The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-04-26
Tricks OF AcRoeArs.
An Oid-Timo Tumbler Tells How to Turn
SomcrsRuit-

w nat man or boy ever went TO cir
Gus or variety show, whore n troupe Of
acrobats were on the bills, without hav-
ing q vague sort Of hnnkering to DO able
to throw pretty somersault or series
of neat 'flips'? If his blood ever does
flow through his veins at times faster
than Mt others, it Is when he sees o neat
brother act wound up with the roll
over accompanied by the familiar Hi
va! Hi-yar of tho performers. and tho
band playing as If crazy"
These remarks were delivered by n
short, stout little man, Us he sat at
table In the bar of one of tho quieter of
the uptown hotels. Not ten years ago his
narne appeared on three-sbeet posters
in letters u foot high, says the New
York Sun.
lizard to learn? Why, bless you, no.
All the talk about having to be double
jointed and without backbone is bosh
of the worst kind. a man certainly
wants the stiffest kind Of back, and q
good strong pair of legs, or he will never
be tumblcr or leaper.
mind you, don't alludc to this con-
tortion business; that's different. When
l say the stiffest kind Of u back don't
mean one that can't be bent to reason
able extent, but one set up with good
strong muSclcs-muscles which, when
called upon for n little extra effort, will
respond with some vim. We have often
heard TINT it requires constant practice
for years, dating almost from the cradle,
to become finished acrobat. Why, I
never did n Flip in my life until 1 was
eighteen years old, and if there was
n rx-h in ~, a.
higher somersault, or get over more ele-
plants than could when was twenty,
l never ran across him.
"How did learn it alp Easy enough.
All you need is set of 'lungcs' and u
mattress.
"May be you don't know what 'lunges'
are. Simplest arrangement you ever
saw. Just broad leather belt, with q
ring ut each side. from which two light
manila cords run up through n couplcof
pulley-blocl1s screwed into the ceiling.
The ends of tho cords are held by some
body who knows what he is about,
and that's all. With this rigging you
can learn all there is to know about
tumbling, from plain handspring to
the three-high somersault down to the
bottom mans shoulders, and not risk
your neck nearly as much as you do GO
ing down toboggan-slidc. Give me a
man who is ordinarily active, who has
little pluck and perseverance, and will
teach him to jump up and turn over be-
fore he is two days older.
you see, man is heavier from his
waist down than he is up above. When
he gets into the lunges, no matter how
awkward his attempt is, he Is bound to
flop around right side up, providing the
man who holds the ropes don't ease ND
on them too much. Why, it's as simple
and safe as eating your dinncrl
Tho ability to throw somersault,
forward or backward is the foundation
on which nll tumbling acts are built,
and this is how to do it: Stand squarcly
on your feet. Don't keep them too close
together, and be sure you have good
balance. Then rock forward n little
until your weight rests on the balls of
your feet, then give sharp spring up
ward, at the same time lifting with the
arms and shoulders. Practice this lift
q few times until you get the idea You
will find 1t will add foot to the height
Of your jump. Now you are ready to
turn over. The next time you jump ND
throw your hands high over your head
and give your head quick jerk back
ward ut tho same time. If tho instant
you feel your feet leave the ground, by
drawing them up under you you will
find that they will swing around SO as
to meet your hands. if you want to
reach for them. Just catch hold of your
knees and give a little pull and you are
over.
That's the back The forward is
on the same principle, only the head
and arms are thrown forward after the
lift The only hard part of it Is to
make a neat landing and not, after &C
complishing tho somersault, strike on
your feet, and. pitching forward, fall all
over yourself. A little practice will en-
able you to know just when to expect
to land, and then you can begin to put
some style into your work. You are
now in fair way to become gymnast.
All the rest is easy when you once get
command Of yourself"