PREPARING FOR THE SCHOOL SPORTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 237, 7 October 1933, Page 3 (Supplement)

PREPARING FOR THE SCHOOL SPORTS.

As it will not be long before many schools will be, holding atliletic sports meetings, it is time for a few hints on this healthy, invigorating side of school life. To be in good form, with all stiffness of muscles absent, requires at least five weeks of constant training. No matter wliat distance race you may be preparing for. you must put in the ground work of jogging around the track live times a week, starting about six weeks before the event. If you are training on a quarter-mile track, cover about two laps the first few nights, gradually increasing it till you cover about six laps.i Keep up on your toes for this work; and taking short steps jog around the ground, keeping your hands close to your sides. Do not raise your knees too high, and keep the feet near the ground.

About the third night you will begin to feel stiff and tired, and may be tempted to drop the training. When you feel like that think of the day of the sports, when you will probably surprise your mates as they cheer you on for the school cup. And, anyhow, that stiffness will wear off if the training is persevered with, and the second week three to four laps can be done. You will then feel so keen and well that you will be tempted to sprint immediately you turn out. This, however, should not lie done until you have jogged round for at least one lap.

After two weeks of this jogging at slow pace, try sprinting practice of

twenty-five or thirty yards. What the athlete calls "running through" is recommended nt this stage. This means you steadily increase your pace while keeping thg sauie length of stride to a point, say,' 100 yards ahead, then- at this top speed cover about thirty yards without losing your even stride. Never over-

stride. Find the best length that suits your build, and. run from the hips, the idea being to keep your balance while your body is inclined slightly forward. Never come to a stop quickly, as it jars tlie muscles, and, may bruise your toes,

If you have somebody to give you a rub down and massage, it is worth having, as long as: he knows how to do it. Sut never let anybody pound and punch your muscles. as if thoy were making bread. Harsh treatment tightens and bruises the muscles, whereas all that is needed is a gentle stroking and kneading, which you can, in fact, do yourself* Hints on Sprinting. When starting a sprint race it is visual to have your left foot in front of the right and the tips of your fingers, which are spread out, on the starting line. The toes of the two feet should rest in holes, the position of which are found' as fol-, lows:—

Placo your left foot from four to- six inches behind the starting line. Kneel down on the right knee, placing the knee close to the ball on the left foot. Now place the first finger of each hand on the starting line, the width of the body apart, the thumbs pointing inward, the .remaining fingers well apart, and pointing away from you. If you are not comfortable" move the left foot forward or backward until you are. Then mark the places 011 the linos where the toes of 1 ioth feet rest, and there dig your starting holes. These should be just as wide as your running shoes, deep enough to take all the spikes in your running shoes, upright at the back, especially the one farthest away from the starting line, and sloping towards the starting line. The next position, called the "set" position, is one of extreme keenness, with the muscles taut. Raise the right knee off the ground, and throw the whole weight of the body on the left leg and

TRAINING AND RUNNING HINTS

(By a Past Champion.)

the hands, at the same time looking at a point just in front of the starting line where your first stride will be. Don't raise the head and look down the course. Practise this "set"' position, gradually increasing the time you remain "set" from two to ten seconds, although a starter should not keep you in the '"set"' position for more than a second if all the runners do it correctly. The Start. On the crack of the pistol push yourself from tile starting holes, and get into your correct style at once, making quite sure yon make full use of your arms and shoulders with the very first stride. When you are running at full speed the body should be inclined forward so as to make ail angle of 75 degrees. Don't raise (he body too quickly at the start; do it gradually with each stride, taking from 25 to 30 yards to reach this correct position. If you look too far down the course in the set position you will raise the body too abruptly at the start.

If a runner starts before the pistol do not keep at the "set" position till the runners are lined up again; get up and run a few yards, then .return to your holes. This may look like being done for effect, but it is nothing of the sort! For if you are keyed up and excited your muscles will quiver so much while you wait that you may lose your balance. The Finish. Never look round, it puts yon out of your stride, and wastes energy, which you will require, during the last 10 yards, when you should make your big effort. Keep your correct style until you are 10

3: yards past the tape. Don't pull up too 3 j quickly after passing the tape; you ; IshoTilcJ take 1Q yards to Qome to a gradual 31 stop.' With practice you can become exi pert; at thrusting the body forward from s' the tips when about two strides from • the tape. By doing so you will breast ■ the ta-pe several inches earlier than you

would have done. Take care" when you thrust the body forward, and not .merely press the hips Age."