The Book of Sports:: Containing Out-door Sports, Amusements and Recreations, Including Gymnastics, Gardening & Carpentering — John Shaqi
The Book of Sports:: Containing Out-door Sports, Amusements and Recreations, Including Gymnastics, Gardening & CarpenteringMartin, William
General
The Book of Sports:: Containing Out-door Sports, Amusements and Recreations, Including Gymnastics, Gardening & Carpentering
Martin, William
Amusements -- Juvenile literature; Sports -- Juvenile literature
little attention, indicate by his bearing, step, and carriage, the
nobility of his mind.
In walking, the arms should move freely by the side--they act like the
fly-wheel of an engine, to equalise the motion of the body, and to
balance it. One hand in the breeches pocket, or both, indicates the sot,
and has a very bad appearance. The head should be upright, without,
however, any particular call being made upon the muscles of the neck to
support it in that position, so that it may move freely in all
directions. The body should be upright, and the shoulders thrown
moderately backwards, displaying a graceful fall. When the foot reaches
the ground, it should support the body, not on the toe or heel, but on
the ball of the foot. This manner of walking should be practised daily,
sometimes in a slow, sometimes in a moderate walk, and sometimes in a
quick pace, until each is performed with elegance and ease.
RUNNING.
In running, as the swiftness of the motion steadies the body in its
course, without the aid of the oscillations of the arms, they are
naturally drawn up towards the sides, and, bent at the elbows, form a
right angle. Their motion is almost suspended in very swift running. In
moderate running, a gentle oscillation is observed, increasing in
proportion as the body approaches to the walking pace. The knees are now
more bent,--the same part of the foot does not touch the ground, the
body being carried forward more by the toes. The degree of velocity is
acquired in proportion to the length and quickness of the steps. The
person should therefore endeavour to ascertain whether long or short
steps suit his muscular powers best; generally speaking a moderately
short step, quickly repeated, accelerates motion most. In learning to
run, the pupil should first endeavour to improve his breath by degrees:
he must try his speed first in short distances, to be gradually
increased: the distance will vary according to the age and strength of
the runner. The first exercises in running should commence at a gentle
trot over a distance of a hundred and fifty yards, at the rate of about
six feet to a second: this should be varied up to eight feet in a
second, for the first three or four days, and the distance increased
from one hundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty yards. On following
days, the distance may be increased to five hundred yards, and
afterwards gradually, until a mile can be performed in ten minutes,
which is tolerably good running. Afterwards, six miles may be tried in
an hour, which will be easily accomplished.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account