Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-12-17
Improvement Shown
By Contestants in
Game of Walking

NEW YORK, Dec. 16.-Any ordinary OBJ
server who attends athletic meets muse
admit the growing popularity Of walking.
This fact is chiefly due to two reasons
the improved performances on the part
of the contestants and the increasing IA
miliarlty with the merits OF this partiou-
lar branch OF sport on the part OF the
spectators.
II Is true that much Of the interest -
manifested from n comic standpoint, as
the efforts of many beginners often APP
pear ludlcrous. Nature intended running
as n means for man 90 resort to when de.
string to attain unusual speed; therefore
to attempt anything beyond certain
limit In fast walking is practically at
tempting to defeat a law OF nature, and
It's accomplishment Is possible only after
careful study and long practice.
! Tho hee-and-toe style of walking COM
bines the best results achieved by stu
dents OF walking ever since fast walking
was tried out and is based upon scien- I.
tflc principles.
Ordinarily Fifteen minutes 10 the mile
Is considered brisk walking; twelve min
utes may be classed az fast wa-.ing, and
Il II very doubtful IL many people can.
walk a mile under ten minutes with per-
feet fairness. without resortlng TO tho
heel and-toe style. II is only necessary Z
to attempt this To be convinced that too
much resistance is encountered in the
common style OF walking to attain even
this moderate rate OF speed.
| Therefore IL a ten-minute mile Is Inn
possible for ordinary walking, and six
and -half-minute mile actually has been
exceeded by adopting the heel-and-toH.
style, the advantage OF the latter becomes.
apparent and serves as a strong argu-
ment that Il deserves to become an es-
tabllshed feature at all athletic meets.
Many prominent athletes who have dis
tinguished themselves both In runningz
and walking declare the latter TO be fart
the more difficult of the two, not alonae
I'm perfecting the style. but also on ac-
count OF the greater physical strain which
1 Il entails.
In order to abide by the rules the body
must be perfectly erect at all times, tho
| leg must be rigid every time the heel Is
placed down ana the heel Of one foot
must be down before the toe OF the other
foot Is raised. IA,
A rolling motion is also impaired to the
hip TO overcome friction and this when
properly performed induces great speed.
The position OF the body places severe
strain upon the stomach brought on by
the necessary exertion, and unlike run
ming this strain cannot be relieved, as
the position OF the body permits OF no
relaxation OF the stomach muscles.
BY observing the rule requiring the
knee TO be looked" every time the heel
is brought down practically places the
entire weight Of the body upon tie locked
knee. This is very trying and often re-
suits In the disqualification OF con-
testant, who has become too exhausted
to comply with this requirement, thus
being guilty of unfair walking
Those competing in the metropolitan
district represent Americas foremost
amateur walkers and range in ability
from seven minutes to seven and half
minutes for the mile. although 'iiueh bet
ter time would result with increased com
petition.