Now one little word about training for the boy and the youth. Never train to get off weight but to put it on. Remember that every tiny cell in your body is growing and developing to be of use when the great time in your life’s struggle comes. Anything you do to stop this growth injures your future prospects. The stoppage of one minute’s growth of a cell can never be regained. That little improvement that was about to be made has been interrupted—stopped. Aid Nature in her growth and development—don’t interrupt her. If you do, later on in life she will punish you—this is as certain as is the rise of the sun.
If you have done some sprinting in the spring, and when you return to school find that you are a little too heavy for running, don’t for a moment think of trying to reduce your weight.
Just quit sprinting and be very thankful that you are in such excellent health that every organ in your body is growing big and strong.
Any exercise that puts on weight in the boy or youth is good exercise—anything that takes off weight is harmful. When you have reached middle life, if you are in good health and busily occupied in doing your allotted work in this world—as every healthy—mentally and morally—man has to do, you will have enough to do to keep off the extra and unhealthy fat that has accumulated around your organs.
I know of a very sad case of this trying to insult nature in a growing boy. He was sixteen years of age; big, strong, and a champion wrestler in his class. He was entered to wrestle for the interstate championship—140-lb. class. His instructor and the athletic club to which he belonged expected him to win for them. But as the weeks went on he gained weight at a very rapid rate. He was a straight, wholesome, moral boy—of course he gained weight—he lived right. Two days before the contest he was seven pounds overweight. His trainers took measures to bring him down—to rob Nature of that seven pounds of her good work. They did it; he lost the match and from that time onward he has never regained his full strength. The process of building going on smoothly in all his organs was interfered with, and the inevitable setback followed.
Every boy—every person—should sleep alone. Think of what I have said about the skin and its emanations. You do not want to be under the sheets with another boy who is throwing off from his skin poisons; breathing some of them, letting others be absorbed by your own pores. Try to get two dogs to sleep under the same blanket—respectable dogs, such as you or I would own. In about two minutes each will get from under cover with distended nostrils and deep breathing. They’ll sleep together without covering; but never under it.
Sleep alone under as light coverings as possible for comfort. This will aid you in getting big and strong. Don’t forget this advice.