28 Colorado College Studies, 



of " second wind "" is closely allied tliouf^h not the same as 

 warming up. It is manifest that generally when people 

 speak of getting their second wind they mean they are 

 warmed up. This would apply always in all cases except 

 violent exercise, like running, where both phenomena are 

 present. There is no doubt that warming up gives better 

 control of the muscular system in running and other violent 

 exercise. The difficulty in breathing which passes away may 

 be merely an adjustment of the breathing to the increased 

 quantity of blood in the lungs caused by rapid muscular 

 activity. 



Second wind, when spoken of in connection with study, 

 speaking, and muscular activity involving only a part or few 

 of the muscles, and in slow movements, is a misnomer. There 

 is no such thing. It is warming up. The subject who shows 

 no warming up in the above experiments, gets his " second 

 wind " in running. His physical system probably can exert 

 more power at first than later, but he adjusts his breathing 

 to the demand. 



The importance of warming up is greatly underestimated. 

 If one is properly trained so that he can warm up at will he 

 is able to use a tremendous power, even that of the insane or 

 frightened person, and then relax to rest and recruit the ex- 

 hausted nerve cells. 



Every one has great power, both mental and physical, that 

 he has never used. The insane laborer may become a poet 

 or musician of high order. What he can do at all, is in his 

 power any time, if he were so trained as to use it. 



Lombroso, in his book "Genius and Insanity," tells of 

 various things which men of genius do to get their inspira- 

 tion. A great crisis, national or individual, develops, as in 

 the case of the Polish boy, the latent possibilities in one's 

 character and makes the Lincoln or the Grant out of the 

 country lawyer or the tanner. The person who cannot warm 

 up can never meet a great occasion. The person who warms 

 up greatly and yet controls his activity may do anything 

 within human possibilities. Not only the large motor areas 

 of the brain come to aid the part in central use, but the sensory 



