Physical exercise is necessary to the preservation of the health and
the cultivation of the strength of the body. By the contraction of
a muscle, the circulation of the blood is stimulated, and demand is
made upon the supply of food material to replace that which has been
consumed. The action of the respiratory process is accelerated, a
larger quantity of air is taken into the lungs, more oxygen is absorbed
by the blood, and greater tone is imparted to the system. Perspiration
is also promoted, effete matters are expelled through the pores of the
skin, and the general health is improved.
=Definiteness of Purpose.=--The person who doesn’t know where he is
going, never gets there. Know what you are going to do, then do it.
There are about four hundred muscles in the human body. It is clearly
evident that they cannot all be trained at the same time, nor is it
necessary or even desirable that they should be. Those exercises having
the most direct bearing upon the specific needs of the individual will
naturally come first. If he is troubled with indigestion, two-thirds
of the time that he allows himself for daily exercise should be
given to remedying that defect, and the rest to supplying some other
important need which will bring into play a different set of muscles.
If his lung capacity is inadequate, the larger share of time should be
given to the correction of this weakness. If shortness of breath and
interference with heart action are occasioned by increasing fleshiness,
the reduction of his superfluous fat must receive first consideration.
The important thing is to determine what is most needed at any stage
of the work, and to strike directly at that point. As, one after
another, the special points of weakness are covered, the exercises will
gradually take on more and more of an all-round character. As so many
of the infirmities of the flesh have their rise in impaired digestion,
imperfect respiration, or sluggish circulation, the exercises having
relation to these three subjects will always claim attention, not only
to secure but also to preserve health.
=Mind Engaging.=--While those whose mental energies have been on a
strain may find relief in exercises somewhat automatic, the most
beneficial and satisfactory results, as a rule, are obtained when the
mind is kept on the alert and the eye is brought into active play,
as in fencing and sparring, or when the exercise contributes to the
enjoyment of the individual, and is not self-imposed as an irksome task
or an unpleasant duty. The presence and co-operation of a congenial
friend adds much to the value of the exercise. Where this is not
convenient, the drill should be so varied in kind and in degree, from
day to day, as to sustain the interest. Without this, the exercises are
apt to be abandoned, or, if continued, they will not be attended with
the best results.
=Intensity.=--Much valuable time is wasted by persons who engage in
a certain kind of exercise, not because they are interested in it,
but because it happens to be the fad. Whether it be walking, running,
swimming, golf, tennis or croquet, they go at it in such a feeble,
listless manner as to excite pity rather than enthusiasm.
It is said of President Roosevelt that the only exercise he really
enjoys is of that strenuous character which, to most men, would be hard
work. Gladstone could give him no points in felling trees, and the
cowboys of the plains, after numerous tests, were satisfied that he
wore the title of “Rough Rider” by right. It was on one of his western
hunting trips that he went two days with two ribs broken, not deigning
to mention the circumstance lest it might offend cowboy etiquette to
speak of such insignificant matters amid the excitement of the final
round-up.
Few men carry the burden of a weightier responsibility than the
President, or have more exacting demands made upon their time. No one
would have a better right to plead pressure of business as an excuse
for taking no physical exercise. On the other hand, no one has greater
need of a strong body and a clear brain. Appreciating this fact, his
vigorous ride on horseback becomes almost as indispensable as his meals
or his sleep, and it is rumored that this is often supplemented by a
quiet bout with the gloves. Remembering that, as a child, his body was
rather frail, his present rugged health bears strong testimony to the
value of persistent vigorous exercise.
=Walking.=--Rapid walking is one of the best methods of physical
exercise. It not only develops the muscles of the legs and thighs, but
increases the capacity of the chest. One of its chief advantages is
that it is an out-door exercise. Running is still more stimulating, and
gives increased activity to the muscles of the limbs and body, and to
the organs of respiration.
By combining walking and running with some simple form of in-door
exercise, as dumb-bells, Indian-clubs, or pulley weights, a person will
have nearly all the advantages of a fully-equipped gymnasium.
=Over Exertion.=--Severe labor and violent exercise should be avoided.
Many cases of broken-down health are due to excessive strain, the
result of track races on wheel or foot, and similar indiscretions.
=Age, Occupation, and Habit.=--Physical exercises must be chosen with
reference to the age, occupation, and habit of the individual. The
young, the middle-aged, and the old will each, as a rule, require some
direction as to kind, and some modification as to length and intensity,
of the exercise.
=Childhood and Youth.=--Healthy children are never at rest except
when asleep. This is the prompting of their nature. Their games and
plays should therefore be directed, but not too much restrained. If,
however, the natural increase in size and weight of a child’s body
does not keep pace with its years, it would be well for the parent to
inquire whether that result is due to excessive exercise, or to some
other cause.
Proper habits of sitting, standing, and walking, if not attained
during youth, are rarely acquired afterward. The habit of a graceful
carriage and a manly or womanly bearing should be established before
the age of sixteen. But the exercises that most closely affect the
health are those which relate to the expansion of the chest. The lungs
vitalize and purify the blood. The larger their capacity, the more
satisfactorily will they accomplish their work. With a good supply of
pure blood, the growth and health and vigor of the body will be largely
provided for.
=Middle Life.=--While judgment and discretion in the kinds of
exercises, and in the manner of doing them, are, at every period
of life, desirable, persons from 20 to 35 years of age are able to
undertake severer tasks and to withstand greater shocks to the system
than the young or the old. Persons from 35 to 50 years of age may take
long walks but should be cautious about rapid running. At this age
exercises requiring endurance and persistence are better than those
demanding intensity or violence. This is especially applicable to those
whose occupation is sedentary. Any hereditary tendency to disease is
apt to show itself during this period, and should be carefully watched
by the individual and by his physician, for by it the kind and degree
of the exercise should be determined.
=Old Age.=--Unless the habit of taking physical exercise has been
pursued more or less constantly through life, persons in advanced
years, especially if feeble, need to observe great caution in beginning
it, on account of the unusual strain upon the heart and blood-vessels.
Their native power of resistance being small, any severe shock or
strain upon the system may be attended with serious results. William
Cullen Bryant, at eighty years of age, took an hour of severe exercise,
followed by a cold bath, before breakfast, then walked three miles to
his office and back again, in all states of weather, but he had kept up
his physical training through life, and found in it a pleasure as well
as a benefit to health.
With increasing years, the duties and responsibilities of the busy man
increase. Instead of the walk or the ride on horseback, the stately
coach, which more fittingly represents his growing wealth, is now used
for his afternoon recreation, the coachman relieving him of even the
mental and physical stimulus of driving. Wealth is a menace to health,
so far as it tends to discourage the simple living upon which health
depends.
