15 Minutes Exercise a DOIj for Healths Sake

AV

C
LIEU"I
THREE

7Jl/!

.J . P . MULLER
SHILLINGS C SIXPENCE

~.

".-

TilE

r .• \lL

Al+~llftR.

i~

11)-.; 71o;.T

\"I':AR ,\~,l:V tl!

WITlI

HIS

GRA.:.rO-DAt"GIlTI-_H.

"UIl\H)

rt:

,F..\l(i;!I

MY SYSTEM
I5 Minutes' Exercise a Day for Health's Sake

J.

P.

M LLER.

K.D.
.1 Waf",)

Author of "My System for Ladles," .. Ml' System for Children," "My Brcarhlng System," .. Tho Daily Five Minutes," "j\fy Sunhathing and Fresb Air System," etc. L-nd" {h, jHJtrQllogt 0/ H.R.H. 'lie PriH<I
19a-I!)>!

Nm\~ EDrTIor-:

JLEVISED

'BY r._'I_PT. I. P. "\IULLEll.

WITH

120

ILLUSTRATIONS

LINK

HOUSE

ATHLETIC PL13LICATIONS, LTD. LINK HOUSE, 24 STORE STREET

LON

DO

-,

w.c..

C7/!Yrigbt in Ibe [--',,;Ied ,rto/~.f of AJ;J~rim, 10' Alil/fti.

Pu};/ical;',l/f.

Lfd.

A Few Words

about

Apoxyomenos

The picture on the COveL of this book is iron, a. photograph of t he antique marble statue, now In the Vatican in Rome, which was fo und in 1849 in a broken state at Trastevere, near Rom.". Apoxj'o./ .... as (Greek-the scraper) represents a young man clean. 'nghimselI with a bronz-e scraper, after athletic exercises, of oil, sweat, and dust. The marble statue is a copy of the bronze statue, well known in ancient times, by the Creek sculptor Lysippos (360-310 n.c.). Much bas been written about this statue, but all concur in praising its beauty, and ill admiring the Greeks, who, by means of their athletic sports and physical training. were able to produce human forms fit to serve as models for such sculpture. I have expressly cbosen Apoxyomenos from among the many beautiful statues of antiquity to decorate the cover of my book because he is tbe embodiment of the contents of it: he is the Athlete cleansing and caring for his skin after exercise, and is thus the 'Ideal towards which my book points. Under tIli, pseudonym, generally aboreviated to Apo« Or Ap, T wrote for a number of years on Athletics in Danish papers.

!L.~(Ti.

.a(l'itJ
TE.R

~iUN'rZD ~apnlCl'1!:

T:!;

(".I.,il't

:IIitt"T.t....u; t.TD •

13"l'

Jlsur;!iI!il

.Rfl~llIL-STi:R

K,t::-.,

CON TENTS
H>tAL TN VltRStlS IllNEsS

Wby be Weakly 1 illness is generally one's own Fault

What ought we to do ) Some Hints about the Care of the Skin 'I'be Importance of Relaxatiou The Lmrnedia te. Effects 01 national Physical Exercise Forty-five Years' Experience What I understand by Exercise, Athletic Sport. and Culture
'["!I" MIKOl' SOL RCIlS OJ' REALTn

13
14

15 16

19 ~O 22
Physical

Suitable Diet Sensible Underclothing Moderate redoor Temperature Prope Care of Tooth, Mouth, Throat Some Attention to the Feet El gbt Hon rs' 51e "!' Moderation ill Smoking
Sl''EClAL- Itc),tARKS ON THE

26

27
and Harr IlS IlS
'29

30
30
,<

APFLICA-TJON" OF

My

SYStttloI.

Infants. p. 111. Old People, p. ~ 1. LIterary and Sclentifie ~r(:1l and Artists, p, 31. OiTIre Workers. p. 32. Sporrsmeu and Athletes. p. 32. For Women to Remember, p. M. Cyclists. p. 35. Country People, p. 35 Travellers, p. 36. Fa t aDd Thin People.

p.37.

G1;.NERIoL REMARKS
SPECIAl..

"'"
FOil

'I ~1l Al'"LIC.-r

FE"'"L

ION OP ")lY lKTS .,

SVSTE'"

..

39

EXERCISF-S

COMP ....

40
~ND IN'FIRJ,fI42 50

LIST

OF CHT<ONIC AILMENT" !IL~ STJCCESHlJLn'

A"O

BOOIL"

DEFECTS Exl1RC1SKS

TREAI'ED

GENERAL

RJ<MARl<!; ON CAR)!YIN{;

our rira

A PROGll.A1>'MEFOR A. TABU< FO)! S&QlI~~CK

:rlm

FIRST

SIX \Vmms
IN THE '["OI>ICS

52 65 PRoP"" 56 AND Uil<1"

AOVA..,'iCED

Pr'RFORMllns

TI"< 'BY-51" HOURS FOI<.1l01NIl nm E=1<c,sn,

D .:sCRleTlO'" 01"
T

nz

EXERCISES

Deep Breafhing Exercises Knee Bending Exercises Relaxation Exercises " Exerciaes No.!!. 1.8 01 .. Illy Syaiern ,. Th e Bath, as i may be arranged in houses wltbcur Drying tb e Body The Rubbing Exercises. General Remark. E xercises Nos. g. 18 ,

"s 60
batnrooms 62 6'1-82 82 89

87
.811-110 llJ
114 117

My Special Exercises for the Neck

.My Sp.cial Foot Exercises

lNTRODUCTION
It may be. of interest to English readers to know a little more than he himself tells us about the parson and achievements 01 the authcr-swho in his own country. Denmark. and in several parts of the World, was a celebrated and justly esteemed Amateur .~thlete, Hygienist and Philosopner. J. P. Muller. who was born in 1866. entered the University in ISd" rust studied theology. and then became lieutenant in the Royal Enaineers, For ten rears he was a private engineer. and for four and a half years Inspector at the Vejletjord anatorium for Consumptives in Jutland, but resigned this appolntmeut in order to devote himself entirely to pwpagatiug the cause of Personal Hygiene and completing some important ethical works (not yet published ill England). By means of physical exercises aud athletics he developed himself from a delicate boy into one of the most successful all-round amateur sportsmen and athletes on the Continent. Carl Bloch. the most famous of Danish painters. once said to him : .. YO\! are physically the most perfect man I ever saw." and Dr. KT'ajewski, of St. Petersburg, the" Pather .. of Athletics, wrote. ill a letter: " Really, so splendid a figure as yours, bearing So close a resemblance to the antique s atues, is rarely to be met with, either among amateurs or professionals." remarks which are sufficient testimony to the admirable physical development of the man. In this connection it may be noted that the author won in 1904 the first prize at the Athletic nion Physical Culture Competition as the best-developed man in Denmark: and, after the 'lecture held in Glasgow on September 19th. Hp I, .Mr, F. H. Newbery, Principal of the Glasgow SChool of Art, ill proposing a vote of thaLlks to Lieut. Mullerrspoke enthusiastically of the interest and value of tile demcnstrattcn which had just been witnessed, He bad. be said, been for thirty years dealing with living human models: he had SG(m Sandow and Hackenschmidt and manv others famous for tneir physique. and hundreds less widely known. h\lt neve. bad he seen in all his experience so beautiful a body as Lieut; Muller's, The author woo aJtogrlbeT' 134. prizea, of which 1:lo have been Charnpionstlip and First prizes. and only nine Second prises. These have been won. not in any one restricted field. but in almost every possible branch of sport and athletics: sprinting and long-distance running and walkmg.Jong jump, rowing. skating. swimming, plunging. throwing the hammer, put1:±ng the shot (16 lbs. avoirdupois), throwing the 56-lb. weight, discus-throwing, spear-throwing, wrestling (Gr""co-Roman style), weight-luting' and tug-of-war, and in. the all-round Athletic Championships. Hewas also an ardent and skilful boxer, ski runner, and football player. and in spite of his years still huld some D~IJ records. In 1917, when 51, Mr. Muller put up a veteran's record, in that between Putney and Hammersmith he cycled. Ian. wal-ed. paddled, sculled and swam six consecutive half-miles in 29 mins., 19 2-5 sees. In 1919 liM. the King of Denmark conferred a. knighthood of the Order of the Dannebrog all JlIr. :Mu\ler, who between .883 and 190j had introduced British athletics • field events. new swimming and life-saving methods, etc., until then unknown in his country. In April, 1924. Mr. Muller stayed for a week at he French Army School of Gymnastics at Joillville, near Paris, where he taught" The Daily Five ll.fiuutes" (in alJtbree degrees) to the staff of instructors.

let who eagerly took the opportunity of learning how to breathe deeply during quick body-movements, aad bow to relax the muscles properly In January, 1925, H.R.H. the Prince of "Vales most graciously granted his patronage to Mr. Muller in respect of his works and books. In September, HJ~4, Mr. Muller had abandoned file institute business, and. \\'<15 thus once more able to devote his whole time to authorship and lecture demonstrations. HiE tours during 192'5-29 Oil the Continent were of a triumphal character. In Germany he was in 30 big towns invited by the MUl1icipalHealth officers to speak and demonstrate in the town balls. The FreES quoted freely- the following public declaration made by Dr. Mallwitz, physician at the State Academy for Physical Culture and Sport (in Grunewald, neat Berlin): "When Mr. Muller in );9°4 published his System. 11e was a couple of decades in advance of medical science, not only as a physical culturist, but also as au hygienist. Only recently medical science lias begun to understand fully his ideas." . In Denmark he was given an almost royal reception; a. gathering of 3,000 people with bands, standards, flowers, speeches and cheers. received hlm at Cope ,1 hagen Starion, Alld with signs .of the same entbusiasm-c-only on a smaller scale-s-he was met in several provincial towns, In Ccpcnhagen he twice lectured ill the new Exhibition Hall, each time to an audience of more than 5.1)00. The nrstevening, tho Social :\1inistBr, Borgbjerg, was in the chair, and introduced !VIr. Muller \Icjth a vivid description of his whole liie since their boyho-od when they had played and studied together. In JIllIC, 1916, was published in Danish a selection of My. Muller's poems, and he was greeted by the greatest living Danish poet Jeppe Aakjaer, as a prominent colleague. Tn some of the poems are depicted the beauties of the Chiltern Hills, especially Ashridge Park, Ivinghoe Common, and the old village cl Aldbury. His sixtieth birthday, on the 7th October, I~tl6, ::IIr. Muller spent at his Tring home, reading telegrams and letters, But ill Copenhagen tbc Government's paper, as a demonstration of honour to iUT. Muller, arranged it festival in the" Idraetshuset," where 2.500 people gathered. A prologue in verses praising il-k Muller's work was recited by the poet Aa€'B Hermann, then followed music by a band of 100. songs partly wrltteu to Mr. Muller and sung by a choir of 200, a short lecture on .. :\IIy System" and displays of boxing, wrestling, fencing a nd gymnastics by the banish champions, both men and women. Almost every Danish and German newspaper contained long articles wherein Mr. Muller was praised as the founder or modern physical culturewith its appreciatiou of Fresh Air. SUIl. Daily Bath, and Deep Breathing during exercise. And they unanimously state that it is due to him That whole populations now lead a more hygienic life. His death at the age of 'i2 was sudden and cam" as a distinct shock to Lis host or adrnir ..rs, Up to the last he remained extraordinarily active and continued to keep himself fit with daily exercise. Yet, when it i~ remembered that as a child he was not expected to survive, it is an arnaztng tribute to his health teachings that he lived as long as he did. H., strengthened a weak consriruticn to such a degree that it gave bim an athletic body which h" kept actively engaged for more than the three score years and ten lor which man lS reckoned to be: allocated.

IRE

EDITO~

THE AUTHOR'S

PREFACE TO THE NEW EDITION

The Exercisescalled " My SYSTEM" were originally selected and composed for the purpose of keeping my comrades 01 the Copenhagen Rowing Club and myself fit during the" off" season, as regular rowing practice is not possible during winter in Denmark. Up 1:0 this time, the manuals of physical culture in 'vogue "ere published with the main object of SoJUiIllf orne apparatus (spring dumbB bells, chest -ex paudcrs , eto.]. On the title paga were usually displayed as " authors" t:h.~ names of famous stage performers, whose biceps or triceps were tbuir chiefcredentials. Seeing the splendid res ults in general health and fitness of my exercises without apparatus, my mends urged me to let them be published: The first Danish edition appeared in 19°4, and had an immediate success; several reprints had to be issued, even in the first few months, and the fame of the little hook rapidly spread to other countries. Tho subsequent demand for the book has been so great tbat it has been translated into 2,4 languages, the sales numbering millions o-f caples, One of the main causes of tills phenomenal success has been the general lind generoll8suppori from members of the Medical Profession all over the world. In some countries, Italy, Portugal and Spain, the book and its. companion volumes have even been translated by Doctors of Medicine, who asked Inc for permission to introduce" My System .. a;mongst their countrymen. These doctors (respectively. Dr. Alessandro Clerici, Dr. Ardisson Ferreira, and Dr. Alberto Conradi) put their full names 011 the title pages and wrote long eulogistic prefaces .. It was the scientific meri ts of " l'l'!'YSYSTEM." its recognition ·0£ the fundamental importa.nce of the establishment 0'1 general health in all the vital, organic functions, rather than in the development 01 merely muscular strength, which commanded the immediate approval 01 the Medical Profession. The endorsement of the " System" by the leading medical men 01 Europe, the constant comments and favourable analytic reviews in the Continental medical Press, the publicity given to it at several Medical Congresses, where it formed the subject of addresses and debates, and last but not least. the references to it ill numerous medical works published by well-known Continental savants. speedily commended it to British physicians, who were only too ready to investigate a physical culture system 00 free irom the taint of commercialism, and which recognised as essential the imparlance of medica! advice in carrying out t he instru ctions. From 1905 to Ig12 I spent my time mainly in travelling in all the countries of Europe, giviTIIj: lectures and demonstrations : but in 191" I gave way to the persuasions of English friends and settled in London, ",herB" Tho Muller Institnte " was established at 45 Dover Street. The aim. of my first ooitioIl.s was first of all to show how the fairly healthy, a verage person could keep fit, .fortify health and stamina and increase physical and mental efficiency. But as so many doctors recemmendod the book. to chronic sufferers and placed it in the hands of their

I'"
patients, it became more and more evident that this" System" also Iermed a splendid means of euring several chronic ailments. This fact has been further proved in the last nine yeare, during which period 11 steadily increasing number of doctors have sent their patlen ts to 'be treated at the Institute. The list of specialists and medical practitioners in London and the suburbs who recommend my exercises to their clients now numbers over 500, of whom 20 ara titled, and many Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians and of the Royal College of Surgeons. Several of these doctors have bad personal instruction at the Institute for the benefit of their own health, and a number have sent members of their own family. Several thousand person. have been instructed and treated at the ~ruUer Institu re, or by special COUISe> sent by post. But thiiOmillions, the great mass of the population of the whole Empire are, of course. lacking the opportunity or the means of securing such personal Or special attention. I AM, 1"I1l::lfi:1--0~, j.leHL1SHiXG THIS ~E'Y E[JITICJ~ IS ORDER TO
Ci1TE l'r\'ER,'<!QDY IX THE WOIU_U _\X UPl'llRl'C'IITY 01'R11<:(;

~II

nlE

\·.\LtlA.BU; EXJ>.ER1E,,"CEr::.."DU.ll

01' BEXl:.',II:«C R!;;CE1"'I' YE'R~.

BY

In former editions only a strenuous form Or degree of each exercise was fully described. it was often, therefore, rather risky for patients to do them on their own account, and it was difficult for their medical advisers to explain to them bow the same exercises could be done in milder forms, Now, in this new edition, the very easiest degrees or quite simple preliminary movements of every exercise are described in full detail and profusely illustrated. It is further explained which exercises are best for most common chronic diseases or bodily disabilities. The task of the medicalad viser who prescribes my exercises is consequently much easier, and his prescriptions are sure to have still more beneficial results than formerly. People not suffering from any aliment, but who are of advanced age or unaccustomed to physical exercise, Can study this new edition. and by following the exercise programme for beginners laid down on page ,5", learn the whole" System" properly and correctly, In the description of each exercise I have warned against every possible mistake whlch otherwise might have disappointed the hope of deriving good and speedy benefits. Since the patronage of H.R..H. the Prince 01 Wales was graciously granted for my works and books and not for Institutes. I am no more connec eel with this line of business.

J. P. "fULLER

MY SYSTEM
HEALTH' ER US JLLNESS
? Why be Weakly

It has often surprised me that so many people are content to be weak and ill, when in reality there is only a slizht effort required 0'1 their part TOr: rhern to grow sound and 'Tell, and remain so. But certainly there is a general impression abroad that illness and delicacy are things that must be: a necessary "v11, There are, however, people Qf Loth sexes whu actually mike a parade of their ailments and what they consider tn be their" pale and inreresting " appearance, under the impression that pallid, sickly looks are an infallible index of an restlJetlr:: and soulful nature. Other signs of ill-health and weakness, such as premature baldness or OOrp111CIlCy, are regarded by many as marks of [hgnity and distmctinn-c-the same false dignity which forbids people, 10["instance, to indulge in so healthy and beneficial an exercise as running. Some of our men of letters= have causeu incalculable mischief to youth by "fstematicaUy extolling, both by their example anrl in their wrrtings, a mixture of exclusively mtellcctual culture, physical decadence, and mental morbidity. Fortunately there are now signs that their influence is on the wane, 50 that we who work for the ad vaucement or physical culture, and the .mornl culture which is its natural result, may also hope for a hearing: I shall, there ore. henceforward ie:TIore tile fact that delicacy of health or appearance is regarded in certain circles as an attribute worth striving for, Illness is not by any means a thing" that one need submit to blindlv, Even hereditary tendencies may be successfully combated, and the constitutional inclination held in check. Antiquated modes of thought are chiefly responsible for the prevailing VI'TOng point of view, Common adages such as " Tllncss is Everyone's Master I" have made good folk sit down with their hands in their laps, and submit to anything. Many indeed even defy the laws of X a ture and the decrees of Hygiene, argui!lg: .. We shall get ill in any case, so let us enio), ourselves as long as we can; we need not be afraid that our folly and indolence will arouse contempt: on the contrary, we shall be objects of gratiiring sympathy to fhe many who think as we do." If people only knew bow m uch more, bow much berter and how milch longer they can eIljo)' life if, instead of being controlled by a weakly body, they have a strong and healthy CDe ",t their command I
• The EtlgJi ..b f(t(t,dR't lJlQSl remJ"...w.Otr thr-Ollgnnu.t thAt th-ii book _bjl.j been 'writ.tt!'u 1,.. v ' ..,bQ 11: Ointtill c'-"lIy rri~rri[],g to Olnm:l\:rk' BDd Dtrni~h c:o.o,di;tIon.!.. [l

Dane

Inness

is generally

One's

Own Fault

Even Hippocrates the celebrated physician of olden times, understood that illness is not a bolt from 'the blue, but Is rather the result of a series of daily small transgressions, which pile themselves up little by little until the v burst like a thunder-cloud over me heads of ilia foolish. Many people ruin their own 'health by committing such deadly hygienic sins as always going about in a tight-laced corset and with too high heel", OT filling themselves every day with strong drink and too rich and indigestible food, and inhaling and absorbing into their blood. day and night, poisonous gases, which they, and others In the same room. have exhaled .and exuded. "'IaDY others fall ill through sins 0-£ omission. He who does not taka care of his booy, neglects it, ::Ll1d thereby sins against Nature : she knows no forgiveness of sins, bn t revenges herself with mathematical certainty. 1£ you do not take a bath and some all-rownd exercise daily la walk does not merit thi description), and do not see that you have from seven to eight hours' sleep at night. regularly, it is your own [a ult if you are ill, for you have troubled neither to get rid of the poisonous matter which is generated ;n your own body. nor to render the latter capable of resisting infection from WIthout. It would consequently be absolutely logical to regard it as a species of fraud for persons, lor example, who hold busi ness or official appointments, to live in direct opposition to he simplest rules uf health, wi II the result that they are obhged to Jle up e,cry year for a. IOIigCT or shorter period. and entail extra. expense upon their employer, the State, or the Municipality. as the case may be, ami similarly, if a man be delicate and yet, for the sake of additional profit, saddle hi rnself with more sedentary brain-work. instead or making USB of the leisure which Ius .regnlar daily head-work leaves in order to fortify his health. Quite recently a man declared in a death announcement that the Government had killed his second child, because there were still not establishmeuts enough for the treatment of poor tuberculosis patients! There may be some truth ill the thought, but the State ought in return to have the right toprohibit keeping the sunniest room lor show. sleeping at nizht With dosed windows, and without urgent necessity, leading an unhealthy life generally. We, who make a serious effort to be well, have to watch people committing sins against Hygiene which ar-e simply enough to make OIlC's: hnir stand on end. without daring, even unobstrusivcly, to suggest that they should stop. They would certainly retort, .. What business iz it 0 'ours, Sir P" Ye•. and we have to bear the heavv cost of those places of refuge-hospitals arid lunatic asylums=-fcr -such n sinners" and theu: offsprln g. Do not point to this man Or the other who, despite the fact that he pays no heed to his bodily health, is to all appearance well. His time wilt come sooner or later. He may possibly be fortunate enough to escape infection, but he will never attain the f""ling of exuberant health tha.t a. ratfonal care I)f the body produces. He does not live, he only vegetates. He has wasted the stock of vitality that he may possibly have inherited from healtby parents, His children will be so
rnucb the weaker.

So Let us not close au! eye ... but ra ther bold up to the light tbe fact

JI>
that practically all illness and delicacy Is somethmg for which we have to ,thank ourselves, Of at any rate our parents, and let us begin as soon as possible to shake off this yoke of illness, that our children may not wben they all) grown up, be able to call us to account tor allowmg them, and even helping them, to neglect their lungs and limbs, and rum their teeth and stomachs.

