Page:Boating - Woodgate - 1888.pdf/192

 the wasted tissues of brain or body, or both, to recuperate. Tt is when in a state of repose that the blood, newly made from the latest meal, courses through the system and replenishes what has been wasted during the day. Recruits are never measured for the standard at the end of a day’s march, but next day—after a good rest. Cartilage, sinew, muscle, alike waste. “The writer used, after racing the Henley course, perhaps thrice in an evening's practice (twice in a four or eight and afterwards in a pair-oar or sculling boat, &c.), to take a good nine hours’ sound sleep, and awoke all the better for it. Some men keep on growing to a comparatively late age in life ; such men require more sleep, while thus increasing in size, than others who have earlier attained full bulk and maturity, Asa rule, and regardless of what raany other trainers may say to the contrary, the writer believes that the majority of men in training may sleep nine hours with advantage.

The period of training varies according to circumstances, A man of twenty-five and upwards, who has been lying by for months, it may be for a year or two, can do with three months of it. ‘lhe first half should be less severe than the last. He can begin with steady work, to redevelope his muscles, and to reduce his bulk (if he is much over weight) by degrees. The jast six weeks should be ‘strict’ in every sense. He can get into ‘hunting’ condition in the first six weeks, and progress to ‘racing’ condition in the succeeding six.

University crews train from five to six weeks, The men are young, and have, most of them, been in good exercise some time before strict training begins.

College crews cannot give much more than three weeks to train for the summer Lumping races ; tideway crews have been doing a certain amount of work for weeks before they go into strict training for Henley ; this last stage usually lasts about four weeks.

It is often supposed that a man needs less training for a short than fora long course. This is a mistake. ‘The longer he prepares himself, so long as he does not overdo himself, the