A much wiser course would be to keep the human machinery oiled and in
good condition, by systematic exercise. Hinges of iron and steel must
be oiled and used to keep them from creaking and rusting. The membrane
that secretes the lubricating fluid and supplies it to the opposing
surfaces of the bones and to the ligaments which surround them is
stimulated to activity by the motion of the joint itself. Stiffening
joints, sluggish circulation, and torpid liver are the sure penalties
of inactivity.
Some years ago, two prominent business men, one sixty-four, the other
sixty-three years of age, engaged in a walking contest. The younger
walked 209 miles, the older 211 miles in three and one-half days, an
average of sixty miles a day. James Russell Lowell was unwilling to
ride when he could possibly walk. Gladstone was famous as an ax-man
as well as a statesman, and continued this exercise nearly to the end
of his life. Instances of great mental activity after seventy are
almost invariably those of men who have kept up since early manhood
a constant habit of vigorous daily exercise. It is only in this way
that the arteries are kept from hardening, and that the brain is kept
supplied with the blood to renew its cells.
=Physical Culture for School Children.=--In childhood and youth, bad
habits are easily corrected and good ones established. If the chest is
weak and flat, this is the time to remove the defect. If one shoulder
is a trifle higher than the other, correct the default before it
becomes confirmed. Build up the arms and shoulders and chest to be
strong and well shaped. It is in youth, while the bones are elastic,
that the perfect frame must be built. Accustom the muscles of the
trunk and limbs to healthy and graceful action. This becomes easy and
natural, when given proper direction, and will result in making a
vigorous, well-built man or woman, capable of meeting the difficulties
and discharging the duties that come alike to all.
=Over-Study.=--A prominent magazine recently devoted a page to brief
statements of parents, teachers, and physicians, testifying in eloquent
but most pathetic terms to the crying evils of over-study and the lack
of physical recreation. In reply to the questions asked, one physician
says, “Twelve children are under my professional care from over-study.”
Another writes, “During the last school year I treated over forty
children suffering from over-study. In more than thirty of the cases I
had to advise withdrawal from school.”
A parent says, “We have four daughters, and had to take all of them out
of school.”
From the sufferers themselves we have, “At seventeen I broke down.
Today, at thirty, I am still an invalid.”
“For twelve years I, a young woman, have tried to overcome nervous
prostration, directly brought on by over-study.”
“Pushed beyond my endurance as a child, I am to-day a nervous mother
with children so nervous that it is pitiable.”
“An ambitious father caused me to be shattered in nerves before I was
sixteen. My bed has ever since been almost my constant companion.”
=The Remedy.=--In the face of the above deplorable facts, it is evident
that, with all our boasted improvement in the system of education,
there is something sadly lacking. Proper attention given to physical
exercise and recreation, with sufficient time for sleep, would have
saved the lives and established the health, not only of the few cases
above cited, but of thousands of others as well.
=Physical Education Compulsory.=--Physical culture should be made
compulsory in every school in the land. The teacher should be as fully
equipped in this as in any other department of his work. In cities and
in towns of considerable size the matter should be under the direction
of a competent specialist, who would infuse life and energy into
the work, and hold the teachers to their duty. Shirking, whether by
teachers or scholars, should be strictly prevented. Fifteen minutes,
twice a day, in the lower grades, and thirty minutes, once a day, in
the upper grades, would serve to put the children in good physical
condition.
=Caution.=--The enthusiasm and alacrity with which children take hold
of physical training afford encouragement to the doubting teacher, and,
at the same time, prove the need of constant watchfulness. Suppose,
in a class of forty, one-fourth of them have flat, weak chests. These
should be formed into a special class, and ten minutes a day devoted to
the one purpose of enlarging the chest. Begin very mildly, so that the
weakest chest will experience neither pain nor ache from the exercise.
Repeat this work daily for a week, without increase, and do not miss
a stroke. Miss any other drill rather than this. The second week, the
exercises may be made a trifle harder, or longer, or both. If apparatus
is used, see to it that the pupils do not get hold of heavy pieces, or
attempt more difficult exercises than they are prepared for. Overdoing
here is as bad as over-study. Strict discipline must be preserved, and
the same thoughtful attention given to this as to any other department
of study.
=Illustrations of the Results of Physical Training.=--Wherever physical
education has been tested in the schools, of whatever grade, and in
whatever country, the results have furnished the most abundant proof
of its value. Doctor Sargent, one of the most eminent instructors in
physical education in this country, gives the results of six months’
training with a class of two hundred young college men, devoting to it
only one-half hour a day, four times a week. The only apparatus used
was light dumb-bells, Indian-clubs, and pulley-weights. The average age
was 18.3 years. The average increase in height was one-fourth of an
inch; in weight, two pounds; in chest (contracted), ¾ inch; in chest
(inflated), 1¾ inches; in girth of forearm, ¾ of an inch; of upper arm,
1 inch; in width of shoulders, ¾ inch; in girth of hips, 2¼ inches; of
thigh, 1½ inches; of calf, ¾ inch.
Prof. Maclaren, of England, gives the results of four and one-half
months’ training, with a class of boys from the Royal Military Academy,
ranging in years from sixteen to nineteen. The increase in height was
from 1 to 1¾ inches; in weight, from 1 to 8 pounds; in girth of chest,
from ½ to 5¼ inches; forearm, from ⅛ to ½ inch; upper arm, from ½ to 1⅝
inches. With a class of older persons, nineteen to twenty-eight years,
he reports the largest gain in weight, 16 pounds, with an average
gain of 10 pounds; in girth of chest, 5 inches, with an average of 2⅞
inches; of forearm, 1¼ inches, with an average of ¾ inch; upper arm, 1¾
inches, with an average of 1¹/₁₆ inches. These gains were made in 7⅔
months.
Prof. Maclaren gives a humorous account of twelve non-commissioned
officers who had been selected from different branches of the service,
and sent to him to qualify as instructors in the British Army. These
men ranged in years from nineteen to twenty-nine; in height, from five
feet five inches to six feet; in weight, from 128 to 174 pounds, and
all had seen service. He says, “The muscular additions to the arms and
shoulders, and the expansion of the chest were so great as to have
absolutely a ludicrous and embarrassing result. Before the fourth
month, several of the men could not get into their uniforms without
assistance, and when they had got them on, they could not get them to
meet by a hand’s breath. In a month more, they could not get into them
at all, and new clothes had to be procured, pending the arrival of
which the men had to go to and from the gymnasium in their great coats.
One of these men had gained five inches in actual girth of chest.” In
the case of the youngest, he reports “a readjustment and expansion of
the osseous framework upon which the muscles are distributed.”
This case is important as proving that proper physical exercise
will materially change even the bony structure of the body. What a
source of comfort and encouragement to the young man or woman who is
hollow-chested, and who considers himself or herself a marked victim of
that dread disease, consumption.
