The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-02-01
"CHEST EXPANSION is A FARCE"
SAYSDR. LATSON, PHYSLOLOGLS7

, which that muscle can contract
depends mainly upon the intensity
of the impulse conducted to it by
the motor nerves.
In my professional experience !
| have on numerous occasions seen
patients OF delicate proportions
who, under excitement or mania,
eXerted muscular strength to con-
troll which required the combined
efforts of several powerful attend
ants.
On the other hand we know how,
through fatigue, dissipation, drugs
or fear, an athlete with big, bulg-
ing muscles, may be beaten by a
fellow of half his girth, but with
a we'll nourished and imprisoned
nervous system. A striking in
stance of this was furnished in
the last battle of John l.. Sullivan,
when the slim, 1.-THE, steel-muscled
Corbett ended the big fellow S
phenomenal pugilistic career.
Behind the muscle is the nerve;
behind the nerve is the blood;
when the blood is rich and pure,
then we have strong, quick, ner-
vous action; and then we shall
ever, with small muscles, have
greater physical powers, than if
we had the biggest muscles on rec
ord and inferior nerve service.
Strength is not in the muscles,
but in the nerves.
Again | am reminded by many
people that Jeffries has an I'M
usual chest eXpansion-that he
can expand his chest five whole
inches. while Johnson's expansion
is only one and a half inches.
OF ALL THE FADS, FARCES
AND PALACES OF ATHLET-
les, THIS CHEST EXPANSION
is THE MOST RIDICULOUS AND
MISLEADING.
In the first place, "chest expan-
sion," as usually practiced, de-
ponds only to slight extent upon
actual lung filling, but is due al
most entirely to the trick of throw
ing under the measuring tape the
two big muscles of the shoulder,
the pectoralis major in front and
the latissimus dorsi behind,
In the second place, such strain
ing of the muscles and of the bony
cartllaginOus structures OF the
chest does not increase actual
breathing power, but through stiff
ening the chest, really limits the
breathing. This will possibly sur
prise you and you will ask why.
Simply because proper breathing
requires above all things, fleXibil-
ity of the chest; and the straining
of the chest necessary to gain UNI
usual expansion" so stiffens it
that this flexibility is to a large
extent lost. The fallacy is in as
Stunning that because an athlete
can expand his chest four, seven
or more inches he inhales more
air with each breath.
Another fact overlooked or I'M
known by those who lay such
stress on chest expansion is that
the chest at the point measured is
far less expanded in normal
breathing than other parts Of the
trunk-the back and abdomen.
1HuS we eau SEE tHdl IIllS III Il
prize fight, as in any other form
of physical effort, great breathing
power is essential; still, large
"chest expansion so far from in
surfing great breathing power, linn
its it for the reasons | have eX-
planned.
So in making your prophecies
on the outcome OF this much talk
ed of battle, beware of laying too
much stress on the tales told by
the tape measure; for the tape in
athletics is a gay deceiver, Girtil
of muscle does not mean strength;
"chest expansion" does not mean
respiratory power,
The outcome Of the Jeffries-
Johnson battle will be determined
not so much by Drawn as by brain
not so much by actual punching
power as by endurance, elusive
ness, ring generalship and tenn
perament-the last most of all. II
Johnson wins 1t will be because OF
his remarkable temperament.