The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-02

laggs1gJ With the exception of trapezo
acts. few athletic fcats are more spec-
tacular than the feat OF lifting extraor-
binary weights over the head. Conse.
quenty most boys who tackle athletics
are Impatient to try this branch as soon
as possible.
Athletic Instructors object to 1t, and
many of them refuse consistently to
lei their pupils work with heavy dumb
bells or other weights. They are right.
1t is 4 fine thing TO have the strength
that will enable one to WELD great
weights with ease; but 1t is n very bad
and dangerous thing to fnlsuse the body
by forcing It to work itself stiff, stare
md clumsy BY doing too much heavy
weight work.
tremely heavy lifting habitually, such
as carrying sacks Of coal or grain,
hosting big cases on trucks. and so
on Observe how clumsy and logy his
body is; how slow and painful every
motion is.
He is strong. or that there is no
doubt But 1t Is not the true strength
which can do the greatest amount OF
work In the shortest amount of time
with the most ease.
His strength IL like the strength Of
q thick rope The perfect human body
must have an entirely different kind
OF s,rength--thc strength Of life and mo-
ton.
There is another danger In lifting heavy
weights. 1t is in the fact that; at n
certain point in the HI, the weight
Is in such n position THAI the least SIP
will throw Its burden off from the mus
cles and on the unmusclcd part of the
body, such as the soft abdomen. 1t is
this that causes ruptures and strains
AT he haNk aud al hat nff Pfinnfn
q person for life.
The weight need not be excessive IN
order to cause any OF these injuries
( Quito a light weight can hurt the litter
terribly II he lets 1t get away from his
mucles and throws its 'heft" suddenly
on the soft organs or the soft tissues
surrounding them. That moment some
Or all of those soft tissues and weaker
muscles, not intended by nature to do
heavy work viii burst under the strain.
On the other hand. an enormous weight
can be lifted by the athlete who has
mastered the science OF concentrating
all his muscular forces and guarding his
body ry his braced muscles in such
way that the weight Is supported by mus
Gle at every stage OF the work.
Look at stationary hoistIns engine,
that lifts immense weights by slow, firm
pulling. The burden rises steadily. and
nothing gives way. But lat that same en-
Up a high place and then suddenly let CO.
Tho weight will go down With run and
tear to pieces the engine and gear. that.
with proper lifting. could raise ten times
that weight without trouble.
Again. let zach an engine wobble from
Its base while hosting weight. or let
riyet work loose. 70 that one or more
axles or wheels will move slightly out
OF place. Bang. The whole business will
go to smash.
Your bones are. in a way. the wheels.
piyots axles and beams Of such an engine;
only. instead of being riveted and boltcd
together. they interiocE curninglr and
brace against each other. II you don't
know something about their action. you
arc likely at any time to get your limbs
Into positions where the result Will be lust
tho same as II a part OF the engine were
out OF place.
TO begin. bone Is about twice as
strong Us n piece of fine oak timber of
about the same size. Where the bones
meet. IN the joints. they are held to-
Eether by a strong rope called lgament.
This Is tougher than the bone, and of
about the same strength.
These ligaments are the las hings that
bind the machinery IN place. The mus
cles. which are. attached to the bones
also are Ike the rope or cable that runs