CHAPTER XXXIV

PHYSICAL CULTURE

(By George R. Borden, Physical Director.)

Fresh air and exercise are fast being considered the best health producers in the world, yet how sadly neglected; as hundreds of women give evidence every day, with the dull eye, flat chest and lifeless carriage. Every woman would like to be attractive, but few are willing to devote any time to its acquirement. What arouses our admiration when seeing a statue of Minerva or Venus? It is the abounding life of the whole body, finely developed chest and limbs and well-poised head.

Let us learn how to breathe, how to walk with a strong and graceful carriage. A small amount of time each day spent in systematic exercise with deep breathing would change many a weak woman to a healthy, vital, living person with the grace and beauty of perfect health and a fine physique.

Look around at any gathering of women and note if the majority are not very far from our ideal of physical perfection. I care not how beautiful the face if it is accompanied by narrow shoulders, thin neck and a flat chest, the possessor must give way to her plainer sister who knows the value of daily expansion of lungs with every muscle under control, perfect digestion and fine circulation.

Naturally the plea is the lack of time for exercise; do not women find time for reading, fancy work, calling and a multitude of other affairs, which might a thousand times better be spent in preparing themselves for a healthy life? If more time were spent in the fresh air and in keeping the body under control, there would be fewer peevish, tired-out, nervous women in the world, for the one who realizes the value of these things is too healthy to be aught but good natured and happy.

Walking is one of the best exercises in the world, yet the crowded trolley with its impure air is largely filled with women who could not walk a mile. How many of my readers can walk three miles and have it only serve to make them feel how well worth while is life? The majority of women think several squares a long walk, and I know many who take the car for a quarter of a mile, walk through the stores and return on the car, then wonder why they do not sleep well.

Every girl and woman that works, either in the home or elsewhere, needs exercise to develop muscles not in use, and improve circulation. Isn’t it worth a few minutes a day to feel yourself physically ready for any emergency, digestion good, nerves a thing of the past, and abounding life in every muscle?

Of course these things cannot come in a week or month, but let your daily exercise be as regular as your meals, walk with the idea of getting all the good you can out of it, when you are seated, don’t sink down in a heap, keep your lungs expanded and bend at the hips not at the waist as we are so prone to do while sewing, writing, and engaged in kindred occupations; a thing which leads to so many round shoulders and narrow chests.

When you are walking alone instead of planning your next work, give a little thought to breathing and how you are carrying yourself. Inhale as you walk, retain the breath for a few steps then slowly exhale. Hold the head well up, shoulders back, chest high, hips in and let your limbs have a free swing and you soon look and feel as if walking were a joy.

The exercises following are so arranged that anyone can do them. Ten minutes each morning should be given to them followed by a bath and a towel rub if convenient. If bath is not possible, a thorough rubbing of the body with a rough towel is the next best thing.

At some time during the day a brisk walk followed by a few exercises before retiring and never forgetting the deep breathing will quicken the results.

Have plenty of fresh air at night as well as day and eat substantial food and see if the results are not all you could ask.

The value of exercise is in the amount of life and vigor put in it. Better not exercise at all than to do it carelessly.

FIRST SERIES

Repeat each exercise from twelve to twenty-four times.

Exercise 1.--Position of Fig. 1. Swing the arms forward till they touch in front, return to side (Fig. 1).

Ex. 2.--Swing the arms to vertical. See Fig. 9 for position of arms. Return to Fig. 1.

Ex. 3.--Swing the arms backward as far as possible.

Ex. 4.--Swing both the arms downward to the hips and return to position (Fig. 1).

Ex. 5.--Position of Fig. 1. Swing the hands to the shoulders by flexing the arms at the elbows (palms up).

Ex. 6.--Position of Fig. 1. Swing the hands to the arm pits by flexing the arms at the elbows (palms down).

Ex. 7.--Position of Fig. 1. Circumduct the arms, making the fingers describe a circle and the whole arm a cone. (Arms perfectly straight.)

Ex. 8.--Open and shut the fingers, gripping the fist as tightly as possible, also extending them as far as possible.

Ex. 9.--Position of Fig. 1. Keep the arms on a level with the shoulders, bend the body sideward to the left as far as possible. (See Fig. 2.)

Ex. 10.--Same as Ex. 9, to the right side.

Ex. 11.--Combine Ex. 9-10.

Ex. 12.--Position of Fig. 1. Rotate (twist) the body sideward left as far as possible. See Fig. 3 for position. Keep feet in place.

Ex. 13.--Same as Ex. 12, to the right side.

Ex. 14.--Combine Ex. 11 and 12. Rotate from side to side, arms to be kept on a level with the shoulders and rigid.

Ex. 15.--Hands placed on hips, bend forward and swing hands downward toward the toes as far as possible. See Fig. 4.

Ex. 16.--Position of Fig. 4. Hold and swing both arms sideward up as far as possible.

Ex. 17.--Same position. Swing the arms forward up as far as possible, arms will then be straight out over the head.

SECOND SERIES

Position of Fig. 5. Arms folded and the left toe touching at the side.

Exercise 1.--Hop on the right foot and touch the left foot across in front of the right, at the same time unfold the arms and swing them sideward to their own sides. See Fig. 1 for the position of the arms.

Ex. 2.--Same as Ex. 1, with the right foot.

Ex. 3.--Hop on right foot, the left foot in position of Fig. 5.

Ex. 4.--Hop on the left, right toe to the side.