=Need of Exercise for Girls.=--If it be conceded that there is need
of physical exercise for boys, what must be said of the need of it
for girls? Observe the young girls of cities and towns as they pass
to and from school. Instead of the high chests, plump arms, comely
figures, and graceful and handsome carriage, what do we constantly
see? Flat chests, angular and warped shoulders, scrawny necks, slender
arms and waists, and a weak and tired gait. Scarcely one in a dozen is
thoroughly erect, whether walking, standing, or sitting. There is no
elasticity in their steps, and a fresh, blooming complexion is so rare
as to attract attention.
The girls of the most favored families often show the poorest physical
development. The tyranny of fashion begins at a very early period in
life. The quality and fit of the clothing worn by girls from ten to
thirteen years of age prevent them from engaging in active, hearty
play. The nurse or governess finds a large share of her duty in
repressing that superabundance of spirits which should belong to every
healthy girl.
As the years increase, the studies multiply, and by the time she
is ready to leave school and assume the duties of life, we find
a brain-weary, nerve-exhausted, pale creature, with no physical
development, no power of endurance, and no ambition to undertake her
share of life’s duties.
When the importance of physical culture is as well understood as it
should be, there will be a course of training for pupils of all ages
in every girls’ school in the land. In the larger cities and towns,
provision is now made for physical instruction in many of the High
Schools, but in the middle and lower grades, where the foundation
should be laid and the work begun, the subject is almost wholly
neglected. Bad habits of sitting, standing, walking, and breathing are
acquired, and many forms of structural weakness developed which not
only unfit the mind for the best work, but which later either become
ineradicably fixed, or require much time and labor to correct. The
schoolgirl, if systematically trained from early childhood, would show
similar fruits of drill, and would develop into a shapely, graceful,
well rounded, healthy girl, and would escape much of the weakness and
suffering so common to women.
Herbert Spencer, speaking of the effects of the intellectual cramming
system upon the women in England, and of the disadvantages of
neglecting physical culture, says: “On women the effects of this
forcing system are, if possible, even more injurious than on men.
Being in a great measure debarred from those vigorous and enjoyable
exercises of the body by which boys mitigate the evils of excessive
study, girls feel these evils in their full intensity. Mothers, anxious
to make their daughters attractive, could scarcely choose a course more
fatal than this which sacrifices the body to the mind. Either they
disregard the tastes of the opposite sex, or else their conception of
those tastes is erroneous. Men care comparatively little for erudition
in women, but very much for physical beauty and good nature and sound
sense.”
=Symmetrical Development of Women.=--The common argument of the busy
housewife, when urged to take exercise, is, that she gets enough of
it in the course of her daily duties, and even more than enough, for
she finds herself thoroughly exhausted by the necessary labors of the
day. The argument is not so convincing as it might seem. Doubtless,
some of her muscles are overtaxed. They lack the support which the idle
muscles should give. A few minutes, several times a day, devoted to
strengthening the unused muscles, would not only afford relaxation to
the tired ones, but, by developing the general strength, would prevent
fatigue on the part of those most used.
=Amount of Exercise Necessary for Women.=--The amount of daily exercise
necessary to regain health and develop strength depends upon the
woman’s present condition. If she is weak, generally, the exercise
for the first fortnight, while comprehensive enough to bring all the
muscles into play, must be light and easy. As strength is gained, the
exercise may be gradually increased. As soon as a sufficient basis of
vigor is reached, the essential thing to do is to adapt the exercise
mainly to the weaker muscles so that they may catch up.
The right arm is usually stronger than the left. For the first month or
two, give the left arm nearly all the exercise, gradually increasing
the amount until it is able to do its share equally with the right. If
the chest is small and the muscles of the back are weak, select the
exercise specially suited to the case. The greatest care must be taken
not to overdo the matter. For two or three weeks, only the mildest form
of exercise should be employed, but the drill must be persistently
kept up and gradually increased in difficulty. If the instruction or
counsel of a specialist can be obtained, it would be well to secure
it. If not, the wide range of valuable exercises given in this volume
will be helpful in selecting and practicing those best adapted to the
individual case.
If her work is of a sedentary or confining kind, there is the greater
need of special exercise. Such work demands a strong constitution,
and many break down under it annually. If long hours in shop, or
store, or office are required of her, still it will be possible to
find some time for exercise. Five or ten minutes may be secured upon
rising in the morning. Clad in a loose robe, throw up the window and
engage in vigorous, free hand gymnastics to expand the chest, increase
the respiration, stimulate the circulation, and afford a healthy
exhilaration to the muscles. After breakfast, walk to the place of
business, or, if the distance be too great, walk part of the way. At
noon, from five to ten minutes can again be secured for a breath of
fresh air and a little exercise. A brisk walk with a cheerful companion
will banish the dull routine of labor, and impart new energy for
the duties of the afternoon. Even without the companion, the freer
respiration induced by the walk, together with change of scene and
thought, will prove beneficial.
In the middle of the forenoon, and again in the afternoon, three
minutes can be found in which to stretch the cramped muscles and
relieve the weary back. Stand erect, and with hands on hips and
shoulders thrown back, take four or five full inhalations. Throw the
hands over the head, and stretch them towards the ceiling, at the same
time raise the heels, stand on the toes for a few seconds, and repeat
about five times. This simple exercise, which need not occupy more than
three minutes, will impart new energy, and result in the accomplishment
of more work.
If an evening walk cannot be had every day, at least three or four
might be enjoyed in a week, and would be productive of untold benefit.
Let the motion be energetic and the step elastic. The distance should
be moderate at first, and gradually increased. To this should be added
five to ten minutes’ exercise for the arms and chest before retiring.
This simple programme, involving no expense for apparatus, and
requiring only so much time as even the busiest of men or women can
find, will, in a short time, if persistently pursued, improve the
digestion, stimulate the circulation, banish sleeplessness, transform
dullness into cheerfulness, prevent weakness, impart tone and vigor to
the nervous as well as to the muscular system, and contribute largely
to the prolongation of a life of happiness and success.
=Women of Leisure.=--The daughters of wealthy or well-to-do parents and
the wives of prosperous husbands should be the healthiest and happiest
of women. Between graduation day and the wedding day, the young woman
is frequently a lady of leisure. At least, she can usually control
her time, and secure an hour or more each day for those healthful
recreations which will fortify her against the various forms of
physical weakness that are so common among women.
=Out-Door Exercises.=--Being free to enjoy the many out-door exercises,
she should spend much time in the open air, making such choice of games
and recreations as will bring into play the largest number of muscles,
and afford the best all-round development, having in view, not only the
securing of health and strength, but also the acquisition of grace and
beauty.
=Gymnasiums.=--If a capable instructor and a gymnasium are at hand,
she should avail herself of both. Supplementing her out-door sports
with these, she will, in a year’s time, unless already afflicted with
some organic ailment or serious constitutional weakness, be so healthy,
strong, and well developed, as to give promise of a long life, free
from the infirmities that so commonly affect the sex.
