EXERCISES.
As many girls are affected by spinal curvature, round shoulders, weak
back or ankles, prolapsed stomach, bowels, or pelvic organs,
constipation and poor general circulation, it seems well to give a few
exercises that shall be corrective of these defects, premising that
each exercise should be begun gradually and easily, increasing
frequency and force, as strength is gained, say five times a day the
first week, eight times a day the second week, and so on.
_Never exercise in tight clothing or in a corset_, and do not
_exercise to exhaustion_.
_To Overcome Slight Lateral Curvature._
1. If it is the right shoulder that is depressed, place the hands on
hips or behind neck, and bend slowly to the left.
Reverse this movement if the left is the lower shoulder.
2. With arms raised above the head, bend the body slowly forward and
try to touch the floor without bending the knees, then rise slowly to
an erect position.
_To Overcome Round Shoulders._
Do not fold the arms in front.
Any motion that brings hands together behind the back is good.
Draw the elbows quickly backward.
Carry a weight in each hand, holding the weight behind you and out
from the body.
Hold the body in the correct attitude (see page 132), head balanced on
spine, chest elevated, posterior part of body thrown out, weight on
balls of feet, not on heels.
Exercises that strengthen the waist muscles will help to maintain the
erect position, and so tend to overcome round shoulders.
_To Strengthen Weak Back._
1. Hold a light weight in each hand. Place the weights on the floor in
front of you. Stand with feet eight inches apart, and take three slow,
deep breaths. Stoop over and take the weights in the hands and
gradually straighten up till the hands hang easily at the sides. Bend
slowly forward, and again place the weights on the floor. Repeat five
times.
2. Clasp the hands back of the neck and bend slowly forward until the
head is on a level with the waist. Count ten, then straighten up to
erect position. Repeat.
3. Bend the body backward, forward and sidewise at the waist.
4. Put your right arm over your head till it touches your left ear.
Hold the chin high. Breathe slowly and deeply while you walk around
the room. Repeat with other arm. Increase the length of your walk
gradually.
5. Playing tennis is good exercise for the sides of the waist.
6. Carry a weight first on one shoulder, then on the other.
7. Run on the toes.
8. Hop on one foot.
_To Strengthen and Develop the Chest._
1. Maintain an erect attitude.
2. Raise and lower the arm, forward, upward, backward, without bending
the elbows.
3. Lie on the floor, stretch the arms over the head till the hands
touch the floor. Take a deep breath and hold it; now bring the arms
over the head as high as you can reach, and do not bend the elbows.
Rest and repeat three times.
4. Hold chin as high as possible. Raise the arms at the side as high
as you can. Breathe deeply and hold the air in the lungs. Now, without
letting any air out and without bending the elbows, bring your hands
down steadily to your sides. Repeat. Keep chin well up.
_To Strengthen Abdominal Muscles._
1. Stand with chin high.
2. Breathe slowly and deeply.
3. Raise the right knee till the right foot is about twelve inches
from the floor.
4. Give a little spring with the left foot, raise it swiftly from the
floor, and at the same time put the right toe and sole (not heel) to
the floor.
5. Spring on right foot and put left down. Repeat five times.
6. Fold arms behind. Hold chin up. Breathe slowly and very deeply. Do
not bend the knees. Hold your left foot far out in front of you while
you count five.
7. Lower it and raise right foot in same way. Repeat four times. Keep
the shoulders well back and down while doing this exercise. Point the
toes down and out.
8. Lie on your back. Keep feet down and rise to a sitting position.
Drop slowly back, and repeat three times.
9. Run, lifting your feet high, like a spirited horse.
10. Stand with chin high, arms akimbo. Breathe slowly and deeply.
Advance left foot eight inches in front of right. Lean head slowly as
far back as possible. Hold it while you count five. Straighten, and
repeat five times.
11. Place the hands on the wall in front of you as high as you can
reach and about two feet apart, with the elbows straight. Have chin up
till you face the ceiling, and keep it so. Take a very deep breath and
hold it. Now bend your elbows and let the body go slowly forward till
the chest touches the wall, keeping the body and legs stiff all the
time. Push back till straight again. Do not take heels off the floor,
nor hands off the wall, nor eyes off the ceiling right overhead.
Repeat five times.
12. Lie on the floor, stretch the arms over the head till the hands
touch the floor. Clinch the fists. Take a deep breath and hold it. Now
raise the arms slowly, keeping the fists clinched, and bring them down
at the sides, raising the head from the floor at same time. Raise the
arms and stretch them on the floor over the head at same time, letting
the head sink back to the floor, and breathe out slowly.
_To Facilitate the Return of Displaced Organs to Their Normal
Position._
1. Lie on your back upon a smooth, hard surface. Draw the feet up as
close to the body as possible. Now lift the lower part of the body
until it is wholly supported by the feet and shoulders. Hold it in
this position as long as possible without fatigue. Lower slowly to
original position. Rest a few minutes. Repeat. Continue for twenty or
thirty minutes, according to strength.
2. Lie with face downward. Raise the hips as high as possible,
supporting the body on the toes and elbows.
3. Slip from the bed head first and face downwards until the head
rests on the floor and the legs and feet remain upon the bed. Let the
arms to the elbows rest on the floor. When weary of this attitude slip
to the floor, turn on the back, and apply the bandage.