The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-14
PHYSICAL CULTURE IN THE ARMY.
Lieut.. Lyons ON the scope ana Nniuc OF Ath-
ictic Exercises fur soldiers.

Lieut.. Lyons ON the scope ana Nniuc OF Attn
ictic Exercises for soldiers.
Fort MissorLA. Mont. March 1O.-Grcnt IN
teres; Is AIKEN here In the experiments in ply
steal culture which are going on IN the army.
The Department OF California has established
asystenof competition n athletic aud military
exercises. and will nav" post aHi department.
contests. the list VI exercises contains lO'
distinct forrls. and was prepared by Il board of
e. pericncvd onicere. These exercises arc
clnssed ~ athletic. gytnuas i. IN sceIlancous.
and mil'tn-:. Their oh oct may lie seen from
this extract fvpin,h recent dc pavtn.nt Of :cuinr;
In tho unluet Of ntI.!ctio and mili.a'y
tournaments. mad athletic coptests.thosc meth
DDS and means are considered mot dcsir.
able which viii arol,r emula ION. friendly
RI airy. aai n general interest IN physical cul-
tur, will develop muscular strength. health.
agility. c;duri"cc. and sireia, clnay'tv and
cxpcrtncss ia performing turc,ons pertaining
to legitimate military duties. which VIII result
IN some benefit 80 all men -: each o-gnniAa-
tiCn, rather thnn in a high state W perfection
for II few onlv who naturally have exceptional
capacity for such eNcrcis,s.'
Tic question now running through tho a;mr
H.. Iiow much Of athletics should ,e drill. and
how inGch recreation Til" Department ~
Dakota Inns the allowing in General Orders
OH tbs suhiect:
"ruI ICAL TRAINING. An officer at each
pos; Will lie designated whose duty 4; shall be
to supc. Intend tie systematic p:a tic of the
troups in cIiisthcnic. athletic AMI g tnnHatir
exercise, fDr ;hirtT minutes II day, three t!mrs
- wVcE. duriag mite months ot the year. and
also 20 ~inltlat" nUd manage chil"g and contests
IN football. baseball. otuitS. teams. Eulr. and
polo. for which thr utmost 'ljitud" ana ,ndc.
pgudeuCc %; action consistent with TIA" sririt
OF the arniy regulations VII lr accorded. nut.
Z NfnnI NTlfIlHn Viii nTNl FlFNt. = M 4 mr. IN
concert, tnc ptssage OF ditrleS. fcu 'rs. walls.
houses. AVID other obstacles RAINING wrestling.
bicycle riding. throwing the h%p'gfncr. putting
tht shot. rowing, swinging. ~kuiiHE, ~Gu 'stCe.
ing. and the Ike. according H. -"a~ul and thCIli-
ties. When Indictment weather mSN-s II IN.
u%etatiyc the training VIII riNJEn,c hoNiYg.
ferciug. yaulting, swinging VIII ,,ubs. pinch
,hgL the bag. iumning, either for distance or
height. WITT ar without POLE or sUriug board.
AMI tue u-c Of dumh-heiis. parallel and hort
7 auitai bars. s~Sirrir: rings. the .tap".". the
ladder. and. "a TACT. practice with any III ~"
Numerous and simple devices that rnU b. used
indoors Tor Developing health. strength, endur-
Lieu. :. T.. LYON, {. the Twcnty.fsth In.
fantry. Hs athletic officer. has given. much Mt
icnti"n 20 thl,s sub. Get. ana in an essay read
before lhc officers lyccEm ht HI, rOst has
presented many important facts anG arcG-
ments. ifr holds tat there l. u wide differ
.n,e between civilian athletics and army tth.
letics. and defines the latter ~ those physi-
cal exercises which arc especially alap'ed l."
the reuuir, mcnts 81 the army considered ~ "a
whole. and not all iorms OF caiis'h"nics and
outdoor games TINT cali for youth. ag!titt. and
special qualifications and aptitude lie
quotes from standard authorities to snow that
phN seal exercise IL general c"nduCUs To- health.
ard n,nils himself OF the reports ot ihc SM-
gpOn~ General % tn" navy and OF the army.
The report OF the former shows that the CaGe.s
~ the Naval AcpictnS were az" iucd!y brNc-
ntcd by systr natic training, the greatest de-
vtiopment being among those whose ages lay
between sixteen ana seventeen years. The
su-grOn.Grrrral o: the army SAYS Although
tus list OF injuries - enlarged Us the uraCtiUc
81 Eia,ctir~. II" rate Of diSIl iiitv from Injury
aud disease Il less than IN a0N Year of the his
tory of our army The rSSavist quotes also
from authorize, to show that no Gcvciou-
mcnt need be expected In Il"u over forty yenrs
81 ace. and that exercises fo- men he's md thnt
ace should have IN view merely the rrcscrva'
ton of health. II SAYS.
Army athletics should be divided Into two
dl~tilri classes one having Tor it, object the
improv.mcnt Of the pnysiqu-. the other hay
ing for its object tho Improvement OF the gen,
from any 'Orm Of training and the separation
~ the remainder into their RESPECTIVE CiHsscs
are matter. easily determined by the post SUI.
genn ami the Connnnr descriptive book.
For men who's" axe IL uycT forty the SIM
plsst exercises are all that +. necessary: brisk
with tho use - Hight dumb-bcl!s and Indian
clubs. or n rnpid execution OF tho 'cttlnC Ut
younger mcu and recruits .. more careful and
progressive plan Is required. TLev should I've
trained. first with n view to n correct carriage
Of the head and BODY. and e taught In breathe
prouerly. Tho next step W Iuli be exercises
conducive to rendering III" musc!r s elastic.
the physlrne III, ulh begin. Each muscle
should receive Il. share Of attention. aud tht
Development he harmonious. Ia addition e
tho dumb.beils md Indian clubs. the pulley
nr weight rGarhlnes are al that Is required
and even. they nr- not Absolutely necessary
He holds that outdoor sports cannot ~. IN
Guided In the course 81 army athletics and Hn
Piled to the entire army. -lmplj bccau>c all
men are not athletes. and unless the world
turns back To the Spartan plan. with lis d."
strGn sion Of the weaker chill. rem. It's common
training tables. and It's iron money. they never
will be-.
AT this post exercises have been going on al
winter, ana the men generally seem TO rniON
.he n. although hy some they are charnrt-riIrd
rs monkey drill" The general opinion eX
pressed by officers Is that. p~ractls"d witt
moderation. n hict.c exercises are decidedly
cool thing Tor the army and country.