mbs 071

MY BRKAI HING SYSTEM

How the Heart is often Injured.

It inay be useful to discuss this matter a little furthcr The eftec.ts upon the lungs and heart of the various fonns of bodily exercise, gymnastics, games and sports are very different. We ean, in respect to ttiese cttccts, distinguish between two largc groups, viz., momentary, concentrated feats of strength (or of ąuickness), and, on the other hand, prolongcd feats of strength perfonned in a regular raeasurc (endurance). T he first group are scarcely able to strengthen or dcvelop the heart and lungs, and only by carcful training will it be possible to avoid positivc harm being doncto these organa. But the seeond group may casily >erve to develop and strengthen both heart and lungs, and only by very irrational proceeding will it bc possible to do harm to the organs. This is the great differcnce between these two groups. Sonie of the worst examplcs of the group are : lifting of heavy weights, difficult exercises on the Roman rings, trapcze, parallel bar, etc., short and strenuons wrest-ling bouts ; but ioo-yards sprints, several passages in football, hockey and lawn-tennis, and the ncwer methods of short distancc swimming also belong morę or less to this group. Good examples of the other are: rowing and seulling, long distance running and walking, skating and ski-ing, the older methods of swimming and a!l wcll-measured gymnastic exercises with regular breathing. Sonic sports, e.g., boxing and cycling, it is difficult to classify positirely in the one or the other group. It dejiends upon the in-dividual nianner of worldng. And sereral other sports are doubtful —tliat is, they are scarcely calculated either to develop or hurt the internal organs to a degree worth nien-tioning. Throwing and putting weights, jumping, golf, and erickct belong, 1 think, to this category.

The reason why the first-mentioned group i' so calculated to iniurc the organs is as foLlows. When the liftin." of a ver_v

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