The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-25
DIET OF AN ATHLETE.
Training of ''WorId's Amateur Tennis
and Racquet Champion"

ana racquet
Eustace Miles in London Mail.
Before I outline my system of training.
let me say also that have put it to very
severe tests.
1t has held good in the severest heat Gin
New York; and in the severest cold Gn
New York Tuxedo and Montreal)
At Montreal played three complete
racquet matches (not games) in succession
without break. And in the United States
1 several times played three hard tennis
matches in one day.
Moreover l can keep up this standard
of endurance without regular practice of
the games. At the beginning Of last year I
lived an almost utterly sedentary life for
three months, and then went off and played
tennis hard for two hours.
Nor have 1 ever found IT necessary, be-
cause of the training to discontinue my
brain work, even up to the very day of an
important competition.
Nor have had a single breakdown, or in
deed any appreciate staleness-the bug
bear of athletes-since I changed my diet.
In diet 1 do not hold to the absolute ideal,
but 1 never go very far from it. A ny
gienic ideal would cut me off from most
social meals altogether and also perhaps
from all stufy and smoky rooms. So 1
keep myself slightly on the human side
of supreme pinkness.
l prefer two meals a day. at 10--11 and
at 4-5, or with perhaps a fruit breakfasD
at 12-1 and at 6:S0-7:SO. But can eat five
meals.
do not eat either flesh foods fish, flesh
or fowl, or meat juices in soups other
WISE. or eggs. Why not eggs? Because
they do not suit me. Why not flesh foods?
for this same reason and for many others.
Instead of the undeniably nourishing aud
stimulating flesh foods l substitute what l
find 10 be a not less nourishing basis and
staple to give me proteid or albumen which
shall rebuild the blood and cells of MY
BODY and repair its waste. We might, in
deed, live on proteid matter alone and
with it, with the help of a few minerals
&c. g., phosphates) renew every cell of the
body, says Prof. Sir Michael Foster.
Professors Gamgee. Pavy and Bunge and
DR.. Robert Hutchinson, like most other
authorities, insist on the Importance of
proteid and set down our average daily
amount at four to five ounces. This
use Plasmon), cheese nuts (often mlied
or in nut foods), wholemeal bread, or bis
cults peas or haricot beans or lentils
(sometimes); the other elements of food 1
obtain chiefly from fruits, but sometimes
from well-prepared vegetables.
Stimulants. such as tea, 1 do not alto
more than a few seconds; all attempts
! have always made me i'll. 1 can eat slowly:
for several days L gave my mouthfulS over
sixty bites each.
But to two practices I must adhere-to
the deep, full, upward breathing through
the nose; and also to the daily air-and-
light bath for the whole body, together
with rubbing, self-massage, sharp eXer-
cises and stretching exercises. One of the
greatest shocks of my life was when / was
performing thus on the sands near Hun
stanton and suddenly saw two undergrad
yates looking at me in fear and wonder
| from behind a rock now air-breathe in
my bedroom. l can find no air-bath in
London. Queer London!
AS to exercise. 1 never lift or carry
weights except when | go shopping with
ladies-this l do rarely | consider that
most weight-lifting tends to slowness and
stiffness. My movements are chiefly brisk
and full.
Equally important in my system is mus
cular relaxing; not mere stiffness and not
mere slackness, but freedom and economy.
OF course. in athletics we should relax
most of the unused muscles. But I go fur
Their | purposely relax my arms and
hands. my legs and feet. my neck and
spine. / relax my face, and smile (when
am alone) Why should l be tense ana
clench my fists and look almost as fierce
as great American millionaires and poll
ticians do in their photographs? l cannot
see a reason. SO try to look calm and not
waste valuable energy in worse than
valusleSS way.
During brain work I almost invariably
aim at repose of the muscles-open chan
nes through which, as through unknotted
| india-rubber pipes, the life force may
| smoothly flow.
1t is easiest to relax during the slow
breathing outwards 1t seems vital for me
| to relax both before and after great physi-
| cal or mental efforts. That is personal
experience. Here, as with diet dare not
| suggest law; l dare only suggest plan
| worth trying EXperientia docet. Expert
| ence must be our teacher. By their fruits
We shall know them If worry and anxiety
| be thus removed, have we not here the
! cheapest of all nerve sedatives?
| Water seems TO me to have at least two
| distinct functions
Warm water serves to soothe and to
| cleanse. Let il be soft. whether it be rain
| water water distilled else softened
| by oatmeal or some salts" and let 1t be
| used with pure soap and friction. Cool or
cold water serves TO invigorate and harden.
| Cool or cold water should be used after
warm water. The body may be sponged
| part by part, just as air baths may be par
| tial And then should follow rubbing. and
! perhaps exercise. and certainly stretching
| of the limbs How sadly we need it.
| Sandals may be worn whenever one has
| the courage.
Though one of the greatest pleasures of
| my life to have done over sixteen
| hours of hard brain work in day-once L
1 reached eighteen-yet among the greatest
pleasures 1 also reckon the consciousness
of energy and endurance.
| I utterly disbelieve in the negative theory
/ Of health-that one should not be aware
| of the body. 1t ought TO be a real joy to
| live. l love to feel each muscle Jingle and
| thrill. l love to have to move briskly
! every now and then, especially with the
shoulders and the leg, from sheer vitality.
| Surely our healthy nerves should be to us
| JOY rivaling the joy from taste or music.
| Let me sum UP my way by contrasting 1t
| with orthodox training.
| When man-say a rowing man at Cam
| bridge-goes into training he gives up this
| and that. and he generally gives up much
of his brain work. I always am in training
and 1 give up nothing l only devote my
self more than usual TO my own tested
/ principles. / practice my games, Of course,
but I also practice an increased and more
| faa lnirE fChf 81 I DO not my
| lines. I only keep them with more decided
| strictness. If my physical training did not
| make me filter for every department and
plane OF life / should conclude that there
was some mistake at the root OF it.
| And for the most part mine are lines to
| which any one can keep. and should keep If
| fair trial commend them.
| ''Disgusting and Amazing"