=Occupations of Men.=--The vital statistics, preserved by many
progressive states and communities, afford opportunity for fruitful
study and comparison. Of all occupations, that of the farmer or
gardener conduces most to health and long life. His independent manner
of living, the pure country air he breathes, the abundant sunshine he
enjoys, the plain, wholesome food he eats, his restful, quiet sleep,
and his freedom from the demands of fashionable life, all combine to
give him health. But this occupation, in itself, probably brings into
play a larger number of muscles than any other single employment.
We cannot all be farmers, but whatever our occupation, there is much
we can do to promote health, and to secure that happiness which is
so largely dependent thereon. Many occupations afford exercise to a
limited number of muscles, and those engaged therein should strive
to find their recreation in the exercise of other muscles, so as to
promote a well-rounded development. Persons who labor in-doors, and
especially those who are confined to close workshops, stores, and
schoolrooms, should have out-door recreation, with pure air and
sunshine.
=Unbalanced Bodies.=--Many lines of mechanical trade afford sufficient
exercise to keep the workman in fairly good health, yet few, if any,
give a symmetrical physical development. The blacksmith and stone mason
usually have strong right hands and arms, while the left are less fully
developed. Nine-tenths of all machinists are right-handed. In nearly
all mechanical industries, the right arm and the back have the larger
share of the work, while the chest and leg muscles and the left arm are
neglected.
=Indifference.=--Some workmen are so indifferent to physical symmetry
that they are not willing to do anything to avert the one-sidedness
resulting from their daily toil, even when convinced that a slight
effort would correct the fault. The argument of increased health and
vigor, and prolonged life, scarcely appeals to them.
Few persons are ambidextrous. Many more might use the hands with equal
skill, if they would. Even so simple an operation as putting on a coat,
using the wrong arm first, or buttoning a vest with the other hand, is
awkward for most persons, and quite difficult to many. The best time
to begin is in childhood, but, even if, when first learning the use of
tools, the left hand is often made to do the work of the right, the
exchange will prove restful to the overworked hand, and the symmetrical
development of both sides of the body will be preserved.
A skillful teacher of music, in a private school near Philadelphia,
suffered a partial paralysis of his right arm, which prevented its use
for several years. This necessitated the increased use of the left
hand, which resulted in its increased skill and power. Several years
later, he removed to the South, where the warmer climate gradually
restored the use of the right arm. By this time, the left hand had
become almost as skillful as the right had been, and the severe
affliction proved to be a blessing in disguise.
=Brain Workers.=--The brain workers are usually men of sedentary
habits. To no class is exercise so important. Without it, some part
of the human machinery is almost certain to get out of order. It may
be the stomach or lungs, the liver or kidneys, the head, or eyes, or
throat. There is a lack of perfect action of one or more of the parts,
a clogging of the organs of digestion, or circulation, or respiration.
This physical clogging at once affects the mental work, dulling the
thinking powers, and often rendering their efforts futile, and making
the complete cessation of labor necessary.
Headaches and indigestion are among the first ailments resulting from
a lack of exercise. A brisk walk of twenty minutes or half an hour is
often sufficient to dispel a headache. The exercise flushes the parts
most actively engaged, and so depletes the brain. The same exercise
stimulates the action of the lungs, makes better blood, quickens the
activity of the other organs, and so tones up the whole man.
A young man, whose Christian zeal prompted him to devote all his
spare time to religious work, ignoring the demands of health, broke
down, and after a prolonged sickness, followed by a slow and tedious
convalescence, was heard to remark, “Well, this experience has taught
me one thing; the Lord has no use for a sick man.” Had this young man
taken a reasonable amount of exercise, he would have lost no time
from his business, would have accomplished vastly more work for the
religious organizations to which he belonged, and would have saved
himself the pain, suffering, and expense of his sickness.
If the man who has eight or ten hours of busy brain work in-doors
daily, and who, when his duties are ended, has no heart for physical
exercise, would, every hour or two, turn aside from his work, and
take even two minutes’ vigorous exercise, in his office or in the
adjoining hallway, he would return to his labor with brain considerably
refreshed, and at the close of the day, he would enter upon his half
hour’s walk with spirit and alacrity, and welcome his sleep at the end
of the day.
=Business Men.=--Who does not know, among his business acquaintances,
men whose faces show that they are continually overworked? They have no
time for systematic physical exercise, but go dragging through their
duties as well as their low physical condition and tired brains will
permit. The noonday lunch is bolted, or is omitted entirely, for want
of time.
Dr. S. Weir Mitchell, a specialist in nervous disorders, speaks of
the numerous instances of nervous exhaustion among merchants and
manufacturers. He says: “My note books seem to show that manufacturers
and certain classes of railway officials are the most liable to suffer
from neural exhaustion. Next to these come merchants in general,
brokers, etc.; then, less frequently, clergymen; still less often,
lawyers; and, more rarely, doctors; while distressing cases are apt to
occur among the over-schooled young of both sexes.”
Few business or professional men do anything to secure and preserve
health and strength, and they go through life far less efficient and
useful than they might be.
Pre-eminent business success can be achieved only by turning over to
subordinates the numerous details which occupy so much time, and which
any trustworthy and experienced secretary or assistant might do. By
this arrangement, time would be saved for necessary recreation and
rest, thus keeping the physical systems of the employers and managers
in the best possible condition, and securing to the mind that alertness
and vigor which the sharp competition of the times demands.
=Professional Men.=--Looking over a list of eminent divines, it is
surprising how many of them were men of rugged frames and sturdy
physique. It required a man with the physical vigor of Luther to
declare he would attend the Diet of Worms “though the devils there
were as numerous as the tiles on the houses.” How much of the success
of Spurgeon, and Beecher, and Dr. John Hall may be fairly ascribed to
their splendid outfit of vital organs, and to the glowing health which
each enjoyed. Nor were Phillips Brooks, and Joseph Cook, and Dwight L.
Moody lacking in these physical qualities which count for so much in
influencing the minds and hearts of men. These knew nothing of “blue
Mondays” or “ministers’ sore throat,” and needed not to be sent abroad
by their congregations, every summer or two, in order to recruit their
health, and keep them up to their work.
By virtue of his profession and because of its onerous and responsible
duties, no one stands more in need of robust health than the physician.
Called from his bed at all hours of the night, brought in daily contact
with disease, and that often of a contagious character, the largest
demands are made upon his vital forces. He is expected, not only to
dispense the necessary medicines, but also to carry comfort and cheer
to the bedside of the sick. The very countenance of a healthy, cheerful
physician acts like a medicine.
The country practitioner who rides or drives long distances, over
rough roads, and who often attends to his horse himself, needs but
little further exercise, and that little should be applied to the
least-used muscles, in order to preserve a well-rounded development.
The city physician, whose coachman relieves him of the exercise of
driving and of the care of the horses, will find a half hour daily,
with pulley-weights, clubs, or dumb-bells, and an occasional visit to a
gymnasium conducive to his best physical condition. As a dentist should
himself have the best of teeth, the doctor also should enjoy the most
robust health.