What Ought we to Do r
That I have already pointed out. Make use of fresh ale and ckan water; let the sun shine upon you, and do not let a day pass without every muscle and every organ in your body being sot in brisk motion, even if only Ior 11 short time. Stagnation in this case, as every-where else in Nature, is abnormal ami leads to drooping and untimely death, Motion is Iife, increases and maintains vitality up to life's normally late limit. If illness, pursuant to tile law of cause and effect, be as a rule our own fault, we ourselves, on the other hand, can secure the contrary blessings, namely, Health and Beauty. Everyone is the architect of his own happiness: but happiness depends on health. and not on dignities or power, or on n pile of money inherited or scraped together. The business man who, because he has been earning II fortune, has not been able to find time to take care of his health, has doubtless, in many good people's opinion, behaved in an exceedingly sensible manner. But when he comes to reap" the fruits," as they are 50 well called, or his breathless drudgery, only one of the two following alternatives awaits him: either to. die of it all prematurely or to pass the rest of his life in a state of constant annoyance because his poor Illtreated body does not allow him to enjoy life, but compels him to spend his money on specialists or expensive cures. Tacitus 01 old writes: " Whw a ",6111 has allaimui the ag6 oj 30, ,,~ is ~jt"s" 61'>1 idiot 0' his OWl'! doctor," If we put" hygienic adviser" in the place of .. dector," this still holds good, There may of course be cases in which it is judicious to take medicine oneself, or humane to give it to others, but this is an exception and IUust not become a rule. And in any case everyone ought to know t.hat each time he takes even the smallest dose be increases his distance from the ideal of health, whereas he draws nearer to it by conquering illness unthout: the use of medicine-s-should he happen to have been too late in starting to harden himself against illness. In the same way one ought not always to fly to the doctor for medicine the moment one feels a trifle unwell. (Of course, I am not speaking here about acute illnesses. If you get a serious cold 0, lever, go to bed at once and seud .for your doctor. You will then recover in a. few days, whereas it may take several weeks if you try to ignore the fever.) One should search in one's own bosom and ask: .. Whyam I not so strong and wen as I should like to be I" The sensible man is obJiged to reply; .. I do not trouble to fortify my body in a natural manner; bu t will begin to do so now, and thus avoid disease." Ii it be stupid to stuff oneself with medicine on the slightest provocation it is simply idiocy to let oneself be led by the nOS8 by all the mercenary, but unscrupulous and irresponsible, business people whu through advertisements, with, in pari, spurious references, pTey UpOll

16

the blind credulity of the public. There does not exist any hocuspocus, witchcraft, magic cure. or nostrum (snch as Gont Tablets, Electric Belts, Elixir of Life, Liver Pills. Nerve Tonics," or whatever the trash IDa")' be called) that is able to give people health. The Philosopher's Stone is nothing of that sort; it is simply and solely a healthy mode of life. It is incomprehensible that so straightforward a. thing should present diflicu Ities to so =y, even among educated and enlightened people. I can only imagine one reason for it+-Indolence. 01 course it is leas trouble to take a few pills. a powder. a glass of meat extract, or a draught of elixir. than t.o exert one's body, even if only for a quarter of an hour. Yes! and it is more refined, more ",sthetic, it sounds more aristccratic, tiJ go lhrough a hydropatlric ure, than to devote OIlO'S attention to Ule5e" brutulising "physical exercises, The cure of disease is the doctor's business, but practical experience teaches that they sometimes regard its p,eve>tiion as beyond their sphere So we must look after that ourselves. 'Va do not arrange ma tters here as they do in China, where doctors are paid to keep people well. And what; s required of us to ensure heal tb is in r ealrty so little, ccsriug II mere tri~e in comparison with apothecaries' drugs and patent medicines. The body, so patient under neglect that one often wonders at it. is just as grateful the momene a little attention i paid to it. And when prompt and certain results can be guaranteed and tbe thing may be done without special apparatus Or 'preparations, is it not worth while 10 give ita tria] ~

Some Hints About the Care of the Skin

Even people of the so-called educated classes may be heard to exclaim; "What need 1.0 take a bath every day? One cannot possibly gilt one's body so dirty if one changes one's linen freqnently, and docs no dirty work I" I n the first place. 1 would reply; The loose dirt which comes from without is perhaps blacker, but is not So dangerous as the dirt, consist. ing of waste matter and poisonous substances, which is given of[ hrough the skin in much larger quantities than most people think, and which can be partially absorbed again to poison the body if it be not removed every day. As a proof of the facility with which substances from withou t ca.n penetrate tbrough the skin to the internal organs. let me mention that if a solution of salicylic acid be rubbed inro the skin, salicylic acid can be detected in the urine a few hours later, And it is not only very injurious to oneself, but very objectionable to those others whose sense of smell has not been blunted by an unhealthy mode of life, to allow perspiration and grease from the skin to stay and putrefy, and be partially reabsorbed by the body. As a rule people an sby of saying such things a one another. but I do not intend to beat about "the bush. It is well that people who do not take baths should be told that, even if there be no outwardly visible signs, the fact is patent to OIl"·S sense of smell. When such a parson has been In my room for line minute-c-and tile windows are always open-l am obliged to have the door open as well, for a rime, that the draught m.ay blow the pestilential vapours away. I am nut by any means talking of the products

17 of respiration. or intestinal gases. but purely and srmply of ill-smelling emanations from the skill. And this does not referonly to people of the "working" classes. I have often met .. gentlemen" in frockcoats and top-hats. and ladies In evening dres s, of whom you could leIl by the smell of I hem, even at? dis+an e ot several eel. that they seldom took a ba h. It is a. special sruvll, just as people who lire addicted to alcohol. for instance'. haw their jJt'cliliilr amell. Supp ...iiin~ 111 person . in question to ba ve a b" d breath and perhaps be short-sighted as well, 50 that conversation is regarded us impossible unless the distance between one's face and his be reducer! to a few inches, we have an exceedingly disagreeable but uncommonly frequent situation. In the next place, the bath and the rubbing arc Intended to serve as Skill gymnastics, acting UpOll th e capillury vessels and nerves of tlm skin, and rendering them sound, heat hy, ,UJrl hardy-which is of the greatest possible lruportance to me br.~Liy's general health. One can Iav it down ali u rule that the good or ill treatment uf tile kin bas all immediate effect on the whnle gl'uenu state of one's health, The kill i nut a sort of impermeable O'·l'ring of tile body, but is in itself QIIIl of its most 'importa.nt orguns ; we fcd with, ami partia.lly breathe through it, and we use it 10 regulate lu warmth of our bodies, and to Tlnss off obnoxious matter. It is vcr)' benoficial, inuue!l almost necessar)' for the health, to perspire a little every day. so 1011", be il observed. a OJ1e washes immediately after. Bu+ if there be no Immediate opperruuity for this, It is essential to ke-ep ill movement so as to maintain perspiration until borne or some bathing establishment can be reached. How many thousands have contracted pneumonia, or the germs of other disease , through transgression of this rulo l This is especially the case with soldiers, wbo frequently, after sweat-inducing tid:l exercises and oilier kinds of exertion. are compelled to remain absolutely inactive for a long time in the cold and wind. or, if it be summer, in the shade. Iistening to theoretical mstruction. A great deal of harm could be a voided in such cases if a dry towel, which could he carried in til" knapsack. were passed over the breast and back . even if tim; were done under the shirt only. It alwa) s seems to me to be almost suicidal for a lady heated after dancing, or a perspiring cyclist, to sit down ani! eat au ice or to moo, cold beer. To grow colu while "wct" is always dangerous. whether the moisture be cau I'd by perspiration, rain, L1r by falling into water with one's clothes nil. During evaporation i1, very large amount 01 warmth is drawn from the bortv, and this has worse ~:ffect for the very reason, especially when moisture proceeds from perspiratinn, thar the precess of cooling is very unequal. To be .. drycolu," on the other hand, is not so dangerous; yet il is exactly this of which peopl e have such a horror, and this is why they pack themselves i;tto so many clothe. that they break uut into perspiration with every little movement, the col1s~qu.encc being that Ihey catch cold at cnco, Peopl take cold vNy frequently. TIOl because til y are insufficiently clad, but because they wear too many and tuo thick articles of apparel. It is far le dangerous when stripped to take sun-baths in the open air during the cold seasons; yet this again is regarded as terribly imprudent. so perverse Is the public mind regarding such matters, 1 have often beard poople, even sportsmen and athletes, boast that they COllW do tills. that and the other, without getting into a perspiration, some indeed were so "strong" that hey could not perspire at a II.

the

we

III

They were proud of what was very milch to their disgrace. The pores of their skin were choked with clotted grease and dirt until they could not perspire. while their muddy complexions or flabby appearance were infallible signs of their unwholesome condition. If the functions of the skin are wholly interrupted, death will ensue ill the course of a few hours. Who doc" not Jmow the story of the little child who was to represent the Golden Age in a procession. at the accession of Pope Leo X,and had its whole body gilded over? A (ew hours afterwards i breathed i s Last ill convu1.sions, it is very right and proper to be in a perspiration before One takes a bath. but the respiration, and, especially, the pulsation of the heart should have become normal again. With regard to the heart. it is of the very greatest importance that breathing he never neglecred : not for ono moment must the breath be h Id during tbe performance of any exercises. but it ruusr be 11th,,1d • nd exhaled deeply, quietly, and unirrterruptedly through the nose all lhe lime. It is absolutely neccsSILTy that the ai roue urcathcs should be good. Consoq uenrly, if exercises are to be performed in the morning in the bedroom, immediately on springing out of bed, the latter should be covered up again as quickly as possible (of course to be properly aired later on), and then tile exercises may be dODU, provided "the windows have been open all ni ht. l£ not, they must be performed in another room. the window of which has been open during the mght. 1 can, however. hardly believe th"t anyone who takes the least interest in his or her health would sleep with-out gi\in(T free circulation to the fresh mr through open windows. If ufraid of not being warm enough at night. during the winter, it is I'ery moth better to put more clothes on the bed. or warmer nightgarments 011, than to dose the window. The air _'"au inhale tan, amd should, be coot anti fresh, A very practical mode of procedure-just as effective, but considerably <:bear,er than a Turkish Dr Fhmish bath-is to run or walk quickly horne from work, So as to get into a heavy perspiration. then take a bath at once, and perform Some rubbing exercises, before dressing again for be midday or evening meal. You must of course put other clothes on. at any rate, other underclothing. Let me, at the same time, al] attention to the fact that it is an unhealthv and uncomfortable habit to wear the same underclothing night and'day; what 1S worn during tile night ought to hang up to air during the day-time, When burdened you might find it pleasanter to lie quite unclothed in bed, at all events in the summer. For long enough I took no other exercise than the above-mentioned run home, with a bath and rubbing exercises afterwards. and yet kept iII splendid condition. And no one can say that it costeither time or money, as 1 got home more quickly than by 'bus, andsaved my money. No 011(' ought to take a cold bath unless comfortably warm. The more one is perspiring. the colder one can bear the bath, and the more enjoyable it will btl. But if one be feeling cold, and for any reason cannot restore the circulation, the bath should be warm. When, during the summer, it is possible to bathe out of doors, the daily exercises can be performed at the bathing place. After a Iairly long swim, if cold. rubbing exercises will be the best means of restoring the circulation, It is a very good plan to undress at once; in the sunshine especially, yo~ do not want to keep your clctbes on for the exercises

19

preceding the bath. People" ho cannot stand a bright sun Oil their heads should wear a straw hilt or a white handkerchief as a protection. A. a general thing, you should Jet the sun shine on your hody (not forge:tting the buck) whenever you have tho chance. By 50 doing you lay ~p a store of health for yourself that you can draw upon in the gloomy season of the y~.aT The anclent Greeks "ell knew how to appreciate sunshine as a heahh-givar, and. indeed, looked with contempt on a mati with a white, spongy skill. Later on. like so much other valuable knowledge, this sank intc oblivion until rediscovered by Arnold Rikli' and Professor Frnsen.j But there are still only comparatively few who properly appreciate the health-giving properties of the sun'. rays. Even in hospitals, where people go to be made well. the blinds are drawn down to keep out the sun even in the winter months. when it shows itself so sparingly, and is so badly wanted: but those who treat it with contempt do not e5cape unpumshed l As it is the rays of light, and not the heat of the sun, which have such a beneficial effect on the skin, and through it on the heal h of the whole body, we call derive great ad v a ntage in the 8\1 m me r, even earl y j 11 the m onring , from a sunbath of half an hour, which ml15t people can mauagc to secure by getting up a little earlier. To make up lor this we uught to provide for omewhat more sleep during the dark Season of rhe year. We shall only be adapting our habirs do little to Xatures OWl! teaching Babies. too. derive all extraordinary amount of benefit from crawling abou t, or playing, without clothes on, ill the sunshine. or in warm weather, On the other hand, it is a quite mistaken method of" hardening ,. children to let them go bare-Iegg d duriug the cold seasons. 1t tends. rather, to hinder the growth of the legs. Head-coverings, however, are superfluous for children in almost all weathers, and grown-up people, too, ought [0 accustom themselves to going about bare-headed. This is the best way or avoiding baldness and nervous headaches, and one comes by degrees to regard the much dreaded " draught" as a morbid superstition. By the way, all these subjects are treated much more fully in ".My unbathing and Fresh AIr System."

The Importance

of Relaxation

Wherea the most important principle in exercise is to breathe fully and regularly (1uring all sorts. 0 t mcvemsn ts, the 0.,:1..'1 iII impcrtance is to relax all those muscles which are mit absolutely ~ece5Sary to the intended performance, Those person') who understand these two rule. will enjoy the everlasting benefit of quick and enrlurlng muscles, with elastic, strong and ac live organs, A suying such as " ... Wid .. all muscles taut and the breath 'held," used III so mcHIY novels about men an I beasts who arc en the point 01 e'ffecting a coup, has done a great deal of harm by giving rho public Ialse ideas. All nerves a.rl(] senses must. 01 COIll"SC, be on the" qui vive " in s uch eire II msta 11ces : bu tift be muscles be con trac ted and stiffe lied,
~elU

·lB\~~.d

Rl"k.ti tdiEid

l'1itujJ~raf

~lnt~];:l.!H1,.

l'fAQ

If!"illabli'lbed ll,i1ltJ au, sud

I

'CU.,u,-bilths

1.1:11 tbli!

F1U5~, of Cope.ubageo (di~J ,-' t.h Se.pt L 904). dr,"~ovlti1ld modlru. tvliteUl ~t 19tn Tben.peuties, and trea.ted lupw and ether 'Skin diseaiei It I hit LlFtJ:u fl:olu!'t,ll ",(UI tll'Cii.t 'nI~U!!L He ,,",iii :r. .... atded t.b-eNobi!l raru.1II In ]9'03. l

t Prcfesaor

"h.

20

they will not immediately obey the nerves' command, and they are tired before having ccmm need thelr real work. Moreover, if the breath Is held simultaneously with the tension N the muscles, the result is that the person will be our 01 hreatn, and will miss his target or be defeated in the struggle. A champion boxer 0' wrestler understands to loosen and relax his muscles whils dancing round his opponent; and even at close quarters. or ill an embrace, it is unnecessary to protect more than one or two points by contracting a muscle. The crawl-swimmer does not last long unless he understands to relax the arm muscles while bringing the disengaged arm forward above t.he water. ALso the leg muscles, when they have performed the kick or" beat," should be dragged along absolutely slack and relaxed. On the contrary, a so-culled .. gymnast" or a .. strong man" is usually 'Sliff as wood in the arm. abdominal and respiratory muscles, and is. therefore, of no Use ill any branch of athletics or gRm"s whatsoever. 1 consider if to be ilia worst Ianlt. of all to maintain the" crampy position of "attention ,. nurillg the performance of my exercises : also the very much ad vertised, but really fearfully unhealthy " g 'IDnastic form." 1 demand that every second mcmen , namely. during "very exhalation. one should "relax" many muscles and" collapse." as it were, as only in this way is it possible to maintain elasticrty in all parts of the frame, organs and muscles. TIle majority of people, including 1'1.11 good gymnasts .. and bad .. athlete s, age much too quickly, get stiff and short-winded. ju \ because they have never learnt the art, or got the habit of breathing with the whole of the lungs, and relaxing their muscles in time. Even when they are dozing in a " comfy " arm-chair, yes. evert when tlley are asleep in their beds, and are supposed to be resting ilie whole body, they still have several muscles partly contracted. The

Immediate

Effects of Rational

Physical

Exercise

After a few weeks' work, yon will note with agreeable surprise that the fat round YOLIT waist and abdomen is beginning to yield place to finn muscles, and, Indeed, what 1 migh call a .. muscular cors~t" is gradually devel ped : the baels of a strong and hcalmy body, in women, moreover, this corset \\rill bring about the conditions neeessary for painless delivery ill child b lrth, together with other desirable results. '''hat these" Corset Exercise<;" also to a very illgh degree tend to promote in those who practise them arc: "good carriage, "straight, Cree back. and elasticity and suppl ness in all the mo.... em n rs or the trunk, The entire body Is strengthened, and grows flexible, mobile, and efficient. Alter you have once really become strong all over, as a matter of COLII"Se you are healthy as well, and 1f healthy. at the samo thne=-bnt only them-really beautiful. This is true of both men and women, Beauty is thus identical with health and strength-not a sign, but an expression 0:[ it. 1t can be proved, both amongst human beings and the higher animals, that the shapes and proportions which render the body mos serviceable in every respect are the most beautiful and the most harmonious. I am not alluding to beauty of Ieature or unnecessary strength of ann. Of what use can it be. {or a chain to have cer-

21

tain tremendously strong links if others are Iraglle 1 One must admit that it is all altozetlrcr erroneous mode ,II speech to call a mall strong
just because the muscles or his arms arc unusually powerful, while perhaps the sources of his \it>lJlty-th muscles round his body anti his internal orl5"-TIS are weak. It may in fact be positively dangerous to the health to be much stronger in some of the limbs than in ·oiliers, or +han in the Test of the bcdv. It induces one ill overestimate one's cap"r;:ities. Strains through letting. stitch, rupture, and nearly every oV<'T-eAonion uf such organs as the hear , arise from this cause. It IS as though, trusting to the trong links HI Hie cham, one were til hang UpOl1 it as much as it WOI' ld he ahlp. to bear were the en ire chain of the same quality. The result naturally is that one of the weaker links- .give~ way, and then the entire chain is broken. Net only have the strang links been of no use. but they have derne a great deal of harm by creating a false impression. But the lrlea nf " strength " nas been. o much misunderstcod. and thc word so much misused, that people do not care to do anything in order to become reullv strung. Thcv have seen again and again so-called strong men h3.l1.1pere~ lJ\' every kind uf illness. and often dying at a comparativelv early age. _\Ild he same with beauty. The erroneou conception that Ihis depends On the contour of the face. the colour of the "yes, th .. luxuriance elf rhe hair-s-things which it ill not eag), permanently tt] alter hus resulted in people overlooking the 'beauty that is bona fide and valnablc, and which, moreover. it is in everyone's power tu secure fOT himself. And yet a fresh complexion, clear eyes, and a lrce carriage of the heau=-a.ll 01 which are the outcome of a rutional care 01 the bcdy-s-lend a certain beauty to the: most irregular features. By following out' My System," arid now and again going for" run (1111 the balls of the feet), yon will 110t only attain perfect health, but the shape and appear<ll1ce 0 your body will approach more nearly every day to the ancteut classical ideal of beaut)'. for the simple reason ilia this coincides exactly with the hig-bl''St ideal of bodily health, flexibtlrty, ann all-round efficiency. And running' is not for boys and men only; women, and especially young girts, ought certainly also 0 practise running long stretches of sportsmanlike style. Then by degrees we hall be spared the sigb of a walking sylph who absolutely must catch her train suddenly transforming herself Into a cow or waddling duck, The art critics of our day. in their remarks anent the classical sta rues of widen times, have certainly confused cause and effect. probably because they tbemlirh e8 are rather students than practical athletes. and therefore Iack the qualifications necessary to uuderstan d what colossal and yet delicately and harmouiously balanced physical powers and what a migbty exuberance or strength are represented by a Doryphoros or at'! !~po"yomerlo", and v hat a tremernlous and unswerving .. labour must needs have preceded such a result. To imagine that it Was love of bea1rt)- that produced STIrh shapes and lines is simply absurd. The large capacious chest so characteristic of all antique statues is synonymous with the highest possible degree of strength and endurance in lungs and heart '[he powerful oblique muscles of the a.buomen, which form the most beautiful part of .he celebrated antique torso-a gIRting contrast 1:0 the thin. unmuscular ",'<lists of our presentda.y athletes-are developed by the very exercises that I have cited
e

22 [ater as most strengthening to the digestion and the iniesiina! functions. There are other muscles, as tor instance the triceps (on the outside of the upper arm] and the trapezius; (at the back and sides of the neck), which are often exaggeratedly developed in present-day athletes, whereas they are never strikingly conspicuous among the ancients. They play 110 consid erable rote as regards the health or general efficiency of the hody, which is the reason t have not laid much stre s upon them in .. My System." The chief value and title to esteem of classical sculpture Is that it has created models we can admire, learn from, and seek to imitate,

Forty-five

Years' Experience

Exerce e of very organ and muscle a\'ld a bath which is not to cost much money or time or trouble can only be had within the spher of one's own home. The blessings of horne gymnasti0i3 IITC therefore. accessible to each and even' one who cnlv cares to hold out his hand. for them. . Lot me tell a little about myself. 1\f, father suffered from different bodily infirmities, and when I was born 1 only weighed 3} 1115.,*and could he placed in an ordinary ci~J.r ho.'(. Wilen I was two I nearly died of dysentry: as r grew older I contracted ovary childish complaint, and in my early schooldays I was always ill some few times in the year (with feverish cold, diarrhcea. tc.), I onsequentty neither inherited my present henlth and strength nor laid the founda ions of it in my childhood, They Me qualities acquired throuph -pily"ical exercises. which have been carried out all a plan which has been, vcar by ye::lr. more carefully tlwught out, Of course, I should have attained this good r ult. much more quickly and easily had T set about the matte, at first with the knowledae and experience 1 DOW posse s, But for that reason T regard it ,0\-" my duty to render the w-ork easier lor those who are striving towards the same goal, hut have not yet attained it. In 1874, when I was eigl1t yean old. I got bolt! of some hooks translated from the Englisb am! Gorman on The P'"l1ICtple Teachi.,.gs oj Physiclogy (Dr. A. Combe) and on Health GYlr!l1asil['< (Dr. .hreber], and I began to do a few exercises on my own account both with and without dumb-bells, A short notice on "Peu"strianism" in Ob~j' Lana 'ilia i1£eer in 1880 taught me amongst other things to TUn on the balls 01 the feet, and was the fir t step towards my being able later-after having studied '-,ctor Sifbe'B,t in 1885-to introduce walking and running sports on rational Ii [1eS into Denmark. In r881 [ studied a short popular GuidI< to Ihe Care of th« Health, by Trautner. District Medical Officer of Health.] I tried, one after the other, every syst m of Home Gyrunastics that came· out. and ill addition, as years went by, gamed considerable experience by practising Gymnastics (partly private and partly club practice), now according 10 ths " Danish" method and now according to the .. Swedish," as well as all kinds of out-of-door sports. Still, it

; ~=~~nv:~lb~~a~:d ~~~_f.ngUjb. ~~~!y~;~~

'!~

t Tnutnot,"

f/~J'/i!".d:fl:i"'f

5r6r.dh.m.rpf';Jft,··

3rd

ed,

CC~l'lb;!l,_S}M,.189-L ~h.~ ed. 18"8"1.l

23 was chiefly my private bornegymnastics and running in the open air that transformed me from a delicate boy into a strong young mill" 'vI)' first free and dumb-bell exercises were anything btl t systematic. Latu on I tried various real systems requiring to be performed with weights hanginl; from a cord worked by a pulley. These apparatus were comparatively difficult to set up. noisy to use, and quickly got out; of order Excellent exercise for the development of the muscles could be performed with their help. but 110 heed was paid to the well[)I'ing of 1:1Ie equally important internal organs, apart from the fact bat iL generally took quite all hour to go through all the exercises, The same objections hold against man}' English, .American, and German sets of apparatus and t])11 s-ystems appertaininp thereto, the principle nl which is similar, though the resistance produced by stretching an elastic band is substituted for fhe weights. These bands. however soon grow slack and are easily broken. so that the llecessarr apparatus i oeM in rhe long run. lily later experience ill that all such apparatus tend to stiffen the chest by developing its coveri 18" muscles instead of +hose by which. it is actually moved. T know not a few men who ha, ~ n,ry strong arms, shouldersa.nd pectorals, but unwholesome blood. and delicate lungs and stomachs. It is of mar" importance to have vigorous lunps and heart, a healthy skin, powerful dig-e.rtioil, and sound kidney, and liver-quite apart from the fact that it is unsightly for the arms to be proportiona tely more developed than the rest of the borly. J am, on he whole, opposed to the great menta] concentration UpOI} special Bingle muscles advocated by so man,r psycbo-pbysiologrcal systems, as they are called in the udvcrtisernents-c-a half-mystrcal and alluring name, with a scientific sound, The Tj or 20 minutes a day of home gymnaSlics ought to be a recreation for the brain. not a rresh addition to the headwork which is already, without it. tuo great a strain on the average man 0 tn·day. Some home-systems advocate " stationary running." As 1 was Danish champion over all middle and Iong distances, there i~ doubtless no one who will refuse [0 admit that I thoroughly understand and am fond of running [Lhe primary exercise o:f classic times). but as a part of indoor aymnastics .. it should not be introduced in any Iorm whatever. If the running be gende, it loses its chief value us a gymnasticexercise : if it be violent, the air 01 the room is set in mot I.OU , and the dust whirled up and absorbed during one's forced respiration. Besides which, there is no sense in using IIp any of the hort and precious minutes of our Home Gymnastics in performing lwdl,v au exerci e which one bas an opportunity-for instance, on returning from one's daily wcrk= c! pertorming wel] in the open. Before concluding this cbapter, t must Likewise mention the numerous ., Inventors " of" SL'CTet" home gymnaenc systems who have sprung' up of late years. These are not accessible to the public in cheap books, but, by the aid of puffing advertisements, people are induced to pay exorbitant prices for information as to the exercises. A the latter are drawn up on old familiar pnnciples, [hey are generally of some beaeftt, ami of COurse there are always people who are attracted by the mysterious. anti who imagine that so long as a thing is thoroughly expensive it must necessarily be excellent as well.

