Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-15
GYMNASTICS AND TUHBLIEG.
PROFESSOR sMYTH TELLS ABOUT SOM
ERsAULTs AND "TWIsTERs.n
The Value of Learning How to Use
the Head and of the
Tuck"

The readers of last SUNDAYS UNION were
promised further dissertation upon the
mysteries as well as the benefits of athlet-
les by Professor Smyth, the Olympic Clubs
renowned Instructor of physical culture.
The last article was devoted principally to
the art of developing beginner as well as
giving new life to the sickly and delicate
The Professor now proceeds. in his inter
view with the SUNDAY UNION man, to give
something regarding what is and may be
accomplished by the athlete after he has
mastered the first rudiments
Like in all other things" said the Pro-
fessor, 1.-The tastes of athletes, as regards the
many different exercises, widely differ.
After 1 have taken delicate beginners
through all of the calisthenics and simple
exercises on the horizontal and parallel
bars, rings, clubs, dumb bells, etc. and am
satisfied that they are sufficiently strong to
practice what they please in the gymna-
SUM, turn them loose, and / can assure
you it affords me pleasure to watch them
TO see where their fancy carries
them. One will make a Decline for
the boxing-room and place himself under
the care of the professor of that art with
the view of becoming an expert. He may
tire of this after month or so and take to
something else, but ii is not likely. First
love, so to speak, with the growing athlete
IS, SIS a rule, permanent. The man who
takes to boxing seldom cares for much of
anything elses, except that it be hand ball,
baseball or outdoor work, such as running,
jumping, and the like. The next gradu-
ate's fancy carries him directly to the
wrestling mat, and the first thing YOU
know he's aspiring for the amateur cham
pionship of his class. The next likes
fencing, the next trapeZe work, the next
tackles the horizontal bar, the next club
swinging, the next tumbling, and so on
throughout the entire athletic category.
But my plan is never to interfere with
this first love of theirs. All of the exer-
cises are good-in fact grand-and should
be encouraged rather than discouraged.
All that l look out for is that the pupil is
sufficiently strong and developed to stand
the work and strain which necessarily &C.
companies the higher branches of ath-
letics.
Zone of the most graceful, healthful and
Strengthening exercises is tumbling. 1t
is difficult, though-probably the most diff
icult and intricate of all gymnastics-and
requires long and constant practice to be-
come thoroughly proficient. But person
does not need TO become an expert to en-
Joy tumbling, and once the beginner tries
it and learns a few little tricks" he be-
comes a slave to the fascinating work
When l was a youngster l would think
nothing of practicing for hours on some
one little soInersault or handspring, and
the longer l practiced the more determined
became to stick to it. Many time have
turned hundred or more back-somer-
saults in one practice, and my comrades
would be doing the same-in fact, we
would vie with each other to see who could
turn the most as we'll as the best.
HOW IT IS DONE.
But this is of no interest. I must tell
you what a tumbler must do in
order to be a tumbler. The first
requisites are judgment and GOODNESS. The
athlete must not be given to getting rat
tied or if he is he must get over it. This
is about the only enemy some tumblers
have. The head controls everything in
tumbling. Not only does this mean that
the head must be clear, but also that the
movement of the head controls the entire
body in all of the acrobatic feats. That
seems queer to you, no doubt, but it's the
fact nevertheless. No somersault dive,
handspring or any other trick can be done
without the assistance of the head. For
example, take the simple little somerset
or turn over which baby will perform on
the carpet to the great amusement of his
parents. He gets on his hands and knees,
lowers his little head until the chin nearly
touches the breast and then pushes himself
ever with his feet, doesn't he? Suppose he
elevated his head, or rather held it back as
near as he could to his shoulders, would
he ever accomplish the somerset he loves
to boast of? No, sir; not in a hundred
years. Now, the most finished acrobat has
to work on exactly the same theory. In
doing somersault he springs into the cir,
suddenly lunges his head forward, doubles
himself up and there he stands on his feet
again, complete revolution having been
accomplished.
"Wel, now that l have given you the
theory, you will understand better when,
in explaining difficult feats, refer to GER
tain movements of the head. Now we
will begin at the bottom of the acrobatic
ladder and work up gradually. The first
trick the tumbler usually learns is the
handspring, that is, if he has not already
learned it, when a school-boy. The hand
spring consists of standing erect, taking
snort run (Or IL can De zone from u stauu-
ing position), then placing the hands
quickly upon the floor and throwing the
body over and backward so IS to land on
the feet again. Here is where the head
gets in its work again. As soon as the
hands strike the floor, the head must be
brought vigorously forward toward the
breast This causes the body to continue
the rotary motion until the feet are again
reached. The arms must assist in this
trick, too, by giving a strong push against
the floor just as the head makes its move
ment.
HAND BALANCING.
Walking on the hands is another exer-
else very popular with the beginner. It is
rather difficult at first, but afterward be-
comes very easy. The proper way to do it
is to stoop until the hands touch the floor
and then lift the body to vertical position
with the assistance of the feet. But a YER
teal position cannot be maintained except
by the most expert. The line must be
passed, allowing the feet 10 hang over. and
arching the body. This gives the performer