The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-09-24

plauded the Olympic victors in the past
fortnight there are probably very few
who did not envy the athletes more for
their superb physical condition than
for their hard-fought victories over
their fellow-competitors. AS to the
healthfulness of these young men, the
mere fact that they are considered
eligible to compete in such contests OF
physical strength and endurance puts
beyond question the fact that, for the
moment at least, they must be in the
most perfect physical condition modern
methods of training can devise.
The phrase training to the minute"
is by no means an idle saying in the
case of these young men. To get the
best results from their individual capa-
bilities in the different sports and trials
of strength, their bodies are exercised
and their lungs, hearts and muscles are
worked until when fit they are in a
very different state physically from
that of the average healthy young man
whom circumstances or fate has pre-
vented from being an athlete. Compar-
ing the minority of athletes who ever
reach within measurable distance Of
these Olympic giants with the major
ity of men who have never been
through a course of hard training, and
whose greatest physical eXertion, per-
haps, from one years end to another IS
a short sprint in the morning to catch
the suburban train to the office, which
class stands the best chance of getting
through the average normal life which
is the lot of the ordinary normal cltl-
zen?
The great athlete at varying num-
Der of times in his career leaves the
normal and gets himself into a ply
steal condition which his less gifted
brother never appreciates. The I'M
portant question is, which will be the
better man when middle and old age,
with their memorable demands on the
body, are reached?
Apart from the benefit which the
mind and character must receive in all
where fair play is the
first essential, the body receives great
benefit from the increased functional
activity which active muscular exercise
entails. Many of the internal COM
plants common to man are brought
on through lack of strength in the
tiny muscular fibers which are present
in nearly ali the important internal or
gans. The exercise which during a |
course of training will give the great |
est power and strength to the mus
lies of an athletes limbs will at the |
same time increase the efficiency OF
hose myriads of minute strands OF |
muscle fibers throughout the body |
whose importance we do not realize |
Until through one cause or another, |
hey lose their strength and tone"
With grave results.
Granting, then, that the competitor |
1t the Stadium has greater immediate |
sum total of health than the onlooker
If the same age, will he keep up this |
physical superiority through the rest
If his life? The majority of medical
opinion undoubtedly seems to be that
he athlete, if he has been sensibly
,rained, and has not noticeably over |
strained his powers in his youth, has
he best chance of a healthy and &C
i've old age.
Dividing athletic exercises into two
groups, which may be exempted by the |
Jumper, hammer thrower or even the
hundred yards man on the one hand, |
and the Marathon racer, swimmer, or
5ixty-mile cyclist on the other, it can
be seen that the same conditions of
physical strain do not apply to both.
Lightning nervous impulses which
will produce a short series of rapid
muscle contractions of maximum power
are essential in the first group. Acute
nervous sensibility and nerve irrita-
bility must be present for success. In
the second group, while of course nerve
strain is great, endurance comes first
in importance.
The long-distance man must go in
for moderate muscular action, mono
tonously carried out indefinitely. In
the word "monotonous" lies the great
danger of athletics. The human body
does not take kindly to monotony.