What

1 understand

Physical

by Exercise, Athletic Culture

Sports

and

I understand euu)' kit!ti of borhly e xercise. By .. IM.t" I rnnve rnents and exercises which are performed for pleasure Q( amusement. in order to enable One to excel oth rs in any special branch, or to win in cemperincns. By Phystca! Cultllre 1 understand work perform II with the consaious intention of perfecting the body, mind, and soul, and iucreasmg one's indrvidual health. rrengrh, speed, staying power, agility. supplene s, courage. self-cornrnand, presence of nund, ane so ial disposition. S rictly speaking, one and the same exercise can, subjecuvely regnrded, be sport at one rune and gymnastics or physical culture a.t another. A man who sits III a boat and rows, to strengthen hi. lungs and th mil les 01 bJs back. IS perforruing II physical culture exercise. whereas It is, mar" often han nor,sp~" for a so-called g,'mnast to vault the horse as high <IShe can mauace. or even for him to strive \0 make HIe descent In a higb jump a.. Iaultlessly as po sible. Further, when a teacher of gymnastics tries to get: hIS team to perform free exercises 'IS nearly together as possible, so lll~t they may be able to 110 better Ulan' other ieams with which they are to be matched, even when there is TID prize nor public mennon IL' prospect, thai is often only sport too. If. after a ompleted cours 01 physical exercises. he quesnon ask d be: .. What can the pupils do ?" the thing is sporl, but if it toe: .. How are the,' now plW' ,icaJl~ I" then It is Phvsical .ulture. The moment bodily exercises are chos n in such wise that they tend tQ the improvement and development of the inrlividual in just those particular pornrs in which he is deficient. they are ,.alIOlIl1I Physi,dl Cult"'e. It ensues (rom tlus that a system of gytnnastics, wrongly appli d. may prove in the "highest degree irrallOnal for the individual, even l( ever so rational in heoretical fonn. For anzernic 00)'5 Or girls, skin rubbing, sun bath. and deep breathing will be a more rat lena! form of Physical Culture than exercises in a drill-hall, even according to ather Ling's system." Physical Culture exercises Can only be raricnal in their applicarlon when tlJCV take into consideratinn the lie ds of the individual. FaT that reason, team exercises and school-drill Call never be more than approximately ra ional, and, carri d en as they are in most cases nowadays, they are anything but that. 11 the above-mentioned rower's comparatively weakest PUIOU, were hiS lun 5 and back, his rowurg might v ry well be rational Physical Culture. When a man. in 1\ " Weight·Jj[ting" Club, holds up an irnn ball in the air for the sake of bearing the existing record. that is Sport : if he do SO for the sake. of developing his extensors, it is Phy ical Culture, and if It be his arms. and in particut r he riceps whiell are comparatively weak, II IS cl}"celllable that be is performing rational Physical Culture exercises. Still, I have never seen anv man or woman whose arms were weak in comparison with their skIn, or their abdominal muscles. For !orty-fi,,~ years lbave used my eyes and thought about the e things. and 1 11ave come to tb e conclusiou tha t those pa rts of the h uman

Sports I understand

B)' Exereis«

THE
In

MINOR

SaVRGE

OF HEALTH

\Vh at I ha ve h itherto recommended and included in " }Iv Srstertl ' these pages. namely {r"'e, sfn>!. and 11111«1(1111' CJ'!n"a<lics in ~onjune tlon with /"(5" air "'"lig'" , and ,1J{l/"P. are the som'C~5 Of health. II the}' be drawn upon dailv, less attention can be devoted to the minor sources. Altbougu they have nu place within the fifteen minutes' limrr, I wil) nevertheless bnefly state my ownexperience with "'gnrd to them.

,,,ai,,

Suitable Diet
There are mure people who slowly eat themselves to death than there are who die oi hunger. So do noralwavs eat as much as rOll thm you can !;tuff into you, especially at night, and du not believe that )'ol.r h nnger is al wa V" real. the (eeling mav be due "to 501I\D fermentation in the stoma h A great deal of the Jond will proba hi)' pass tb rough nndigesied, This wears out your digestive organs before ihen time. YOI1 can see (rom ttus IIOW foolish the wise man's words were when he said: "r\ man i~ wha t he cats." They ought rather to "HI. "Wha i a man is depends on "alP' he eats," or" how he digests." Lea \ e off hoHln~ your food, do not wash tvef"Y mou thtul down with. a drmk : and leave off readtng the newspaper at ureal-tunes, thus forgetting \0 masucate properly. Still you must oot fancy that you can live to be eighty simply by chewing every mouthful thirty-six nrues. you feel lin well, it will most ofren be because four stomach is overloaded, find tn that case you will feel better lor skipping a meal, or [or lasting: [or a day and drinking nothing but water, The plainest meal will then taste delicious, Wilen your digestion has been invigorated through physical ex.. rcise you can safely eac almost every kind of food, but avoid vinegar, strong spices, ~nd condiments. and remember that wholemeal bread, vegetables aud fruit, ~i\·eoue moreatrength and less gout than roast meat and beef-steak. People who eat too much meat often sutter from tainted breath, Row often have 1 not sean digWling the so-c a Iled " boat-race steaks" exhaust a crew to such all extent tlI"-t they came ill Iar behind us others, who bad only eaten porrulge with milk and rye bread with bu 'cpr. 1 lo.... V\iO seen big. strong 1tal rans, whose Iare consrsrcd Qn lv of dry French rolls ",,,,I thin coffee, work much harder and with gre"tcr endurance than, for instance. the Danish workmen. whc <l re f~d 'JO meat anti strong: beer, Ricbly prepared meat, highly seasoned dishes, iood with vtnegar (such as beetroot}, sardines" lobsters, strong cheese. and so forth are poison to the stomachs 0'( young people under sixteen. The same applies to such drinks as wine, strcug beer,cofiee and tea. Even grown,up people would do well to remember tbat " strang dr,,,11 "..lIkes ;JmM Hut I am 110\ II faddist. I believe ill eatin~ and dri"lring

u-

m.,,,:-

~7 anything In mod.l'(I/lOti. because W1 11 a reasonable amount of good e;'tercise the digestion IS so enormously Improved that one need not worrv about what to eat and drink. A alass 01 beer or wine with meals cannot do much harm. but .l!l'ryone whe takes plenty of cone ntrated spirits d~"ly ought to know- that he is breaking down his h ealrh by so doing. and 10 any case hi~ PQ,,-er of r~'isling disease. or the importance of a daily, regular evacuation of the bo w els, I need not say much. r should ii"" like \0 know whether anvone who goes through '!lly ~ stern .. "wry dar will be able to wait much more than tW1'1l <Iour hours. Irnmedrat ely after ris!.,!; in he morning, just before going to bed at night. and jJ rhaps 1:;0 once in the COUTSe of the day, prefernbly midway betw ..en two rneal-tirnes. a glass 01 fresh, dean witter ought to be drunk. in this way, the intestines, and especially the kidneys. rec ..in a wholesome lorn h Hard workere should ra k.. three meals a day, cas y workers nlv two.

Sensible

Underclothing

A g(>n~.. ulen ago rnes boys and :'oung men \\',,11l about without wool underclothing. according to tbe o mparanl<'!y healthier I rac ti ,. of their f. rhers, Th n rluck, Tight woollen under-vests won their wav uito favour and conrributed consirl 'r"b!y to tile l're~ -nr g""rf:uion's susccpi ihihty to cold. J, too, wnre wool lor ., number of }TC!110 and tried ja"ger's norrual clothing fOT a long time, hill , gained ncthing by it ex ept that r made myself tender and nearly .,]",,,)'5 had a <nld or cough. \\l1en some years later I Hung IUy w<.iQIlE1Iunderclothmg aside, my appetite was for a long time twice as la·rge. beruuse mcrebolrsm=-rhe waste and renewal of bodily rissue- is impeded I,y unduly warm dlllh· ing. A5 a matter of course, woollen underclothing ought not 10 be left oft without some previous hardening of 111" system by 111I'"os of 1}".. daily bath and rubbing Afl"r having made US" of my rubbing sysnm or some time. vou win find that vou do not feel til .. c nld so easrlv, and wil] yourself rind tight woollen Ilnderdo(jlf~ uncomfortable. 1 tbmk the best plan IS to vary the underrlothmg accordirtg to the seasons, ill irder not to fed <lrullr in win tel', or perspire 111 summer as soon as we " a Ik a l itt] e. It is not pleasant to p rspire frffly unless we mean If] do i . during S rcnuous excrclse. when we han' changed our everyday clothes for a practical costume. The hardened man should not need more than on lay e r of underwear, VlZ.. a shirt and p,ultS of a material, varying, according to the tempera ure, from thin lin n or cotton rn 's11in be warmest summer to truck silk 01 rtaune! i.11 the d TIlp cold of the English winter. No undervest .need b~ worn except when wearing a starched front wi Ih evening dress, The healthiest and most comfortable tbmg for people wurking m the open air, such as bricklayers lI.llr.J "gTicult1Jral labourers, "auld be o wear 110 clothes at II at their work in summer-lime saxe short kneebreeches. and to put on their coats only when they went hom .. from tbei:r day's work. II wrestlers III a circus can shew thernselves bare to the waIst, there wrll surelv be 110 tI"-" W110 would forbid workmen doing th same for their bealth·s sake. It ought to be tried. In fifry years time It will be universal anyhow, Why wait 0 Be ter far TO mak .. shan work of It and at once abandon the thick, ugly, wooll 0 vest, heavy with

putrefied arcasc from the skin and saturated with stale, e"il-sl1lel1ll1~ perspira uon : I have often in lime's ~"'IC bl', "I,I'!' 01\ ]pug rnwin~ excurvrons in the Sound, ~Ol th .. 11'1101,' ""CW ro take urf hvir ITIwinL! vevts, The wind mlgbL blow , anti we n~lgh swear, hut It was ""I\' ro
our own cnmfor r and ;1'1\-ant..ge

In .ltlnrtton, evervrhinq sboull be a\', i.I'd lh"'l h in <111,' W;J\, cIonIlIllng, such "" tiJ;!hlly buttoned wTi~ -bands "1" ncrk-band-, Igbt collars. and >:arti'rs, Even apparently I\)!)~f' cla suc " ..rtcrs cau iujure the )p~s by producme varrcosc veins. 1£ was rho iru;l1illll once all1f1111{ the Cnpenhaccn strect-hov- to put a <mall, thin ch~t!c r1ll~ round dUl!~' tails, The vrctuns {cit ur>thin!f at tint, and their nWI1!'r. "I,,, ("lk", to notice rhc naITO"IMl\d JiLir by t1q:rel"~ the nul shnvelhd 11[1,111<1 fdloff,

).1oderate

Indoor

Tern perature

comfort ble.

\\'hal are we u,mlll~ to ~ In tunes qnne bv. nobodv thLlllqLI of heillim:: bedrooms nr chnrchcs , now we shall soon h;wmg h"«.tiu;! apparatus In t arns '1uri Cobs _~\Il}hill!: over 60".F L" on 0,,1\' nut benefu ral, hue in th" Inng ru u iIlJllnr'lI~, in i1 "lttJl1g-F"0I1L I'h .. hr>rt_.' Itcc"mt"'l ;:I ])(,t-h .. u«: plant w-i h no l'"wl'r" r,',i~ anr e. It I" .... tOt ") '''':1 ustum on ..~ell tr. d, 1111' temperature. Til IOUI' JfttCl' it l~ n-v ..r D101r'" th'tli ~3° Lo 5.; ~ F. 111 the winter ,. even Ill.' hll)' hook-keepr-r (Inch It

"t"

I 010 not mean. of ourse, that li-ss [ucl sho mhl br- bum, bUI that there should he a wmdow open, <It le-ast a lrrtle \\,1'1" the' whole tunc, Warm air t ltu t i< fresh is naturallv hetrer than cokl lllal is h~<!•. .,1<]
there cunnnt Vi' suthcienr ventilatrnn without warminj; a COl,'1I1 to ~[omt'

extent. lirewood

To kefl' in the hcai hut 11U!fC in mldi(ill(.

by 'hutting tlw winduws which is ,1eAI't'T.

costs

It-;;, in

Proper

'are

of Teeth,

Meuth,

Throat,

and Hair

t docs not rlo to demand rrnpossihrtitres of hu<r men, such, f<..lr mstanc , iI~ that thr- teeth shoul I ht> brushed H teT """n- meal. lout bits of rneut and the lik" should prefprahh· hI' removcl '\'ith ,< wrOl,rll"lJ

toothpick. 'The f"llowitl~ mar he regarded as the ruinrruum tilal cau -nnrle tine to be cllikd zleanly "-I\U sensible. Ilrusli he II'-t'th arid e urns "I' find down, «5 well as aCTUS", And do not Iorpet to brush them inside. a t least once :. day. and at nigh \-ery milch rather than III the morning, when one rmzht be satisfied with rinsmz the IUOU h 'lilt anti g-arKlillg [he' throat II f~w rimes with warm water r.OlltlllfllTlrr iI. teaspoonful of salt Ll't50m~ relative ('J!' hen~r :> drl\rt~t j, iok can-Inlly at your teerh a few times in the vear. to see whether there is anv r1N';),,' l f ~"l the oot h sbnulol be Slllpp<,d ~t ouce ; it pays ill tlit: IUl1g ron~Du not, allow chihlreu to Colt everv dav sweets. chocolates. ur rake with sugar UPLlII them, and never hot, or cold. hut tepid food, It is not enough to taste rt oneself to see whether f(jod is "nul enourrh not to burn ; remember hat a civilised tongue and palate are, So to speak, copper-plated .
• Thil' S~ultnfiUUl
[._h..m'lU~ BtU U th~ alr 1~ IDQiU, gf CQIJf§.e! b Dr.. e5illlrr.

~h;,\p,. er JUi Wtftt"tI 1;1"\.'tdl ~f".l~ .14"'. wbuo I W~i :'IU ll1c.f\~hlr thf" \-~ltdjl-'rd It is 1tJlt .. 1-'!U'!l_101b!~ tu 11- ... '!-unIBlt: '<fI'llhs.tlt:111., t~l!.&alur ... '\'b""H J!\ 11!~ in d.r~ tue ,'tld I.. fe'h In~r-j .1m! a l1t,e)WJ HIl!4I,r leJI"i~lel,;;t\~p· Will tben,
4

it'

~9 The hair must be thoroughly combed and brushed ever}' day, and exposed as uften as po sible 0 the invigorating actlon of sun, wind, and rain, ,\11 artilidal hair tallies and restorers are indifferent or eveu Injurious,

Some Attention

to the Feet

.A harllv tended root has something corpse-like about it, But the prevalen t opinion is. that so long as sepulchre IS well whited, the urrounrting world's _ensc uf si_Dht and smell will not be offended by the corpse. A a rule one 11l8j assume that the more elegant the out of rhe hoe, tile uglier ;ulIl the more deforme I the fOOL itsr-lf will be, whether that of Jl 41.dy ur 8 ~elltlem,lTI, :\[i1.llY people who seldom wash their bodies or 'thoir feet wnuld not ven tu re to showthemselve in the street without their coat bein~ brushed ami their lootgear polished, and regard it as absolutely uceessarv l' put on a clean collar everv day, Indeed 1 positively believe that I y many people. even in " intE'llif;cnt" circles, it Is looked UpOI1 as natural and USIl aJ for the feet ttl be dirty. whereas the hanrls, of course, must always be spotlessly clean. Otherwise J cannot explain the followmg instances of. let us say, naivete. 1 once overboard " Iragmeut of a conversation between two female cbool Waci.JCY5 _ "Just ItlDL)" his hands were as black as--oh I what shall I say l-re~, as 'II)' fur!" And Lit a swimming competition at the Royal n')CH.' in ('(Jp~nhagen, I saw a, .. gentleman" who was going to take part in one t.lf the races walking about au lOng tile company with a student's cap and swimming costume on, and deformed teet 'IS black as coal [ Hal; thl' care of the feet anything to do WIth health ? it may be asked. Yes I in the first ~I,ICU-. ieet that have not been ha r d..ned '5!'ive ri e to many kind, of chills and worse illnesse . because they soon gel cold, and Cll11110t stand being wet, and In the next place. tender feet. sutTering .om one or more or the defects unfortunately so well known, r nder an otherwise capable bod)' almost entirely helpless. The r{.reate~t and must important part of what tho feet require, however, the daily hutb provides. One ought in addition to pay attention to) the nails, anrl remove hard skin after he weeklv warm bath 01" at anv rate once a month. Otherwise itlgrow:ing l1aih;: mdammatlcn, etc. \\-ill sooner or later make the guilty parties rue their neglect. Besides which, if yen] do nut give the toes the air and freedom of movement which they, like the rest 01 the body, require, rou ,V:iIJ 1,'T<l(iHaJly induce perspiring feet, one of the most distressing complaints resulting from elirt. that ""1£1._ When you come home in the evening, you ought always to chango your shoes and stockings at once, or if summer flO about with baru feet, or else simply with sandals (Jlat leather ,ok" with a few s1J:apg)-tbi~ is a verr cheaply purchased comfort : the toes will \ ery soon perform ,gYlllnastic movements on their OWlI ac ount, while )OI! sit wntiug r reading. L-gly, angular. bard. or raw Des soon grow rnnnd, soft ant! nice, through tile lise of stockings with a divrsion or each toe \lik~ gloves). 1 am not going to trench further on the questmu. of grcwn-up people's footwear. They insist, after all, on reserving to themselves the right Qi wearing shoes too small and too Ll!;ht, and Uti applies also to stockings, But r should like to put in a word ior the. innocent littl one, The Chinese afton squeeze the feet <)f their children. to keep them

30

short; we aqueeze them ill another drrecnou. It is 81X 01 one and halt a dozen of the other! Wberever you go you see babies 1)'1118 s!....P in a weIr cnl(lle!! (when alice the poor little things 11<"'''squalled themselves to sleep). WIth tigh"t stockings and ready-made laced boots on their Jeer, The least punishment to which lheir mothers ought to be condernned should be to sleep a night in bed instockmgs and laced boots. 10 the case of 99 per cent. of mothers it 15 from motives of vanHy that their children wear shoes as small and smart as Can be procured, and it would certainly be impossible to get aoy mother to admit that they are too small, even had one nn opportunity of drawing the outline 01 the loot on paper, and provmg uow much wider it is than the sole of the shoe. J\ bad carriage. a. clumsy, hesitating walk, distorted Ieet, and aumberless bours of pain an the penalty of wearing. whlle growing shoes thltt are 100 small.

Ei~ht Hour'

leep

This IS. on an average, lhe minimum necessary if you <'10 not wish to burn the candle In both ends, But On" may "ery well sleep seven hours in the summer, and T1lI1ain the wint ..r, Flrsr-rate physseal work cannot be performer! unless one has slept well the nil':ht before, as 1 have often found from ~.~J.'t'rjence, and I doubt whether correspondingly good mental work can. either, unless wrth the help ol nervedestroying stimulants. Thousands of soldiers have be n made nervous wrecks in the Great Wa.r because their leaders. with ut necessirv, deprived tuern of suificienr sleep. .\5 far as the bed itself is concerned. feather-beds should be avoided, and the head should not be too hrgh, Onesmall pillow i. sufficient.

Moderatfon in moking An old English clergyman, who had smoked as a young man. reo marked: .. On many a minister's tombstone the words' Died io the Lord' are en graved , when the inseription ought rather to be' Smoked himself to death." " AIJ tile boys one sees witn cigarettes in their mouths-and their number is unfortunately legion-are physical, moral. and intellectual suicldes. A pipe OT a cigar after lunch and dinner will hardly hurt a grown-up persou : still, one has a fuller use of one's senses, especially tbose ot taste and smell. if one does not smoke. I have frequently experienced this when in times gone by I have left off smokIng tor several months while training. If you restrict yourself to a lew CIgars or pipes .. day, or half a dozen cigarettes. they will taste all the better,

31

PE

IAL

REMARK

.. lY

ON

Y TE I"

APPLI

'ATlO'

OF

lnsrructions

for Exercising

Babies and

hiJ dren

and some verv vatuuble mformatron cuncermng thuir upbringing are eontained in ")Tv -"'-[ .. rn for Children;" which is issued bv the publishers uf this -lJQak rrorn whcm all particulars may he hild 01:1 application.

For Old People

Fat. lik~ rheuuiari In and st itlucss. can Lt' kept at bar hv rational pbysrcal exercise every ll"y ).rn~t people think thaI they are too nlrl (or gymnastics as ",Inn as they are 0' er thirty. Thrs is a larnentnble error, Phvsic a ! exercise is the onlv unfnilina I1lNUls whereby one can preserve one's youthlul rrength, activitv and buoyancy. oulli of hf){ly ..nd nund. .. Yes, bu ii yr.\! have nOT ~one 111 far this nonsense since YIJU w re a boy, it cannot be any use to set about i when you are lifty and ~gin [Q feel old!" But that 15 just it-It can! 1 have received hundreds of letters from ht}th men and women. of ages ranging from fifty to eighty-five year •• declaring that by the use of .. M)" System " hey have become as If rejuvenated, arnl the Dilly complaint they have 0 make IS that they had not L.ecome acquainted with tbe Sys em before the)' grew so ald. Amongst the pupils at m~' In. itute 1 remember a Lady. a bishop and a colonel ,..ho all three started the exercises" hen O1b01l t eight\"four years old. One ,-,I them was in six weeks freed from constipariun of thirtv rear;>:'stand ing,

For Literary

and Scientff

Men and Artists

1'1", rmnrls of such men work ilcc(mJill~ to> .. t"t'T laws. and in highe) spheres. tban those of the uniuitratcd. -ami hey are t. nsequently inclined to overlook tile fact tha their hnrlll's are subject to quite ordinary natural Iaws If tb" 1J<>d v is not looked ...f er II will evemuallv r bel il~ain>t the mimi ::WIJ prevent it from ••ttainlng Its hlgb ~...at Most of the Rrea t composers aluJ mil II)' poets d ierl ill the: r thirt.ies. J:tow many treasures of sound and bow many valuable Literary producuens the \Vorlrl ba. lost simply hecau e they L'l(Ik no thought for the health of their bodies! It is especially advantageous fur sinl(ers to develop therr abdommal muscles alld heir chest. The Hygiel'ie Sens« ill not one that is acquired ill the study, Un rortu nate!}' It is only tOO ofren (..eking in those quarters where it might be of most use, that 15 to say, among the ianitary Authorrtiesrhemselves.

3~

1" mall)' countrles Physical Culture is a subject of scrcntrne LflUUe8I, whereas U1 scientific circles in Denmark it is ~ ter» 11 i ,)ccgllfll!. And )'~'1 there is matter in it for 110 end of 1 heses and trearis e-", which wunld have, lru uie bargain. a chanc of provinv cOTlsi<il:mbly O1('r" j(t.'Il rally useful than, lor .."ample, ' The Eye ui the C,.rj' or '11", Yegctalion of ~I.ldeira."*

For Office Worken

" Surely YOII do net want to saddle as with st ill urore work , ,," sit and toil all day as It is und have barely 'tune to eat I" To this objerlion 1 would r 'ply : LIsten I When towards evening ),ou are feeling tired and stitT from stooping. is it not a great relief £or a moment [rake care thougb that the chief docs not see 'j to throw yourself back III yom chair and stretch out your arrus and legs ~ Yet It IS a "!IT)" considerable muscular exertion, you can po 'Hively bear your joints crack. Tbe quarter of an hour's extra work. winch I have tbe audaciry to try and lmpose 011you, IS of a sumlur nature, and has a SImilar, but a 'thousand times reater effect. The 101"11 office tyP'! is often II. sat! phenomenon. Prematurely bent. with shoulders and hips aWTy from Ius dislocating posiriun on tbe otfice 51001, pal". WITh pimply face and pomarurned head, thin neck protruding from a collar IbM an ordinary man could use as" cuff. and sWllggering rlress 111the latest fa,<;uion flapping round the sticks that take the place 01 arJTI5 and legs 1 At a more advanced age the spectacle is "till mort: pitiable; th Iaslnou in dress can be 10110,,'eo no longer, because a family must IJc led : the eyes are dull. and the general appearance IS either still more sunken and shrivelled, or else Iat, flabby, and pallid, and nveloped in an odour of old paper, pu relied skingrease, and had breath. B"lllIjjlg. "ud 1101 b~ SQ I There II> no necessiry fOT work to leave so unpleasant a mark ()D 1\ man, r was in au office for seventeen years myself, Only spend ODe poor little fifteen mlnutes II day in the way 1 have advised, and life will have mucu real pleasure to o!:!cr you, too: A nd then you must try to make your principal understand that 11 be require yOll to sit and inhale bad air all day, f om ignorance, or to save the expense of ventilation. it 15 his fault if rOll get ill, now that you yourself are doing all you call in ynur spare ifile to 1mprove your health I What appli ... ro people tJl offlce:i applies likewise to tho~e engaged In literary or other wriung work, Or in sitting or standing employment indocrs.

For tho e devoted

to Athletic Sports

Everyone who is acquainted Wltl) tile newest and best met-hods til rowing, swimming. puttiuz the shot. throwing the hammer. the disc, Or the 5b·\ b, weig b , k news qui te well that the greatest tests of strength ill socii exercises can only ue successfully met by allowing the chief work to fall on the muscles 01 the legs fwd trunk, whereas the man who. b)' dint of practising with heavy iron wcishts, or through Sandow's system, has acquired abnormally thick and knotty ann muscles, ignominiously filil~. T have mvself been an adept in all these athletics, so can speak from experience, Perhaps it is not so well known that It is also in the hlghllSt ds!!:ree

33 advantageous for runners, quick walkers, a.nu jumper"! to have strong muscles round the waist. By means of the .. Corset Excrd~es" (the name under which I include all the exercises which develop the above mentioned rnusclesl. a man can keep himself in training throughout the winter, even if he has no opportunity of running itt the open air, Wha t gem.!rally makes a runner or other devotee of foot-sports, who is not in good training. lip. is not so much want of breath. or tired le!;s, <1$ those well-known uncomfortable sensations in the abdomen. the diuphragrn and the "id ;; and loins. which arc summed up in the won!

