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About The Nebraskan. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1892-1899 | View Entire Issue (March 13, 1896)
M L ' Starting. In all Bprlnta the attvrt Is of utmost Impontance, Many mces aro prato tloally Bottled during the ilrat Becrf-d after bho pistol shot. Two thlngB aro necessary for it good tart; first, to respond us quickly as possible ito the report of iho pistol, and second, 'to got under full speed ns soon after starting as possible. A man might bo ablo to nvako a move ment with exceptional quickness after hearing the platol and still bo quite unable to got Into his stride rapidly, and ho might bo beaten In the stant by a slower man who understood the art of getting up speed quickly. Tho first clement that was mentioned, that Is, to respond qulokly to a stim ulus, has references to certain pro cesses ithat go on Inside a man, and which are partly mental and iartly physical. A man hears a pistol shot, In other words ho vibrations of air strike on the drum of Ills ear. They sat up a nervous current which at onco travels to tho brain. Currents are at once dispatched to tho muscles, which contract soon after receiving the stim ulus. This takes time, currents trav elling rather slowly over nervo fibres, and not nearly so fast as electrical cur rents. These nervous operations are performed quicker In somo peoplo than others, bo that some peoplo aro natur ally quicker than others. But prac tice will quickly lessen the time re quired to respond ito tho pistol shot. It must, however, be practice of a cer tain definite character. Do your best every time. This Is Imperative. Give your whole attention to It, clinch your hands, set your teeth, tlilnk of nothing else but the action you aro about to make. Do not think of tho pistol shot, think of the movement to bo made. There are. good reasons for this both practical and theoretical. There Is another matter where ef fort and practice will accomplish much, that Js, In regard to tho actual con traction of the muscles themselves. There Is a small fraction of a second after a muscle gets its stlmulous -to contract before It actually does so. This Is called the "latent period." A large stimulus to a muscle will make It contract not merely harder, but quicker than a weak one. That ds, this latent period Is shontened, so .the start Is quicker. Then, too, practice will short en this period. Never practice long consecutively, it does more harm than good. A half dozen starts are enough. A great fault with amateurs Is ithat they practice too long, so that their nerves get tired and they consequently get into bod habits and do careless work. Never practice when you are tired or stale, It is in jurious and will only make you slow. To sum up what is under this head, practice! practice!! practice!!! Do your best every time. Do not practice when you are too tired to do your best work. Think only of the movement you are going to make. Make it with tre mendous effort. We now come to the second part, getlng up speed. Under this head we must consider the different styles of the starts. JUMP START. No. J. Cut No. 1 represents the position taken both for the ordinary "Jump" star,t and for the so-called "Yale" stant The objection to the position is that it Is very difficult to hold, the base being very small. A runner Is so liable to lose his balance while waiting for the pistol, and thus not be prepared to go when the right time comes, or step over the .line and be put back a yard. If one could stand flat-footed, It would en large the base, but this cannot be done. This position is especially risky for a In tho same position ais before. Second, tho runner must Jump from both logs to mako up for this dellolonoy, most of tho effort being thrown uixm one part of his body, viz., tho logs. Third, tho possibilities of jumping too far or not far enough, and thus not secure a bal ance. Other things being right, the second stride will bo a good one. YAL13 START. .jnMftTiMWwi ..vfic ifc fyjiHBB No. 2 a. To moot these difficulties and yet use the same position, the "Yale" start was designed. Cut No. 2a. represents tho first stride. Tho front log has advanced about eighteen Inches, and arms are swinging as In a regular stride. The balance Is never lost asIn the first one, and tho start does not simply depend upon tho effont of tho legs. HARVARD. No. 1 