_To bring both legs over._--From the first position, after a little movement of balancing, bring both legs, close and at once, over one of the bars forwards, without touching it or moving your hands from the place. The same ought to be made backwards, from right to left.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_To jump out._--After having communicated to the body a movement of balance, the moment at which the legs are raised over the bars, jump backwards over the right without touching it with the feet or waist; then perform the same jump forwards. By the vaulting jump you may easily come between the bars, and also bring your body over both without touching them otherwise than with your hands.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_To rise and sink down._--Being in equilibrium in the middle of the bars, place the legs backwards, the heels close to the upper part of the thigh. From this position, come gently down, till the elbows nearly meet behind the back, then rise up gently without any impulse or touching the ground with your feet.

_To kiss the bar behind the hands._--In the same position as before, bring the body gently down between the bars without touching the ground with your knees; kiss the bar behind each hand alternately, and then rise up in the first position.

_Jumping on the Bars._--Keep the knees straight and jump along the bars backward and forward. Afterwards, do the same with the fingers turned inside. These will be learned easier, if the young gymnast tries them first with bent knees.

[Ill.u.s.tration: WALKING ON THE BARS.]

_Walking on the Bars._--Walk on the hands to the end and back again. In walking backwards, take care to keep the elbows straight, or you will come down. When this is done with ease, do the same, only keep your fingers inside the bars.

[Ill.u.s.tration: L.]

L.--Sit on the ground between the bars; take hold of the bars with your hands and raise your body still in the sitting position, and stay there as long as you can. When that is learned, jump along the bars in the same att.i.tude. Keep your knees straight, and don't mind if your limbs ache a little.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_The Arm Swing._--Rest the fore arms on the bars, and swing. When tired of swinging, let the body hang straight, and then rise on the hands. Not easy at first, but soon done with practice.

_The Roll._--Rest on the fore arms, swing backward, and turn completely over, catching the bars under the arms. It looks difficult, but is easy enough, only wanting a little nerve.

_The Ja.n.u.s._--Sit astride the bars, having your hands rather behind. Now raise the feet, swing through the bars, and come up astride on the other side. Your arms will then be twisted, and your face will be looking in the opposite direction. Swing boldly, or the shins will be knocked against the bars.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_The Sausage._--Kneel on the bars. Stretch the hands as far forward as possible, and hitch the toes over the bars behind, at the same time stretching them backwards as far as possible. Now let the body sink between the bars, being supported by the hands and insteps. Now rise again. Difficult, but soon learnt.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_To stand on a bar._--Sit astride one of the bars. Place the heel of the right foot on the bar, hitching the left instep under it. Draw yourself up by means of the left instep. Take care of your balance. This is a very useful accomplishment, and may possibly stand the gymnast in good stead.

_The Drop._--Stand on the bars with each foot over one of the posts.

Spring slightly into the air, put the feet together, and come down stiff, catching yourself by your hands. This should be done over the posts, as the bars might be broken, were the weight of the faller to come in the middle.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_The Spring._--Swing at one end, and with a sudden impulse leap to the other on your hands. Take care of the balance of the body, or you will come on your back between the bars.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_The Barber's Curl._--Hang on one end of the bars as in the L. Keep the knees straight, and turn over slowly, not letting the feet come to the ground. Stay there while you count ten, and come back the same way.

THE HORIZONTAL BAR.

Let two strong upright posts be firmly fastened into the ground, about six feet apart, and let a wooden bar be strongly mortised into their tops. The bar should be made of white deal, about two inches and a half in diameter. The bar must have no knot in it, or it will break. It should be so high from the ground that a spring is required to reach it with the hands. The surface of the bar should be free from all roughnesses, but not polished.

_The Grasp._--The fingers should be hooked over the pole, keeping the thumb on the same side as the fingers. Hang as long as possible, first with both hands, then with each hand by turns.--See p. 244.

_The Walk._--Hang by the hands, and walk by them from one end of the pole to the other, backwards and forwards. Do not slip. Do it first with both hands on the same side of the pole, afterwards with a hand at each side.--See p. 244.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE GRASP.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE WALK.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: BREASTING THE BAR.]

_Breasting the Bar._--Hang by the hands, and draw up the body slowly until the chest touches the bar. Practise this as often as possible--knees straight.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_Kicking the Bar._--Hang by the hands and draw up the feet very slowly until the instep touches the pole. Do it several times. Difficult at first, but soon learned. Do not kick about, or jerk yourself upward, or you may strain yourself.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_Swinging._--Hang by the hands and swing backwards and forwards.

Practise this until your heels are considerably above your head each way. After a while, let go of the pole as you swing back, and catch it again as you come down. An inch or two at first is enough, but do not be satisfied until the hands can have a s.p.a.ce of eight or ten inches between themselves and the bar.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_To sit on the Bar._--Hang by the hands, and pa.s.s one of your feet through them, hitching your knee over the bar. Then give a good swing backwards, and come up sitting on the bar with one leg. Now draw the other leg over, and do not tumble off.

_Circling the Bar._--Hang by the hands, and curl the body gently over the bar. If it is too difficult, stop for a minute or two, try something else, and after an interval try it again. It will be soon learned.

_The true Lover's Knot._--Grasp the bar; pa.s.s the left knee through the right arm, so as to let the knee rest in the elbow; pa.s.s the right knee over the instep of the left foot; let go with the left hand, and with it grasp the right foot. You will now be suspended by the right hand, and will be packed up in a remarkably small s.p.a.ce. Take care of the right wrist, or you will spin round and twist off.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CIRCLING THE BAR.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: TRUE LOVER'S KNOT.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Pa.s.sING THROUGH THE ARMS.]

_Pa.s.sing through the Arms._--Hang by the hands, and bring the feet between them, permitting them to pa.s.s through until they can nearly touch the ground; now return in the same way. This cannot be done properly without practising, as the muscles of the shoulder blades must be capable of great relaxation, together with great power.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE GRa.s.sHOPPER.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: HANGING BY THE LEGS.]

_The Gra.s.shopper._--Sit on the pole, grasping it with the fingers to the front. Slide gradually off, until the small of the back rests against the pole, while the arms are elevated at the elbows like a gra.s.shopper's legs. Now draw yourself up again.

_Hanging by the legs._--This is easy enough, and a capital preservative against determination of the blood to the brain. First practise it with both legs over the pole; then take off the left leg and hitch it over the right instep; then learn to hang by one leg only, while you try to carry a weight in your hands. When you are perfect and confident, sit on the pole, and drop off backwards, catching yourself by the legs. This must be done with a fall like a plummet, or the body will swing, and probably unhitch the legs from the pole.