I'i""

In January, 19o,I, ill lhic.k winter clothes and heavy boot'>, I ran seven nules (me It u ndred and tweu tr yards over very hilly country ehrougt: snow and lu sh, III one hour, Mel. although J hat! nut ru.n fur three months, dicl not (eel the lea;\ "slitch," simply because I had done my .. Corset Exercises" every day, In my younger nays, when I was much lighter, but did nut do these exercises, T should have got the stitch, u-nder similar circu mstances. before T had done a quarter f the distance, 1 «UI !lOW [lOlfi) fifty years of age, but still always fit for running or 5CLIIlill% II\,e miles at It fair speed, kcoping myself in condition simply by doing' 1\1)'System " every clay. Tn selecting the exercises, 1 have endcavou red to pick uu t those likely to constirn e tbe best preparation fur yOllni: people wishing to attain proficiency in he above-men ioncd health-giving and recreative physical ,,-'>crCISCS. Every athlete will find that following lip ":\Jy System .. is the asiest way or keeping himself in condition through [he winter, and at be same lime of developing the muscles he 1110. t stands in neeel of. 1 n con neetion herewith, 1 can show , as curio i ties, letters III III Y pos sessl on from rna n y elderly gym 11asts and. it t h lete s in whic h t IJ e writers infurm 1Il0 that formerly, despite a zealous pursuit Q£ sport, I!<,,' always hail to complain of indigestion or constipation, ,1m] that their digestions only became regular after [her had pra used .. )l~' System " T must serial/sly iL'a1'Jl ()1"'cI~$ agaill,l/a/lillg 100tIlu,h exercise without sufficient rest, Iood, and sleep : this is likely to produce asta e elf affair, (stalenes.'i) which makes. one fall em ca;;y prey to illness, and Is a I'Q[)r advcrnsement (or anr kind of "port, cnJII if one has beaten the record. Tile question is not so much on" accomplishing, while mining, a considerable or protracted ann difficult task e\'ery rlay, as of gettiIJg the body into such a condition that it is able, without ill effects, to perform the required work when tho time comes (for instance, in a mea or competition), These principles are often greatly sinned. agains , and there IS much to be learnt in this respect from 'the Amertcans. wbo are the finest athletic sportsmen in the world, and wbo lay most stress on bringing the cntin body into a cond ition of the highest possible degree of heal th and vitalitv. Many sportsmen, also, upset their hearts because they take no car" to breathe properly, At the Olympic Games of 1906 It appeared that nearly all the participants, excepting toe Americans, suffered from distension, or ether defects, of the heart. These who carry out " )Iy System" according w directions will acquire the good habit of inhaling and exhaling deeply, uoth 11111'1118 exercises as well as im>t<criill lei)' the aft.r them. Tile reason why] have been. able to take pa.rr, for a. whole generation. in many and various hard all I often protracted contests

" stitch."

tor some time.

or

34

without inflicting the slightest injury upon my heart; always :!Tom childhood paid strict attention tocorrect

is because 1 have respiration,

For Women to Remember If only hall the time that is now spent in dressing, at in curling and other ruinatlon of the hair, was devoted to a sensible, care of the bod v, Ihere would be fewer unhappy mil rriages and fewer unsatisfactory children, This Vale of Teats would become a Paradis e , All women wish for beauty, harmonious proportions, and 3 goud figllre, but possibly not one in d. hundred .of them knows what these really eonsist of, and that the only means of acquiring them-and ill the Call e 01 older women, k""'ping them-is a darly bath, rubbing the skin, and all-round ooclilr exercise, together with Iresb air and $U nsbiue, The present generatien of grown·up women is deu btless almost [last praying for. Bat perhaps, ladies, Ior yom daught ..rs' sakes. it mar mterest you to kno« that ill twenty yeah' nme men will ha ve ad vaneed ~o far in knowledge am] appreciation of H ygieue, that they will no longer rest content with cornpassionatmg the woman who has made havoc of herself by wearing a corset teven if she ba ve DOt tight,·la.ce<JI and high heels, bu t they will elubit stupid; tr. slovenliness. and idleness on her pan to IN a bou t 1[1 a corset and nc~ject her dailv bath and exercise. It Will he an exceedingly uncomtnrtahle position -for a newly married WOman to fi lid hersnlf in i I her husband has to point out to her how low she stands In the scale of civllisatlon, ;1$ r<'garos the care of her health and bea uty, and, ba Idly ..In lad. her cleanliness, beneath her OUIward fi n,ary, A woman who loa ves off her corset 'S, however, ill ill case ir she does not get so,netbin~ else in its stead to keep her warm 3 ncl hold her body "-priGht and together, Warmthcomes quickly enough when the skin is awakened out of iLS Ictl1t1.rgy hy the bath and rubhingexerl'itle~. :V[etIieal books state tna t muscles which will support the body gradUIlUy develop of themselves, if the corset be left off, but these muscles, it is IT'!e, make their appeara,\ce very slowl}' or not at all, unless one' performs exercises, S!II:h al:; those J have indicated which are specially calculated be produce the m, and "'ith the help of which one call ae<l ui, e a .. muscular cornet" in a few months The secret of the beautiful !igllftlS of the female sta rues of an tiq uity lies in the fad tha t they .a11 posses!! a corset of this kind in lieu of the modern expensi ve, ugl y. perishable, uncomfortable, and unhealthy substitute. .. Out we really have 110't time I" Yes! you have I The more rem have to do, the better you w,ll U uderstand how to arrange your lime so that there will be one quar ter of an hour to spare, AmI when you have once properly begun you will look forward ea!i"dr every d"y to thi~. quarter 01 an hOll.r and especially to the ... traordiaary x agreeable sensation that the rubbing pruducerl all over the bod", I t stands to reason that. women, at certain limBS, shnuld omit We full bath and the exercises de tnanding most exertion, and should eon ten t themselves with tbe easiest 01 the rubbing exercises, This plea of lack of tune very seldom indeed holds good, when you ecrne to enquire more closely into matters, Many mothers declare that they have no rime to bathe themselves and their children every day, to do exercise with them, brush their teeth, see that their bowels work properly, get them out in the fresh ail in all weathers .. etc" bat the same

mothers have plenty of time to devour one novel alter another, ·to chat with others 0 r the same way of th in k i rIg on the stairs fir at the corners or the streeta, to parade the town, or go w tea-shops,

For Cyclists
T!;Ie bicycle if; a splendid means for getrlng Ircrn the town atrnosphera out into the fresh country nir, quickly awl independently of trains, ami lor ret.urninu '1!!a.in when duty calls, And as a means of conveyance ior tourists it invaluable. other respects, however, its importance for the health is not very great: r rode a high bicycle a early no; 1883, and afterwards, for many years, ,\ safety both in winter and summer. TILlt it dawned upon me by de!,':rce",that as a daily means of getting abou t, the cycle tricked me out 0 r th~ good exercise that a quick walk to ami from business provides. Ratlonal !';umcs and sports on foot gi,-e a classical contour to the legs. A brisk walk-not to speak of really quick walking-in arldi:ion to those of the leg>, brings many of the other muscles of the body into play, whereas cycling overdevelops orne few of the leg muscles. the other parts of the body being fatigued and prejudice I by being kept either constantly 011 the strain or wholly inoperative. A Ulan who gets no exercise hut cycling cannot avoid sundry parts ill his body being defective, ann be mav fall a victim tu divers illnesses, It is therefore still more important -for the cyclist than for the pedestrian 10 exercise the muscles round the bodv, and those of the chest. the back, and the shoulders, every day. r cio not believe this can be procured in any easier or more effective manner than by following out" }ly System."

is

In

For Country

People

have also the reputation of b~;n:;: shrewd and, sensible, ami uf nut caring to spend money on usele ~ things, 'Then why will you swallow all tile expensive medicine that the doctor often only recommends you because rnu woukl otherwise "Y that he does not know his busincss j Hear what some of til shrewdest doctor, in the world 11a said, Sir M or-ell 111ackensie (the Emperor VI' Frederick's doctor) sa irl ~ "If there were not a single !.lIOP 01 medicine in the world, the rlea.th-rate would be lower I" and Ur Tttus (the Gout Physician at Dresden] said : "Three-fl'lanen; of the human race are killed by medicine." Nearly all patent medicine is poison; the more One takes, the less it help in the place req uired, while th~ whole of the rest of the body gets poisoned. It is scandalous '[hat there should be so much illness in the country, where every condition exists em' leading a perfectly healthy life. The principal rellso>r is that you really hav« '11)t the leas! notion of ((tnl.g fat
),0'" skin, it is bad enough

Dear dwell rs in the countrv l YOIl are world-renowned for v III skill in cultivating the soil, lJreeding cattle, and lll:Jkin~ butter, ~ \'011

that vou have SLIch J. honor of fresh air in vcnr rooms, but tills is counteracted in a great measure by the air being so much better than in th town, the moment that you poke your nose
",O'rr

.. -~ remark 1lk:il!IJI fatl:Den..

I'Pplie:l

of coarse Inprl.i' parttcularlv 10 the Dllr:le5 wac, .:15 ts ~'t:1I knct~~T1. are ~1,Jo(lf)JtOOwnrth or buuer, (or ~.stllD(i!", .~ H[tOl'!rd e-vcr)' yra.r.
1

30

outside the door. ,I, nd you nearly all get enough e. ercise, even if it x be only partial. Among the factory workers and the poor in. large towns illness can be xcused, but not among you. You get poisoned and our of sorts because you neglect your skin. And instead of seeking he ..1.h by washing. grooming, and hardening it every day (which you do , for your horses and catt le, and in places even Ior your pigs), you gor~e yourselves with ,till more l)O;SOOin 'the sha pe tlf medicine, and ill uffle yourselves up instill more unnecessary clothing. The result, 01 course. is tha illness will seize hold of vou srill more readily next rrme. One of your greatest inflictions, so much discussed and written about just now, 1 mean Consumption. owes LO this its extraordinarv dissemination in the country. Dr. Dettueiler, the celebrated tuberculosis specialist. said: " The tuberculosis patient is as much skin-sick as lung sick." Keglect of the ,kin destroys man's power of resisting bacilli. Dr. P. Niemeyer says: "Dread of fresh air is the chief ",,"USB of tuber-culosis. He who cornball; this dread does. as much for th provention of the disease as he who figh is the bacilli." What hotbeds of disease the small, overcrowded. and practically unventilated village schoolrooms are I The air is either supersaturated with the varied emanations arising [rom crowds of dirty children, often mingled With steam from wet clothes, and greased boots. or else it is heavy with smoke and dust from the stove, Ii II. sensible schoolmaster attempts to opon the windows during a lesson, he gets all the parents down UPOI] him, The gymnastics pursued in many places with such ardour mighl be of benefit to the heal h of you country people; but us -things are, they tend to do more harm than good, by reason of your very deficient comprehension of the care of your skin and the need fOT fresh air 1 have freq ueritly witnessed voluntary ll'rmt1a!ltic exercises of the sort ill the country. Those participating hi them would be inhaling vigorously the air of the little room. full of dust and laden with noxious emanations and tobacco-smoke. The perspiration would pour off them. but not one of them would take", ba b. afterwards, They \\"ou111put all their clothes again, and allow the perspiration to dry on them and de po.<; i{ stil] another cake of poisonous matter on the body. (\II tho top of all ill" old layers lrom previous lessons. "'hen 1 remarked to the most active of tho gymnasts tha I wondered at the cons itutions they must h ve, not all to fall mortally ill together, he admitted that he certainly '-el·Y of len did feel un well a [terwnrds ,

For Traveller
1 ha ve often heard commercial travall ers and 0 thers, w hos e Geeu pation obliges them to be away from home for long together, complain that 'they had simply no opportunity of strengthening their bodies by gymnastics or sports, and that they often came to provincial towns where it was difficult and entailed waste of timo 0 ~et a bath, which, as everyone knows, one tarids in sped ..1 need of after OJ. ratlway journey. Hare I believe that" My Sysbem " will supply a WELnt. There is 110 apparatus to be carried about or set up. As soon as you come from the railway station into your room at the hotel. you undress, stand 011 a carpet, and lap the body nil over with a wet towel=-or TaU without Bny inconvenience carry a small india rubber bath with you-dry YOUI-

self, and go through the rubbiug exercises. As you are dressing again afterwards, you can ,..asb your face, neck, bands. and feet with soap in the wash-hand basin. As you see, the fatigues of he journey take the pla.:le of the exercises before the bath, but if you are staying several days in the same place you will 01 course 00 through the whole System either morning or evening.

3'

For Fat and Thin People

How can the same cause have two directly opposite effects? Don't YOU know the fable of tho Iridian who was so astonished to see the European blow warm and cold with the same inuu th, jj_rst ,\ hen his llngera were cold and then when the soup was too hot t T divide people, as far <1. their habit of hody is concerned, into the following main classes: tr) The plump, (2) the thin, (3) the muscularly fat, (4) 1 he skinny. and (s) the flabbily fat" There arc, ofcour se , man,' intermediate stages : for Instance, one sees people who actually ill the upper part o r their bod los belong to the one class. and in 'the lower to another. The bodies of those belonging to tile first class have full, long muscles, which are quite soft when in repose, the muscles of the second class are shnrt, well marked. and of en overtrained. The third class have a layer of fat above and between otherwise really good muscles, whereas the two worst classes have practically no muscles at aU. It is often very difficul to classify correctly anyone wearing clothes. Tbus a great Ulany men commonly cornu under the description of " strong .. who, from a physical point of view, am no good whate -er, while apparently lean men may be athletes. One and the same individual can change classes from many diJferent causes, i.e.: if a man ill Class r be nut ca refnl, and does not Iead a healthy life, he either goes over into Class 3 or (according to his ~e) too soou into Class 2. Class 4. with good living, beccmes Class 3, and this last again, through illness or starvation. Class 4. Th .. models of the antique statues, both men and women, belonged to Class r ; or the models of +he present dar, the men are generally Class 2, ami the women elas!! 5 With sensible training (following out my directions, for instance}, people of all Classes can be transformed to Class r (with the exception iu certain cases of those in Class 2). People in Class + will develop the muscles 01 their bodies and limbs, and thus grow stouter and heavier. As far as fat people are concerned, they must first ascertain to which class they 00100&. as people of the fifth Class must always proceed very gra d uall y and ca u tlo IIsly. People of the third Class can generally be. r to get rid of fat qui lily by long runs, sweat-baths, and rigid training .. But the troublesome part of thi violent method is that the fat round the waist is the la sr to budge. whilst it is just that that one wishes to get rid of first. So that this training, too, should be supplemented by my ,. Corset and rubbing

The marl striking proofs with wbJcb T have hitherto become acquainted tlrat "My System" will reduce superfluous fat are the following ;Signor Contini. Director or the l\laison Alexandre in Rome. who in two years, solely by the daily practice of .. ~ly System." reduced his wCi!lht from I~3 kilograms (270 Ibs.) to 7 kilograms (17' Ibs.l-a loss of 99 lbs,

exercises, "

sa
And a captain of the Royal Engineers, India. who reduced his weight in elghteen months from twenty-two stone to twelve, stone, losing no less than '401115. 1 could scarcely believe bim until he showed me an old photo. Both of them at the same time Iound that their capacity for work and their vitality bad immensely increased. Besides which. it may be seen any day how people gam D:'i'0 to two-and-a-half in hes in chest circumference whlle at the same time losing just as much in waist measurements, Where as it IS a good thing lor fat l1eople to lose Iat, it is a bad tblng for those people to gain fat. Jt is true that they ought to gain weight in order to become normal, but what they put on should be sound flesh. consisting' of muscular fibres an" tissues and not fattysub~tance. They are two <june difierent things just as diametrically apposite each other as ., Health .. and .. runes s." Let us therefore for Heaven's sake discrimmate between .. fat ,. and •. flesh," I will now first give a little ,,-ynl>p~isof the varinu ways La !fu rid of tne l1anniul, or at all events Sl1~rflUQUS fat. and afterwards 1 will give a fe, v hints how to become normal, by putting on the right sort of fiesh, Accumulation of rut is due to warn of tlJll- l'ight metho" of exercise. Even health}' persons with excellent organ" of assimilation will grow fa , notwitnst; .. sding the fact that they do not over-indulge in eating u or drinking, Now fat can be removed b}';(I) (2) (3) t+) (5) Dieting (seldom very effectual. never pleasing: rna)' affect the temper badly). Protracted POl$ting (very effectual: but rs dnngorous 11 not done under proper scientific control). Turkish ami other perspiration baths (not. v cry effectual unless combined with other methods ; affect heart if not strong; may cause colds). Pat-reducing drugs (Check the work of the intestines so that muchcan be eaten without being assimlla red : are poisonous and ruin the digesli\"e organs in the long run). Pro per Exe rcise,

Long walks arc not of much use for reducing th e fat of the upper bod}'. Sacl; exercises increase the appetite so thar 1110r" 100Y is put into the stomach, bu t it stren thons the legs and improves the health generally. so «(Ollot miss the walk. beside doing the right exercises to get rid of tim int. The fat disappear. by ;(1) Working the muscles which are situated oir~etly below the layers of fat: (2) Hard self-massage to 100 en and bring into circulation the fatty tissues, and (3) Deep exhalations to get rid of the waste tuff burnt up in the

Jnngs,

After practice. these three things can be done simultaneously to save time. as in my Rubbing Exercises. Sweaters are not necessary, The evaporations will leave through the naked skin., even if you do not

39

observe any .drops. Further, these proper fat-reducing exercises strengthen the genera! health and increase the vitality. Now, tbe means to get an ideal. the true normal figure, one of First Class, the happy medium ()f bodily form, neither too thin nor fat, is again proper exercise, which of course must be su pported by propeL food and rest, There is no fear that the food will not he assimilated, because the very same exercises will stimulate all the organs of digestion' and metabolism, and the cth r functions, e pecially sleep, will b perfect too, if ani)' )'ou will allow the necessra ry time, because the very same exercise teach you to relax the body and limbs completely, and they purify the blood uf the poisons which otherwise rack the nerves. 1t is the big muscles of t be tru Ilk, the. shoo lders, chesr, abdomen, flanks, back, hips and Imns, whic h If property developed, create the beautiful harmonious fizures of the classical statues, both male and female, And next in importance are the muscle groups of the limbs, situated neares tile trunk. Exercising these muscle will make the upper arms aud thighs full and plmup, but the limb" will be gradually slender towards the hands and !~et--again the true classical shape, The form of a muscle in repose is alway. harmonious, whereas the fat settles without symmetry ill ugly bulks. This fact is always furgotten, especially hy the ladies who want to get plump, They imagine that " muscle" must be something male, hard and kuotty. .Hut what all unhappy mist kc I It is just big mu cles in a state of repose that makes the divine form of any Venus. The whole of the matter IS that too much exercise, and wrong exercises. will have bad effects. The average should be ten to twenty minutes' home gymnastics and half to one hour of open-air walking dally, supplemented by some week-euri game or hobby, But do not tire the muscl es or make them" dry" and hard by wurking them for hours without rest,

General

Remark

on the Appllcation

of

My

ystem

"

It will be explained Iater on, in rhe descrip ion of the separate exerc] es. h w 1mginners and more advanced workers, 01 different degree, of strength and according to ag:e, should undertake hem. Attention is drawn 'to the advice given to beginners on page 52, If sufficient attention be paid to these matters the System will be fcnnd suited to practically all, irrespe t ive of age or sex. People suffering £tom acute illness, 0, from such grave organic d Iects as heart disease, cavities in the lungs, or ulceration of the bawds, must, of course. be excepted, and should in anr case ask their doctor's advice,

SPECIAL

EXERCI 'ES

FOR

PE

tAL

COMPLAINTS

To cure. a. ohronic ailment permanently, we must know the causes ami then remove them, and thus eradicate the ailman r and prevent It Irern developing again. Now, one of thu most common superstitions is, that to each different ailrn en t correspot J one or two special exercises, by the practice of which uch ailment may be cured. J think the idea originate. Irom the old belief tha tan ailment is something which suddenly faUs upon an innocent individual, and to make it dlsappear again one only has ·0 open the right drawer, find the ngh box and swallow the right pill or drug, which has 00"11 prepared especially for the ailment in question. Peopl" are often really offended when 1 tell them that It IS not a special exercise for the limb, or p"n of he body where the pain is felt, that riley need, bu t a general toning up of all the vl tal and eliminating organs. There are, of course, special cases of muscular weakness 0, bodily deforrniti where certain exercises have a "ery good effect, whereas others are bel er left alone, but even then general exercises for strengthening the heart and lungs, improving the d igeslion and Increasing the CIrculation, are of the lint Importance; otherwise the muscles and tissues at the weak SpOt WIll get no proper nourishment, but only become sore and strained by overdoing the "special" exercise. and eventually they ,nil atrophy ins ead of groWIng stronger. JIo, ..ever, all rhe common chronic complaints which arise from auto-intoxication ("se]{.poisoning" 01 the blood, and thereby the whole body. from the di~""tive channel, had eeth and gums, old toxins or other sources) are simply cured and prevented by purifying he whole system, Rheumatic. uric acid or gouty pains may have very various names and be felt in differeDt parts 01 the body and limbs, because the circulating poisons will always fj,nd the weal" or accideutally damaged, spot and make au attack there. Hence the best" special" exercises for arthritis. lumbago, neur gta, neuritis, sciatica, rheumatic gout and all other similar complamts, most diseases 01 tho kidneys and many forms of boils, eczema, rash, palpita.tion 01 the heart, spots before tb~ eyes ami noises in the head, dropsy ill the legs. etc., are deep breathing and skin-rubbing exercises, combined with beadings and tW'istings of the trunk, because such exercises enormously increase the a.cti vieies of the three channels through which waste matters and poisons are got rid of. via., th .. ski n, lungs and bowels, and simultaneously the fourth of the eliminating organs, the kidneys, are relieved of the poisons WIth which they used to be overloarlerl. In the same way these trunk exercises (Nos. T, 3 ~,6, 7, I r, 11, 13, I';;, 17 and 18) and knee-beadings, all with deep br ea thing, are really , Ill' l}<"t " specials " for .remedying al:l the chronic ailments caused by

4J

bad circulation and faulty metabolism-such as anannia, chilblains. diabetes, biliousness and most liver complaints. Furthermore. for the moat common forms of indigestion (acidity, flatulence, heartburn, dyspepsia, nausea). gastritis, colitis. constipation, and dropped and dilated stomach, these trunk-beadings and twistings. combined with abdominal ~df-ma.ssag'e and deep-breathing. are the only "special" exercises. The reason why the correct way of breathing during exercise is so important for the functions of the stomach, liver, intestines and bowels. is. that all these organs are moved and massaged inside, and thus toned up if the lower ribs are completely contracted and in turn fully expanded, and the diaphragm thus forced up and downwards to the utmost limits. Sometimes the above-mentioned ailments develop il a nerve is mechauically "Ji"ected by some fault In tue framework 01 the bodywhether from birth or caused by an accident. In such cases an. osteopath should readjust the structure of the bones, as otherwise the full benefit will 1l0~ be derived from the exercises. Again, deep breathings combined with skm-ruobing exercises are the best .. special" exercises to harden. oneself against catarrh and prevent all diseases which may follow a cold, in that the power of resis ranee against change of temperaturejmd the germ-killing ability of the blood, i.5 highly increased. If tbe bacilli get the upper hand because the person is weak or has for the moment weakened himself by overwork, too little sleep, too much alcohol, or other sins against Hygiene, and an acute illness fellows. perhaps with fever, then the best thing is to go to bed immediately and send for the doctor. Under these circumstances, even if tbe patient is in the .habit of doing my exercises daily. he m ust drop them for a Iittle while, The advantage of having done them regularly lies then in the fact that all the body processes are so lively and the vital organs 80 active that the patient will recover ill a few days' time, whereas it would take other people weeks or months. Finally, let me once more emphasize that there are no single special exercises for single special ailments. Only in a very few cases are some exercises more effect-ual than others. "Iy exercises are so selected that the whole series is really" special exercises .. for every common chronic ailment or disability, because they make the whole bodyhealthy, strong and perfect by improving all the vital processes, by strengthening every muscle and bone, and by toning up every organ. Then any ailment, weakness or deformity will gradually disappear of itself. To make an individual healthy is to cure his ill. and in making the bod}' perfect. Iat people will become slender. thin people will become muscular and plump, those who stoop will become ere-ct. and so 0 n .

LI 'T O~' CHRO~rC AILMENTS A D BODILY DEFECTS AND INFIRMITIES SUCCESSFULLY TREATED '''lITH M LLER EXERCrSES
Under the control of the patient's own Doctor I1dl'ice of a Specialist or IJPon the

Now please remember that J am no doctor of medicine. and that 1 do not pose as such. When, therefore, in the following- pages I pve a Iew practical hints to sufferers from some of the most common of these chronic ailments and bodily defects, do n t forget that my experience concerns mainly exercise and breathing. Therefore. if you will use thls book for curing yourself, you should !let the advice of YOIIT own doctor or a specialist a bout the best diet, wb at medicine or tonic to take (i f any). how to bathe, etc" etc. ABDOMBN, distended. The best exercises are NO.3, No.6. with botb legs at once, No. I2 and No. J S, when done very quickly. See the test described II nder Exercise No. 12. ACIDITY. (See Indigestion).
ACNE.

AOENOIDS. beginning,
AOHES[QNS. ~"I.'I!MlA,

St\ldy"

!lIy Breathing

System.'

