The New York herald., 1877-10-21
MUSCULAR CHRISTIANITY.
THE ERRORS IN THE PRESENT SYSTEM oF
TRAINING" DEMoNsTRATED-yIEws OF
PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE-PoPULAR FALLA-

THE khhoES IN THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF
s'TRAINING" Observation-Disclosures OF
PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE-PoPULAR FALLA-
cIEs ON DIET AND EXERCISE.
One by one the cherished ideas OF our younger years
are being uprooted, the deluslons OF youth dis
peed The myths of ancient Roman history have
been shown to be but myths; Nero has been trans
formed into quite amiabIe icing; have Lucrezia
Borgia and Henry the Eighth; and
formed that many OF the maxms concerning physical
training which have been received and acted upon as
axioms since our childhood based upon mistakes
and that not only DOCTORS but professional athletes
oarsmen and others have been pursuing in many
respects wrong course in reference TO physical cui
ture and the attainment Of perfect health and
strength.
j. NJ. Lafiin, in this city has been pro-
fcssiona athlete for years this country
and IN Europe. Considered physically Mr. Ladiln
is model OF man. literally "a model" az he has
"poscd" for Geromc Bartlett and Foley. He stands
SIX feet Two and a half inches in his stock.
ings, weighs 22o pounds. and can swing
fifty pound club with the greatest He
has never been sick day IN his hfe barring the
diseases ncidentalt TO childhood Now. he attributes
oil his health and strength to his own system, which
Is tho result OF world wide experience and observa-
tion, IL Is evident that glance At THIS system by
which due time similar results, he claims, can bo
obtained by all who practice It faithfully, survey Of
those points in which this system differs from the
systems OF physical training and culture in vogue
be OF valuo to all those interested (and who is
notY) in the subject OF physical perfection.
WHOLESOME.
On tho subject of diet tho system advocated by this
athlete differs essentially nom that generally
II is the common practice to consider rare meat as
more Strengthening than well cooked meat; but this,
he holds, is great mistake "n tho first place." he
said an interview held ny representative OF this
paper with him, "there ut the present day many
young men who preparing training for athletic
pas.imes pursuits who naturally apply for
ton to diet TO professional athlete, who gives
them the slereotyped advice:-"Eat plenty Of
rare meal" Now, this advice would DO all well
enough, perhaps, II the stomach OF tho ono asking
strong that of the giving the ad
vice. but II Is not, OF course, and as 1t requires
great deal OF tone and strength IN the stomach TO
digest rare meat the beginner IN athletics inds him
sell unable TO o'gest The rare meat which he eats.
'Then IN the second place" continued the athlete,
'snothing Is well dgcsted IN the stomach against
which tho palate rcvots In many nstances--m yseif
for example AZ nrst-the taste oi very
very unpalaaDe indeed, and 10 overcome this DIM
cuiiy is had TO ali sorts Of spices and condi
ments TO renaer II more pleasant Most spices and
condiments are pernicous in the long diges-
tion, and meat, eaten under those conditions
| becomes positively Injurious
| .Meat ought To be neither what Is called
well dono, but medium, 50 Is 10 20 paatabe without
| spices, &c. while at tue Same time II reains lurge
snare vi It's natural juices.
sMore probably been caused by this notion
OF rare, underdonc bloody being wholesome
by any other idea tho whole subject, ana very
! nrst thing young men, especially young lux
uriously nurlured, VINO take personal interest in
athletics should do s to abuc this altogether
| EARLY RISING AND EXERCISING INJURIOUS
"Again, as TO the point OF the time OF taxing
csc continued The athlete thcrc several serious
errors held on this branch OF athletic training Thus
u is nov very generally believed that the very
time Tor exercising y early ~ the mornips before the
stance, before breakfast Now all this is great mis-
take as viii be seen IT must be, II one viii only
| fleet. The air Is unwhoesome and damp before tho
has risen. The sun Is tho great purifier OF The
atmosphere, and before he the iull OF I'm
puritcs ana of the seeds Of miasma IL takes half
un hour or SO Tor even the sun TO get these
| nuisaLccs, and Il man goes out works
violently before tho has done the disinfectant
business for him no runs decided risk Of
| catching somo maarious or chest disease.
| Again few people not professional athletes are
| able 10 endure The fatigue ot severe exercise
| upon an empty stomach especially carly In the morn
ing, when the system is at the weakest. was forced.
in my day several hours before break tasl
taking twenty mile walk or something of that sort,
Dnt came back often more dead than alive, aud
know that altogether II dad me more harm than good.
The proper way, undoubtedly, Is TO rise at moderate
hour take gn breakfast, and then, after that meal
has digested take your exercise Then the stomach
| Is IN good condition; then man work without
| harming himself. and do good work.
INJURIOUS METHODS OF '.CooLING OFF,
.Thcre are other points OF practice now in vogue,
especially among oarsmen, which are absolutely per-
nicious. Thus II Is the general habit when oars
brings boat IN, after exercising TO devote n
low minutes TO his boat hrs then TO attend to rubbing
himself down anerwurd. Thus is SIMPLY putting The
bei tho horse, man Is OF mpor lance
than his boat, and should never allow himself cool
down the pores to close before tho matter,
brought TO the surface by perspiraton, wiped away
| Then again great many young oarsnen trained
| TO dive into the wafer immediately upon coming IN
| from their exercise--upon what they suppose 10 be
the principles oil shock reaction, Turkish
and Russian baths But this rs all very, sometimes
fatally, wrong. In the Russian aud Turkish baths,
after being acted upon. the system - at once reacted
upon corIespondngly; but IN the case of the heated
oarsman leaping suddenly into the cold water, and
then coming The natural temperature OF The air.
there shock without corresponding reaction, and
the consequence must be pcrncioas II this that
caused the death OF young Maxwell recently, most
promising oarsman, who, leapng rom his boat into
the water, took copgesve chill anu died In the
pitiL Every year there are many young oarsmcn
Killed by the injurious system vogue OF cool
ing OIL Quick consumption thus contracted Is among
the most common OF discusses. The proper, sensible
method OF 'cooiiDg OIL man Is 10 cool him OF
they do race horse-rubbing him slowly,
tiously-and the mans using ponty
OF salt In tho water with which he Is sponged
PINT OF salt should be used pail OF water and this
salt should be put somo time before II IS used,
10 DO thoroughly dissolved; and during the cooling
| process moderate walking should be taken under
blanket There should be no sudden shock or change
should DO gradual Tho cooling or process Is by
tar tho most critical step In tie training OF an
any athlete, and yet II is tnat process which,
oil all Others seems 10 be most neglected or misun-
derstood.
,Finay,n said our athlete, In conclusion, eLhe
preat cardinal principles ol all training are simply
ony points in which dncr from my brother athletes
are SIMPLY those points IN which they have departed
from these essential requisites"
1t must be said OF Mr. Laiin that he Is thoroughly
earnest and that Tor years no has practsed his
theory, and attributes all his success 70 arigd prac
OF the points referred TO IN this article. He
tniny superb specimen OF physical culture, and
from such source on such subject worthy
OF ~ least attention.
ONEIDA BOAT CLUB.