The record-union., 1893-01-30
DEVELOPING MUSCLE.
How an Athlete Should Go Into
Training.
Judicfous Regulation of the Diet
What to Eat and What
to Avoid.

| selves for an athletic contest without the
help of an experienced trainer. They
seem to have an idea that "going into
training means a complete change in
the ordinary routine of life, and that to
get in condition" one must eat half-raw
beef, stale bread, drink little or nothing,
and, by a severe course Of exercise and
sweating, reduce the weight to the lowest
possible point. l remember one warm
evening in June, few years ago, when
went to the athletic grounds to exercise,
finding young stone-cutter on the track.
Judging from his appearance, he had
already run some distance. He ran half
mile more and then / stopped him.
What are you doing?'iI asked.
Training, sor," he managed to gasp
after a while. 1t seemed to me, rather,
that he was trying to kill himself; He
wore thick woolen jersey, and the
sweat was fairly dripping from him.
His cheeks were pale except for bright
| red spot in the center of each, and he was
breathless to the last degree. Though his
legs almost refused to support him, he
had intended to run twice more around
| the quarter-mile track.
He told me, when he had recovered a
little, that he intended to challenge a
! fellowworkman, who had boasted OF his
| speed, to one-mile race. He had begun
to 'train," and each day for week after
| his work was done he had run a mile
as hard as he could.
But it seems So" he said, 81 do be
running slower all the time, so to-day l
thought I'd run two miles" In this way
| he expected to get in condition for the
race in month. More likely at the end
that time he would have been in
better condition for an undertaken. His
mistake was the mistake of all beginners.
He was simply overworking himself In
| other words, he was wasting muscle
faster than he could replace it.
| 1t needed but little argument to show
the young fellow that he hadn't gone
about his training in the right way. He
rested week, during which he regained
the six pounds he had trained off" and
then he began again, but this time under
the care of au experienced trainer. He
had some natural ability, and improved
| so rapidly in his running that he was un-
able 10 make match with his rival. He
is to-day fairly good runner at distances
from one to five miles.
The objects which the athlete usually
has in view when he begins training are:
First-To get rid of all tissue, the loss
of which will not impair the strength
in word, the dead weight" OF the body.
Second-To improve the wind"
Third-To develop the particular sets Of
muscles to be used in the actual contest
to the highest degree possible.
The first step toward the removal of fat
is in a judicious regulation of the diet.
The athlete, particularly if he is inclined
to take onsweight rapidly, diminishes tie
fat meat, sugar, starch and butter, and
limits his liquid food to a minimum. His
bill of fare consists chiefly of lean beef or
mutton, varied by poultry, eggs or fish,
stewed vegetables, green's and fruit and
jelly or bread pudding for dessert. The
bread used should be about twenty-four
hours old. For drink weak coffee or tea.
the latter iced, and with a little lemon
juice added, are best.
| Such diet in itself will ordinarily re-
duce the weight somewhat, but, by exer-
cising and rubbing the fat is removed
more quickly. Ii the athlete is so heavy
that he must train off great deal, he
wears heavy sweater" or jersey, while
exercising, in order to induce perspira-
| ton. He must then be very careful not
to drink much, else he will regain in a
few minutes the weight it took hours of
hard work to get rid of.
By wind we mean the power of the
heart and lungs to do their work prop
| erly In spite OF continued exertion. Every
one is familiar with the distressful feeling
occasioned by unusual and violent exer-
cises. This distress arises simply from
| the inability of the lungs to supply the
proper amount of oxygen to refresh the
blood and to get rid of the poisonous car
! bonic acid gas, the production of which
is greatly increased by muscular work,
and from the inability of the heart to cir
culate the blood freely.
1t is necessary for the athlete, there
fore, no matter in what branch of sport
he intends to compete, to take as part OF
his training exercise that will develop
the powers of these organs. Running is
by all means the best method of develop
ing the wind. and for this reason is prac-
ticed not only by the runners them
selves, but by oarsmen, boxers and foot
ball players as well.
70 develop any particular set of mus
cles those muscles must be given a great
deal of work. The athlete begins by ex-
ercise well within his powers, and then.
by gradually increasing the demands
made upon the muscles, they become ac-
customed easily to perform work that be-
fore would have been impossible.
1t is taken for granted that during his
course of training the athlete will submit
to such regulations of hygiene as will
tend to put his system generally in a con-
dition of perfect health. lie is expected
to keep regular hours, to get sleep enough
without becoming lazy, to avoid unusual
excitement, to get plenty of pure air and
sunlight, and If he is a smoker to give up
tobacco.
A word as to the alleged dangers OF
training. Athletes die young" is a
warning I have often heard. Of course
they do, if after training they plunge into
all manner of excesses. But it isn't ath-
letics or training that kills them. In
truth, it is the regular temperate lives
they have to lead while in condition that
keeps some well-known professional
athletes out of early graves. On the other
hand, L know of one amateur athlete
who last winter celebrated the twenty
fifth anniversary of his first race by win
ming, in competition lasting hours, the
t1gure-skating championship of America
The same athlete in one afternoon won
the five, ten and twenty skat-
ing championships of America. AT
another time, in one day, he rowed in
four races, each of mile and half, and
in each race rowed with the winning
crew. This athlete has d record for walk
ing that has stood for years, and he has
won score of medals for distance run
ming. Now, if training brings one to an
untiInely end, why is not this man, after
a quarter of a century of active partici-
patton in athletics, at least broken down
and crippled, instead of being an active
energetic business man, who has given
up athletics simply because he has nc
longer the time to devote thereto.-Wal.
ter G. Dohm, in Courier-J ournal.