The sun., 1890-01-21
AMoNG THE ATHLETES.
Interesting Point. on Practising.

To THE EDIToB OF THE SuN-Sir: Having
read your interesting articles AthetoS &o itate the
noery OF requesting you TO set right subject Of
importance not only to me but to many Of readerL
am employed at Office work, and do not generally have
my dinner before 40 r. NJ. About r. N. 20 to tho
gymnasium aud work there for about hour and a
half Now want to know II exercise taken at that
time beneficial though taken before dinner also
hAthower bath should DO taken cold or warm and
then gradually allowed to grow cold. BY answering
this you will greatly obiRs An ArnLErE.
Your cnse Is a very good sample Of the con
ditions surrounding the average amateur
athlete's life. II you dino at G:90 T. NJ. the in
florence is that you are through your meal by
u lapse OF an hour after eating q hearty
meal before physical work Ia taken Is not con-
sidered enough by some authorities, but 1t all
depends upon what aud how much you eat.
An hour and a han or two hours Is ample time
after the main meal. There Is no reason why
exercise. takon ut the timo you say you in
duiRe In yours is not just as beneficial us II
taken before dinner. especially as II you en-
deavored to exercise before dinner you would
have to hurry yourself 80 much that no enjoy
ment could DO derived from 1t. 1t is generally
conceded that no athlete can improve in his
performances II he is worried or does not take
enjoyment in his work. Therefore, most
amateurs who are employed during the day do
not ATTEMPT to exercise then. but wait until
their daily duties are done, and after dinner
go around with free conscience ana enjoy
physical exercise. Statistics show that many
otthe prominent amateurs have been deve-
oped in this way. which should be sufficient
PROOF that exercise taken In the evening after
dinner IS beneficial enough TO improve ones
In regard to your question concerning shower
baths. 1t may be said that opinions differ very
muoh with them as In the subject previously
spoken Of Most athletes do take a bath after
exercise. and Y precautions are used SO as not
beneficial. II an athiete after exercise which
has opened the pores OF the skin and brought
aSaht perspiration stands around II his light
to catch cold Tho feeling also OF Wishing to take
ashower bath has passed away. for he has cool
should bathe. even though the cold water in his
ohiiieh condition Is anything but pleasant The
no may blame " the bath FOR it. I He i; probabiy n1
would have had the cold any way, without tho
ff Path an Gpt t9 nc may not realize that fact
he stops exercising IN a chilly room
wraps something around him and keeps warm.
he will end his physical work with a little run
or other Vigorous exercise which will produce
shower bath, no matter how cold il is. 4 brisk
rubbing with q coarse towel and Immediately
dressing viii prevent his taking cold;
shock, and they always turn on tho hot wator
and gradually allow It to grow cold. They. as
q rule, bathe not Lecause they consider 1t in
yigorating, but from point OF cleanliness.
There are some trainers who advise non-in-
dulgence in cold shower baths entirely. and
simply recommend baths to be taken as ordi.
nary mankind does. Their claim is that cold
balhs are weakening, and that every time an
athlete INDUCES in one he loses Il certain |
amount OF energy.
Many prominent athletes say that they regu-
late the taking OF shower baths entirely by the |
way they feel, aud that II the idea OF coming in
contact with cold water is repulsive they act |
H. on the other hand, they are
duce their flesh cold baths are most enjoyable. |
No better proc! could be shown that ones |
feeling is the best symptom by which to Judge |
the beneficial results Of O bath than that some |
trainers ADVISE showers In hot weather and |
speak very much against them If the weather |
Is cold Where there is such a diversity OF |
opinion and such opposite results claimed rs !
tnere are IN regard to shower baths 1t IS IN;
by tho athlete himself II he de-
votes a little time and attention to Watching |
what the efIertS on him