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jar resulting from an ordinary vault over, with 3-inch rails, is something to remember. We can recollect once injuring one of our wrists seriously in this manner. Moreover, when a fair grasp is impossible, many of the exercisesmost of them, indeed--are also ipso facto impossible, and thus many beginners are disgusted at the outset: they are told to begin with such and such exercises, as simple preliminaries to others more advanced; they find after repeated trials that they cannot even make a commencement, and naturally soon give up the whole thing in despair.

For ordinary purposes, that is, for people not of exceptional stature, the most useful dimensions are these: height from the ground, four feet eight inches; distance apart, eighteen inches, or nineteen at most; for boys, seventeen or even sixteen will be sufficient. The length should not be less than seven feet, and the bars should be round, and of a diameter of two-and-aneighth inches.

Oval bars are sometimes used, but we prefer the round ones, as they feel more natural, most of the other apparatus being of similar form.

For the uprights no dimensions need be given: all that is needful is that they should be sufficiently strong. They should be fitted into a stout wooden frame, firmly morticed together. When in use, this frame must be fastened to the floor by screws. If required for a playground, or any place where it is necessary to have them fixed, they may readily be secured by wooden stakes or wedges driven into the ground.

A more convenient way is to sink the posts permanently into the ground; but then they are liable to decay from the damp, and thus to become unsafe.

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THE VAULTING-HORSE is of all gymnastic apparatus that which has been hitherto most neglected in this country, and even now in many parts the most rudimentary ideas as to its proper use and construction are extant.

One of

our writers on gymnastics describes it as being simply the trunk of a tree mounted on four legs. Now, this is most barbarous, and calls loudly upon us to" reform it altogether," as the use of it is much more likely to cause injury than benefit to any one attempting feats of agility upon it. The sketch will give an idea of a proper vaulting-horse.

There are various lengths for these horses, but the one you will find to be the most generally useful is six feet long and about sixteen inches across the back. It is covered with cow-hide all over and evenly padded, and is generally made with one end a little raised, with a slight bend corresponding to the neck of the animal which is its prototype; and this gives some form to it, and is useful as a mark where to place the hands.

There are two pommels placed about the centre, eighteen inches apart, and movable, so that the horse may be used without them if required; and in this case flush pommels, level with the back of the horse, are inserted into the grooves.

The legs must be made to slide up and down after the manner of a telescope, so that the horse may be used at heights varying from about three feet six inches to six feet.

It is also necessary to have a solid deal board, about three feet square, rising in thickness from a feather-edge to three inches, for taking what is technically termed a "beat" off, which is very useful in exercises which require to be performed lengthways on the horse. Of course it is not used as a springboard, but only to give a firm foundation for the feet in jumping, and particularly to mark the place of starting when increasing or diminishing the distance from the horse.

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The ladders, hanging ropes, and so on, we need not describe. There are, however, two more requisites to which we should wish to direct attention. One is the HAND-RINGS: two ropes, as if for a hanging bar, but terminating instead each in an iron ring covered with leather, and large enough for the hand to grasp comfortably. These rings are made of various shapes; but that which we recommend as the most practically useful is the stirrup.

One other requisite, indispensable for safety in first essays at many of the

feats we shall describe, is the LUNGERS, so called. This is a strong broad leather belt to buckle round the waist, with on iron ring or eye at each side. To these eyes are strongly attached ropes, one on each side, of sufficient strength to support the weight of the wearer. The figure will indicate the method of using it. (Fig. 4.)

This is an invaluable safeguard for novices, and enables many to learn quickly-simply by the fearlessness it engenders-many a difficult feat which they would otherwise never dream of attempting.

We cannot help thinking that a similar appliance, only a little more above the centre of gravity, would prove of immense service in learning difficult figures in skating. Ladies, too, might profit by it in their first efforts, as all fear of unseemly falls would be quite dispelled.

So much for the construction of an apparatus; now for the use to be made of it. We will begin with

THE HORIZONTAL BAR.

But before we begin it must first be put into good condition. Most likely there will be a little grease on it from previous practice, which it is highly important should be removed before commencing. This is done in the following manner: Take a wet cloth (without soap or soda, as any kind of alkali will raise the grain of the wood and make it rough), and rub the bar with it; then get a few feet of rope-I find thick sash-line the best—give it one turn round the bar, and, taking hold of each end, rub it up and down, gradually moving it from one end to the other. The friction will dry the wood, remove the grease or dirt, and put on a good surface.

