The San Francisco call., 1904-02-26
INSTRUCTIVE JTUDHg
By YlNOIERE@zAf'4fEEN e AND
u%lST1NfFN

until the desired strength or speed is
restored.
There are several ways in which this
may be accomplished. It is best, of
course. not to let your opponent see
that that you are in distress. Keep on
the defensive. give ground if he rushes,
try to hold him at long range. All the
time breathe slowly in steady, deep
respirations Through the nostrils. with
lips closed), and resting as much as
you can the tired muscles.
If you are in good condition you will
quickly regain strength and breath
enough to enable you TO finish the
round Often both men will become
simultaneously fatigued and will by
tacit mutual consent spar for wind un-
til they are once more in shape for
active work.
Boys often weary their arms unneces-
ssrily in boxing b. keeping the fists
tightly clinched all the time. This puts a
constant and needless strain on the
fingers and forearm. There is no excuse
for this.
Keep the hands half-open, or only
lightly clinched. except when actually
leading. Then close the fist just before
the blow lands. In this way you add
a certain degree Of force to your blow
and miss much fatigue incident on
muscles too long left tense.
When you are rushed and are forced
TO give ground do not let your desire to
get out of reach render you careless of
balance. In retreat, as we'll as in at
tack, balance is the foremost requisite.
If you are not careful your balance will
depart. you viii shuttle awkwardly on
feet that are too near together and you
will in this attitude lose all chance of
landing a powerful blow, such as might
stop your opponents rush, for with the
feet together and the body bent back
ward there remains little force to go
into a lead. While you can still keep
your feet in correct position and retain
a balance that will let you counter
heavily should the opportunity arise,
you are not in any great danger from
the rush Of the strongest, heaviest an
tagonist. Once lose your poise and bal-
ance, however, and a child can upset
you.
Do not through fear or strategy fall
into the frequent error of turning your
back on your opponent during his
rush Do not turn your back, for that
matter at any stage Of the bout.
/ have seen many a beginner turn
sideways or half way around and let
a blow fall on back or shoulders in
stead of troubling himself to guard it
with his arms. 1 have seen far more
turned their backs on their opponents.
doubtless in the belief that the latter
would not strike them there.
Now, this is cowardice and meanness
combined. There is no law in the an
mails Of boxing which prohibits a man
from striking his opponent on the back.
If your opponent turns his back on you
hit his back as hard as you choose to.
You are taking no unfair advantage
of him in doing this. 1t will also teach
him TO face you in future.
While we are on the subject of faulty
form let me warn you against one of
the commonest and worst faults in box
ing. the fault known as swapping
back" 1t has ruined the form of many
a man and is fatally easy to acquire.
Swapping back is merely an ex-
aggeration of the maxim: Lead and
then get back on guard" The ideal
boxer delivers his blow and then brings
his arm back to guard" as rapidly as
possible. But before he draws back his
arm he makes sure that the blow is
fully delivered: that all the force and
reach which were to go into it have
been used.
Sometimes man. in his haste to re-
turn to guard, leads and before the
blow has fairly landed whips back his
arm. The blow does not travel its full
length. 1t gets none Of the force from
body and shoulder. 1t is a poor, nerve
less imitation Of a blow. While every
bylaw. of boxing demands that the arm
return as quickly as possible to first
position as soon as a blow is delivered
every bylaw also forbids swapping
back"
Nervousness. awkwardness and lin
rare instances) cowardice are contrib
utory causes to this habit. 1t is to be