Healthful Sports for Boys

itself in the water for the first time, for it takes a p

imbs to which he has not previously been accustomed. Still, the specific gravity of the human body, particularly when the cavity of the chest is filled with air, is lighter than that of water, in proportion to the obesity of the individual, stout people being able to float more easily than those of spare build. There a

ces as in the large rivers or the salt sea. For it must be remembered i

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. Every man, woman, and child- even if never in the water before-could keep afloat if he, she or it had

be no doubt but that familiarity makes for confidence. The new recruit may be as strong and brave as the veteran soldier, but the la

, the boy who can swim, and who is properly proud of the fact, will, if he stops to think, recall a time not very far distant when he lacked confidence and could not keep him

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ost pleasure-who was holding a smaller boy under the water. We fought quite naked, and-well, I

losopher and friend of the younger boys, and if you know more than they do of anything, and they want to learn, teach them in a cheery, manly

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depth of which you are not familiar with, unless you can swim, and in any event do not vent

nes, and in this way they teach by assuring confide

ng for years in nearly all the waters of the world, I cannot endorse such doubtful assistance. A

nd it should be made in the

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your head, at their fullest extent, the palms uppermost and slightly hollowed. Take a full breath, and swelling out the chest, give a little push off the bottom with both feet. Keep your mouth shut, as, perhaps for an instant only, the water will ripple on your face as the head takes its posi

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ke breath, shut your mouth, but not your eyes, which you can open and shut as easily in the water as out, duck under, and try to pick up the egg. You will find that while your legs rise from the bottom you will have to struggle with your arms to get down far enough to reach the "egg," owing t

ext thing to be done is to try to move on the surface of that eleme

principle which sustains the oyster shell that skips along the surface of the sea, until, the impetus given it by the t

eath once, the battle is won; and while you may not be qualified to enter fo

comes to swimming, all the book can do is to advise, and if the author gives

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k to it. Repeat over and over again either of the two exercises before given. Each time you will find them easier. Then suddenly, and before you know it, you will be keeping yourself afloat. Wh

s in swimming, but pay no att

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, it might as well be called the fashion of any other animal, for all quadrupeds swim exactly as they walk, th

stroke," which, though not the fastest, is perhaps the most general, as it is the mos

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s when swimming. That is, the boy draws his legs up simultaneously and kicks them out in the same way, but in so doing he is not imitating a frog, for if he works the limbs together there is no other possible way in which he can do it under water. The

ence, and I have seen many swimmers in many waters. The legs steady the body, but it is the arms t

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s straight out in front of you, keeping your thumbs touching. As your hands are pushed forward, kick backward with your legs, as previously described. When the knees are stra

s they almost come together at the completion of the leg stroke. Hence, the wider the stretch the more powerful the "drive," and the beginner should try to rival as closely as possible that acrobatic performance known as "the splits" when trying to master the kick. The action of arms and legs is alternate; that is to say, when the legs are making their sweep, the arms are thrown forward to their full

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the effort. In this position, bring them up till the chin rests on the two thumbs, which are side by side and parallel. Next separate the hands, fingers still close

often as may be necessary. This exercise will strengthen the arm and shoulder mu

ater the speed, so that all rising and falling must be avoided, and nothing seen below the chin. Always keep the trunk steady and the spine hollowed, avoiding all squirming, wriggling and bending, while the motions must be made steadily, avoiding all hurry. Exhale