The Detroit times., 1915-01-15
Such is Charge of University oi
Michigan Instructor in Physl-
cal Training
STRENGTH OF STUDENTS
ALL IN LEGS. HE SAYS
Advocates Year in Gym Before
Athletes Are Allowed to Try
For Teams

ANN ARBOR, Mich. Jan l5.-Dr
G.. A. May, the University of Michigan
gymnasium director who VIII stage
Michigan's first strong man test
here next month, declares that for q
decade, the chest. shoulder and arm
development OF college students mas
been yearly decreasing. lie bases
his assertion on observation extending
over many years spent as a unlyer'
sity gymnasium instructor, and upon
a comparison OF charts made decade
ago and since. lie holds the present
craze for intercollegiate athletics re
sponsible. s'3-
: DIR. May asserts that the majority
of students who come TO him FOR gym
nasium instruction, are very poorly
developed about the chest and arms,
in comparison to the development OF
the legs. and that IL is difficult 10 IN
duce them TO take up forms OF eAer
else that will correct this lopsldeu
condition.
"The enthusiasm Tor intercollegiate
sports is actually weakening eoliege
men," says May. They come TO col
lege with the sole intention OF making
team. Their previous athletic tram
ing has been connected with teams
have no fault TO find with the loot
ball, basketball, baseball and track
teams OF a university. | believe that
men who have played on college
team find themselves better prepared
for work after they have left school
than the others who haven't. But so
far as their physical well.being is con-
cerned. their neither limbs are as
rule, developed far beyond their chest
and arms, and thus the competitive
sports do not tend To make perfect
man of the athlete.
Ito my way OF thinking-and /
have been engaged in the physical de-
velopment of college men for many
years-every student should first pre-
pare his whole body by constant ap-
paratus and drill work OF the right
sort during the freshman year, and
when proportionally muscled give his
attention to the games which are used
for intercollegiate contests
The introduction OF the strong
man test at Michigan. is largely for
the purpose of popularizing gymna-
sium work at the state university and
emphasizing the necessity OF all
around development for powerful
men. The test is the same that is
used in many other American col
leges, and success in 1t depends
largely upon chest and arm strength.
A candidate 10 have any show what
ever TO equal the intercollegiate rec
ord, now held by Ross. OF Yale must
be able TO chin himself at least 20
or 80 times. Ross, whose record total
is $500 points. secured 1,100 points
from his ability to repeatedly dip and
chin himself without pauses.
DR. May already has a number of
Wolverine huskies trying out their
prowess, and one of his candidates has
scored within 500 points OF the record.
Incidentally, all those 500 points we're
lost in the Ginning stunt, corroborat-
ing Mays assertions about the lack
of all-around development among the
Michigan athletes. Among the stu
dents who are expected to make
strong bid for strong man honors is
George Brown, of Detroit Central foot
ball fame.
This will be the first time that the
test has been given al Michigan, but
not the first time that May has engi-
neered one. He trained the first rec
ord.holder, Carter, OF the University
of Chicago. II is interesting 10 note
that this same Carter. when n boy
was something OF . weakling. and at
his fathers request special course
in physical training was prescribed
for him.
DR.. May expects to make the test
ban annual affair