1938-39

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GAMES AND PHYSICAL FITNESS
weather. Water and natural mineral waters are the best form of
liquid for the body, while tea, coffee and alcohol should only be taken
in moderation. Actually the body can use as food a maximum of
two fluid ounces of alcohol in 24 hours. Any excess of this amount
cannot be used up and so circulates in the body unchanged, acting
as a poison to the tissues. Even small amounts of alcohol affect
the nervous and neuro-muscular system and exercise a detrimental
effect on the powers of co-ordination which must be kept in the
highest state of efficiency to play any game successfully. If alcohol is
taken, beer or light wines are the best. Spirits, heavy liqueurs and
heavy wines and cocktails are all injurious to training and should
be avoided.
Smoking.—The principal difficulty as regards smoking is to
keep within reasonable bounds. When going into strict training
smoking must be given up altogether. Like alcohol, it affects the
powers of co-ordination and in addition has a bad effect- on the
" wind." On the other hand, the moderate use. of tobacco appears
to be helpful to some people. Individual susceptibility to tobacco
varies, and each one must determine for himself the amount he
may consume without harm. Some sort of daily ration equivalent
to a single figure of cigarettes is a rough guide, reducing it or
abandoning it altogether should any symptom of excess appear.
As to what form the use of tobacco should take is a question for
the individual. It should be noted, however, that the injurious
effect of tobacco varies with the nicotine content of the smoke.
Actually the nicotine content of smoke in relation to that of the
tobacco from which it is derived is greatest in smoke from a pipe,
somewhat less in the smoke from a cigar, and least of all in the
smoke from a cigarette, but the common habit of inhaling the smoke
of cigarettes increases the danger from them.
It is interesting to note that records kept at the Army School
of Physical Training of a large number of men over a long period
prove conclusively that the non-smoker is superior in stamina to
the moderate and heavy smoker.
Exercise.—Regular exercise is an important adjunct to physical
fitness, and the individual who wishes to keep himself in good trim
for games must keep his muscles regularly exercised. Many
people consider that the actual playing of a game is sufficient and
that nothing else is needed. To a very limited extent this is true,
but many games are one-sided and tend to employ and exercise
only certain muscles. Many games and sports cannot from their
strenuous nature be engaged in every day. To obtain the fullest
benefit from physical exercise, it must be done regularly. The
sedentary worker, who works in an office five and a half days a week
and who spends Saturday afternoon and Sunday in taking violent or
prolonged exercise, probably does himself more harm than good in
the long run, as his exercise is not regular, and by the time Monday
morning comes he is tired both mentally and physically, instead
of being refreshed and rested by his short holiday from work.
There are many ways of ensuring regular exercise, one of them