PHYSICAL CULTURE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3105, 30 January 1909, Page 3

PHYSICAL CULTURE.

By R. 0. Jarrett.

(Late Supervisor to VI 'tr.*u uii L.'ucation Board. Principal: Palmerston North, Kdkiing ""H Foxton Physical Culture Schools).

VALUE OF WEIGHT-LIFTING. Light physical exorcises are un- j doubtedly the only safe method with , which one who is organically or | physically weak may seek to build up health and strength. Graduated j breathing exercises, arranged with or without dumbell, developers, chest expanders, etc., will build up a sound vigorous constitution, which is all that is required by the average man or woman. The man who is not content with robust health—and there are many such—must indulge in harder and more strenuous trailing. Light physical exercises increase the power of endurance, and develop a superb symmetrical figure well-knit and muscular, with strong and steady nerves. This is the goal to which most physical cukurists aspire. Others, more ambitious than their fellows, wish to increase not only their power of endurance, but also their physical strength and energy. For this purpose, rubber developers and light dumb-bells are, of course, useless. Heavy weight lifting must be resorted to. This is the means by which all of the famous strong men of the world have successfully increased their strength. Sandow, Hackenschmidt, Saxon, Louis Cyr, Launceston, Elliot, and many others whose names are associated with prodigious feats of strength, trained more or less with heavy barbells and dumb-bells. Sandow claims that as a child he was not as strong as many. Hackenschmidt says he was born strong. Arthur Saxon has always been a robust fellow. There is not the slightest readon to doubt that their wonderful strength is due to graduated weight lifting. When should weight-lifting begin? This solely depends on the physique and general standard of strength. Some youths are naturally strong and have no weak link to break when subjected to an unusual strain. These may begin weight lifting exercises at anytime after eighteen years of age. For others who are not thoroughly strong it is, 1 consider, necessary to thoroughly build up with light exercises, and when quite sure there is no weak spot which will give way when under pressure, may begin with the heavy weights. For some months weight-lifting exercises should be practised in all practical positions, studying the best positions to stand in, method of picking up the bells, turning the wrist with bells, from floor to shoulder, pressing from the shoulder to arm's length ever the head. Study the position in which the weight can be best controlled, how to drop a bell if the correct balance / is lost, practise the four ways of getting the weights above the head—the straight press, bent press, body press, and the jerk snatch or swing, j movements for one hand or twohanded lifting. When thoroughly .proficient in these lighter movements | or exercises, recourse may be had to \ the heavy weights. It is now that the solid work begins. Select a bell I that you can press slowly above the I head, say three times in succession, without straining, continue or. alter- ! nat« 3 days for a week, or until you ■ can increase to four times, in a few days five times, and so on. Occasionally try a heavier weight, as much as j you can press from the shoulder, j calling up nearly all reserve force, j Do not do this more than twice at tl e time set for the trial, better to be | cautious than reckless, and do not j try your limit oftener than once a J week. If you attempt a lift which is likely to severely test your powers, «nd should at the first attempt bu'ngle the lift, immediately drop the bell, and after a few minutes' rest [ try again. This especially applies ! to all lifts, such as the jerk from ' the shoulder and single-handed i press. Never hold the bell long at j the shoulder prior to making the attempt to elevate. The strain on the muscles in such a position quickly tires them, and reduces your chances of success. Always take a deep breath, just before attempting a jerk or press. This is very important, as by so doing you will preserve the heart from over strain. 1 find most beginners are over I anxious to increase their lifting '' power. I cannot too strongly con-

demn the continuous taxing or j draining of the stored up energy I ! which takes place with the repeated j attempts to lift the maximum weight j ! one is capable of doing. One quickly j j gets stale and overstrung, and the j ' lifter remains at a standstill or falls | | away, if indeed,he does not strain ' himself. Immediately you feei not \ up to form, take a rest for a few days. It is astonishing what ' judicious practice at weight lifting i will do. I have had pupils who | doubled their lifting powers in nine month*. Mr H. Greig, of the Palmerston North School, increased his litt, right-hand body press, from 3tilbs to 841bs in that time, he himself weigh.ng only 7 stone 10 lbs. Mr L. Hennesey, also from the same school, increased his litthig power, body press, from 561bs to 1401bs in tweve months. It is not wise to become a slave to weight lifting. Other forms of training should be indulged in, such as skipping, and plenty of walking, ball punching, and boxing. Weight lifting and wrestling go hand in hand. On the days .when lifting is practised no other exercise need be taken. When possible, I would strongly advise aspiring weight lifters to get preliminary lessons from an acknowledged expert, which would prevent getting into a crude style, and save I many mistakes. And finally, 1 would say that in weight lifting it is a good ! thing to keep a few pounds in reserve. Next Saturday I purpose dealing with round shoulders, a deformity so prevalent with growing children, as also with adults. My notes will contain a number of illustrated exercises for prevention and cure of same.