Young persons, mostly girls. suffering from this must gradually perform all the eighteen exercises [but only the milder degrees of the first eight) in order to improve the assimilation of food and increase the metabolism and general circulation, without tiring themselves out. Long hours in the open air, with deep breathing without strenuous exercise, and in the summer, sunbathing, not dressed, but naked (see "ilIY SU)oIB}.THINC }'ND FRllSEI AIR SYSTEM "), are beneficial. ANKLES. weak. The special foot exercises explained on page II4 are excellent, But all the vita! organs should first be toned up, and the clrculation, and the blood itself improved by "orne months' performance of the regular eighteen exercises of the" System." Otherwise the tissues of the weak spot will not get sufficient nourishmeu t to make up for the extra strain, and the lamentable result will be increased feebleness. ApPENDICITIS, beginning. ARfHR!T!S. See the foregoing chapter.
ARTERIO·SCLEROSIS.
ASSThIILA-TION, ASTR.IoIA.

bad. nervous. Real asthma in old people with the air pipe damaged can be healed no more than lungs with caviriea, But the sporadic attacks 01 asthma, very often due to poisonmg of the nerves that control the muscles of expiration, can be cured by purifying the whole body rsee " Auto-intoxication"}.

43

In the ease of young people, the cause is often simply lack of control or development 01 the breathing muscles. It is then ufficient to learn how ill exhale completely, and tbe attacks will not cecur again. It is recommended to study "My Breathing System."
AnlON[V,

A lJTO-l.:"TOX1(..A
various

[TOtl'.

The human

body

can

be "setf-poi!OOned"

in

'''::1'\"5.

There is 'a certain amount of poison in most of what we eat and drink, and, if the waste matters are not quickly eliminated. they wili soon become .. poisonous." The poisons will JY4SS into the blood, be circulated through me body, affect the heart aml il'rita te tho nerves, ani! attack any weak part of the body. All feelings 01 tired ness, both local and general, giddiness, brain-fag, many headaches aml .. rhenruntic .. pains, much ~1llIlia and depressiou are due to such poisons. The best waj' to lie, rid of them i8 to ensure perfect action the main elirninaring organs. viz.' lung, skin, bowels and kidneys, and to effect this, all he eighteen exercises are necessary. "Auto-imoxication " follows in the wake of all the varfuus r1f~esti ve troubles. sluggish Ilver, wrongly-acting ga.ll bladder "fill had teeth, but worry, ang~r, fear and sorrow, are also liable to produce "hem ical PCllSOT\S inside the hun) a n body.

ur

BACK.ACHE. BILlOli-SNE\iS. BlOOD PI<I!:;;STiIOl, BLOSHING.

See the ioregoinr:- chapter. faultv.

•

Bou.s, iI nat caused by poisons (rom outside. ~ce the foregoing chapter. Dow LEGS. \l'h~u the digestion. assinulatiou, metabolism and circulacion are perfected anrl tlw blood purified by performing the eighteen exercises fOT some time, the following special exercises can be performed: Stand upright with hands on hips, and feet as much apart as possible, toes pointing outwards, .N()W drag the fect close together by little shuilling movements of eacb foot alternately, each movement heinll" only a. few inches III length. The soles of tbe feet while being rlI'ilH"eti should be pressed hard against the floor, keeping the knee. ngld the whole time, Then stand astride again and repeat the exercise 50 "era! tim es, uu til tired. Here is another excellent exercise for strengthening and .straighteumg the legs. Lie down on the floor, having the assistance of a friend, The legs are opened :IS far as possible, sideways, and again closed under mutual "nd powerful resistance. l'OI~ should have the JUI outside. Repeat it until tired, Do not forget to breathe steadily and fully. 11 you have no friend to gi ve you assistance, you can perform the second half of the third degree of exercise 1\0. 6 (wifh the legs pressed together in the downward movement) ,,[1 extra number ('Ii times, sa}' fifty times each day with pauses of rest, of course, hut pressing as hard as possible and trying to get the knees together. You ought to have special heel" made for your boots, the heels being higher on the outside than the inner. Wben lying in bell on the back and sleeping, you may have a broad elastic band round yOUT knees, so that there is a constant pressure inwards,

-H Swimming and dancing is good lor bow legs _ but riding and football should be a voided, BRAiN FA-c. See "Auto-mtoxication, '" BREATH. short. Study" Illy Breathing Sy"tcm" and perform the exercises explained therein, B"-ONClIl1'I5 (chronic), Study" illv Breathing System" and perform ilia exercises explained therein, CARlllAGE, bad, Exercise Xo. 8 should be omitted, whereas Exercises ~Qs, I, 2, 5. 7, II, 13. 15. 1(j, T7 and 18 and the special Neck exercises (see page IIi). am excellent, if performed correctly. Do not sit in a too s-titl' and erect position when rec..-t:ing, s this wi I! a only tire yO\l' weak back-muscles. CAT_~RRH lin nnse, bronchi, "tomach, Intesrinesj. See tile foregoing chapter, Cll1'ST, weak, narrow, pigeon and other deformities. Stully" :i[y Breathl ng System .' am] porturm [he exercises explained therein, . CH1 LBLA fNS. See the f \J regoi n go cha pter , (;1 RC U LA TlO;;!, bad. See the f 0 regoing c lia pter. COl_US. liability tc. See the foregoing chapter, COLlTIS_ See the Iorcgoing chapter. CO!J(:1i:STION', in head, throat, etc. Downward belliling, as in Exercise :--;0. I I, she u W be ouritt, -d, cl uring tile first wee ks ,111 d rep lac ed by the special foot exercises (see paf;n I q). Exercise No. 9. and the squatting of)oo 10, Me very good, The worst fault is holding the breath, CONSTIPATION. This may be due to one or more or five various causes, (l) Lack of p.ope. exercise for the abdomen. Exercises Nos. ]. ",. 6, II and f8 aru the most effective in this case. (~) Too much onesided exercise with free perspiration. For instance, long-distance ru 11II eTS 0 r walkers arc scm e tim es co 11s tip a ted, b eca use the f:rces become too hard and dry. 13) A wrong diet, i.e. too refined food, of w h ieh the g rea ter part is absorbed so t hat final! y there is noth in g 00 which the bowels can ace. In such ='5 more bulkv or voluminous food should be taken (vcgetabk's, porridge, brown or black bread), You must be careful nut to fall in the Scylla of indigestion, in evad lng the Charybdis of constipation, (4) The habit so common amongst thin per,ons. or soldiers, of keeping tho abdomen constan tly in d fa WD an d rig id, so t hat tbe intes lines and bo wels are Ite pt immovablo and without proper room lor working. The pupilmust first oj" all learn -[0 relax the abdominal wall and to 111o,'e tile lower ribs, and thereby the rliaphragm, to the utmost limits when breathing during' exercise, (5) The :right time is simply missed (for going to the stool), a common e31lS~ amongst women and children, The bowels should be educated to act once (or twice) a day exactly at the same time, and when Nature calls, 'he shnuld be obey~d immediately, It if is 1'1 e 11.1 ver fur only a few mie u tes,cu nsti pa tio n 0 may already be established, Cm<sUl\lprIO~, beginning, Study" My Breathing System" and perform the exe rcises ex plai ned t h erei n .
C'(;'MPS.

Gf<Er""!SM.
C[I]'VATURE

are Nos.

of spine. The best .exercisas for straightening the spin e 1. 4, 7, 11. r~" 13. 16 and 17. A good special exercise is to

-l5

bang by the hands in the Roman l(jngs or a Trapeze, wit+i arms stretched and all muscles of the shoulders, trunk and legs relaxed. The feel mav rest on the 1100r, but tile whole weight of the bodv should pull downwards from the arms. Then $\\'i'l1~ the body If' and fro, <"IT round in circles, ..\ slight curvature is very common amongst school children who seldom gIve themselves lime to tll-ke up a prop<"T siltiof{ positlon with the legs ~'l"are in trent of thl' hotlv, but allnw botl, kg. to remain on one side, with the oppoaite shoulder and elbow thrust out to the other side, so that the body is kEpt Ior li:JI1g periods in a twisted position, especially when writing; Ln severe case .. ODC Side of the hest is underdeveloped. Then Exercise :\0. 4, rst or 2ud degree" B," shnukl lIe used as a special exercise, but without change in the orca+hiug, so that expiration always takes place when bending to the side least developed, and inspiration each time the trunk is bent to the 0 her side. DEPRliSS!IJ~, gener' 1. Se "Au o-intoxication.' DUll" ['~S. Doctors' prescri ptrons on diet aJ',' very impMla n I here . .W my exercises which move the trunk ill the waist.line, thereby tonuig up the internal organs assimilation metabolism, gooo for tbio;;condition. Further, deep breathing ann skin-rubbing exercises, air and sun-oaths help very materially, D'ARruj(E.~, tendency to. DI'Sr'EPSIA. (Sea lndige,;,tion.) E~H'HYSm!A. Shldy" My Breathing -YStl'1l1" and perform the exercises explained therein.

or

,,,,d

are

EI'l! ..EPSY.

ECz.E~!A. \111,>n Eczema is caused by sdf·puisol1 , it can be cured bv exercise (see the lo[cgoing chapter). Eczema c"ught by contagion must have the doctor's specfal t·eatmeut. FLAl~nf] n~ll. 'tS~. NallY people I ronc(jn$J~' imaf ine tll.it theY-fir their children-e-ha ve Ilat Ieet, The short hut highly arched foot is by no means the classical shape. Tile ancient Creek statues, both male and female, have always lonll feet, with <I rather Inw instep. No\,\', to ascertain il your feet are reilly" flat," make the Jollowtng test: Dip the whole of the soles into water and walk a few steps with your natural gait, If the humid prints on the floor are widest in the middle, then you arc tlat-Iooted. but if they Me narrow In the middle, yOll are certainly not. The best eX","OSL' to cure his defect is the special foot exercise (see P~1lu lL~). Or simply tand with heels together, nSO hig h UpOIl the toes while you inhale, lowe!" the heels again slowly, exhaling, and repeat up to llf!:y ,ime.. A. to th". uecessarv preliminary exercises. see "Ankles, weak," [;"'LArn,,, "lCI·:. [See Indigcstion.) G>I TltlJ I~ (internal 5t1l5i8). See the foregoing chapter Grnr» "ESS. (See" Au ro-intoxicaticn. ")
GOII'RF.,

C'rQ\_-r. See the fnrel':oing chapter.

HAY vH:VJ;1'\. l'!.EAOi\C'i.E,

[See "Auto-iutoxication."]

-t B weak, tat, distended. displaced, nervous. Study" ;>Oly reathB ing System" and perform the exercises explained therein. H£ABTiH)!UI. (See Indigestion.) HAEMORRHOIDS. These arc. more often llan not, due to bad circulation and to undue strain in trying to get an action 0·1the bowels. In bad cases the surgeon's knife is the best remedy, but milder attacks can be remedied and prevented by improving the circulation and curing the constipation. (See notes on these items.) HERNIA. In young people this may be cured by graduallJ' strengthening the abdominal wall by Exercises Nos. 1,3,6,7, and 11 (but keep for a long time to the easy degree of Nos. 3 and 6). All jerky movements, holding of the breath, severe coughing and lifting of heavy thing. should be avoided. Middle-aged a.nd elderly people, even with double hernia, can derive general benefit to their health b}' doing the whole" _ ystem," but they must wear their truss while exercisi Llg.
I:i.EA_RT, [MBECILITY.

I NDlGltSTJON. Nowhere is a. vicious circle so easily established as in this large group of complaints. A sufferer from any" stomach .. trouble will SOOI1 get bad-tempered, and this will immediately hav .. " slackening influence on all the physical processes, and first of all upon the digestion. Some cases are started by worrying, but most cases an: due to eating too much, too quickly or too often, or eating food Do suitable to the individual. The afternoon tea meal muses ind igestion in thousands of middle-aged people. Three. or even two meals a day are sufficient for the average grown-up brain worker. or idle Individual. By all means drink the tea, -and have a smoke, but do not eat. One biscuit alone will stir tlre whole machinery and disturb the sorely needed Test 01 the stomach. The feeling of hunger is often only a false one. due to fermentation of Iood previously eaten. I will gradually disappear even if you do not eat very soon. Mas t cases can be C II red either by die tin g and fasti ng, Or by the right exercises (see the foregoing chapter). By the last method, the whole bod)' will simultaneously be strengthened, and when, alter SOme months' time, the digestive organs are toned up, the person can, with moderation, eat and drink just what he likes best. Long walks or protracted games arc not always able to cure indigesrion. The appetite will he increased, so that still more is put into the poor stomach. I have had several pupils wbo walkeri from three to eight miles a day and always suffered (rom indigestion, but a few minutes' performance daily of my trunk exercises very seen cured them. INso~lm..... Only cases due to auto-intoxication ean be directly cur d by exercises. If the cause is mental. it must first be removed. otherwise exercising, i1 not very gentle, may aggravate the complaint. The 51.", weeks' programme (see page p) should be spread o V6r three rnon ths, KIDNEYS (IOOSB, weak. gravel in), See the foregoing chapter. [(NOCR-KJo;EES. Preliminary exercising the same as for" Bow Legs." The best exercises of .• My System" are No.6, third degree. trying to press the feet together each time the legs meet. witb tbe addition 01 the squatting of No. 10. and ~os_ 14 and [5, with powerful

47

scrnking of the legs. The Jolluwing is ~ go..,d special exercise: The Daep Knee-bending (explained all page 60), withlbe thighs forced well apart. Further, J should recommend the sufferer to wear bw,ts with the heels mane higher Oil the i1111e[<ide than outer. , When lying upon the back, sleeping, have the ankh'S tied together. or kept together by a broad elastic hand, and place a. firm pillow between the knees. Riding- on horseback is .. splenriid exercise, hut cycl iog is not, and rowing" Dr scuing with 1-1. sliding scat is a.lso very goorl, The knees shouhl be well opened when the body ;5 brought forwards. Swrmming is highly recommended, because it rends to straighten the leg~. whatever the dcformitv. And if the legs a re not weak, tooth"il will be also very beneficial. L"rl.VNGITIS (chronic). L!VER (sluggish, enlarged, congested). Sec the foregoing Chapter. Lml:BAGO, Only the most acute attacks should force you to go to bed. Milder attacks and chrouic pains will grad ually yield to exercise (see the Joregoing chapter). It ls not dangerous to do strong bending, twisting and stretching movements, and thus brave the pains, if only you are warm ami start gently. 11 cold, Y<Ju must avoid jerks and sudden movamorrts, Oigging. or any exercise where you remain Ior lonl\ ill a bent positio 11, is risk r. li perspiring, be careful to finish wiw " hot bath and change the clothes, MOUTH-BR&.\THI~G. Study " ;"ly Breathing System" and practise the exerci SeJ; ex p lai m,d t herei a, ~of(,SCW;:-BQUXDNESS, See the chapters ron " Rel"-,,ation," N"'USE! .., (See" Indigestion." ~!'C\JRAf_Glo\,. See the foregoing chapter. NEURASTllENI,'. The si'.::week,' programme, as explained on. page 5'''" should he spread over six months. if possible, do the exercises between two main meals, Dot. before breakfast. When walking in the open air, practise tho decp-brcathuig very carer tilly, hut sit down every now and then anti rest, The most important thing is to get good sleep, which ill the only refill\" erve Ton ic in existence. For your OWIl sake, fight shy of paren] medicine like poison. NEURITIS. SQe the foregoing chapter. Norszs, in head, ears. Sec the fUI1..·gQil1g chapter. OBESITY. Sec rcllaptcr " FOT Fat and Thill 'People." OI3STR1:CTIONS. in nose. Study" :'cry Breathing System," and let a surgeon examine- tile nose, P",".PT"r,HION 01' HE.... ar'. Stud~'" My Breathing Svstam.' and see the foregoing chapter, PER5P!R!~G, bands and feet. A sufferer from auto-intoxication will gd rid of mucb poisonous matter by persplrfng. But if the skin of the whole body is Dot ~rkiTlg properly, the perspiration will seek the channels of least res,,,tance, 1.'." where the pores are most Il U IllCTOUS, Il=ely in the palms, the soles of the feet, arid the armpits. OW;l1g to the concentratiou of the poisons. the fluid will smell very bad ly, It is cbv inns, then, that the cause of the evil will nat be removed by trea tin!! only the hands ami lee t. The w Itole surf [Lceof the ski 11 must be toned up, and allthe pores opened hy chilly baths (to be taken hot at first) and skin-ru hhiog exercises. B11t first of all the sources 01 the "·a uta- intoxication ' must be mopped. (See this item, and the foregoing chapter.)

PILES,

(See Hsernorrhcids.]

Pn(PJ..l'S
PSORI!\SIS,

See thc foregoing chapter. (5 e "Auto-Intoxicaficn " and foregoing chapter. RrPTt:RR. (See "R<"mia.") SALT ]':l.L.\RS. When assimilation of the food aru:l circulation of the blood ha ve been Improved. tbe lJe~ exercises are )\cs. 5. 8 and J 3 : ill' hard rubbing (pr-essing) in all Tubbing exercises : and the special neck exercises. S"imminr:: on the back, and the arm movements !n. TrurlgeotJ-aru:l·Crawl.Swimminr: am verygood. SCIATICA. See the remarks on Lumbago and The foregoing chapter. The worst tlung to do is to sit on a hard scat. or to e,~po5e the leg" to cokl and dampness. But hot baths are beneficial, S£.,\S!CK:Nll-!';. Experience shows that those who regularly perform the whole "Syslem:' with correct breathing, S0011 grow immune. orne believe it is because the solar plexu region is. so milch rengthcncd. \\1Ien the ship is roiling, place yourself where the air is fre ·Ii. am] take deep respirations, inhaling when you rise with a wave, exhaling when yon go downwards.
RASH. RHEUM.,HISM.

EU'-CONFmEXCE.
SEXUAI_ '\·r;.-\K~"ES5. SHtHILDRR-1!LADES,

loss of.

protruding. The cause in children and yOlmg people 18 usually a lack of sufficient muscle flesh to cover these bones, The best exercises are ;;\os, 5, 10, and L3. ami power lu) pressing "C(olns! Lhe body in ail the robbing exercises. Exercise Xo, S should he omitted until the deff!ct has been corrected, S'.!,;EPLESS:<ESS. (See" Insomnia.")
SPAS~!S SPOTS OF THE PYl.OR1JS. TH); EYES See lbe fore'::"Jlf\g chapter. Sran:R£. small, I always buy the variou " ecret ,. exercises which time after time are advertised by people who .. guarantee" to iucreasc the h"i~ht of anybody. J have never found ally CXCTClseS better than my Nos. 1, 4, 7, r r, 13. l(" 17 and 1 , f r his purpose, ~ro t grown-up, elderly and nlrl people increase about au iller. cluring the firsr months of doing Illy exercises. Then the limit is reached and 00 other set of exorcises ever invented could add ano her quarter of an inch. Those under twenty-five yea,'; of age ell n inerease by three or even more inches, (I 1 if they have not yet reached the heig l1t 01 their brothers or sisters, parents or grand-parents ; (2) if they have never before done exercises iurth~riTl" the growth: and (3], i r besnles uxercising correctly, they get plenty of ~ond rood (properly assimilated) and Test (at least 9 hours' sleep), STAM:'I(;;l\rNO. nervous. Sturly" )[y Breathing System." '5TmIAclI. displaced, dilated, See the foregoing chapter. 5TOOI'I:o.:O, A very good special exercise is the [ollowing : Stand with me heels together and at a distance of about ten inches from a wall (after practice, stand further away). Raise the stretched arms up sideways 0 that the little lingers slide up along the wall until level with the should rs, at the same time inhaling fullv, Then lower

BEFORE

the

49 arms slowly again while exhaling deeply. Repeat several DIDO'S. Later you may rise up on the toes during e .. ch inhal arion, and again lower the heels during the exhalations. For further informaticn, see under" Carriage. bad." Of the neck exercises. the upward and backward movement ol No. 1 is tbe most effective.

_Y:-;OV1:rIS.

All.M. Rest the bad arm as much as possible, but perform carefully the exereises for improving the general circulation ("e" the foregoing chapter). not forgetting the deep knee-beadings. 1utile rubbing exercises the stroking and massage should be done with the sound arm only. And 2110.8 can be done as recoIDmenoed to one-armed people. But the exercises where the bad arm is moved without being bent, could be done ;0 full (Exercises Nos. -I, 5 and 7). If the rillht arm is affected, learn to play with the left, or go in 10r some boxing. THINNESS. ee the chapter " For Fat and Thin Peopl e." TRROAT, sore. TUBERC.ULOSIS, in the lungs. If the disease is not forther advanced 'than the First Stage, it can be cured by following the advice giyon ill " My Breathing System." UR.C Acms. See the foregoing chapter, ''.'iLL-POWEa, lack of. VARICOS£ VIllXS. beginning. The majority of cases are caused b), elastic garters. The ordinary' suspenders" used by IDeo to keep their SUCliS nice and tight are so especially harmful that most of those who have worn them for a few months only, will already sh e", signs o( swelling, owing to the steady pressure upon the main vein, The man who invent d this diabolic appliance has deprived rn: llious of legs of their fitness and usefulness, The circulation of the feet will, of cotrrse, suffer too, and any wound below tbe garter will take a long tilll ill healing. I have got hundreds 01 pupils to dispose of them, or at all events to use them only when walking in the streets, but never when sitting in the office or at horne. Or when exercising. r always r commend bOY5 with long woollen stocking s to slipthe garters down round the ankles when they are not running about. Very bad and painful cases shouW be operated upon. Elastic stockings and broad bandages protect and support the legs, but will not cure. Onlv mild cases tan. be cured. The best exercise is No, !5 with power lul massoge upwards. Movement "isalways good if not overdone. but standing still with the hody's weight upon th e Iegs should be avoided. When sitting, the feet should, if possible be placed high up, alter the American fashion. VARICOCELE. beginning. WATER IN 'filE LEGS. See foregoing chapter. W1NOSUCKING. Study "Illy Breathfug System."
TEN!<'5 WRITE"'S CRAM ...

50

GENER,\L

REMARKS

ON CARRYING EXERCISE

OUT

THE

The majority of the exercises have slow movements. unrl these should :follow the rhvthm or breathing which is most natural til the pupil when he stri-, es tu breathe with [ull respirations. Therefore, lt is immaterial whether each respiration, or each coruplete 1110 vement, is. counted when repeattm; the exel"cjsf!S the lull number or times required. Tile remainder uf the exercises [Xos, :I.• .5. ' anti the Rubbing Exercises Nos, 16, 17 ami 18) have quick movements, and here the principle is, that the pupil ultiniatclv performs a~ many movements as possible to 11,,-,11[ull respimtton, It i. then ca~ics to count the A complete exhalation should take a little longer time than the inhalation : therefore, when doing 810w exercises, that movement which J;; performed during cxhalarion, and which is of the sarue "length " a~ the one UOIlCduring iuhalation. should he performed a hi slower (this applies to Nos, r , 6. S ilnn the medium degrees of "O~. ami 7). In ~ some of tile oth r " slow ' exercises th!! exhalation is allowed 11 Iittle more movement than the inhalation tin No. 3, ill advanccrl degrEes or );0".4- and 7. and j!l mauy of the rubbing exercises). Iu the "qukk" exercises, more movcuieu ts arc easily performed rl uri ng exlmlatlon, and one call 81.:;0 as a rule U1UVLJ tbu bony faster during this part of the respiratiun : whereas during inh: latii D the fast body-movements are sumcwhat impeded hy the expanded ribs, As a result of the tirst fell' days of exercise. pans of the body may feel tender. Every athlete has experienced these muscular "next dar .. or .. growmg pains" in arms or legs. and you will prnbal ly get the same thing round he waistline. but; this need not trouble VOIl as it will wear olT if you continue. 1 have .llwars felt great satirlc\ctioll. in this srirfne s m yself, largely because I knew that the ml'SC!C9 which pained me were .growing stronger. Still. anyone who finds the pain oo severe: can rest for a day or two. or rub l11m.elI \I itil emhroca non, or SUIO!! sort of Iiuiment. Some people might perhap thlnk hat several of the exercises

Exercises Nos, -'. 7 and

Tt is 01 the IF!?atr;;t imporraneo that all the Inllowin~ movements uf body ami limb should, at the same time. be dcep-breathmg f'l<rrcisc" or in uther words, the: air should pass with a steady fiow to or from rhc lungs in full. regular respirations. One must not hold the breath for one moment, and the next, stlap after air with short asfhmatie 1,(,,-,11'$, F."~1l tile' smallest p"use after .inhalatiun is tu be carefully ,,\·uid~li. When the body comes into 11. strained position. where further' inhalation is difficult; one should immediately begin In exhal '. even if rhe "t:Qrning point" of tile movement has not quite been reached. (TI.I.;';apphes particularly to
TT )

respira tiuns.

,',

A PROGRAMME

OR THE

FIR

IX WEEKS

An beginners, strong boys and sturdy men included, should tty the easier degrees to commence with. because at fir~t the attention should be directed chiefty to correct breathing, During very d ifficul t movements the pupil will not easily learn the habit of breathing Iully, steadily. and regularly, It should then be a rule not to attempt a strong degree, unless the previous one has been mastered and seems easy, when per. formed quite correctly. To do all advanced degree sl v nly or wrongly does not give as great benefit to health or development as ilia correct carrying out of a milder degree. The best and safest way of beginning self-instruetien for those in ordinary health is 0 follow this programme. The numbers in brackets are not the mal numbers or names of the exercises. but only si~fy the best order of learning them, taking tho easiestfirat.]

