The Washington herald., 1909-08-29
Worlds Champion Tells Sc
cretS Of His Success.
HARD TRAINING NECESSARY
one Must Put Every Effort Into the
sport in Order 10 acquire Proper
Amount OF SkiH-PrOsress Always
Very slow, Calling for Patience
and Everlasting Persistence.
By HARRY F. PORTER.



OF athletic sports. II calls for all the
zest and skill OF the gymnast and aero
bat. while at the same time providing the
stimulus OF competition or no other
event--except the pole-vauit-can THIS be
said.
Progress in high jumping IS likely TO
be slow and gradual. but patience and
persistence ever win the prize And the
goal is worth while Each round Of the
ladder Of success IS labeled a human
weakness overcome-some part Of the
body strengthened and brought under
more perfect control-some bit OF ner-
vousness smootaed cut--some substantial
gain ia manhood, mental and moral.
made.
To rise 10 class in high jumping one
must bring out symmetry o. manhood;
II weak. one must become strong; II
awkward. one must become graceful; -
angular; rounded; If timid. bold; if nerv-
Gus and excitable. calm Nand self-pos-
sessed. So It is, after all. a struggle for
self-mastery-and. ike all struggles for
self-control, is sweet and joyous IN its
fruits. There IS 10 happier moment IN
mortal existence than that when. body
and mind perfectly attuned. the bar is
neatly cleared in good form.
There Is no set way Of high jumping.
AS no two men are built exactly alike.
so no two men can jump exactly alike
and yet do their best There win be
some particular form that VIII best suit
each individual. and &c fnG this best
form is the object Of practice. during
which the jumper must learn 90 study
and crfticise himself. in no other way
can perfection be brought out The gem
eral princ.r:s.s however. is the same.
which Is TO make ecvsY part Of the body
and every part Of the jump. from the be-
ginning Of the run TO the inal clearance
OF the bar and the aligbting. serve the
one purpose-whieh Is 20 attain with the
least sense OF effort the greatest possible
height
Persistency Wins Out.
First determine you are going to sue
coed, then stick everlastingly 10 It. being
guided largely by your own judgment as
10 the amount OF work you attempt. but
doing a little every day. il only in your
own room or back yard. and You are
very sure Of getting there.
II is not necessary 70 run hard ar the
bar Rather bound along easily. with
just enough speed 10 carry you, when
working every part OF you hard. across
the stick, Too much speed VIII shoot
you into the bar giving distance but
not height You viii be coming Just
fast enough when you are easily able
20 check yourself at the instant OF take
OF fvrrr
rln into distance upward
Most jumpers. when beginning. ap-
proach tie take-oI from the side. But
Il is generally better 20 make a
straight approach. AT first this may
seem more difficult. and you may not
appear 10 be able 10 jump as high as
sidewise, but eventually you viii be
able to 80 much higher. Besides. on
many take-ofs il IS impossible 10 get a
good approach from the side. Tho
jumper who has cultivated the straight
approach viii find himself most at home
on strange grounds. which is a big ad-
vaatage In competition
Learn 10 Use OF Leg.
Learn 10 use The OF leg 10 advantage.
BY giving il powerful swing upward
at the instant Of talSe-oG. and following
Il Up with a "bendlng-the-crab" move
ment just al the instant when the hips
and the back would appear to take the
bar of, viii add many inches to the
jump The body should clear the bar IN
wiggle-snake-Hke. not stir or bolt up
right. Abandon yourself with the great
est freedom. Then g cuick snap-down Of
the legs once they have crossed the bar
and simultaneously a reach-fOrward Of
the arms. head, and shoulders VIII carry
the upper part of the body free Of the
bar, right it, and enable il 10 alight
gracefully upright. thus making a COM
plete and finished jump.
In practice it Is best not TO attempt.
always. high heights. extending yourself
only occasionally TO the limit Rather
confne your efforts 20 more and more
perfect clearance OF a moderate height
one you feel YOU can make sure Of every
time. This will favor development OF
form. Then. under the spui- Of competi-
tion. yOu Will be able TO combine form
with height easily.
Nor Is It well TO practice your event
II you are not In the mood. DO some
thing else-run, tramp, play baseball,
tennis. handball, or basketball - any
thing that you can abandon yourself 90
and thoroughly enjoy. and at the same
time viii help you TO develop quickness
and control Slow. heavy exercises-like
rowing or dumbbells. or throwing the
medicine ball--are not desirable train
ing adjuncts Doing the split and high
stretch kicking win be found extremely
helpful. serving to keep one timber and
the limbs under perfect control The
'Jumping-iack" stunt IS also very help
ful. developing thigh spring and tending
as well TO keep the ankles and calves IN
good condition.
Only Light work Necessary.
All these stunts can be practiced in
the room or backyard, end require but
a few moments each day. yet they viii
be found suhicient-once a good form
is acquired-to keep one. always in shape
for competition It is really absurdly
easy to keep IN form If one will only
observe moderation and temperance IN
habits, and never let a day go by with
out doing something, however small, 20
help along.
Set your heart on the one thing-even
labor to keep alive healthy interest
IN that one thing-and # you are patient
and persistent. You VIII one day become
q champion-in high jumping. or IN any
other athletic feat, or in anything else
you may attempt in life. There IS only
one recipe for success, ard that is faith
ful work
Change In Football Rules.
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