Why? The Science of Athletics

• 348 WHY?-THE SCIENCE OF ATHLETICS Medium Boned and Heavy Boned categories for various ages. If the coach's own knowledge is complete, it should · not be difficult for him to convince his charges of the fundamental principles of progress in training. In the initial stage there is almost always great improvement in both skill and ability, such as will inevitably inspire the athlete, who has no.t been warned what to expect, to look for continued progress at _much the -same rate. He must be made to understand that, his muscular system coming into -a state of activity from one of comparative rest, the muscles will have enough stored up energy to respond quickly to his will, for the time being, while their very looseness will be an asset in the performance of athletic skills which a more seasoned athlete may still find difficult. In this connection I well remember a runner who, coming across the ground <J,fter a mile training spin, picked up a javelin, never having handled one before, and to the amazement of everyone present threw something over I 6o ft. He then entered his first competition and won a District Championship with a record throw of over I 70 ft. That was over five years ago, but that man is still in much the same class, simply because, in my opinion, he is too pig-headed to realize that one has got to wait and work patiently if the really big successes are ever to come along. For the man who means to succeed in face of all obstacles and disappointments the first flush of easy achievement will be followed by a period of much slower progress. The muscles will be tired from renewed training efforts, the nerve impulses will, if one may use such a term, be self-conscious of the responsibility of their job in trans– mitting orders quickly, antagonistic muscles will interfere with the smooth flow and return of effort ; but, all the time, the whole system will be readjusting itself to the new life it is being called upon to lead. Presently, when the first series of adjustments have been roughly made, there will be further progress for a