FIrst Week
(I)
[z)

(+l

(3)

(3) (6)

Study and practise: The preliminary movement" A" of Exercise No. It (Backward and FODVlI.rQ Bending of Trunk , standing). The special Deep-Breathing which follows each exercise. The first degree of Exercise ;:\lo. 5 (Quick Arm-Circling. sittin&), The first degree" A " of Exer ise ),;0, + (Tnmk- Twisting, sittlng). The preliminary mov rnent of Excrci e :::'0, 15 (Alternate raising 01 Knees, wi h pressu Fe. alternati \·,,1), sitting). The first degree" B" of Exercise NO.4 (Sideways Trunk-Bending, ;.itting). The first degree of Exercise No. S (Body Lowering with Arm-Bending. standing).

Second Week
new exercises : (i) Tbe preliminary movements of Exercise ::;':0, q (Alternate H..Jsill,!;'of L ..;;:"in three directions. standing). (8) The first degree of Exercise No.3 (Trunk-Raising, on (he 11<1{l1'. .. arm assisting) C) The preliminary movement "A" of Exercise N . J() ('lallping the Arms aero., chest, altematrvely sitting). (10) The preliminary movement .. H" of Exercise No. 10 (, quatting down, feet apurt and flat upon floor). (n) The first degree of Exercise No. 6 (Single Leg-Circling, Iring on the
back), Adri the following

~3

Third Week
First dl'g~ee~ a/~, 0/ tOW'5!!. onulted wile" second decrees on per/m'm.d. )Iake the following alterations: Instead of (5), perform the second de ree " B" of Exercise Xo. -+ (Sid ~ ways Trunk-Bending, with arm eve r head, standing] Instead of (2). pedorm the second degree or Exercise No. j (Quick AnnCircling, ,;tanding). Add the fplluwinR new exercises : (ll) Th Ijr~ttlcg n~e of Exercise No_ 7 [Trunk-Twisting with "Forward ", Leaning. sittmg]. (T3) The first degree of Exercise No. l (Quid, Ltg--·win~illg. tanding, WIth support). (q) The preliminary movement or Exercise 1\'0. 13 [Trunk-Twisting _.ittin~ Or standing). i 15) Th" prcliminarv rnovement Exercise X(l. 10 (:>idew,,-ys Flinging ol' Trunk, standing]. (ro) The prebminary movement (If Exercise ~o '7 (Quick TrunkTwistin): wrth head sts.tlonary, sf dog),

ur

Fourth

Week

i\lake the following alterations; Instead of 13). pr' orm the second deg-ree "A" of Exercise- No, 4 {Trnnk-Fwisting, with arms outstretched, standing). Instead of (6), perform the second degree of Exercise ;';:0, (BodyLowering resting 011 palms and knee 'JAdd the Iollowinz new exercises ; (T7/ Tile Iirsr degree of Exercise t'C), , (Trunk-Circling, through Jour points, standing), (,8) The preliminary movement of Exercise Nu, H (Sictewl1.ys Trunk Bending. with alternate half Knee-Bending). ( L '.II The preliminary movement of Exercise "No. ,S (13ackwanl anrl Forward Flinging of Trunk, standing). (20) The preliminary movement ' 13 • o( Exercise No, TJ (Abrlominal movements, standing).

Fifch Week
Make the !oUm,>ing alterations; Instead of (8), parfcnn the second degree of Exercise No, 3 (TrunkRaising on floor or chair. hands on hips). Tn te"d of (11), perform the second degree of Exercise NO.6 (Lifting of stre tched Ie!ls toge thcr, Iying'). Inst ail of (12). perform the second de rea of Exercise No. 7 (TrunkTwisting with .. Forward "-Leaning, arms kept outstretched, standing). Preliminary ,"(WtclllrHis ar~, of C(>tI'S<', dropped W}'lIlI the. real Rllbbllig Exercises an Pt~Jor",.d. Therefore: Combine (r) and (:0) with the rubbing of Exercise :-\n, It (Len thwavs on front. lower back, and legs)_ Comhine (14) with the simplest rubbing of Exercise No. '] (Slowly lip and down the sides).

5-1

Combine (7) with the rubbing of Exercise No. '4 (Ftanks and all sides of alternately lilted legsj. Instead of (4), perform the simplest rubbing oi Exercise No. IS (Upwards Oil alternately forward raised. bent legs). Instead 01 115), perform Exercise ",0. 16 'with rullbinl' (Lengthways 01) ftanks, hips and outer side of thi~hs). These RubbwC Exerrisrs to br ;t"died ,/."" pr{TClj~ttl III jiJSI ill SOllie ligM clot/mig. Add he [01l0ll;ng new exercise : 21) Separate neck. and font-rubbings Qf Exercise ~ ••. 9. Perf 01 UI first rhe rnhhlngs with the then those wiih the hands.

f""',

Sixth Week
ill then "ighl J1(llIlcliellt order. Try the follnwing alterations : Ins lead of (n), perform lilt SCCUIli! ,kg-fee of Exercise No, 1: (Trunk Gircling, hands .. neck rest ") .. Instead of (13), perform the second uegree or Exercise :-.10. ( .niLk Lt\g~ Swinging, without support]. Instead of IS). perform the third il~_~Tee .Exercise So, 3 (Truuk-Raiaing of on floor or chair, hand "nel'l,-rest "J, Instead of (3) and (5), perform the third degree of I:.x!'rcise No. ~ (Truok1'W1S ill!: ani! Sideways Rendillg) Instead or (2), pcrfo rm the tlurd degref' <Ji Exercise NO.5 (Q u ick ,J, rmCircling with long lunge). instead of (, r), perform til third degree of Exercis Xo. 6 (Cir flng of hoth legs simultaneously. lying). Instead of (I ~), perform the third degree of !::xercise No. 7 ['LrunkTwisting in the positions of leaning over alternate hips), Instead of (I», perform the third degree of Exercise No. 8 [BodyLowering, resting on palms and toes), Combine the mack. and foot-rubbings of Exercise No. 'J ('1). Instead of the ~la.ppillg (9), perform the rubbing of Exercise No. (arms, shoulders, and round armpil~): but keep up the Sqnnttrng (10) as a special exercise until it can be combined with the rubbing. Combine (18) with th-e simplest rubbing of Exercis ;\0. I" (lip (he thighs and hips alternately, and across abdcrnen}, Combine (16) with the rubbing of Exercise Nc, 17 (across breast, &1.0.1'11' at first). Combine (r9) with the rubbing of Exereise ;\Q, I {up abdomen, down the loins), II not too COld, the rubbings learned in the foregoing week are now performed "tripped, and after another week of prac ice, «11 the Rubbing Exercis s ,1.1'" p rformed without any clothing. I depends. of COllr5C, entirely on he nhility and strength of the student when the still stronger degrees of the Ji rst eight exercises and he more elaborate additions to several of the rubbing exercises Can be mastered. Very weak or elderly persons should spread this programme over twelve weeks or more, and should In many cases never advance to the most difficult or strenuous forms of the exercises.

H~Ye<lflsl

liIe Ex,,,isiJ$

should oe P"'/OIIII~,f

-.0

THE

FAMOUS

"MY SYSTEM" BOOKS

By LIEUT. J. P. MULLER
.111 ';. I'. '~R I ~ r- \\".1 .... rilt" IrlWntl'r ,I[ "'I':' r.unrue- "tlullrr l:Hrr~ L~"" Wbldl ~t .ul lh~ \~IIIIL1 L1Ldl.tL; 'phvsl- JlJ [erk-, Ht." I.,.}-. uW atr atr-at ~lhktl s mdlilil\l.1 l'i','du4:td md hh ,d",l!1 II 1#..101" '\1\' ..., ~TF\t .. 11....... ",..,..1"1 f' m ..1.',1""I1 101'-- '2i; I lOlrlI1+.;';'" •.illd q\',-r 01 »ulbon 'plh 11.,\.j· ,",,1'11 ~. 1111," I.WH/·~lI " ,·UUl.. .\ ..
~I

.'1,..

".1..~

I,r n,~

I~

.,.

MY SYSTEM (IS rnlnures ' pleasanr exerctse a day for your health's sake) U\I \ _.o;.~·. tllJl·· l~ L I. intdhll[p~ll . .1ppll, d.lt'<Jll Itf O!Jd.lIOlU ~lhr ~"lh.t: ph}':-II", II.wIL ... ,d nnl nnrv 1l'!'~lpll rrilLU UlI'IW~\' '[II f.lll jJ~,.'_ It ..J\QW- 1111\\ ovr-rv hll"lil It-' .,' I .Ill ,jw vir II q!~.III=- ('nll hf' .lfh"1'1-11 ...h f':\'I"'7Li._.·.1 llnrl nlU~~~I/;!t_""(1 til dl UHJIW.,,, t p.rq• uti ~uPJ.~ljtn.-~-.... 11'lpr!uL4"'- ~mjl ...:11 lltJII ,. 1 ~4 I":\l r .~t.~ "".pun w. ,llIP;I. ,11Ib. I'ljll In"lnll ti· II ....,1'1'-,"1. l!l\'f'H .Irld uumr rous phlllu~t_'l'll~ i..U11"1t','~'tln ""1... ,;;.;;;1\. p(f":'111111t 1I1 I I I.i t"'\t·ri'l""~. j'/I(l :l ~~. 1/,- t Il:f:_;' 1.1,
I

'''~t

MY
I hi
,I

BREATHING
..jnn ""'I nr~
{It

SYSTEM

lir::-1t'\II.ln;;;llH~ I .... uva

T
l

,1I,d

dt,t..:l,um·,

lh'l-".I'

dllih

It"+"iHbuu: f'"'r'rrJ"'4"·5-: ;'2 11ItJ"'lr.HJflll~ Jr. II. plll'"jtl'~'I'tI!pll~ 'Hit )lull4 t .. 11"" ... bi, ..... th, hCdtU1'· ,ud ltn'riutJn, t"".tl;'fI l'ttl '''I"''Il].,:. til lJj.irfnnr, ph)-~I' r! "'x('"'rn~['~. 1111\ dl"-[]-[I U (l'~\ uurunr , f,·, lu~ brt',llhlllC! ~)'~tl·IH, \\1111 L!n.'.lt IIo!~nlht. Jl;iu..' ~J,'H .. '" ('111.;;1;' ~~.

fir

PIt' ~rh

li.'1

tHld

\rt

I1t

nn'~ltldtll_',

,n

MY

SYSTEM FOR. LADIES :::'Y~h'III" n.ddptrtl ~,\" 1.• our. ~lullt"r t ... llit tr:Qlllh'U!f'Ilt5 , «t .l-ulr ....... -I'ltltb '/.1.1 and \!IHn)t. (il i""x!n-'II,e "\-,1..hp' lu e- n-rbtinc ,r'I\]Ut;L W"lu{,J1 tl) ph~ .. t·r\t' -"Hd '_'!Ud \\(,m.·u (, I .L!;:'''-..liil ~df>'lli'jJ.4.:. l'n. r::, ,-.1111 rf':ll,h .. \\-. ot',,-'HI.-;ill, I lltj'" ry r,' {.;o,-' mI.l .1 i.fi m.m.'l'tljl"; u..,.~ 1I."tt ,1I,m __ 1" p/j ".tlo..t,!pJr(, /l
":\1'1;1 I'fli"' :~ I"

'f',

tl

tn'!tl ~( kl.

MY SYSTEM FOR CHILDREN Lr. 1L~_\rl.lj,·I" ....I...LlU' Il- "..\h !'-l-=:h:1H • ldJr,~( ,r wc jr,f I,n.:'" ..tl"Llld I,.....;;LuLiH'ri . h~ '1:"\- 1') r.\n'H\ ,~JH~ \.\;..;;Iu-. hi..;. l"Jr hrr btihil1" 1(' ~rnw \lfl In s,tTr'llll:th. 4lltJ \1 t,1.ht,' lI1U) In I)!'-~~!'I ,lth f11JJ.h· V'.'\\l;r" nJ .fl.'~i .. t WII' til disl:<b4' ,JUI fJnlllrt:'1l II, m~:h' ...=:.- Jl\oj,k llJl"U 11,.. (' yaJ,.,.hr. t:, ... l'f·~."t:"'lo,I c.nn ......md ~.1m n ~1"'"l1'crth wH11 .ut r •• 11i-iu:.:" TIl" I~ -ok b I hJrtrfy Ilrll~1.rl\ 1 f,y"jit J xplauat.H'\' pn'.J",tj,P\l ph '1 , 1\lpt'r liU,i1"d~. /'11/."1...· ~~ 1-;. b,\' 1 1.1 SI
1, ....

MY SUN BATHING AND FRESH J lie- 1.1.h·...1 ,u1dill'.11 Ii" It.H· hilJll,ll .. ,,",dr's
fully pxpl.w1!!o lbl;:'" \',llllC' ..idJ hi Itt ... 1 HI, i,I l
IJl·

AIR
LI\·

SYSTEM
I"i*

.... cnti II I.lit t..",hh' lll... 1"11 ...I .,1 ! ultun-t- and ."lth.Jr·' .... \nJJ fllF ~ \ ~ )II lH- ~.1" "'t bo. I~ 1J1f]('h -onml Uhln't(t!1 II lin ~...... ing r 01 tilf1:Hh"l. nt !b1 H~p'I\-( I!.l!-II.L L:!" •• , I! e yl'"' ... . r, f'rf .1',; :t,"u, 1_,· I',r,ri!,;t 1:.1. .
"'lJnn~lH uud In""ll

ttd ... \\flU-h.""ll'_IWfl .1111 "'Ifr, not _'111) Iu rh ... prl

II

r,H! IJ,

"l'

llr',}

III"(:II:Jr
i,

f ~, L·HIII t

mn r,u

"~,'t' IJ.. 1'_'l.I'-;;'fuJ

j

iJ/

,~U' iJ"'Jrb/

or '''IIJi~L/l" I'om Ih.'

'j~

'1\'

P"idH/li-r-lo~

,.,.~!

'f'Jr'U

M. S. BURT, ATHLETIC
LINK HOUSE.14 STORE Cernplete

PUBLICATIONS
lONDON,

LTD.
EnK.

STREET,

w.c.r,

Book List Free on request.

THE

BE

HOURS

FOR

DOING

THE

EXERCl

and their

propel-

sequence

when learnt

The r" are two Or three time" of day which ax" suitable far performiug these ex rcises : namely, when the clo ucs ace being challgC"d for any reason, (r) Tn he morninj; (1">l"f"rl'" re-r<kfast); (2) when home b from business [bofnra dinner or supper) : and (3) wben ,wing to bed, The normal war il\ In U') the first ej~hl exercises 1.[0 not take hreakfa'il nr a cup nl tea ill hed I) in your pyjarnas or a jel·.~"y (if )''111 want to reduce fat. or if you Ieel the cold vcrv much, wear n SWe<I er) ; then take the lath allil rough towelling, finishing up with the ten robbin)?" exercises. I r preferred, tile bath can. ut" taken rirst. then the rubbmg exercises, and when partly dressed tim .. nrst l'i,qht " -xercises. This plan rnay IJC '-I. grmrl one if yuu arc accustomed to Jump straight in to \"IlUI" bath from the bed: hut it 18-not sn g'IJod if till' cighlxcrci: e. make you perspire. in ymlr dottles. III that case it is better to do all the ex ercises stripped, pcrformina alternately it ruhbing and an ordinary exercise In the following crrlcr : The bath, Exercises No . II, 10. I, t a, z, 13. 3• .l.j. -I, T 5, 5, ro, 6. 17, 7. rll, 8 and 9. This alternate sequence IS also the most comfortable in vcry warm weather: hilt then you should naturally take the t ath at he ,'pry pnLl or ll~ prn ed 11[0, owing to your probably he"vy perspiration, The whole '" System " performed in the mcrniug will gil'~ th~ average healthy individual a ffelmg of pbyslcnl buoyancy ~Ilfl 1o\00cl conscience [or the nay, but for rather weak or verv 'husy people it is better to divide the " System " in <J two. or vert three parts, to he performed at the abnve-rnerrtioned practical hours, Jor five [I) ten minutes each time. When dividing up into pam; you may follow your I)"'" C()UI'5e. /)1' the first eight exercises can, for Instance, be performed in the morning, with bath botcre or after, ami then the rubbing exercises ill the evening before going tl hen. Should it be found that this causes disturbed slumber, a different time should be chosen first u1 all, but later on. when the nerves have grown steadier ann stronger, you will sleep the better far your evening exercise, SlI ppoSt.ng YOll do not take a Iatc ~u-ppel". It should be rernembered, wben the rubbing exercise are taken hy themselves, always to begrn with No, 1 I and finish with Xo. g. The" ten rubbing exercises with deep breathing during and ill between them. take hut a. bare seven minutes to go through, yet the result is that yuu li~ dow" j" bBn with a delightful feeling all over the skin, and fairly certain of 11 gouti nigbl:'s rest, No one ought to deny him If these even minutes, especially during cold weather, Exercise should not he indulged in too soon after a meal. A child l111\y do it without harm, h'Jt a grown-up should let at least one-and-a-

!17

half hours elapsed after rbe last meal. afld if there is a tendency to indigestion. two lull hours. Some people take nYD harhs daily, v17.. ... cold douche In the mcrriing and a. warm or hot bath w11['[1 corning home horn business. This is " splendid plan. arul they might arra.ng~ to do some 0.1 the exerci .. with each bath. I think the reader will understand that it is not Ilcceso:UY 'lor "water hath to immediately precede tbf' rubbing exercises, ;;IS. when stripped, these exercises rorm in themselves an air hath. \ I,·hil!:> co, "g. the' time used in do; fig all the e'ighteen exercises lea will be about twenty-five to thirty minutes, on account of the ""ce8sary reference to fbu text or Illustrutions. If Il1L'rC time is spent. theu the pauses 01 " thinking .. are rcallv too long. \Vlle" the pupil is thnroughh· conversant with the " System ,..' however; tile wi role series can be performed in twenty mmutes, with bath included. And extraordinarily strong and practised individuals can do it ill px~ctly Arlee" minutes s, as T personally have proved more than ',"00 limes at public demon"tl'a lin,,~ {400 tlmes in Great Britain}, The .. slnw ". exercises 1'1lJ:\l IW \ er be hurr ierl. but the .. qll ick .• ones must, of course, he done very qu icklv 11\ "flier to make this fiftepn minu tes' porfurmnnce possible. The whole .. System .. being know1l by heart, unnecessary pau~",g are never made. Each exorcise ends by an exhalation. during the last part 0 f w hich Due ta kes up the position of the next exerclse=cr of the special deep-breaihings when such are wanted-so that the follo'l'i"g inhalation narurally forms part of the next exerclse Thus the whole series •. fiows " .',toadHy and uninterruptedly, disturbed neither hy JU""mO~5 .ncr hesitation. TII~ rubbing exercises, Nos. 9 to r8. form a small .. Systeru ' in the mselvcs : but it is "TUl1g to Confine oneself to the Exercises ~ cs, l to;> S, whicb 1 know sorue V<XIpk 00, 'I'hev \\"";11orely miss some quick s trunk movements, and a deep kneo-bcndinjr a. well, and some kneebondings ("''' page 00 uf the volume in band).

,e.

,,,,,-,;I;.

DESCRIPTION

OF THE

EXERCISE

Deep - B rea thing

Exercises

To stand up and without any physical exertion take long brcarbs-> 33 is often recomrnended. especially in Germ;", books-is unnatural and absurd, in fuct may positively cause derangement jn the relative pressure or the vessels of the bony, and produce gidillnes5. iThen you intend to breathe deeply, a. need for more air should he felt, fur which reason these same exercises am suitable only during or after a corresponding exertion of the body, while they, at the same time, have the important task nf re-establishing tile regu lar heating of the heart, 1n the former editions of" '),ily Systeur, " a particular" Respira tory pause " was rtescriberl, to be ~t dctly observed after every exercise. BlI t O'JW that all exercises are at the same tulle breatbing exercises, it ;5 no longer so uecessarv always to observe such regular pau:;;es. Only btgillnen and weak persons. for \\'11<1111',,""'0 thu easiest degree" Gao be difficuit, need make regular LISB tbe resptrarory pau.'IC. of \rbered,. advanced persons will often feel nn need for it after he" slow " exercises. More deep-brcathings may then be akcn after he" qu ick" exercises ("lac. 2, j, [6, I7 and 18), and after the somewhat hard No, , immediately preceding the bath. Ducing the respiratory pauses the performer shnu ld srand quite still in n comfortable position with hands on hips, ::md endeavour to inspire and expire the I rg sst possible quantity of air 1 do not, therefore IIQW recommend carrying out of " accompany· ing" movements such as arm-raising. heels-raising and knec-bendings, because it is m y experie 11ce tha [ S1l C b roO'> 'erne 11rs ilre a P t to (listrac ttb c attention from the main object. namely, the movements of the chest itself. In the Swedish Drill, it is true, the only " br athing exo:orcL«e" S COlllPQ''''!! of just raising the arms for inhaling and lowering them Ior exhaling. and no instructions at all are given as to bllw the air is to come in a",1 out elr the lungs. But that it 15 a sad delu ion to believe, that we expire the air simply by Iowermg the arms. anyone can convince himself by the following experiment : Stand with arms hanging loosely by thesides, and take a full breath; then lift the arms slowly sideways, at the '",1JI1U time performing deep exhalation, If the person exercising has 'NCn II little bit of control over the breathing muscles, he will find that the exhalacion can be equally tborongh. whether the arm' move up or down or bang rel a "pd by the sides. A:; 1 have writ-ten a complete buok on how one should breathe UDder all conditions (" :\fy Breathing System "j,. it is hardly necessary to gl"B long explanations here. 1 will. therefore. confine myself to giving a few practical hints.

5~ Tlu- ideal thing is l<J get ... much air as po, i.l>k io and 011i., with the least 111USCU lar effort, and, If It is eo. matter of Btrell110US or quick exercises, then in additicn, in the shortest possible time. But even ii the respirations in the Lutter G~" are fairly quick ones, thev should always be quit .. f,lII, never shallow. Learn to move the lower ribs sidewc ys, and also to "lel1gthi'.n" the chest stralghl: upwards like a concertina which ;~ pulled cut. by nne 'handle being held up, the other duwn, The aUDS should help in this movement, the ha nds pressing' upon the hip bones in a downward direction. A vacuum ".ill thus he created, into which the air will rush oi its own accord. The air then should not be drawn in hv I~l>illg' tile nose as a suction pump, The nose :bollkl only be a PUSSll;(! passage and that buth for the inhaled and exhaled air, The nostrils !TIL!,t, of course. be kept wide open, but if "tbere is 0111y a narrow passage for thc air atthe .root of tbe nose or roof of the mouth, one should get a surgeon to remove the obstrucnons. 'The old-Iashioncd Swedish "Deep Brca bing" method with arch;n" 01 the chest, pressing back of elbows and shoulder" IIUUdrawing in fJl the alrdnruen. must 1I~quite condemned. Tt is a f'1~htflJl strain 01 the muscles which does not give much air to the lungs. There is really a hollow created between the shoulder-blades, so that the air-space in the lungs docs not increase, but is only shifted, Expiration simply takes place by Tel",xing tile Inspiratory muscles, so that the chest faJl~ together by its own weight and olives the air out through the nose, If there is time to do so, exhalation CIl11 be made deeper still h;.- the cont raction or the lower ribs. perrorm d by the small muscles placed ben" e en and under thosE' ribs; 01' quite mecha ni ally by pressing the rim together" lth the palms of toe hands. But do not on any account elm", the abdomen in, as the ribs then cannot properly contract, and even jfthc diaphragm, In that case, presses SOme air out of the lower lobes of the lungs, their greater portion will not be emptied of air, The abdominal muscles should In other words be left relaxed both during inhalation and exhalation, a. not to hinder the full bu easy respiration, That frightful habit, characteristic of so many rnilitarv men, and so-called .. Cvmuasts." contiuuallv to draw the abdom~n in, rigid and contracted' (" muscle-bound "J, is to blame for many digestive troubles in lhat all internal movements and" massa.ge" aTC' strangled. Yes I rhare is absolutely not enough room left for the organs tu function properly. These people use the abdommal muscles to support the skeleton and balance the body, instead of using the muscles of the flanks and hack. It j, wrong to have a weak. distended abdominal wall, which is Incapable of withstanding the pressure from the hea v)' Internal mgan. It is equally wLOng to be" 1101l0w" in this part (If the anatomy. For the common uper rtitiun that, uch .. hollowness" is beautiful and healthy, the" .miITt" reproduction" a" per exam pie j n our all thorised Drill Ma nuals, are largely to blame, R)' v-L,iting a museum and studying an antique statue or an athlete in profile one will at I1DCe realise that rhe ideal nofb auty and a natural carriage of tho body d emands that the abdomen shall at least protrude as much a the chest, It is quite pos;;ible to have a. straight back without looking like a pouter-pigeon, Correct breathing is almost noiseless, Should one therefore hear oneself snuffing' or blowing, one knows that there is something wrong. If one is deaf, one mil t let oneself be controlled by a friend. 1f the

,0

~o
respiration be nolsy, it Is a prnol that the air passage ~~narrowed. as per 'example; tho wind blowing through an open dO')TIS hardly heard; 0[1 the ether hand, when the door is shut, It whistles and howls through the creaks and keyhole. There is nothing artificial about the breathing method w],ic), I recommend here, It is rhe 0111.'" natural anu rig lIt one, which should he employed, nnr only durinp my exercises, hut also dUl'int" daily hie, immediately [][] undertaking any body-movement. Fur example, tl u ri tlg walkiug and cycling', one can take th ree or lOll r paces ur treads d uriug in halation. and IIve or six rl uring exbalueion, It will only !J<o necessarv to count lor" week or twn, as it will sorm become (In u nconscions l" rhit, 50 that the chest will hcrca ltcr work in this complete II-ay, without wasting rl.1Lj"til <Jug ht (In tlte rna tier, Svnopsis : Each of t he rlecp respire tion ~ e <Jll';U,U 01 <I very full mhala ti em through tl.e uose, aud 11 clccp, ~tl':I<I~' exhalation abo through the nose. Place tile hands on the hips, the elbows well "lit, not forctd backwards. The ru les for in hnla tion are ("fOeFig- T I : I. Tristcnr] the nnst ..ils 'Llld mnve the lowe r rlhs as f.l r ~.~possible nutwnrds . • , Strctrh UIL' wl,,,k IJPPcr part ,)f the trunk, 3, ll,., net a rch the tlp!,C'r C hcst inro ~ cramped position, 4" Keep the abdomen naturallv relaxed. And the rules for exhalRtion (see F;g. '1 . L Let t he rib" a nd (he whole IIpper pa rl nf the .1 ru n k si n k clown, ~ Draw the lrrwer r;h~ inwards nnd to:;etller ~!< mucf as possible. ,3. Keep the abdomen naturally relaxed. Common faults 111 this deep breathing arc : during inhalaiion-.« rlrawlll!! the alxlumeu inwards. 1.J~llrlinlltJl(J lwad too feu backwards, inrcinll' the shoulders back instcarl of liltiug them, ,\1(; kill I{ the air into the nose with 11 loud uuise '0 that tire nostrils are partly closee! - during ~...hlll"""'"-]Jerlllillg til(" body tuo inur.h Iorwanls instead ul contracting the chesr, 1,~(:;pillg the abdomen tixed IIr drawn inwards. bn:atlling the air ouc forcibly through the mouth. lll" "i" Llrca.thing SyillelTl " I have scientiflcally proved that exhatatinn through the mouth after nasal inhalanon-s-which unfortunately is still ol'ren tanght-is absolutely

wrong.

