Page:Japanese Physical Training (Hancock).djvu/75

Rh the men bends forward in such a manner as to lift the other off his feet, and holds him clear of the ground as long as possible. To hold one's companion off his feet in this manner for a period of ten seconds is all that should be striven for at first. In time it becomes possible to hold an antagonist free of the ground for the space of at least a full minute. A graduate in jiu-jitsu could easily carry a companion in this position for a distance equal to that of the length of several of our city blocks.

At the outset, especially, not all of the tasks already described can be undertaken in a single practice bout. The exercises should be taken in rotation, and with a view to giving equal strain and development to all parts. No instructor of jiu-jitsu will allow his student to benefit one portion of the body at the expense of another. When the American learner in jiu-jitsu begins, it will be well for him to note the amount of exertion he can endure in each one of the exercises, the length of time required for the work and for the intermediate breathing, and on this basis he can formulate a schedule that will show him exactly the