tough and strong that there is no danger of
straining or bruising. For the leg muscles, rubbing with alcohol is
good, but do not resort to this too frequently. And in order to have the
leg muscles in the best of condition, do not indulge in the frog motion
and other exercises for a week or two previous to a match.

For practice the jumper should have two square posts about two inches
thick, made of almost any kind of wood, and bored with holes one inch
apart up to five feet eight inches, and half an inch apart above that.
The pegs should be three inches long, and the bar, made of pine, should
be about twelve feet long and one inch square. The posts are placed
eight feet apart, and it is usual to hang a handkerchief over the centre
of the crossbar, so that it can be seen better. A jumper must _always_
keep his eye on the bar from the time he starts to run until he lands
safely on the other side. The runway should be eight feet wide and about
forty feet long. It should be made of cinders, well rolled, and ought to
be kept dampened so as to make it springy. Beyond the posts the earth
should be turned over and raked, so as to make a soft landing-place.

There is no rule about how far off from the bar a jumper should start to
run. The nearer the better, because less power is then wasted on the
approach. In No. 1 the jumper has just started. He takes an easy gait at
first, with his eye fixed on the bar, and he regulates his speed and his
step so as to come to the "take-off" with his left foot. In jumping all
the work is done with the left foot. A good way for a beginner to
determine how far from the bar to take-off is to stand before it on one
foot and lift the other until he can touch the cross-piece with his
toes. He takes-off as far back as he can thus place one foot and touch
the bar with the other. This distance from the base line between the
posts to the take-off is usually equal to the height of the bar from the
ground.

As the jumper approaches the bar he runs as fast as he can, and in
picture No. 2 he reaches the take-off with his left foot. His heel
strikes first (as may clearly be seen from the heavy mark underneath
it), and gives the power for the jump. The toe merely gives direction to
the motion imparted by the heel and the big shin muscle which connects
with the heel. The leap has now begun, and with the right foot rising
the jumper begins to sail over the bar. His line of travel is a perfect
semicircle, begi