Knee-Bending Exercises
'l\ner"',," it is not advisable to perform heel-raising and full kneebending during tile respiratory pauses, even Ior the 5trflnge,t individuals, it is In 11-''''')' mstancos all excellent plan to. carry out these powerfu I leg movements-c-as a special exercise that can easily U~ performed just befure or aftcr Ex. ):u. B. It is particularly recommended to motorists allil others. who are tuw ian, ur whn duu'r take time to walk, 1 will here describe a slow and a quick exercise, both only for advanced performers. r.-Rai,,~ yourself slowly up on the toes, with heels together, at the same time Iifting the arms sideways and preS5inl\: the hands backwards at the wrists, with fingers well stretched, all the while inhaling (see Fig_ J). Lower the body slowly while bending the kgs, knees well out"

6'2 wards. until the seat touches the heels. Til anus should simultaneously be lowered to the inside of the knees. with ful!{Urs clenched anti fists turned inwards lrom the wrist. during' expiration (see Fig, .,1). Then the legs and fingers are once more straightened willie the arms u,11) Ij[letl aml you must take up the previously described "5tretched" position, anrl a.gain bend the knees as belorc : repeat this ten times up a nd ten times <lawn during tell nil respirations j breathing in always during the upward movement, and (Jut dU1'illR the d wnward movement. During the last expiration, lust lower the heels and arms very slowly. 2.-You should perform similar full knee-bendin s, but now a quickly as possible; after, practise two bending's and stretchings during uthalation, and three duuble movements during exhalation. The heels remain raised and well pressed togethe r all tllIOUgll, as ill the first exerci ·C. There are no linger and wrl rnovernen S. nor arm raising aud luwering'. The arms are belli out obliquely in front or inclined to side- to balance the body, Perform 11P to twenty knee-bendings dnrmg [om- full respirations. but dou'r forget to stretch the legs completely in each upward movement

Relaxation

Exercises

Muscles increase 111 strength. quickness and endurance by quick changes between work and rest. One shoulu therefore be capable of completely relaxing or sl ckening the muscles. either nil at once, when the body rests, or during it particular movement; slacken all those that are not in use while the movement is in progre<;s_ The fault}' principles in School, Army and many Home Systems 01' physical culture, have caused the majority of people to be more or less stiff .i:nl:he muscles, or "muscle-bounu," One ought then to give cnesel a course in muscle-relaxation, 'it em a chair, letting the left arm bang quite limp by the side. Then feel its muscles with the lingers at the right hand, and convince yoursel th ..t they are quite soft. r \\ow take hold of the lef wrist and lift tbe tuft ann lJP to shoulder height. Be careful, thai fIJII really IUt the whole weight nf the left ann witb the light. as the left, arm must not help itself to be rai ed, and must of course not resist Suddenly release )"<)"(11' grip, and let: the arm full. It should then nallij"le to and fro before coming to rest in" vertical position. Ht'peat satne exercise with relaxed right arm. In a like manner then lift a Iez with Doth nand" and let. it drop; or lie clown on -tbo floor ann ask a friend to lift and release tile legs, nne after the other. Thr, neck call be exercised iu tile same manner, a.lthougb it is harder to relax, but be careful that the head drops OJ1 1:0 a. sort cushion. The abdominal muscles are best relaxed H1 a sitting position, Icening well back. or when lying in bed. The best time foi' carrying out these exercises is. then. JUS before going to sleep. Convince vourself that the whole bodv and everv Ilmb rests 011 it particular part of the bed with the whole in, welxbt; in other word . try to make yourself as heavy as you can. Then you will be more sure to girt health}' and re fres hing slc ~p.

of

Fig.

:s

Pig.

-..-.---

........ ~~~-.....
. r·~

r.I';.!,. ,I

EXERCiSE

No. 1

low Trunk-Circling
This exercise is put first in the" System," because, when carried on t in its original form (third degree, see Figs. 7-ro). it is excellent for thoroughly stretching the whole body when ODe bas jumped out of bed in the morning. As it is, however, somewhat difficult to perform correctly by beginners, these should not immediately tackle it, but ought, during the first weeks, to follow the programme set out on page 52.
FIRSl' DEGIlE!!:

Stand with feet astride, hands on hips (" hips firm "), with thumbs to the rear, Bend the upper part of the body to the left, from the hips, then backwards (see Fig, 5), next to the right, then to the front, while the seat is pu bed out backwards, and finally to the left again, Here one has the four points which the trunk should pass when one begin to elide it round. As will be seen, the exercise is a combination of sideways bending and forward-backward leaning; whereas turning or twisting of the body must not take place here, The body should therefore continually face the same front, that is forward. durintj the whole exercise. AU movement should take place in the waist. while he head is held steadily in a natural position, It is recommended to letthe eyes rest on a point straight 0 the Iront and slightly raised, To let them roll round frcni Iloor to ceiling and walls makes the correct carrying out of the exercise impossible and brings forth dizziness. Be careful nOl to bend the back durina the forward leaning; it should be quite straight with the abdomen distended, As soon as the four positions have been mastered, especially the rather difficult forward leaning, begin to "round off" these" corners," in that the body swings round steadily in circles, first five times One way, and then five the other. The movement must be suited to the full respiration : Inspiration during the back half of each " circle" and expiration during' the forward "half.
SECOh'U DIl:GREE

Hands at" neck Test," elbows well back, which is difficult during the forward half of the circle, Body movements and breathing same as First Degree. Don't drop the head and elbows or curve the back when leaning forward I (Fig. 6.)
THIRD DEGREE

The arms are held well stretched upwards, touching the ears, the hands folded and wrists bent at right angles to the forearm (Figs. 7-I.O), TIle arms are stili held tigh[ to the bead during- forward leaning: it is a

Fig. 10.

66 com rnou mistake tn swing them ro und in tile shoukler j 0111 ts. Rcmem her it is the muscles round the waist that should move the trunk, with head, arms and ha nds as dead weig-bt Focnrn DeGREE: Same movements as in preceding degree, but fl., nne's breathing is 110'" deeper, nne may inhale during one complete circle and exhale during the naxt. Either let the inhala tinu circle gu a little Jaster, or let tl\e inhalation take tlnuc-fourths of ,{ circle and the exhala tiOI1 one-fourth.

EXEROISE No.2 Quick Leg-Swinging

""tSl'

DECORll]!

Support yourself with one hand 011 a fixed piece of furniture or a door-handle and put the other 011 he hip. (Shoulrl you be ,uffcnnl'; Irnrn weakness of the kg .. then you can also support yourself with this hand, say, tin the back of a chair.] Swing the 'me leg like a pendulum. forward and bflckwnm from the hip-joint. I~ must be held as straight as a cork leg ill the J.mee-j!1ill t, This is easiest to perform if the toe. aTC pointed upwards, If you stand sidewaya on to a looking-glass, it will lie noticed that thu kg which yon thollght was straight ",'ill often give Wily considerably ill the knee. Even i1 to begin with, you do not swing the log 'Very fast you should . till sec that there is not the least pall56 in the movements. These swings with straight leg are quite short (30 to 40 degrees), hut are finlsherl with some vcry long swings when the Ioot is kicked high "Upfore and aft. In order to loosen the: joints. During these nnishing-swings the leg must he limp with all muscles relaxed, and the knee may be LIeut. Wilen the hip-joint is made more flexible, the foot can reach higher up than the head (see Fig. T l). The exercise should stretch itself over four full respirations, tI,e 1r,lI1gswings being performed during the 1"';1; one. Thereafter repeat exercise 'With other Jell'. Beginners uften have difficulty with breathing . teadily, i.e.. independently of the quick movements, They are incliner! ei her to breathe short. in time with the swings, or to hold the breath. To get hold 0 the right method, you can for example stand till, while filling the lungs ccrupletely, arul then when commencing to exhale slowly. Swing the leg quickly and count the number of :Oll'ings yuu can perform before all air is out of the lungs.
SEC():--':O DEG-nEE

Both hands" hips firm," or arms hanging 100 ely by the sides. This makes it additionally til balancing exercise, As you grow stronger and more practisedvthe movement is performed much faster, 50 that a STB at n umber 0 r s wi ng s to eac h respira tin 11 w ill he pnss nil e, M yo \I 11151.1 learn te breathe deeper. You can then diminish the number of respira-

EXFRCISE.

NO.2.

These

phOLO. and several of the others are the Author'» eldest son, lb, '" the age 01 2.~, :1-1"Ill! :,7 y,'nr~

"r

58

tiona until a t last two will su ffice far a score 01 short swings ana two long ones with each leg. During the latter. the A.rTTIS should b.. "W\lll~ loosely in time with the leg. When the leg goes forward and up. the corresponding arm iS511'U "li as far as possible hac kward, the other arm simulraneouslv forward, .and vice versa (Fig, 12). Tt L~ partrcularlv tile muscles of the hips, flan k~ and lower back that are strengtbened by correct carrying 011 t of rhiaexercise. Turun DEGREE Th i~ is a. more difficulr balancing exercise. TheBnns are held outstretched to the sides. with lingers straight and palms <lawn. While breathing ill and out once, the leg is swung sideways (alteOlately to rigbt a nd left) behi"d the other. [n short swings (Fig. 1J). During the next respiration it is swung sideways in front of the other leg. in short swings, during Inhalation, and in long. " loose" ones during exhalaticn In conjunction with the latter long swings, both arms are thrust to the same side. always opposite to the leg (Fig. q). These arm-swings then resemble those ill use (]toting a spurt On speed skates, Hereafter rcpea I with other leg ..
FOUR'r]l' DECRE!;

A comhiuarion of .the two preceding. During first inhalation: short forward-ba.ckward swings with left log. During first exhalation: lang Jorward-backward swings with I.eft leg and both arms. Second respiration : the Same is repeated with right leg. Th ird in natation : short side-swings with left leg helliml righ+, arms cu tstrelched sideways, Third exhalation: long: side-swings with lert leg in Irnnt of right, arms swung as described in third degree. Fourth respiration: similar swings ,~ith rigll I leg.

EXERCISE Slow Trunk-Raising

FIRST

No_. 3 and Lowering

DE .. REI':

Lay yourself on your bad, in front of a heavy piece of furniture and put the front third of yo,lr feet underneath (a little more than (he toes). Should there be no room here, then pull half out tbe bottom d,..I.WeT and pu t thB feet under; or remove it altogether and pnt your feet in the ope rung. Th e kn eel> are bent t I,e more. the lower the space is lor tb 0 feet, as the ankle might otherwise be overstrained, H no suitable furniture be available, you can fasten a pail- of straps to the 'floor or wall, as the feet 1/1""/ have support otherwise the eK!ITciSIl is valueless, II! this position, fiat on the back, all muscles of the neck, shoulders and back should be relaxed, so as tc reallv test in comfort. Thereupon flll the Iu ngs completely, and just after cOlllIIillncillg the exhalation, raise Lhe borly to the forward-leaned sitting pnsiticn, by means of pulling ,,·,ttl the feet and neing the abdominal muscles. So 1\.5 not to strain these in the beginning, yon may help with elbows and hands, which are pre sscd a(:"ain st th r fl ~or. all d carried bac ~"'a rd as til e hod y rises. It", a bad mistak .. to raase oneself with a Jerk, or push, with head and

I'i~. II,.

Fig.

17.

Fig_

70

shoulder •• or to roll the body up. The bead's natural position ill maintained while tbe wbole upper body is moved in one piece with the hip. joint as axis of rotation. Don't stick the chin out, duck the bead or draw in the abdomen, when the body is leanl forward. Rather seek to dist ..nd he. tomach between the knees, The exhalation is perf rmed during this body-liftmg and without any panse Y(\l1 Immediarely COIll· mencc 0 lower lie bndv backwards and to inhale, As [he body nears the floor "lid tht' abdominal muscles grilonally contract, you will hardly be able t I get rnnre air, Instead of '("munitilllg the error of bol<ling the breath, ynu should imrncdiately commence exhala tion anrl finish tb" same lying on the floor. During the body lowering )'OU also U~ the bauds and elbows as supports; but refrain from throwing the head 01 eyes back or bend the chin 00 to the chest, While in the resting poaition fill the lungs completely once more, then raise the body the second time, but just beforehand begin to exhale. If you don't do this you will run the risk of holding your breath during the body-raising, As will be seen, there belong two complete respirations 0 each perfected movement, up and down. Perform six such double movements aod increase these to a dozen in a few weeks.
SECO:;:U EGREI!:

" Hips firm," as shown in Figs, 15 and 16. . -ow there is no rest pause on the floor; but the body is moved steadily and slowly up and down almost in beat with the natural full respiration, To avold the least pause in tlill breathing one should begin the exhalation a moment belore the change of direction 01 movement (but be ell reful not to shorten the movementsf). So One inhales durin" the greater part 01 the bodylowering. and exhales during' the latter part 01 it (I"d during the whole of the rising. To sit on a stool, or sideways on a chair, while doing the exercise glves more movement to the waist without being harder: it soon becomes more comfortable. On reaching right down allth e trunk muscles should relax, SQ that the body hangs like it dead weight. with the forehead near the floor (compare Fig, 0).
THIRD DEeR-IH;;

.. :-'cck rest." )lu\'eIllI>IIL aml r spirurion ib ill Se.oml Degree, \\'h'm '-arried (!lit on t he flour, the tIll W~ must nucl; same, and during the rising should mamtnin th e ir .. LJ:l.ck" position. ,itrim, on a vtool, It j~ also wrong tv gi>-e" jerk WIth cll>n\'--!:i and head ill order to rise,
FOL'RTU UEGRl!E.

as shown in Figs. 17-20. 11,e arms are helrl quietly stretched up beside the eurs, as in a divu into water, Rnrl are so used as an extra weiaht for the abdnrninul muscles to lifr, during their steady cnrrtracuon. To - hrow the arms forward quite spoils the value of this Exercise. Even to raixc th m and bring "them Iurwards sooner than the trunk IS a erious mistake, They shou 10.1 he k<"]>tclose to the ears the whole time.

UU tile fiuor or a chair,

EXERCISE Slow Trunk-Twisting

YIR$T

No.4

with Sideways-Bending
DE-GREE

To be sure of a correct performauce of 'this exercise in the beginning, it is best to do the twisting and sideways-bending separately. A. Sit on a chair (either on the front edge of the seat, or use one without a back), ami twist one or both leg'S round the legs of the chair wbereby the lower body is made unmovable. Or you may simply sit down on the floor. With hands at .. hips fum," the upper part of the body is turned slowly. but without pauses alternately, as far as possible 1:0 right and left, th~ head following the body movement. Inhale one way and exhale-the opposite. Compare Fig. 10+, illustrating a similar movement, bu t wi th bead stationary. When lour and a half double movements with four and a half full respirations are 'completed, a pause is held III the twisted position, an exhalation being taken. Thereafter five similar double tv istings are performed but the breathing is now, of course, done the opposite way as was tbe case before, i.e., if you ill haled to the right before, you should now exhale to this side and inhale to the left. H. Sit on a chair, arms hanging down limp. Bend the upper part of the body slowly, but without pan-ing, as far as possible to right and left alternately. TTY every time to reach the floor with yonr finger tips. You may also bend the head. Inhale one way and exhale the other. Perform nluateen movements during ten full respirations, and do not forget to change the breathing when half-way is reached, in exactly the same way as explained in ".1." It is even more important bere, so as 110t to develop the chest cne-sidedly.
SECO~'D DEGREE

It is still recommended to perform the twisting and sideways bending apart. A. Stand. with the feet as much as possible apart and parallel. or still better, with the toes a trifle inwards. The "'TI1S raised sidewav with fingers lightly closed, not clenched. The trunk is twisted alternately to right and lett as ill first degree, but now that the seat and hips 00 longer are held firm by sitting down, it is harder to limit the movement to the waist. One is likely to move the feet, twist round in the knees, Or to only turn the bead, whereby, of course, the benefit to the important organs ill the abdominal cavity is nil. One should therefore fix the hips (keep them squarely to the front the whole time), or, still better, pusk forward the left hip whenever the left shoulder goes back, and control the right side of the body in the same way every time its turn COmes. The head Jollows the body's mo ements, The arms must not swing the body round. they are held still, but not stiff, and are moved together with the upper part of the body and tbe head, as a dead weight alone by the effort of tbe muscles around the waist. Th e movementis illustrated by Figs. 22 and ~3, but the ieet should be much more "part. The breathing, with change hall-way, and the number of

repetitions is the sa me as i11 the Fi nit Degree. B u tdo no t rorge t to sta r I t ne firs t inhala tion w rule th e arms are raised, Ii the positio Il 0] the arms tires you. just lower them with each exhalation. B. Stand with heels together, a oct bend alternately to the sides as in First Degre e, but each time one bends to the right, the Jelt arm, J"Ll.! bent and with palm downward, is hroughr aero" [he .head, thereby increasing thac weight which acts 011 the Rank muscles (see Fig. :2J). SO also "very time one bends to the left, the r'gh t arm forms >1 simila r arch over the head. The breathing. with change in tha middle of the exercise, and number of repetitions <IS in First Degree. Trrrno DI'Gllp.l! Combination of the twisting and sideways-bending, Each time the Ilpper part of the body has been turned round to one of those positions described in ., .t "Q f Second Degree, fur instance Ftll, 22. iL ts slo wi v ben t right do 1011 sideways, so that the closed fist touches the floor between the feet (Fig. '4), and is nnmed lately brough t back again to the npl"ight l,)asilion (Fig. 22). It is then twisted right round to the other side (Fig, 23). and bunt fully <lawn till the other band touches tho floor (Fill, 25), and So on. '1'0 begin with. one CElD bend the knee that COITM" pund. wi t11the arm that is down. to makeit easier, bl! t as 0 I." becomes more pliable "bO\'8 the hips, both knoes remain straight. Do not turn the head and look down-s-there must be no marked movement In the neck, either in the shoulders or arms: all movement is concentrated in the waist-line, the muscles of wh i<::11 move the whole upper body steadily and slowly, without jerks or swings, 'The separate movements of this comblned exercise must lJ~ clearly marked, but without pauses be performed ccntinuously. Otherwise the regularity 01 the respirations will be interfered with. One inhales coming np and ~oinp; half-way round, and exhales during remainder of turning and goiug down. Ten sucb mp le illa vernen Is du rl Il..g ten rull respira lions. After suflicien t practice the feet may be placed less apart. If now the hand cannot reach the /loor unless the knee is bent, till! reason is simply that tile twist has been made in the legs and not III the waist, and the hip-bone will then hinder the sideways-bending.
FOURTlI Dlm~m,

Hare a short double sideways-bending is added. Bogin for Instance with the Idt hand touching till: [joor (Fig. '5). 'Ham raise the upper body (Fig. 231 and twist round to the left (J:-1g. 22). Instead of now going right down to the right, you should only bend half-way. as shown in the dotted llnes or Vig. 26, then quickly up-again and as jar a> possible over to the left (i.e' .... backwards " as seen [rom the hips point of view, as ShOWIl ill the full lines of Fig. 26). You call naturally not So very far this way, To end IIp with, you then=-wlthcut allY pause=-perrorm t be whole sideways-bcuding to the right, until the right hand touches the floor (Fig. 2+1. Thereupon a similar fr.vc-doublo movement the opposite way, You should now inhale while coining up a.rld twisting Tight round, and exhale during tile two short aud the long" sideways" bondtngs, Ten 5.v<,>-double movements during ten full respirations.

EX.ERC1"E

No.4.

FiC·

se.

;4

EXERCI

E No.5

Quick Arm-Circling
FJRSl' DEGREE

. it Ull the chair (preferably a steel) , and raise the arms sideways witb rmg"", together ann stretched rraight, palms upward. Then 5",in" both arms fairly fast round in small circles (of J2 inches III diameter}: upward in the fronl hali anrl downward in the back half (compare Fil:i. '2-,). Thereupon each ami is swung icparatclv. Ino,ely ann in as 1~_'1il' circles as possible. Bl' careful to get the ann well back and near to the ear. As Ul<U1Y small circles as possible He performed rl!l1"in~ three full respirations : while durlnr; a fourth respiration, the one arm be swung 1:11 In.rgc circles, and during the fifth the other arm, The exercise is tli~r<,art r repeated with small TIll hm~e circles in pposite tlirectioD8, likewise dllring on: full respirations, The palms are now turned "o\\'n, and the arms ,He 1I\""'c<1 downwnnls ill IIc front Im.1J of the circle. and IIP,,"CLId.;; in rear halt (compare Fig. 29). If you find it difficult to breathe naturally and deeply during these fast annmovements. yon may try this way, Fi1l the lun!i~ complerely anti then see how rnanv times you can ~lI"ing the arms willie yon art- letting the air slowly out through the nose. SECl'" I> nJ.1'Rl.E This ls carried nut standing, with nne font slig-htly in front 1)[ the uther (sea Fig. 27)' Arm-circling and breathing as in Frrst Degree in addlriun tl) which UIIO now circles both urrns w;.:etb.er dnrim; the large swi ng-s (Fig. ·2f1). Pu t the ot her f"<lt in front wbcn the arms arc <wung in npposit» direction. Be careful tu forc« the arms well back while descrihing' the circles, A common fault ill the small circles is tu move the hands up and down only, Instead of ill Teal circles. no not rorget to k ep he arms absotutely limp nllIiug tJ1Ularge circles.
TH"IRn DJ,:olu;h:

W'ith a lJm!l [orward lunge, lJen,]illg fmnl knee, ~traight Iine fmm heal! tu rear foot (Figs. 29 and 31"\).arm circling arrd breathing "-8 h€fore, but the small circle. arc now done \ ery quickly. 5U that" greater number IS performed, especially during the expirutions : you ll"lay then gradually limit the exer ise teo six full respirations in all. Change feet when h'1-lf way in the exercise,
FOURTH Dr:GllICL:

LUDge and arm cirCling as ill preceding degree. The body Is nnw tw] ted slowly .round from the waist Iwith arms still circling: rapidly) alterna ely to right and left, ant.! ill beat II ith the full. steady respiration, Tnhalation tukes place ,,,-cry time the chest is turned toward. tho side <"If the tr..!iglit ann rear leg (I'ig-, 31.), exhalation when it Is turned towards the side of the tent leg l1'i~. :It). 111ether word, one hreathes in the one way and out the other. The large loose .swings are only performed d II ring the last exhalation of each series (nut during the whole third respiration): til" twisting ceases "-no the Large swings me done while 'facing to the front.