And what of the legal profession? Rufus Choate inherited a strong,
healthy body, but took so little care of it, that, towards the close
of his life, he was accustomed to say of himself that “latterly he had
worn out his constitution, and was living on the by-laws.” He died at
fifty-five, while his contemporary, Daniel Webster, who appreciated the
importance of keeping his body well toned-up, and who, with fishing
rod in hand, found recreation among the streams of his native State,
preserved his robust physique and imperial bearing to the allotted
three score and ten. Lord Brougham, as a boy, was the swiftest runner
in his neighborhood. His physical strength and endurance were such
that upon one occasion he spoke in Parliament seven days consecutively.
He kept up his activity to the end of his life, and died at the age of
eighty-nine.
President Eliot, of Harvard College, who has enjoyed exceptional
opportunities for observing the effects of exercise upon young men,
says: “A singular notion prevails, especially in the country, that
it is the feeble, sickly children who should be sent to school and
college, since they are apparently unfit for hard work. The fact that,
in the history of literature, a few cases can be pointed out in which
genius was lodged in a weak or diseased body, is sometimes adduced in
support of the strange proposition that physical vigor is not necessary
for professional men. But all experience contradicts these notions. To
attain success and length of service in any of the learned professions,
a vigorous body is well-nigh essential. A busy lawyer, editor,
minister, physician, or teacher has need of greater physical endurance
than a farmer, trader, manufacturer, or mechanic. All professional
biography teaches that to win lasting distinction in sedentary, in-door
occupations, which task the brain and the nervous system, extraordinary
toughness of body must accompany extraordinary mental powers.”
=Heredity.=--In the matter of bodily health and vigor, the sins of
the parents are visited upon the children. What narrow-mindedness the
father displays, therefore, in devoting himself so assiduously to
business as to neglect his health, and to entail upon his sons and
daughters such a low standard of vitality as to impair their usefulness
in life, and to deprive them of the power to enjoy, as they should, the
inheritance he hopes to leave them.
=Exercise for the Stout, the Thin, and the Old.=--It may seem somewhat
paradoxical that the same means that are employed to increase flesh
and weight should also be recommended to reduce obesity. There is a
difference, however, between superfluous fat and solid, healthy, active
muscle.
=The Stout.=--It is a well known fact that persons of moderate weight,
in preparing for some unusual or extraordinary test of strength, reduce
their flesh and toughen their muscles by a course of severe training.
It is not an uncommon thing for college crews to reduce their weights,
by a month’s training, twelve pounds per man. A prize fighter will
often come down thirty or forty pounds in preparing for a contest. An
instance is cited of a student, who, after carefully weighing himself,
sat down to a fifty-five pound rowing-weight, pulled forty-five full
strokes a minute for twenty minutes, then, with the same clothing as
before, weighed himself, and found he had lost one pound.
Many men, and women, too, if persuaded that there was, at hand, a
convenient and comparatively easy method of ridding themselves of
their burden of flesh, would doubtless avail themselves of it. The
following well authenticated cases may be suggestive and helpful. A
young lady, inclined to fleshiness, by vigorous horseback riding,
reduced her weight twenty-five pounds in one year. A policeman, whose
weight was three hundred and fifteen pounds, took a position as stoker
on a war vessel. The exercise, coupled with the free perspiration
induced by labor in the heated quarters, lowered his weight to one
hundred and eighty-four pounds. A man in middle life, whose occupation
was a sedentary one, and whose weight, over three hundred pounds, was
a source of great discomfort, resolved to try what exercise would
do. Being much engrossed through the day, he began by taking long,
brisk walks in the evening. Soon he was able to cover five miles at
a fairly good pace. Whatever the state of the weather, and however
tired he might be with the day’s exacting duties, he suffered nothing
to interfere with his evening walk. He gradually increased the pace
and the distance, and, with little or no change in his diet, in five
months he had taken off ninety pounds. He says that he often perspired
so freely that, in cold weather, small icicles were formed on the ends
of his hair. Free perspiration is a necessary element in the rapid
reduction of flesh. The fat-producing foods should be avoided as far as
possible.
While exercise is one of the best means of reducing superfluous fat,
there is no class of persons more loath to take exercise than the
obese. The reasons are largely physiological. The greater weight is
a burden to carry. The muscular tissues have in part changed to fat,
and are therefore less able to do their work. The action of the lungs
and the heart is interfered with by the pressure of the fat, and the
individual quickly becomes exhausted and short of breath. There is the
greater demand, therefore, on the part of those who incline to obesity,
to exercise with determined persistency and regularity, in order to
reduce their weight. Exercises involving quickness of movement, and a
degree of mental activity, are the best.
=The Thin.=--The old proverb says: “It is a poor rule that will not
work both ways.” Judged by this standard, the rule of exercise must be
a good one, for the instances of lean arms and legs filled out, and of
scrawny necks and hollow shoulders made round and plump by exercise,
outnumber the other ten to one.
Many lean persons, impressed with the apparent discomfort and
inconvenience of obesity, are content with their slender measure of
flesh. This is especially true of men, who, as a rule, have less regard
for beauty of form than those of the other sex. They overlook the fact
that the man whose bony structure is well overlaid with thick layers of
healthy muscular tissue is able not only to accomplish more work, but
to stand greater exposure and endure more hardships than the lean man.
His stronger, heavier muscles will not only carry his greater weight
with less effort, but his larger body will possess a momentum that the
other man does not have.
In the severe training preceding the inter-collegiate boat races, while
the over fleshy lose their superfluous fat, the thin gain as rapidly in
weight. Many lean people whose occupations are of a physical nature do
too much, daily, in proportion to their strength. Mind and body are
kept in such a constant state of activity that their energies become
exhausted. If such persons will take an occasional rest through the
day, when it is possible so to do, and will add an hour or more to the
period of sleep, their weight will soon begin to increase. Then, by
special exercises aimed at the weak points, and persistently sustained,
the gain in weight will be that of solid, healthy, muscular tissue,
which will not only fill out their leanness, but will give them power
to do more work with less fatigue.
A short rest after meals, with the practice of deep abdominal
breathing, begun, if need be, as a special drill, but ultimately
established as a habit, will go far toward improving the digestion and
converting the food into good, healthy blood, so indispensable to the
growth of every part of the human body.
=Exercises for Gouty and Rheumatic Persons.=--Gout and other uric
acid conditions, whether hereditary or acquired, frequently yield to
systematic physical exercises. These conditions are generally the
result of indigestion or overfeeding. By exercise, more oxygen is
brought into the circulation of the blood, and the chemical process is
promoted. By free perspiration, the action of the skin is stimulated,
and the work of the kidneys is lightened. In the case of those
afflicted with gout, special care is needed for a time. A mild form of
exercise should be employed at first, and gradually increased. A free
perspiration should be induced daily, followed by a bath and vigorous
rubbing.
