In the afternoon, an hour’s rowing, with not more than two or three rests, will complete the day’s water work.
The rate of speed in the afternoon should go up from thirty-five strokes a minute when commencing training to racing gait during the last two weeks, and pulling over the proposed course once “on time” will be plenty of work for this last period.
A three or four mile walk, at a four-mile gait, starting an hour after breakfast, will not, unless in extremely hot weather, prove too much for a vigorous young man with ordinarily good legs. The speed of this walk should be reached gradually, and after, perhaps, if a man in the start is much out of condition, say two weeks slower going.
A thorough rubbing of the entire body, until the skin is absolutely red, should “immediately” follow each row, and then a dry suit should be donned. Flannel is the best material for it.
Eight hours should seem a good medium for sleep. If a man feels all right with a less amount than this, he should regulate his own hours; but if he is nervous and excitable, he should have more. He should never lie abed awake in the morning, but spring up at once, and take his sponge bath, or in warm weather, if convenient, a plunge into cold water.
HARRY CLASPER’S SYSTEM.
Rise between 6 and 7 A. M., walk four or five miles. Breakfast at 8 A. M.—Chop or couple of eggs, bread, tea, Rest for half an hour, and then a brisk walk or run. If morning exercise has not been heavy, a row, terminating about 11 A. M. Dinner at 12 M.—Beef or mutton, broiled; egg-pudding, with currants in it if desired, or other light farinaceous pudding; old ale, one glass; wine, one glass, (port); or ale, two glasses, without wine. Rest for an hour, and then on the river again for a hard row. “Rowing exercise should be taken twice every day.” Tea, with toasted bread sparingly buttered, with one egg only—more has a tendency to choke the system. Supper, not recommended. When taken, to consist of new milk and bread, or gruel, with raisins and currants and a glass of port wine in it. Bed about 10 P. M. Summary: sleep, between eight and nine hours; exercise, walking and rowing about four or five hours; diet, limited.
CHARLES WESTHALL’S SYSTEM.
Rise at 6 A. M. or earlier in the summer; cold bath and rub down; sharp walk about a mile out, and run home; or a row of a couple of miles at three-parts speed; a dry rub down. Breakfast at 8 A.M.—Mutton chop or steak, broiled; stale bread or toast, tea, half a pint. Dinner at 2 P. M.—Meat as at breakfast with a mealy potato, stale bread, old ale, one pint. Rowing. If dinner be late, luncheon to be taken, to consist of beef or mutton, hot or cold; bread, old ale, one glass. If dinner be early, “tea with viands and liquids as at breakfast” to be taken. Supper—Half a pint of thin gruel, or dry toast and a glass of old ale. That the above rules are of course open to alteration according to circumstances, and the diet varied successfully by the introduction of fowls, either roast or boiled—the latter preferred; and it must never be lost sight of that sharp work, regularity and cleanliness are the chief if not the only rules to be followed to produce thorough good condition. Summary: sleep, about eight hours; exercise, four or five hours; diet, limited.