athlete needs to develop greater power in his calf muscles, because he must have greater force to compensate for the diminution ofhis range of movement. The analogy