=Exercises for the Dyspeptic.=--If the system has become much
weakened by dyspepsia or indigestion, begin with mild forms of
exercise--walking, bicycling, golf, and other out-door sports. For a
lack of tone of the abdominal muscles, swimming in warm weather is
found useful. The in-door tank is not quite so good as the stream or
surf. If the liver is chiefly at fault, horseback riding is a capital
remedy. Gradually introduce more vigorous exercises. Daily bathing and
rubbing must not be neglected.
=Exercises for the Development of Special Muscles.=--Few persons, even
among those who have given considerable attention to physical culture
and have spent much time in a gymnasium, could, if asked, tell what
special forms of exercise were best calculated to fill out a hollow
shoulder or flat chest, or strengthen weak loins or back. The following
suggestions will therefore prove helpful.
The different muscles of the human body are so closely interwoven that
it is impossible to exercise one without, at the same time, giving
exercise to another lying contiguous to or co-operating with it.
=The Chest.=--While it is important that all the muscles of the body
should be exercised, those that are most closely allied to the vital
functions of respiration, circulation, and digestion claim the first
consideration.
=Breathing Exercises.=--For the purpose of chest expansion, nothing
can take the place of regular breathing exercises. While respiration
is an involuntary act, yet the manner is, to some extent, subject to
the control of the will. There are three commonly recognized forms of
breathing--the clavicular, the costal, and the abdominal. These are not
wholly independent, but overlap each other.
=Clavicular Breathing.=--Place the palms of the hands on the chest,
with the tip of the middle finger resting on the clavicle, or collar
bone. Inhale slowly, directing the breath toward the upper chest. Hold
the breath a few seconds, then exhale slowly. Repeat ten to fifty times.
=Costal Breathing.=--This is a fuller and better form of breathing
than the clavicular. The lower ribs are more flexible than the upper,
and, supplemented by the action of the intercostal muscles, admit of
freer movement of the lungs. Press the hands against the sides. Inhale
through the nose, and inflate the lungs to the fullest. Hold the breath
as long as convenient. Exhale forcibly through the open mouth. Repeat
five to ten times. Repeat, exhaling slowly through the nostrils.
Repeat, exhaling through a small glass or other tube, with an aperture
about the size of an ordinary knitting needle. While the lungs are
inflated, strike the chest gently with closed hands. This will drive
the air into the remotest cells. With the lungs filled, and the arms
akimbo, bend the body at the waist, forwards, backwards, and from side
to side, and return to erect position before exhaling.
=Abdominal Breathing.=--This is the best method of breathing, and
should be cultivated by all. Singers and speakers find in this the
fulcrum of their vocal power. The contraction and expansion of the
diaphragm, that wonderful muscular partition, which separates the
thoracic from the abdominal cavity, affords the largest and freest
movement of the lungs, and, by its pressure upon the viscera, repeated
with every breath, it aids greatly in promoting digestion. Many
persons, especially women, do not employ abdominal breathing to the
extent they should. Some, indeed, hardly know its meaning.
Upon retiring at night, remove all constricting bands about the waist,
lie upon the back, and rest the hands upon the abdomen. Direct the
breath so as to raise the hands. Fill the lungs full as possible,
and hold the breath for several seconds. Exhale, letting the hands
fall with the outgoing breath. Take two or three ordinary breaths,
then repeat, drawing in the breath slowly through the nostrils,
lock in the breath for a few seconds, and exhale slowly as before.
A better position of the body would probably be secured by folding
a comfortable, spreading it upon the floor, and lying flat upon the
back. Heavy pillows and yielding bed-springs crook the body, and often
prevent the best results. The abdominal movement, in breathing, is not
quite so apparent when standing or sitting, but if the exercise be
taken as frequently as possible, with the mind directed to the freest
diaphragmatic movement, the habit of full, deep, abdominal breathing,
with its numerous attendant advantages, will soon become established.
=Chest Muscles.=--Not only should the lung cavity be enlarged by
breathing exercises, and by any physical exercise that stimulates
respiration, as steady and protracted running, but the front chest
should be well covered by the pectoral muscles. With the arms at right
angles to the body, and with head thrown back, so as to face the
ceiling, raise and lower the dumb-bells from twelve to eighteen inches.
As strength increases, increase the weight of the bells and the number
of lifts. Swinging with the hands upon the horizontal bar is another
good exercise. The “dips” exercise, elsewhere referred to, is also
good for the pectorals, but must not be attempted until after strength
has been gained by lighter exercises. The relation of the biceps and
triceps to the pectoral muscles is so close that any exercise for the
former will be helpful to the latter.
=Respiratory Exercise, No. 1.=--With arms at sides and elbows stiff,
raise the hands as high as possible above the head. Rise upon the toes
at the same time, so as to give the body the longest possible upward
reach. Inhale slowly through the nostrils while the arms ascend, and
hold the breath a moment or two, then exhale, lower the arms, and rest
back upon the heels. Repeat ten to twenty times. It is needless to
say that in the in-door exercises, and especially in the breathing
exercises and those which stimulate respiration, the room should be
well ventilated. The head and neck should be held erect, except where a
different position is required.
=Respiratory Exercise, No. 2.=--Lie flat upon the floor, face downward,
hands folded upon the back. Inflate the lungs and lift the head and
shoulders as high as possible, giving out the breath slowly. Repeat
several times, and as strength increases, oftener.
=Abdominal Exercise, No. 1.=--Several good exercises for the abdominal
muscles are here given, which can be taken upon rising in the morning
and upon retiring at night. With just enough clothing to keep the body
from chilling, lie flat on the back upon a folded comfortable spread
upon the floor. Without bending the knee, raise the foot toward the
ceiling as far as possible, then the other foot, so alternating ten
times or oftener. Next raise both feet together. While these movements
should be brisk, the limbs should not be allowed to drop back upon the
floor, but the muscles should be kept tense. Next, from the vertical
position of the leg, bend the knee and press it closely upon the
abdomen for a moment, then restore to the vertical position and lower
to the floor. Alternate the limbs as before, then take them together.
By means of a loop, or other simple arrangement, to keep the feet from
rising, lift the head and trunk to a vertical position by contracting
the abdominal muscles. This is a severe exercise, and should not
be attempted by those who have any special abdominal weakness. The
strain may be relieved, however, by propping the head and shoulders
with pillows, so as to make, with the lower limbs, an angle of about
forty-five degrees. Gradually, as the abdominal muscles increase in
strength, take out one pillow after another, until able to raise the
body from the horizontal position. The latter exercise may be still
further graduated by first resting the arms at the sides; next cross
them on the chest, and then clasp the hands behind the neck before
lifting the trunk. In gymnasiums it is not an uncommon thing to see a
person with well developed abdominal muscles lift another person lying
prostrate across his chest, and weighing anywhere from one hundred and
fifty to two hundred pounds, by the sheer force of these muscles.
