Page:Boating - Woodgate - 1888.pdf/81

 the back is bent, care must be taken that the bend docs not imerease or decrease during the stroke; whether straight or bent, the back should be rigid,

The conformation and development of the muscles of the back are not quite the same in all subjects, With some persons absolute straightness of back comes almost naturally ; with others the attainment of straightness is not a matter of much difficulty. With others, again, a slight amount of curve in the back is more natural under the strain of the oar, even with all attention and cndeavour to keep the back flat. With such as these any artificial straightening of the back, that places it in a position in which the muscles, as they are adapted to the frame, have not the fullest and freest play, detracts from rather than adds to the power of the oarsman.

But in all cases it is important that the back, whether straight or slightly arched, should be rigid, and should swing from the hips. If the swing takes place from one or more of the vertebrae of the spine, the force which the oarsman can by such actions produce is far less than would be the case if he kept his spine rigid and had swung to and fro from his hips.

In order to facilitate the entire body in swinging from the hips, and not from one of the vertebrae, the legs should be opened, and the knees induced outward, as the body swings forward. The body can then lower itself to a greater reach forward, and directly from the hips ; whereas if the knees are placed together the thighs check the forward motion of the body, and compel it, if it remains rigid, to curtail its forward reach, (If the vertebrae bend when the swing from the hips is checked by the bent knees, the extra reach thus attained is weak, and of conyparatively minor effect.)

Next (2) the shoulders have to be rigid. If they give way, and if the sockets stretch when the strain of the oar is felt, the effect of the stroke is evidently weakened. Now if the shoul- ders are stretched forward at the beginning of the stroke, the muscles which govern and support them have not the same