The bar being now in good condition, wash your hands perfectly clean, and you are ready to commence. You will find that there is no resin required, which every gymnast is compelled to use if the bar is not kept in good order. The use of resin is bad for various reasons: it will dirty your hands, and if you have not practised much it will cause blisters sooner than otherwise. I have sometimes seen the skin of hard hands torn, and wounds ensue, preventing further practice for some time. But if you are obliged to use resin, do it judiciously: powder a little, and rub only the tips of the fingers in it; avoid, above all things, getting it into the palm of the hands, as it will make them stick to the bar, and it is also very likely to cause jerks in swinging, and the grip will not be so certain as when the hands move smoothly round. These details may appear rather tedious, but you will find them useful, as they apply to all apparatus where the wood is handled.

Now, there is another thing you must bear in mind, and that is, the way in which you must take hold of the bar.

Some say that you should take hold of it as you would a handle, with the thumb underneath; but we think that there is no doubt that the proper way is the same as that in which a monkey holds the branch of a tree-the thumb on the same side as the fingers. If the thumb be underneath, in all ordinary swinging exercises it has a tendency to draw the fingers off: although in some few slow movements it may be under, yet, as a rule, it is better above.

Now, keeping what has been said in mind, let us try some actual exercises. Jump up at the bar, and hang with the hands, the body, arms, and legs perfectly straight, and the feet close together.

Hardly anything looks worse than to see the legs swinging about in all directions when you are performing an exercise; be careful, therefore, to keep

them quite quiet every unnecessary movement, you must recollect, is so much wasted force, and so much, therefore, taken from your chance of performing the feat.

To perform all feats quietly and easily shows the finished gymnast; and so

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far from violent exertions being the test of difficulty, the reverse is generally the case, and the easiest-looking feats are very often the hardest, and vice verså. And, besides, these irregular movements only tend to tire you.

Now, having hold of the bar with both hands, draw yourself up until the chin is above the bar; then lower the body until the arms are quite straight again.

Practise this exercise as often as you can without tiring, or until you can perform it six or eight times in succession, which you will not do until you have practised for some little time.

Beginners must now try a few gentle exercises, such as hanging by each hand alternately, the other close to the side.

Then begin to walk along the bar by the hands, taking alternate steps with them, making the steps as equal as possible, and keeping, as we said before, the legs hanging quietly down. Go in this manner from one end to the other, then reverse the hands, and back again.

Now draw yourself up, with your chin above the bar, as in Fig. 5, and repeat the walk in this position.

Next try a few good swings backward and forward at arms' length: you will find that you will swing farther each time, until you can swing your body almost into a horizontal position.

All these little exercises should be repeated as often as possible; they help to strengthen the muscles, and accustom the hands to the feel of the bar.

TO GET ON THE BAR.

Draw yourself up as in the last figure (Fig. 5), then suddenly drop the whole

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of the right side, raising at the same time the left leg and throwing it over the bar, as in Fig. 6. Now establish a good swing with the right leg, and you

will bring your body well over the bar, when a sudden exertion of muscle will bring you sitting in the attitude of Fig. 7. This is by no means an easy thing to do at first; but persevere, and, after a few failures, you will suddenly find you have succeeded: once accomplished, it will come easy enough.

At first you will find it hard matter enough to get your legs up to the bar at all. Beginners mostly try to lift the toes without bending the knees, and, of course, find it beyond their powers. Bring your knees up to your chin, doubling your feet well into your body, and you will find it come easy enough. There is another method of getting on to the bar, by bringing the leg up through the hands, and with one good swing bringing yourself roundly up. You may try either of these methods, but nothing but continued practice will enable you to master either of them; but when you do, and can get on to the bar in a respectable manner, you may consider you are making some progress. We now proceed to

THE LEG-SWING.

Being in your original position, as in Fig. 7, throw your right leg as far behind you as possible, at the same time slipping the other leg backward, and catching by the bend of the knee, as in Fig. 8. Then throw the head back with a good swing (keeping the arms straight), and you will thus make one turn backward round the bar.

You will find at first you are apt to make a half-turn too much; but after a little practice you will be able to regulate the first swing so as to go round once, and come up into your first position with a good balance.

Next try two or three turns without stopping; but always endeavour to finish above the bar, as at starting. It is bad to stop as in Fig. 9, as you are disabled for the next exercise.

FIG. 8.

FIG. 9.

FIG. 10.

For the forward swing, reverse the hands, keeping the whole weight of the body on the arms, throw the head well to the front, and with one plunge forward-keeping tight hold with the hands, and the body erect, as in Fig. 10you will make one forward revolution round the bar.

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