The Washington critic., 1888-02-25
ADVICE 10 ATHLETES.
Dr. LaChlan TyIer'S Views on Mus.
CuIar Development,
THE PERILS OF TRAINING,
Caution TO he Observed in Unusual
Exercise.

peculiar interest to every one who devotes
any attention to athletics
After oursory description of the mus
Cular system, he proceeded to the discus
sion of
Muscular Development.
Nature not only abhors a vacuum, but
abhors idleness of any description. For
o muscle as for anything else, to progress
and develop, activity must be practiced.
The frequent contraction of muscle pre-
serves its integrity; kept motionless, It
soon atrophies or wastes away, either in q
pathological manner or in physiological
sense.
Psychological VS., Artificial Activity.
The former is never productive of
any evil effects, and is the kind of ath-
Iotio exercise that can be lndulged in with
the most beneficial effects. The latter
kind of artiicially, unnaturally stimu
lated activity, is productive of serious in
Jury in very many cases.
Muscular strain in athletic undertake
ings Is productive Ofirreparable injury in
frequent instances, especially after the
first and during the second and third di-
visions of life.
The nervous system is also very in
Juriously affected by artificial muscular
development carried beyond physiologi-
cal limits.
Il ne use Ol IeSeTNc lOICe Ol tIle muscular
system, when deliberately and discreetly
exerted, does not result harmfully, but
when this is exceeded invariably leaves
bad effects behind in one way or the
other.
Muscular training in the three periods
of life may be considered as follows: In
the first period possibly injurious; in the
second, when carried to the point of
strain, Immediately or eventually in
curious; in the third, not permissible.
Muscular Development Perfected.
When, after a long course of training
Tor some competitive contest, an athlete
reaches what may be called perfect de-
velopment of the muscles, the contest
over, he may think il safe to stop training
But this is not safe. Excessive muscular
development imposes penalties. Prema-
ture decay, misery and early death are
some times the consequences Of a sudden
cessation from muscular activity.
Some of the penalties inflicted by ex-
cessive muscular development, artificially
acquired, and for long time actively re-
tained, are the curtallment of life that
follows. persistency in having to continue
to exercise less and less by degrees, but
always lin an artificial sense) more or
less; or else the pathological penalties,
wasting, nervous, or circulatory disturb
ance fatty degeneration, causing pro-
Eressiye muscular atropy, and finally de-
mise.
Excessive physical exercise predispose,
TO and produces almost certain premature
break down and death. Observations
made from time almostimmemorial prove
this to be the truth. AS for instance the
old Greek and Roman nations, both of
which devoted much attention to physi-
cal development, and the Jews, Chinese
and other nations which devoted but little
attention to athletics, but are strong
nations to-day.
Longevity and athletic development of
the physical strength, at least persisted in
beyond certain length of time, are an
ssagonistic conditions.
Ignorant Trainers.
Great ftIipES,i is doise to both professional
and amateur athletes by ignorant trainers,
who are only capable under proper di-
rection of Coaching"
All kinds of athletic exercises should
be under the supervision of competent
physician, and this supervision should be
continued for some time after the con-
test for which the training was done is
over.
Professional and Amateur.
p There is great difference between pro-
iessional and amateur athletics. The lat
ter are much less injurious, when so at
all, and in the majority of cases should be
beneficial under proper scientific direc-
lion. Among the consequences of i'll ad-
vised physical exertion in competitive
contests, heart troubles take prominent
place, Forced, over-wrought or irritable
heart Is frequently the result of great
and prolonged physical exertien, such
for instance, as the recent six-day run in
New York. 1t Is doubtful if any of the
fifteen or sixteen men who staid TO the
end of the race came away with sound
hearts.
The heart valves are occasionally rup-
iured from strain and another result Is
disease of the heart and blood vessels from
combination of physical and mental
strain.
Clerks and business men sitting in theii
Offices all dav and then engaging in vio'
lent or competitive contests, suddenly
arousing from almost lethargic repose the
muscular and circulatory systems and i'm
posing on them at once the most arduous
physical tasks, run great risks OF hyper
trophy OF the heart These are some o
the dangers to both the professional and
dangers to the professional.
One writer (Dr. Il. w. Richardson,
ventures the assertion that "There is moi
in England a trained athlete of the age o
S5 years, who has been ten years at hi;
calling, who is not disabed.H The pro
fessional athlete sees nothing beyond the
one event for which he is at the time
training, and both he and his trainer give
no heed to his future, 50 long as his con
dition for this one contest is the best pos
sible. There is, on the other hand, al
opportunity for amateur athleticism to 81
arrange and harmonize physical anC
mental strain as TO result beneiicially Il
each.
The Lungs.
In excessive training the lungs ar
probably developed to double their nor
NAL capacity, and with the cessation O
their customary tasks undergo the afro
ply which accompanies emphysema, o
degenerate into a tuberculOus or plIthisi
cal condition upon the adoption of
sedentary life without afterwards cor
tinuing the required amount Of exercise
There are many notable examples of thi
physical breaking down of men who hav
"gone out of training" Ex-Champio
Pugilist Dyer and one or two leaders il
collegiate contests. Professional base bal
IL especially liable to lead to bad results.
The Heart.
The heart is the rock upon which S
many athletes go to pieces. This is th
organ which receives the shock of ever
Injurious athletic contest either proX
Iuately or distantly as TO time, and, lai
ing to Confne it to itself distributes it, i
greater or less degree, TO the blood vesse
or, more remotely still, to the kidney
liver stomach or nervous system, wit
disastrous effect i'm every instance
Ancaurisln results from sudden and vi,
lent strain, as from the reaction accon
panyng prolonged rest aud inactivit
after physical OYerWOrk of an hthlet
character, leading to diseases of I'll
arteries
The heart never reccding from its cor
dition of excessive muscular developmoI
unless through pathological changes, m
.fa II