The muscles of the loins and back are the ones principally brought into play in hammer throwing, and by their development they become extremely serviceable in assisting the spine to bear the upper portions of the body. The practice of this kind of exercise must, therefore, be beneficial to those whose lungs and heart are too delicate to stand any of those sports, such as rowing, running, etc., which so particularly tax their working powers. Commence practicing with a hammer about 7lb., until the art of swinging while running is acquired; to learn this the run should be taken at first only six or seven yards from the scratch; before the run swing the hammer well, like a pendulum, in the direction of the mark two or three times, until it has acquired a good momentum, and then start, taking, at the first few attempts, one turn only in the run; afterwards, as the practice becomes easier, two turns can be made, and the runs lengthened in proportion. Some athletes, however, take three or four turns, but, as a rule, two will be found sufficient. Between the turns, run as far towards the scratch as possible, taking long, even strides to acquire a good impetus, and keeping up the centrifugal force of the hammer by swinging it well round low, and in a plane at right angles to the body. The arms should be kept quite straight the whole time, merely acting as if they were a prolongation of the handle. The work is done by the muscles of the back and loins, and in delivering the hammer at the scratch the athlete should, above all things, bear in mind that he does not lift it as if lifting to leg. The “devil” must be put into the swing as the hammer descends in the last half of the turn, so that the force has culminated by the time the hammer is crossing the line parallel to the scratch, where it must be let go, the body at the same moment being thrown back to counteract the impetus of the swing. The hammer should describe a curve at its highest point of not more than 11 or 12 feet from the ground. Avoid pulling at the handle in the run, and increase the pace and swing at each successive turn. The farthest throw of the 11lb. hammer, 3 feet handle, on record, is 176 feet. The 22lb. hammer has been thrown over 94 feet.