In Training

There are few things about which so many mistaken notions exist as about training. There are several reasons for this, but most of the erroneous ideas may be traced back to the days when professional pugilists and runners were the only men who ever entered on any athletic exercise with any sort of organised preparation. For them a severe course of training was possibly a necessity. They were for the most part men well advanced in years and naturally fleshy ; and to achieve the feats which they accomplished they no doubt found it necessary to reduce their weight, and for this purpose to take a great deal of exercise and to avoid all food tending to the formation of flesh; but for the average school-boy who plays football or fives, or goes paperchasing, or, in fact, takes the ordinar y amount of boy’s exercise, training, as it is generally misunderstood, is quite unnecessary, even if not harmful. He has no superfluous fat of which to rid himself, so any sweating which he may do only weakens him and renders him liable to cold. His lungs are in proper order and therefore his wind is good, and so there is no need for him to deprive himself of vegetables or his favourite pies or puddings. All he wants is to lead a healthy active life, and to do a fair amount of practice in the particular branch of athletics in which he hopes to excel.