=Abdominal Exercise, No. 2.=--Sit on a bench or stool, and with feet
under a couch, or hooked into a strap fastened to the base-board of the
room, with arms folded upon the chest, bend forward and backward, as
far as possible, without strain. Repeat ten to twenty times. After a
few weeks, increase the bend.
=Abdominal, Side, and Back Muscles.=--Stand erect with hands on hips.
Keep head, neck, and legs rigid, and lungs well filled. Bend slowly
backward and forward several times. Bend from side to side. With feet
firmly planted, bend forward, and revolve the head and trunk to the
right, back, left, front, and assume an erect position. Bend forward
again, and reverse the order of movement. Repeat several times. Next,
stand erect, with hands firmly planted on hips, and twist the body from
the waist upward, first to the right as far as possible, then to the
left, and repeat ten to twenty times.
=The Loins.=--The muscles in the small of the back, running up and
down on each side of the spine, come into play in many forms of manual
labor, and should therefore possess strength and endurance. Working
with the shovel, or fork, or bar, or saw, or any exercise requiring a
stooping posture, brings them into action. Several of the exercises
recommended for the abdominal muscles will prove of advantage here.
Raising dumb-bells above the head, first with the left hand, then with
the right, then with both, beginning with bells weighing a pound or
two, and each month, with daily practice, adding a pound to the weight
until it reaches about one-twentieth the weight of the person, will
bring the desired results. Running or rapid walking, with the body
erect, will prove helpful. Hopping straight ahead for from five to ten
steps on one foot, then on the other, and thus alternating for from
twenty to one hundred steps, or more, will soon beget strength, and
give a firm, steady carriage.
=The Back.=--The muscles of the back, above the waist line, participate
in nearly all the movements recommended for the chest, shoulders, and
upper arm, and do not require special exercises.
=The Shoulders.=--To round out hollow shoulders and put muscle on the
upper back, stand erect, with light dumb-bells, arms hanging at the
sides. Without bending the elbow, keep the arms parallel, and carry the
bells backward and forward as far as possible. Hold for a few moments,
and slowly return to the sides. Repeat five to ten times. As strength
increases, gradually add to the weight of the bells and the number of
lifts, also endeavor to carry the arms a trifle higher. For developing
the muscles of the shoulders, back, and wrist, few exercises are better
than light Indian-clubs.
For the outside of the shoulder, bring the arms to the horizontal,
elbows rigid, and move the bells up and down through a space of twenty
inches. Repeat five to ten times. Carry to the front and repeat. A
few weeks of daily practice should show noticeable results, and a
year of persistent drill will produce a shapely shoulder, and make it
unnecessary for the tailor to pad the coat in order to make it fit.
=The Neck.=--The muscles of the neck may best be developed by the use
of a strong rubber strap, about two feet long. Attach one end to the
door frame, about the height of the head when standing, and fasten
the other end to a band which loosely encircles the head. The front,
back, and sides of the neck may all be strengthened and filled out with
firm, shapely muscles, by changing the position of the body for each
change of exercise desired. Keep the head firm to resist the pull of
the strap. Increase the length of the movement and the strength of the
pull, as the muscles grow strong to bear it.
=The Upper Arm.=--The biceps is the large front muscle of the upper
arm. It bends the arm and brings the hand toward the shoulder. A large
biceps is the envy of many young men who regard it as the criterion
of physical strength, and who often develop it out of all proportion
to the rest of the body. It is, however, an important muscle, and
should receive due consideration. Most persons will find that one arm
or one leg or one side is weaker than the other. Give to the weaker
member much the larger practice until the equilibrium is restored, then
exercise them equally.
With dumb-bells, flat-irons, window-weights, or other objects in
hand, slowly bend the arm until the hand almost touches the shoulder,
then slowly lower to position. Repeat ten to twenty times. Gradually
increase the weight and the number of lifts. If pulley-weights are
used, stand so that the outstretched hand barely reaches the handle of
the rope. With palms upward, draw the hand toward the shoulder. Slowly
relax and repeat.
When away from home, and having no access to anything that may serve as
apparatus, in this, as in many exercises, one arm may serve as lever
and the other as weight. With the right hand, grasp firmly the wrist of
the left. Press down vigorously with the left, but use enough force to
overcome the resistance, and with the right raise it to the shoulder.
After several repetitions, reverse the hands.
Some persons ignore the use of all apparatus, preferring what is known
as free gymnastics. This extreme is greatly to be preferred to that
of using heavy, and often dangerous, appliances. In many exercises,
the weight of the body or its parts affords sufficient resistance to
develop the muscles. In other cases, the imagination supplies the want
of resistance, and, by due concentration of will, making one set of
muscles pull against another, the muscles may be given as much work as
though actual weight were present. To children and young persons, light
and suitable apparatus will furnish added stimulus and interest.
Climbing a ladder or rope, hand over hand, or lifting the body so that
the chin may touch a horizontal bar overhead, are exercises better
suited to later stages of biceps development. To be able to lift the
body to the bar with one hand, three to five times, should satisfy any
reasonable ambition.
The triceps are the back and inside muscles of the upper arm,
and contribute much to the shapeliness as well as usefulness of
that member. Instead of stopping at the shoulder, as in the biceps
exercises, push the dumb-bells high overhead. Any exercise of pushing
with the arms is of advantage. Stand back about two feet from the door,
grasp the sides of the frame a trifle higher than the shoulders, and,
rising on the toes, with head erect, thrust the body forward. Press
back until the body again assumes an erect attitude, and repeat ten to
twenty times.
=The Forearm.=--Many of the exercises for the upper arm and shoulder
have a very direct bearing upon the forearm. Most of the mechanical
occupations requiring the use of axe, saw, plane, hammer, shovel, plow,
or any tool or instrument requiring a firm grasp of the hand, develop
these muscles. The lifting of a heavy weight suspended from a bar or
handle, to be grasped by the hands, produces speedy results, but must
not be attempted until the muscles of the back, abdomen, and shoulders
have had preparatory training.
=The Hand.=--In the exercises already described, the hand and wrist
will have received much valuable training for strength of hold or grip.
A firm grasp of the oar, the bat, the bar, or the heavy hammer is
apt to leave the hand with an ungainly hook when at rest. Counteract
by pressing the fingers forcibly against the wall, or, in lifting the
body from the floor in the triceps exercise, use only the fingers and
thumbs instead of the palm. The wrists may be exercised by twisting the
dumb-bells at arm’s length in front, at the side, and overhead.
If the fingers are weak, train them individually, beginning with the
weakest. Always bring up the weakest part first, and aim to secure and
preserve proper symmetry throughout. The pulley-weights are excellent
for the purpose. Attach a small strap to the handle, and begin with
such weight as will afford exercise but will not overtax the finger.
