ROPE CLIMB

Ordinarily the rope climb presents
an exceptionally good means of de-
veloping agility and strengthening the
arms and shoulders. In time of war
this training is doubly valuable. The
ability to climb a rope comes in handy
on both land and sea. Reaching stra-
tegic spots in trees and on cliffs, and
emergencies on ship are some of the
situations which call for skill in climb-
ing a rope.

In learning the technique, reach up
and grasp the rope at a comfortable
reach. Keep the left leg behind the
rope and the right leg in front.

The secret of good climbing lies in —

clinching the rope with the knees and
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holding fast with the legs and feet. To
ascend, place one hand over the other,
lifting with the arms and raising the
knees. Always straighten the hips be-
fore reaching with the hands.

A word of caution as to the descent:
Never slide down with the hands.
Severe burns are the result. The de-
scent is like the ascent, but in reverse.
Or the climber may slide his legs
down, while moving hand under hand.

A good exercise on the rope is climb-
ing without use of the legs. Maintain-
ing a rhythmical movement of the body
will help you ascend easily. To test your
knee grip, jump to a clinging position
and release your hands. Continue this
exercise by climbing up and down.