WARMING UP. 



DR. E. G. LANCASTER. 



It is a cominou ami generally observed phenomenon that 

 when one starts for a long walk there comes a period of 

 fatigue, which, with many people, passes away after continued 

 walking. The same ijhenomenon may be noticed with most 

 people in any kind of mental (U* physical activity. A student 

 sits down for a long period of study or writing. There may 

 be at first a feeling of fatigue or awkwardness or that he has 

 not yet " found the combination " which, after a time, gives 

 place to. a growing facility that increases until exhaustion 

 demands a rest. 



The same thing may be noticed in animals. Dogs on the 

 chase, the animals pursued, and especially race-horses show 

 the etfect of warming up. It is said of two famous trotters, 

 each of which has reduced the world's record within a few 

 years, that the period of warming up was very character- 

 istic. One was driven two miles at a 2:30 gait, rested, rub- 

 bed, taken out for his fast mile but driven a full mile at about 

 the same pace as before, until approaching the wire, when he 

 was driven at full speed and the record was taken thus on the 

 fourth mile. So much warming up was necessary. The 

 other was jogged one mile, rubbed, then taken to the quarter 

 pole and gradually urged to her highest speed and the record 

 was taken on this the second mile. 



Athletes, especially ball-players, realize the importance of 

 practice just before the games, to be followed by a slight rest. 

 A pitcher would hardly enter the box till he had got his arm 

 in working order by a few minutes' practice. Orators often 

 are dull at first but warm up. It is said that Wendell Phillips 

 was often hissed for his slow, uninteresting speech but rallied 

 to the occasion at such times with his masterly oratory. We 

 need not multiply instances. It can be seen and felt almost 

 anywhere or any time, in one way or another. 