Pull ten to thirty times. In the absence of pulley-weights, lifting, by
a strap, a box of sand or bricks or any weight that can be gradually
increased will serve the purpose. Drive a stout nail or screw into the
upper part of the door frame. Throw the strap over the nail, and lift
the body, first using two fingers, then one. Trained gymnasts lift the
entire weight of the body several times by the little finger alone.
=The Thigh.=--Fast walking, running, jumping, hopping, skating, and
dancing are all good for developing the front of the thigh. More rapid
development will be secured by standing erect, slowly bending the knees
as if about to sit in a chair. Hold the body in that position for
several moments, and slowly rise to an erect posture. Repeat ten to
twenty times. After two weeks of daily practice, lower the body until
the back part of the thigh rests on the calf. Rise slowly as before.
Repeat ten to twenty times. After a month, increase the weight by
carrying dumb-bells, bricks, or other objects in the hands. When this
has become easy, hold one foot front or back, and have the other leg do
the lifting.
The under part of the thigh, in the ordinary occupations and
recreations of life, does not get as much exercise as the front
muscles. A slovenly, shambling gait is characterized by a feebleness
of this muscle, while a strong, elastic step is accompanied by a well
developed under thigh. With knees unbent, stoop over and try to touch
the floor with the fingers, making five or ten thrusts before assuming
an erect attitude. Walking or jumping up and down on a plank elevated
at an angle of forty-five or fifty degrees with the floor, with the
toes toward the higher end, is a good exercise for the calves and the
under thigh. Stand on one foot, weight the other, and swing it backward
and forward as high as possible.
=The Calf.=--Climbing up hill, running on the toes, hopping long
distances on one foot-any one of them, if persistently followed, will,
in a short time, result in strengthening the calf and increasing
its size. Professor Maclaren declares that in four months of Alpine
climbing his calves increased from sixteen inches to seventeen and
one-quarter, and his thighs from twenty-three and one-half inches to
twenty-five.
Another exercise, very simple, has been found productive of great good.
Stand erect, chest out, shoulders down, knees stiff, feet slightly
apart, toes turned outward. Raise the heels as high as possible,
throwing the weight of the body upon the toes. Repeat at the rate
of fifty to seventy times a minute. One minute’s work will prove
sufficient for the exercise. Increase to two, three, or four minutes
a day for a month. A gentleman, approaching middle life, who was not
satisfied with a calf that girthed fourteen and one-quarter inches, in
four months, by this exercise, added another inch. He devoted fifteen
minutes to it, morning and evening, and after a time carried a twelve
pound weight in each hand.
=Pulley-Weight.=--The uses of the pulley-weight are so numerous and so
varied that it constitutes almost a complete gymnasium in itself. One
of its prime advantages is, that by gradually multiplying the number
of weights, it adapts itself nicely to the increasing strength of the
individual, and to the varying powers of the different members of the
family. It reaches directly every muscle of the hand, wrist, arm,
shoulder, chest, abdomen, back, and neck. By the use of an extra pulley
near the floor, necessitating a longer rope, excellent drill of the leg
muscles is afforded. By sitting on the floor, the latter arrangement is
converted into a rowing machine, affording exercise for the arms, back,
and legs.
=Dumb-Bells.=--These are less expensive but scarcely less valuable
than the pulley-weight in the scope and variety of the exercises they
afford. They may be of wood or iron, and should not be heavy. For the
average person, one and one-half pounds, each, is a good weight. For
children, one pound is sufficient.
=A Home-Made Gymnasium.=--By a home-made gymnasium is meant the use of
such appliances as the ordinary home will furnish, or as a person, with
a little mechanical skill, can supply.
=Chair Exercises.=--A light chair, grasped firmly by the outer upright
supports of the back, with the two hands, and swung vigorously around
the head ten to twenty times, first in one direction, then in the
other, will afford one of the best simple exercises known. It brings
into play the muscles of the hands, arms, legs, and many parts of the
body, and if repeated at short intervals will not only increase the
respiration and stimulate the circulation, but will also start the
perspiration. The intervals should be occupied with exercises that
bring into play other muscles, as rising on the toes, stretching the
legs, breathing exercises, etc.
Another valuable chair exercise consists in placing two chairs, front
to front or side to side, with a space between them of about six inches
more than the width of the body. Place the hands flat on the chairs,
then slip the feet back, and with the toes resting on the floor and
the limbs and body rigid, lower and raise the body several times. For
deepening the chest and strengthening the arms and shoulders, this will
be found an excellent exercise.
Unless the chair feet are spread, care must be taken to place the hands
well within the edge of the seat, to prevent the chairs from tipping
over. One chair may be used instead of two, by grasping the sides of
the seat firmly and bringing the chest nearly or quite to the front of
the seat.
=Door-Jamb Exercise, No. 1.=--A light form of chest and arm exercise
may be had by grasping the side jambs of a door-frame, about as high as
the shoulders, and planting the feet a short distance back. Keep the
lower limbs and trunk rigid, the head thrown well back, and thrust the
body backward and forward from ten to twenty times.
=Door-Jamb Exercise, No. 2.=--For those having weak chests and weak
arms there is no better exercise than that known as the “dips,” for
which the parallel bars of the regular gymnasium are largely used.
An excellent substitute for the bars may be made by boring a hole
about two inches in diameter into each side of the door-frame, about
waist high, and fitting to each hole a strong wooden handle or peg.
These should project into the doorway with a space of eighteen to
twenty inches between their inner ends in which to stand. The exercise
consists in placing the hands on the pegs, and slowly raising and
lowering the body a number of times by the muscles of the arms alone.
At first, some assistance from the toes may be necessary. Soon the
arms will be able to do the work alone. Beginning with five lifts, the
number may be gradually increased to fifty. It is understood that the
pegs may be removed when not in use.
If the disfigurement of the door-frame between two rooms, or room and
hallway, is a serious objection, the jambs of a roomy closet door may
be used, in which case the closing of the door shuts the holes from
sight. Two high tables, or a foot rail of a bed and a table, or box
placed firmly upon two chairs--in short, any two pieces that will
afford a lift of the body, such as that described, will serve the
purpose nearly as well.
=Door-Jamb Exercise, No. 3.=--By fastening two cleats or supports on
the inner faces of the door-frame, with a niche or slot in each, to
support a horizontal bar, extending across the doorway near the top,
just within reach, a simple but very valuable piece of apparatus is
ready for use. For strengthening the fingers and the grasp of the
hands, as in swinging back and forth by the arms, and in developing
certain arm, back, and abdominal muscles, as in lifting the body so
as to touch the chin to the bar, few exercises are better. The latter
was a favorite exercise of William Cullen Bryant, and one to which
he attached much value. It is attended with some danger, however,
and should not be attempted without preparatory drill. The sides of
the bar, at the ends where it enters the cleats, should be slightly
flattened, so as not to turn with the swinging motion of the body. Two
or three sets of cleats may be used, adapting the height to different
members of the family.