Walker's manly exercises: Containing rowing, sailing, riding, driving, racing, hunting, shooting, and other manly sports — John Shaqi
Walker's manly exercises: Containing rowing, sailing, riding, driving, racing, hunting, shooting, and other manly sportsWalker, Donald
Science
Walker's manly exercises: Containing rowing, sailing, riding, driving, racing, hunting, shooting, and other manly sports
Walker, Donald
Athletics; Sports
Front--On the word Front, the left foot is brought gently to the front,
without a jerk; the knee gradually straightened as the foot is brought
forward, the toe turned out a little to the left, and remaining about
three inches from the ground. This posture is continued for a few
seconds only in the first instance, till practice gives steadiness in
the position.
Forward--On this word of command, the left foot is brought to the
ground, at about thirty inches from heel to heel, while the right foot
is raised at the same moment, and continues extended to the rear.
The body remains upright, but inclining forward; the head erect, and
neither turned to the right nor left.
Front--On the word Front, the right foot is brought forward, and so on.
WALKING.
Of all exercises, this is the most simple and easy. The weight of the
body rests on one foot, while the other is advanced; it is then thrown
upon the advanced foot, while the other is brought forward; and so on
in succession. In this mode of progression, the slowness and equal
distribution of motion is such, that many muscles are employed in a
greater or less degree; each acts in unison with the rest; and the
whole remains compact and united. Hence, the time of its movements
may be quicker or slower, without deranging the union of the parts,
or the equilibrium of the whole. It is owing to these circumstances,
that walking displays so much of the character of the walker,--that
it is light and gay in women and children, steady and grave in
men and elderly persons, irregular in the nervous and irritable,
measured in the affected and formal, brisk in the sanguine, heavy in
the phlegmatic, and proud or humble, bold or timid, &c., in strict
correspondence with individual character.
The utility of walking exceeds that of all other modes of progression.
While the able pedestrian is independent of stage coaches and hired
horses, he alone fully enjoys the scenes through which he passes, and
is free to dispose of his time as he pleases. To counterbalance these
advantages, greater fatigue is doubtless attendant on walking: but
this fatigue is really the result of previous inactivity; for daily
exercise, gradually increased, by rendering walking more easy and
agreeable, and inducing its more frequent practice, diminishes fatigue
in such a degree, that very great distances may be accomplished with
pleasure, instead of painful exertion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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