a. nervous man. Cut No. 3a. represents the first stride of the Jump start. Note the difficulties: First, the arms are not usedifn the start, for they are found No. 3. Cut No. 3 represents tho so-called Harvard start, it is the same position except that the opposite arm Is for ward. Hence the arms and legs aro In their proper relation from the be ginning. The effort of "getting off" is No. 3. a. not neaTly so great ns in No. 1. Cut No. 3a. represents the stride. PULL CROUCH. No. 4. Cut No. 4 represents the full crouch. Advantages: First, a large base. Few false staits are made from this posi tion. Second, the arms are used. Cut brought Into play In raising the trunk. To give more leverage with tho arms, out No. r, known as tho half crouch, has boon designed. Hero you have all tho advantages of base, spring of legs, swing of arms, and snap of baok. Cut No. B.n. No. 5a. represents the first stride. It Is proving vory popular and Is surely very safe. A person who expects to sprint next year ought to be pnctlolng in the gym nasium during tho winter. It Is a bad thing to practice with the Bame starter all the time, for ydu will got used to his method, and so will bo thrown out when you come to 'a new man. One of tho best ways to practice Is to have somo one light a flrctrackcr and hold It whore you cannot jee 'it, or light it yourself and drop It tn the floor behind you, then wait for it. There Is abso lutely no element o oertalnty In this and there Is no suol thing as beating the pistol In this way. This might be a good way to start races, using a can non cracker, of d)urse. From the Physical Educator, by permission. TWO TRAINS DAILY BETWBEN AND . Auburn, Falls City, Atchison, SI. Joseph, and Kansas City. City Ticket Office,4 1201 0 Street X. C. TOWVSEVD. ftei'l . fc r. a. r. B. OOXVXZiZi, O. ?. T. A . I The Funke Opera' House Block is tho placo to get your Choice Ameri ca Heauty and Hoses of any shade. Carnations and all lloral work guaran teed. Decorations a specialty. FREY & PREY, Florists. MUMMMBIJ, "T" J-"flH' 4 mmmWBxl ' x fnMfri'i No. 4 a. v No. 4a. will show their position In the first, but you will notice that there is a tendency to bend the one coming for ward, hence shortening the lever. Third, the snap of the back. A new ele ment Is brought in here, in that the HALF CROUCH. THE.,. NEBRAS-AN FOR THE " J."" SECOND SEMESTER ...40 cents Burlington's personally conducted excursions to Utah and California. A Pullman tourist sleeping car will leave Lincoln every Thursday at 12:15 ,p. m. for Denver, Salt Lake, Ogden, San FranclRCo and Los Angeles. Only $5 for a double berth Lincoln to Loa An geles In one of these cars. Remember there is no change of cars. For full In formation and tickets apply at Bur lington & Missouri depot or city ticket office, corner Tenth and O streets. G. W. Bonnell, C. P. & T. A. No. 5. body is flexed upon the lege. Thus the powerful muscles of the back are vaij 1 uhtain A PATENT? For fimfc ?rtl 2$ V onwt opinion. wmftS MUrin as CO., who havo bad nerlrahy rear experience In the patent buslneKaT ClJST Patents taken through iinnn A fin mmi on? 3 JS0t?ldeJjr before ttio pobliowttt t This spneo is rosorvod for II. II. Pioroo, bloyolos and bl'oyolo rofmlrs. 141 No 13th stroot. Hultor Block. HAS BEEN RE-OPENED BY Francis Bros. THE MOST CONVENIENT PLACE FOR STUDENTS OPEN ALL NIGHT. Oysters emd &me in Season. 121 North Eleventh Street. SHORT ORDERS OUR SPECIALTY. -:- GIVE US A TRIAL. 11 1 !! CAPITAL CAFE The Lincoln Salt Baths, j - - - ' "J Cor. 14th & M Streets. LINCOLN, NEBRASKA. OPEN AT ALL HOURS DAY OR NIGHT. SULPHO-SALINE BATH HOUSE AND SANITARIUM tUonP?rRNM "PMlal ntlon to the nppll. 226 So. I 1th St Ground Floor. Svzcial l&aks to Stubents. 30 CENT O p. FOR TENT DAYS Francss Bros. wiU seU $1 10 commutation tickets to the students for 80 n? tirZl Z r? P0 our new piece ot Dusmess to the Univerflitv af,a, , thing is first class. Our coffee is dilicious. Open all, Night 127 No. 1 1 fir TUU KNU Mfthe apparatus for half soling in tho neatest stylo, the lateat point shoes and up-to-date styles, it would pay you to bring all your shoo repair work to 1 00 South llth pc. au worjc guaranteed. J, HI Pettit .,,.', Matter Doge . -. printer 1115 P Street, Lincoln CARDS. PROGRAMS, IN VITATIONS. Good Work. Prke Beaaojahls. MJMKIMlTJilWWWWItWIWWBWWf mwMWcwiiiwwi.ii.MMii.imirtiwirttairiitiii --yrtgiHfHrtmwm "I"11' ' f ji' ' E?T "W w m