666 VITALITY AND EFFICIENCY WITH RESTRICTED DIET. 



these very definite opinions in regard to this diet and its relation to the fitness 

 of men for athletic performance." 



Professor Louis C. Schroeder had immediate charge of the gymna- 

 sium work of the men. On the occasion when he came to interview 

 one of the authors, he stated that he had some definite ideas about 

 the men and their physical condition during the diet experiment. 

 These he gave without being questioned. 



"The program in gymnasium work consists of an hour and a half each day 

 for 5 days of the week. They spend about 7 minutes in marching, 20 minutes 

 in vigorous calisthenics, 30 minutes in apparatus work, 20 minutes in gymnas- 

 tic dancing, and about 10 minutes in a game. In the calisthenic work the 

 men simply did not have the endurance; they would work quite well for 

 about 5 minutes and after that could not keep up with the other men in the 

 class. With the apparatus work they did not have* the strength to do what 

 is here (at Springfield) considered the ordinary senior apparatus work; strength 

 was lacking. What was true of the cahsthenic work was also true of the 

 gymnastic dancing, which was more vigorous than the calisthenics. 



In the apparatus exercises on parallel bars, in which there was considerable 

 Buppoft work, as, for example, in doing shoulder stand, the men on diet did 

 not have the motor control or the strength that was demonstrated by the 

 others or had been previously shown by themselves; they did not come up 

 to expectations. I am not saying they would make a poor showing in all 

 gymnastics and athletic work. In our calisthenics here at Springfield the 

 efforts demanded are what you might call of an explosive type — quick and 

 intense; they do not require the same qualities, perhaps, as the running of a 

 long distance race, but might be better likened to the sprint at the finish. 

 Any particular explosive calisthenic fexercise might be repeated 20 or 30 times 

 successively and in this sense, they test endurance." 



When asked about the application of such a dietetic regime to the 

 life of the soldier Professor Schroeder said : 



" In long rhythmic marching, when the men would gradually work into it, 

 I have no way of judging whether the individuals on such a diet could stand 

 up to the game with their fellows or would be better or poorer. But in circum- 

 stances requiring intense, extreme exertion, the gymnasium experience would 

 indicate that this sort of a food reduction, at least in the degree here employed, 

 would place the soldier in a very precarious condition." 



Professor Schroeder made the following comments concerning Pea- 

 body, who served as his assistant during the winter and conducted the 

 army work class in calisthenics and games 1 hour per day : 



"The standing of the cross-country teams with which we contested this 

 year can not be stated surely. I do not know if they were better, poorer, or 

 of average ability. Considering the large number of college men who are 

 now in Government service, some might assume that the teams would not 

 be up to standard. Nevertheless, we were all enthusiastic over the remark- 

 able physical ability and endurance which Peabody showed in these races. 

 In the gymnasium, however, he was not able to perform up to his standard 

 on the apparatus. In the rapid calisthenics he showed more energy and 

 endurance than any other man in Squad A. ; there is no question about it. I 

 am not ready to admit that he did as well as usual." 