Ex. 5.--Arms in position of Fig. 5 and the left toe extended forward till the toe touches the floor; hop on right, keeping the left leg extended.

Ex. 6.--Same as Ex. 5, with the right foot forward.

Ex. 7.--Hands on hips, raise the left knee high up in front with the toe pointed downward. See Fig. 6.

Ex. 8.--Same as Ex. 7, with the right leg.

Ex. 9.--Position of Fig. 6. Hold, straighten the knee, raising the foot on a level with the thigh.

Ex. 10.--Same with the right leg.

Ex. 11.--Hands on the hips feet together, swing the left foot sideward left as far as possible with the weight of the body resting on the right leg.

Ex. 12.--Same as Ex. 11, with the right leg.

THIRD SERIES

Hands on the back of the head. See Fig. 7.

Exercise 1.--Bend the body as far forward as possible, keeping hands on head.

Ex. 2.--Bend body sideward left as far as possible.

Ex. 3.--Bend body sideward right as far as possible.

Ex. 4.--Alternate left and right.

Ex. 5.--Keep the fingers locked as in Fig. 7, thrust the hands upward to vertical till arms are straight.

Ex. 6.--Position of Fig. 7. Draw the head forward with the hands, keep the back straight, resist with the neck muscles.

Ex. 7.--Draw the head backward and resist with the hands.

Ex. 8.--Swing the elbows forward till they touch in front of the face, then swing them backward as far as possible.

Ex. 9.--Position: Feet together, arms down to the side, lean forward and swing the arms to the side, lift left leg upward about five inches, leg and arms rigid. See Fig. 8.

Ex. 10.--Same as Ex. 9, with right leg extended.

Ex. 11.--Position of Fig. 8. Hold, swing arms forward till they touch. Repeat several times.

Ex. 12.--Position of Fig. 8. Swing left foot forward till foot is about 8 inches above floor, lean backward to keep the balance. Do not let the left foot touch the floor. Repeat several times.

Ex. 13.--Position: Swing the arms upward to vertical and rise on toes as high as possible (Fig. 9).

Ex. 14.--Same position as Ex. 9 (Fig. 8). Hold that position and hop on the right foot at least twelve times.

Ex. 15.--Same as Ex. 14, hopping on the left foot.

Ex. 16.--Hands on the hips, rise high on the toes.

Ex. 17.--Hands on the hips, raise the toes off the floor, weight on the heels.

Ex. 18.--Position: (Squat) lower the body by bending the knees as low as possible and swing the arms forward up to the front horizontal.

Ex. 19.--Same as Ex. 18, but swing arms sideward up to side horizontal.

FOURTH SERIES

_Towel_

Position with the towel on the back of the neck. (Fig. 10.)

Exercise 1.--Straighten the arms, thrusting the towel to vertical.

Ex. 2.--Pull with the left hand till the arm is straight out to the side and the right arm is across the neck.

Ex. 3.--Same as Ex. 2, with the right arm.

Ex. 4.--Fig. 10, bend body sideward left.

Ex. 5.--Fig. 10, bend body sideward right.

Ex. 6.--Combine left and right.

Ex. 7.--Bend body forward, keeping towel in position.

Ex. 8.--Towel up to vertical, bend forward and swing towel down to the toes.

Ex. 9.--Swing the towel downward and backward to the hips. Take a wide grasp on towel.

Ex. 10.--Towel on back of hips (see Fig. 11), bend body forward and swing towel upward to vertical.

Ex. 11.--Position of Fig. 11. Bend body sideward left as far as possible, swinging towel right.

Ex. 12.--Same as Ex. 11, bend body right.

Ex. 13.--Alternate left and right.

Ex. 14.--(Squat) lower the body by bending the knees till the towel touches the heels.

Ex. 15.--Position of Fig. 11. Swing towel backward as far as possible without bending the back.

Ex. 16.--Position: Towel across in front of hips, arms rigid, swing towel to the left and in a vertical position. See Fig. 12.

Ex. 17.--Same to the right.

Ex. 18.--Bend forward, touching towel to toes. See Fig. 4 for position of body.

FIFTH SERIES

_Floor Exercises_

Sit on the floor or bed with the legs straight, knees touching the floor.

Exercise 1.--Swing arms to side horizontal and back as far as possible (Fig. 13); then swing forward, touching the fingers to the toes.

Ex. 2.--Swing arms to vertical (see Fig. 14 for position of arms), then swing to toes.

Ex. 3.--Flex left leg and swing arms to vertical (Fig. 14).

Ex. 4.--Flex right leg and swing arms to vertical (Fig. 14).

Ex. 5.--Flex both legs.

Ex. 6.--Hands on floor, swing left leg to left side.

Ex. 7.--Hands on floor, swing right leg to right side.

Ex. 8.--Hands on floor, swing both legs to their own side.

Ex. 9.--Extend the toes as far as possible, then flex them.

Ex. 10.--Arms at side in Fig. 13; swing the arms forward and clap hands in front, also extend the toes at same time.

Ex. 11.--Hands on floor, keep knees straight, raise the left foot as high off the floor as possible.

Ex. 12.--Same as Ex. 11, with right leg.

Ex. 13.--Both feet.

Ex. 14.--Hands on floor, swing to vertical and clap hands over head.

Many exercises can be added to the above by lying on the floor and raising the feet, etc.

SIXTH DIVISION

VITAL FACTS OF LIFE FOR THE YOUNG MAN, MARRIED OR SINGLE