1957-58

ATHLETICS
239
(iv) Remember that he is a leader and not a driver.
(v) Remember that training is hard. It.calls for firm discipline,
but this must be administered tactfully.
(vi) Bear in mind that cross-country running is a self-imposed
task and it is only through the captain's leadership that
the men will be able to overcome the difficulties encoun-
tered in completing this task.
(vii) Remember that the team must run as a team .the whole
time, the individual must sink himself into the team and
the stronger men must support the weaker.
C.
Hints on Training
a Tug-of
-War Team
Selection of Men to Train
Under Royal Tournament Rules, a Tug-of-War team consists
of eight men and one coach. There are two weights of team, namely" :
(i) The Heavy-weight Team, not exceeding loo stone.
(2) The Light-weight Team, not exceeding 88 stone.
In selecting men for either team, it should be borne in mind that
Tug-of-War is an exceedingly strenuous exercise and training for
it can" be very monotonous. The men selected must, therefore, be
definitely keen, hardworking and cheerful characters. Any man
of surly disposition or given to frequent grousing is much better left
out of the team as he will have a very bad effect on the others.
The men should be of stocky build, with broad shoulders, thick
thighs and legs, and well-developed arms. They should be as
nearly as possible all the same size. Above all, they must have
plenty of grit and be prepared to put up with any amount of hard
work.
It is comparatively easy to find a light-weight team in a unit, but
it is much more difficult to find a team of eight well-developed men
totalling ioo stone. The fat, flabby man is useless, no matter how
heavy he may be. If difficulty is experienced in selecting the heavy-
weight team, it should be remembered that keenness, strength and
stamina are more important than actual weight, and it is better to
have eight really good men a little under weight rather than to put
in a couple of substitute men to make up the weight.
Kit
and
Apparatus
The following kit
is
recommended for training purposes
Old Football Vests—at least two per man to allow for frequent
washing. The sleeves must be sufficiently long to afford
protection from the rope under the arm.
Old Football Shorts—at least two per. man.
A High-necked Sweater—for use on road work and in cold
weather. A service cardigan and muffler will suffice if sweater
is not available.
Old Boots—es long as the soles are reasonably good and the
boots comfortable the general condition of them does not
matter. For competition work, however, really sound boots
should be worn. They should be " broken in " beforehand.