The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-04
AlL-AK0UaD ATHLETICS
Martin Sheridan Preparing
Again to Shy His Castor
Into the Ring

Martin Sheridan, than whom no
greater all-around athlete ever drew
breath once again is going to shy his
castor into the all-around champion
ship arena next season, writes Sprin-
ter. And, whisper it, Martin already
has started the light preliminary work
incidental to the long siege OF hard
training necessary to condition hlm-
self for the most gruelling of all ath-
letic competitions. Martin says that
six months is short time in which to
train for an all-around championship
'tYou have to build from the bot
tom up" says Marvellous Martin. "A
slight mistake in ones preliminary
work may six months later cost the
championship. What 1 mean is that
to go through the 10 all-around events
in winning form the period of train
ing IS much more important than
the training for the ordinary competf-
ton. One has to develop speed,
spring. strength, snap and stamina in
proportion. A half mile walk and a
running high jump do not go we'll
together. Heel and toe walking often
ties up the jumping muscles. The
events of the all-around competition
are antagopistic to one another.
Zone has to be developed all around
to complete successfully in an all
around championsh' One has to be
lize. You can't develop one part Of
the body to the detriment Of another.
Consequently conditioning plays a
most important part and the training
period not only is longer. but more
intricate than that generally pursued
for the ordinary competition.
That Is why I am shap ng up now
for next seasons all-around cham
piouships The long, hard period of
training takes more out of me than
the competition itself. Don't forget
that the contest is a gruelling one.
around record I lost more than 16
pounds in going through the 10 events.
That is more weight than a Mara,
thon man or a six-day bike rider los
eS.
THE competition itself, however, is
easy for me. Once I get going take
as much pleasure in it as any boy at
play. It is the long training period
that comes the hardest for me. Two
weeks ago I started my preliminary
training. I play half dozen games
Of handball, week now. / walk as
much as possible, refraining from TAX
ing a street car only when 1t Is abb
i will confine my efforts to few
games OF handbaI week and my
regular walking exercises.
THAT looks easy. 1t is. The hard
think about the proposition, however,
Is to knnw just how much to do. You
don't want to do too much, in the
FIRST few weeks Of training and you
don't want to do too little.
THE object is to round yourself
slowly into a condition that will stand
harder work. If you do it too quick
ly you are liable to dry up and lose
you VIII have to do harder training
approaching the competitions itself,
and run the risk Of going stale.
IF it were not for the long training
period that is necessary I would go
in an all-around competition every
month. 1t is not the competition
that hurts me 50 much as it IS the
training period. 1t is the arduous
training that keeps me from entering
the all-around championship every
year instead of every other year, as
has been NV habit.
81 am going to train as never be-
fore for next seasons championship
In all probability it will be my last
hack at it and I want to establish a
record that will stand for a long
while If I only can get enough good
men in the competition to pull me out
I think / can score 5000 points. With
only one competitor against me in
1919. living practically to go through
the events without any competition, 1
hung up 1885 points. It will take
5000 points to beat me next season,
provided there are enough good men
in the competition to force me to the
limit"
Martin entered the first all-around
championship in 1905, capturing the
title and hanging up worlds record
OF $3.50 1-2 points. In 1906 he did not
defend his title. but in 1907 he again
entered the lists, capturing the cham-
pfonship with a new worlds record
score of 7130 1-s points. Martin was
on the berth again in 1908. but COM
peted again in 1909. when. in vim 'ng
the event he rolled up 1885 points. the
present worlds record The nearest
approach to those figures was made
by Fred Thomson. the Los Angeles
collegian. who registered 6.991 points