EX[,ItCISE

NO.3

.....

-\,

"'\

---._,

, ;

,/

, ,

.,

rig. :I".

76

EXERCI E No. 6
'low Leg-Circling
Frnsr DEGREE

Lie fiat 011 vour back with hands at "ncck.TeI;t," and move the straig-ht left lq; 'slowly round in circles of about 30 ins. diameter (see l-Ig. 33). The leg should Ilot be lifted much 1110n-, than 45' from the 60<1r. Inhale every time tho Jeg is rtused, exhale uuring the downward movement. When six sneh circles have been completed, two circles as large as possible shown be periorJllcd (Fig. 3-\). As the foot (with toes pointed) is carried sideways, the elbows shculrl ~l"ady the body b)' pres-sing against tho floor, so preventing it from roiling over. 'l'h"real er eight corresponding circles with the rig-Ilt leg during e.igllt full respirations. Then the left leg is again moved f()UIHl stow ly but ill the opposite direction to which it was first moved. To finish \\eith, the right kg is CJ rcled similarly.
SECOND

DEGRo.!t

Take 11 deep inhulatlou while n·~ting on the tlonr. During the foU()~,'ine: exhalation, Lift both stretchcd Iegs to it h~igLtt oi ~5Q Irom th. rloor, and 101""'- at once (Fig. 31). Tln,; movement is repeater! eight times during eight Iull respirations in that one lies wrth the majority of one's muscle relaxed e\'cry time one inhales, 1'H:rTw DEGRE" The legs, perfectly straight and with pointed toes, are circled slowly the same as ill First Degree, only beth simultaneously (I'"lg.38). In the small circles the kg, and feet are pressed hard together each time the~· meet (Fi". 35), each leg thus describing the letter ··D." or its reflection, In tho large cLTcI(,s the one lel\ must of course gin; way to [he other, like the Made. of a pair of SCLs:;()1'$. (J tha both 00 crossing one another can move right 1'C>UI1!l without interrupt jon (Fig. ~6). The head rnav bo lifted a Iittle sc that one can SOL' whether II ls done corrcctlv. As before, cig-bt circle, in each direction, bllt the whnle exercise now only lasts tllo time of ,6 respirations, therefore. only half the time of the First Degree. The feet may i,l the beginning rest faT a moment upon the fleor after each circuit. The legs and insteps should be kept . traigh also in the large circles.
.FOL:RlJ3 DEGREE

'fen small and two larg-e crrcles in each dir crion. The heels should just touch the floor after each completed circle, but not rest upon it. The movement IS now done very slowly with the brca hlll_gcqunlly deep. The task for the abdominal muscles is also Increased by wearing heavv boots. The heart rests 011 the ttoor and the hands are put flat under the hollow of the back, or in the posit.ion of "hips firm." or they may be stretched up past the curs ami touch the gruund beyond the head. Another way of doing the fourth degree is to keep the stretched legs pressed together continuously while !;\\'ingiug them slowly HlU11d in as wide circles i1.-S possible, ix times ill each direction. To prevent the boo)" from rolling over, the arms are kept sideways with palm, pr ssing against the floor.

18

EXERCISE No.7
Slow 'T'runk -Twtsttng
Fms'l'

with"
"OBOREE

Forward "-Leaning

Sit On a chair Dr stool, with legs gripping those of the chair, as In Fmr Degree, A, of Exercise 1'0. 4. While inhaling, raise the arms slowly sideways to shoulder heigh t ,,,i-eil fists closed lightly and the ann muscles relaxed, Only the shoulders' effort should lilt the arms, Duringexhalation, and while lowering the arms, twist the upper body round to the left (iu the waist line, keeping hips and sea t fixed) , and then lean it slowly'· forward." that is over We left hip (SM Fig. 31)). This IIIust be done withou t lowering the chin or rounding the back, Vincn all the air is exhaled, another inhalation takes place during which the following movements will he performed: The upper part of the body is raised. with simultaneous arm-lifting, and the]' twisted bade again to the trent, Durin,g the immediately following deep exhalation the movements that were carried out to the left are now done in exactly the same manner to the right, and soon continuously, always with illha.la. ticn while rising- and turning to the front, and exhalation while turning: to ei ther righ t or left side an d lean i.IJ g. 10 complete movements during 10 reap ira tions, When after some practice on" is able totwist the body in the waist and not in the knees, the moveruen ts are carried out st"wJing. with lE'gs wide apart, 'IS in Exercise No: 4, Second Degree, A. As the upper body is lean t over the b if' the back should be sligh tly hollowed an d the eyes looking somewhat upwards (Fig .. 40).
SECOND DEGR£t':

This Is always performed standing. Breathing and body movements as in First Degree. whereas the arms are now continually held sideways in shoulder height and the feet less apart. The movements are steady and eon tin UOllS, in that you (w'ith the exception of the preliminary inhalation with arms lifting) inhale every time the trunk 'S rai sed and d 1I ri ng first half of th e twistin g_: an d exhale d 11fin g \ he latter's second half and during the leaning over the hip, Only if you ha ve neither !lot the lungs completely filled nor- emptied. shcu lei small pauses be beld, in the front-facing position or leaning to I:he side. The succession of the positions of this exercise is as follows: Figs. \\2 (sea Exercise No. 4). 41. n. 23. 4.3, 23, n. 41 and so on.
THIRD DEGREE

The preliminary movement is the same as in the Second Dsgme; during the first inhalation raise the arms slcwl v, then while exhaling twist the body round to the left (Fig. 22), and iean it over the lett hip (Fig. 4 I ). Then instead 0 f re tu mill Ii to the v eft] cal posi tion before twistl ng to the right, you should now twist completely round in tbe leaning position, at the same time inhaling. The upper body there/ore remains in the inclined position (i .a. retains its angle). but tue chest is now uppermost (Fig. ,pl. Following this twist, and during exhalation, the trunk is raised slowly alld without pausing, leaned" forward" {that

EX["W'I!'E

:-00. 7.

1"1-:. :I!I.

80

Is, to the original ligbt) over the right hip (Fig. 4.'1); over which a similar twist, but now to the left. takes place while inhaling (viI;. 44). This exercise thus fills into a measure of two beats only. The one is perpetually a complete urnmg of the trunk, and the other a raising anrl " forward" Ieaning to alternate sides. Do not bend the knees more than you can help, anti the hips and legs should, as Jar as possible, retain their nxec1 front all the while. ThB bead and arms should riot be forced much backwards, although tho back Is continually held a little hollowed. It is the muscles of tho waist that should move the UppC"I h dv stcadilv. At evcrv twist the arms come round passing the vertica l plane. so that the one' hand points to the ceiling, and its ;11OUI(1eris pressed hack, he other hand having pointed to the floor. A common mistake is to lean tt)n far downwards so rha t the correct angle cannot be maintained during the twi'it that follows. It is really only when one bas w:rollgl~-turner! the hip, away Irom Ole front tha.t this new mistake sn easily follows: it the hip i" heel. then the hip bone will prevent he trunk Irnrn being Inwen:n too much. Tell dual movements to ten respire ti UDS, lie careful a 1w.,:ry s to start ex ha 1 ti nn in good time. n perhaps a moment before the twi t is complet e. The way here described of p;:orforming this exercise is the normal one. A, a hangc, JWII"e\·cr. you may do it the opposite way, which g:ivB the muscles or the hack more work and those of lhe abdomen a little less. YOl1 shou lrl begui 1L}j before by Iitting the arms nnri turning tho trunk. sa:-, to the left (Fig. 2'2)_ But then Instead of leaning" forward " (over the left hip), you lean bacli1m,.d over the right hip (Fig. HI. when a rightabout t\\"i~t 1 lings the ell, t downward (Fig. 43). Thereupon the upper body is raised and leaned" bacKwaTu" over the left hip (;Fig. .;z). where 11. lcitabout twist brings tile chest downwards once mOI1l" (Fig .. [r}, The breathing is DOW reversed, Or course, so that you inhale during raising and backward-leaning, while the exhalation takes place with the twisting.
Fm:."RTB Ol1(;~E:

This is an increase in strength 01 thae in the Third Degree, described .. normal way." Each time, OUTing xhalation, when aile lowly raises the body and leans OY r the opposite hip. one performs. to 8 i"rky slde-bendlngs (Ilke the extra movement in Fourth Degree of Exercise ="0. +). These'" sidcthrows " must of course be done in the wais , not 1Il the shoulders.

EXERCISE No.8
Bending lind Stretching
the Weight
FlRST

of the Arms, partly of the Body

DEGREE

Loaded with

Stand f<lcin~ a ell st of drawers, the end of a bed or similar object with your feet abou a yard trom the same and heels ogether. If th e distance be Increased, the exercise will at once be more difficult to perform. Put yom hands on tbe particular piece of furniture shoulder

F;~,,1~'.

Fig. ~U.

"

Z distance apart (see Fig. 45). Then sink the body slowly forward by bending the 'Inns, at the same time turning the finger-rips inwards and bringing the elbows well outward and slightly up (Fig. 46). This is done during inhalation, The body is held as straighf as a plank and the heals are raised off the floor while the arms bend. While exhaling, the 1ll1ILS are slowly straightened again, and the fingers point once more to the front, heels lowered, 'fen dual movements to ten respirations. Every time the anus are being bent. you may tum the head sib wi}' to one side alternately, bringing it back to the front on stretching the arms. A common mistake is to push. tlie seat out backwards and bend ill the hips. People with weak backs go to the other extreme by droppm!: the abdomen, If for some reason or other only one arm can be used, stand a pace from the wall and put the arm straight out with palm against the wall, in height with one's head. Then bend and stretch the ann as before.
SECOND DllGREl>

Resting on palms and knees on the lioor. Carry out similar arm and head movements, The fingers are now constantly pointing inward 45~. au should inhale with the downward movement because the elbows are brough t out to the sides and the chest thus opened, whereas in other exercises where the body is doubled up, you naturally exhale while bending forward or downward,
TH.rRD DEGRUCE

The normal way. On the floor, resting OIl palms and toes only (Ei1g. 47). To be sure that the body is kept straight, let a friend control you to begin with, or you can gUIlce sideways into a mirror. Tf you. find yourself either dropping or raising the seat before the exercise Iafinisbed, you had better drop on to the knees and continue in this position of the foregoing degree. Inhale while going down (Fig. 48), exhale coming up, and turn the head 0 alternate sides (Fig. 49).
FOURTH DEGREE

Either do the exercise on the finger-tips with bands spread out or lift each straight' leg alternately on going down. These two advanced methods can, of course, also be combined (Fig. sol· Dna can also perform The arm movements quicker; for example, bend and stretch twice during a deep inhalation and three times while exhaling. If yon are very strong, you can put one hand on the back while moving up and down by the effort of the other one only. This baud should be well in under the body. Particularly Use the weakest arm.

Toe Bath, as It may be arranged in houses without special bath-room

A simple plan is to USB an ordinary tub and jug; the best and most practical thing, however, is to get a flat sponge-bath, a hand shower-bath and an ordinary bucket, The hand shower-bath is easily tilled by dip-

3 ping it in the full bucket, 1£ you, 10 lint like absolut 1~ cold water, which is only good for the nCIYUUB system SO lona as one docs not sutter from "n eryes." vou should use lukewarm or warm water, To all weak or nervous [lersrms I would rather recommend a hot bath. perhaps fillished by a short colder douche, The bath itself can, uf course, he taken in rlme'Teni' ways. Some are in the habrt 01 taking a large sponge, dipping it in the water, alii! squ ezing it over themselves, I will describe the most practical rnode of procedure. Stand up in thc nnddle of the" sponge-bath," and pour the contents or he sprinkler over yourself, Then sit down in the middle or the bath, and pollr the rest of the water In the bucket OYer you. With a little practice yuu can manage so tll1tt the water divides a nd funs down the bod}', without any worth mentionlng being spilt. But be careful not to make water-jets of your ee] ows , If 1t be absolutely necessary b that, not a drop shall be spilt, you should sit down straightaway, before beginning to wet your eli. B1.1t even if you are standing tip. you need not upset more water than if yOll were s;prinklin!( the floor for "weeping =-and that is a guuu. thing \0 ue. Then Iie down ,',11 your hac1r ill till' bath, which will cause the volume of water to rise, ~" that by rolllng a lu.tle over on the sides you zan g~t both arms and sides uuder water .• cn"p the water up [rom the sidcsv first in one hand, thcn in the other, to get ii: up to the front parts of he body that the water cannot reach, Then sit up, well back iII the bath, and pour wa er some few times down the sides of the chest, forming 11 Gnp With the two hands. Afterwards pour water in the same way over the upper and under side of tlw thighs. then bathe the seat, and finally stand lip aga: n arid wash the lower part of the legs a 11d the feet. 'When once 11 week you have used warm water and soap. swill yourself all over afterwards with cold water, using a, jng or hand shower-be th. If you have got no tub at all you can still have a sort of bath by simply standing on a mat and slapping the body smartly allover with a towel dipped in cold or lukewarm water, Of. in the event of ant}' one towel h~in:g bandy. by wetting the body with the hand,

Drying

the Body

,,'I,ile still standing 111 the b"th, wipe or nil yourself down a few times with the hands, with similar action to thar described under Exercise TT. but of cou rse vou must also rub down tho front oj' the 1"'l'fS. This will get rid of mn t uf the water. Tn the same way wipe the water off the arms and hair, into the bath, Then shake tbe water from your feet, stand on a small rug or mat~ and begin the actual drying of the body with a towel. First dry your hair, fate, and neck. so that the water shall 'lot drip from them On to your body whilst yon are drying it. Next rub the front of the body several times up and down from the neck to the abdomen, and several times up and down the sides from the armpits to below the hips. The best way of doing this is to folrl the

1~~~~~~l:gl~~~~~Ijry.~ :.

'. H ycu use one g,:nd t'h II! !5orjJ.we llh tbtl

JiJ;!, f I)J; carper \~lCl~t: ~Itl(! up,

'OT all f h I" e~e.n::.~~ ~CllL ougllt. wbile dryirJ iii a.tIodtht!.t1 wbc.u ~'ou h"'1,tc!' firrlsbocd tilt; ~nrl;,i5'Ce.
I

S4

1"''"<,1., 'JIoI" ,,'und tile ,'II" up"" 11 ,,1. while ,'[H' h"I.1 holh ends 01 i\ ... lit the "lIler h,,,"d t~,..., 1"1;, .'i'), lhr-n l'UlIlC'S rlu- turn "f the sh.Illhl,·n; uu.I llo,~ 1",<1., l-li!lg the towel O,'N till' ,"1" "h"lJhJ,'r, l,dl~ 1I.. ld .01 <"" h .. In] "lilt uue il'IIloi. ami work up arul .1""," I.nlh lI"u,j" .,h'.'m.,ldv, !'<. Ih"l 110· bark sets tined ubhq uclv I~l' I "!. 'i~I, BUI. .u. III' ~."'l"l irnc ,lode f he ruwel "Inll!: si,lclV.H'~. ,u, til,!! l,y d,·gr' ....< t lu- h" k io:"b I'Ilblw,l ~,·\'~r.tI nrnes 0\' r trorn 1he: edL,!t,.. ~It lilt' nne ",hul.lIJcr hI tI ...• otll·r arul hal k a~a.n l'hen pass (h" urp"[ c·nol "I II ... II,,,,,, " v e-r r lu- 10 ..,111,...1 h .• 1 it nnw r~,,1S l)J1 tlw wlilt'r ,1o,,"lo),'r. (\1;1111.:<" hanrts (th,1t is, til" hau.l rh.u was uppermoot helllf" ~h"uld nuw b un-Iermost! :1.1111repr-.u t he 1"""[";';, the ~lirr·.~tinn qf tlu: umvvruvnt cru ....... the- urxt in an X lu~ 'l hen It-t the tnp

"i."

end uf the towel ~I,d,· ,10\\ n 'J"n the sl\ulII,j"r uru l .11111. arul <l1I,'r ,'HUI ~r;\5p .. j that r- n.l, "" Ih.,L tI", 10'" cl ,~ 111)" 1",1<1 :J~ shown in fi~, 'i,~By nn\ .. pa .. · ~iH~ it qUldd\' halln\"ard~ and !irn v, ir.Is l"tulhnL.!with rddJ hand alternatelv. ne ••rlv lite "1,,,11' "f II", b.u k !.:"!~ [ul,11'oI, Ir.. ", lI,e lorus up tu as "n~l~ J.:-i y"ul r.u: n~at.. , ~Hld Llh""n "In Zi~7_;1g: rh;:i!l rluwn h 10 I he heels. a nil til' .').:;110 tu the 1,1111" Afler litis dn t lre 10,111']' .. lid .HIII, w it h 11... 1",11'"I lit .. movements described ill Elo:t-rci,,· 10 tU ... \·",d flllh1 .. f "",r~,, he ".-ill 1"-\\\'''''11 U e op-<!JI hand a 11.1 1he ak III I, l I I"~HI !r.n ..• .j 1<'11,1",1<- I" ""III ann" - II h kt. Y rs often lhClI~aSt' with IIli'U \\hll Wt·..H·li"I~·~It.-~\'~d wUlltl(_.n vest .. whereas , omen rarelv r ,,·1 tl,,, ....hl ill lli~1f arrnx -tlu- ~'111 )". ,Jr"...! Lefor" the uodv, Then oIr\' I"'I\"~"I rhe 1<'1:5 .Ino1 "fl"r Ih;ol the frnnts nnd sides

hS' ... ::.

1'1'1" III \!.\II] H-I
J

.,·.,1/1 III

"'"l\tJ'L
I[

I '\'-~I

I'F r ur
I I I Pll.~

\, rlr~I~~
j~I'~ tl

h.l' hu

...hnul-I

ut the h,,I;.... 1•.t .. 1h• .In l h- h"f'l. HT .... Ih" U rrd 1h·n 1iiI!;:" ',th~ f' •• tnd ""PU I h.1lutlhllt \(1)111':.11 1.' Ir'IIU~ tln "'l.lH~hn; 111,trw [tiL!" Ilk. ,I ~ltlrk \I,lnt.1\ 'illJ~11Iut\~ oj \f' \ ~"II\ {•• ... "I"iC :"'I~.t.._~ Ht hl h(l't :lr.-' hi dri.·1 !f\ t diJ.lH:: ,1111 crul (If i h-. t .\\"t I HI' L.u,:h h.rru] .HI,I pulllJl~ It I. t\\~I' I \'~IQ. "JIll, ,H.1I h.IUI ~ ll1'~r'n.ll.-h. Jut! whlll . HU an' .JrYIn-l; 11I,.'tn I t t :dJ tl~J_' til'. llu r~ I~ 1,I!ln1v 111 t uru IIfr Ihdl rt "Il \'"Itf +fH'('1 uJ1dl1 \"!lr hn,,· [f ~ 'iI "111\- ...._ I .'~lilt on' qu.lIt·-r "I .iu it,lur iur t

'.In ~,." \

nw

Fig. lB,
Till; ;\UTl'OR'S p.LDFsr

sa.
."H

SOS, AT H'I!

o.

4\

'{EARS.

J'cllple \\110 know h."" lfJ drr t ln mselv. ,,,, i]] pcrh:lJ'-:; ron-ule r r lu-se w ,IIJ",rll""lIs :-1'11, I hn ... : " .. en muny stand anrl nddle a.huut with th.: lowel fur ~." ~r;J_J nunures "'lh"UI ,J;eUH'1: I'rup ..rlv dnerj even then. .... .1 T :\111 thmkmc, t oo, of all the people wh!:/ 111\\,~, n ", to speak, never hecn in the posmcn of ""I"lnn,:; to dry t.hernselves ,Il~r R. bath, h~cause tbey have hardly ever done such a thinS as 10 lake
IUH'II!~ .hr"c!ull\';

pt1r"'I[rd c;x-t'r-.I!)W". ynu nlU~t! dunllf,! lw· t mu-,

i-rt

amlv

[HIt

su

~ffm:n upon a ..hair til rest

87

The Rubbtng

Exercises

GEN]TIl.,\l., RE~[A RK.'<

1 have teo composite rubbing exercises, to be performerl m air-bath costume: liming- \ hich the surface f the entire body get.~ thoroughly and systematically polished, The Dlhbing is done with the palms of the 'hands and should be a simple stroking or friction to begin with: later on, as one'. strenpth increases, it should be so vigorous thnt it becomes a sort uf massage. if not for th... internal muscles further from the surface at auv rate ror the thousands of small muscles connected with the vessels the skin, which are strengthcnod arid developed more ill this manner tha_u by any oth r mode of procedure whatever. After you have follow ..d up my ystern fur orne time, the skiu will assume quite i1 difforent character: it wiU become firm ~nrl elastic, yet ort as velv fit and free from pimples. blotches, "pots, or other disfigurem=nts. ~!any hav recommended uf late a revival of the custom of the ancient .ree1,:;, viz; : tilat of performing physical exercise, without clothing. Still one requires tn be very much hard nen-ordinary people COl! ld nnt possibly stand it at jjr;ot- Q tin ordinary exercises in fron t nf an open ,,<indo\\' LlurinR the cold seasons of the year My rubhing exercises, on the ccntrarv, can be carried out under such conditions, even by those most susceptible to cold, A,; a matter of fact, one keeps warmer, whilst doin.g them perfectly nude than when standing still with all one'S clothes on. As a proof of this I may stare that T GUll casilv keep comfortably warm in the open air, even when It is freezing, or a cold wind is blowing, whilst I am gOUJg through my rubbing exercises. whereas T might sit arid shiver driving in a carriage in the same weather with ail my clothes and all over oat on, This may sound strange. but it is nevertheless true. 1 can only say, .. Try it yourself l " The secret lies in the fact that a solid warmth is produced on the surface of 'the skill where it has been rubbed, even if only lightly. and this warmth lasts several minutes : nor does it disappear whilst other "parts of the body are being rubbed in their tum, so Ion" as one proceeds according to a settled plan, The part" that ll1ir:ht suffer most hom Gold receive in "My ystern " the most .rubbinq. 13y performing .. preliminary" movements to . everal of these exercises one learns how to mayo the body and legs and bow to breathe during the perlormunee. Not; before his can be dnne quite nutomatically should the rubbing be added, To undress is therefore tmnecessary during these" preliminary" movements. It is also rccommended that persons susceptible to the cold should, during tho colder parts of the year, wear some clothing while studying the book and trying the Tubbing exercises themselves. Do not stand naked while reading in the book. Nllt before :four to five oomplete rubbing exercises have been mastered is it safe to do them stripped without risking a cold or worse, They arc "II perfomied standing, tuatehe body may not get soiled or dusty again niter the bath. As in addition to providing troking of the entire surface 01 the skin they include a number of muscular exercises for the arms, shoulders, breast, anti back, six leg exercises, two forward and backward beadings, two sideways bendmgs, and two

o·r

88

The limbs, on the whole, get stroked more towards the body than from the body. and it should also be .remembered that more strength should be exerted when stroking in towards the trunk, It is a good plan at Ilrst to rub a litlle vaseline, lanoline. or something of the kind on the nipple of the breast, and if at ill hairy into the roots of the hair as well, This precall !iop prevents sm;u1:ing and irritation,

Hen.

trnnk-twi tin~ exercises (8. slow nnt! a quick one of (lac" of these three main forms at trunk mcvernen ), Lhey form a eomplet« whale in themseiues and can very advantageously be carried ont in the evening, for instance. before going to bod, iJ you have done the nrst eight exercises with the bath In the morning. It is only a matter of Ij Or 7 minutes, It i-s advisable /(1" lmiles 10 5/1(1k. the front 0/ /J,e body it> ",n "t"",ml,U,·.clioa. tJ1stead of [rorn I:lbove MWllWMd$. This Ilpplies In E..~,·~'iSIJS 1 I 1<,,,1 18 (see directions in " Illy System for Ladies"]. The slow exercises-e-that is, those wherein the movements nearly synchronise with the natural, full respirarion ("TOS. 10, IT, n, 13, f4 and Ij)-are performed still more slowly hy ad anced persons as they by and by learn ttl br athe more deeply; at the same time the actual stroking is increased in strength, Or more elaborate rn bhing's are performed together with each breath, The quick exercises. however (Kos, 16 17 and r: , and to a ertain extent NO.9). are performed s ill faster, with the r::reatest possible number of movements during each respira-

E:KERCISE No. () Rubb;n~ of .Fe.et, top of Back, and round

the

Neck

Rest your right .hand on the bedpost, a chair, or a door-handle, and ru b with long powerful strokes the top and sides of one ioot ~5 times with the other root. the sole of which thus Qf course it~ej-f gets robbed (see Figs. 5+-57). At the same lime rub with the left hand the back of your neck as Jar as you can reach [rorn the foj; down the middle of the hack (Fi!{, 5'4), ~1l round the neck (Figs. 5~ and 56) ... nd up and down the throat (Fig, .57). Then change about and begirt the same number of rubbing movements with the opposite nanrl arid foot, The" hole exercise should last [or eiuht fu'll respirations. People who arc mcllned ~" get too much blood to thl!- head, and cold feet, ought to perform this exercise at the end, ,,[ter 1\0, I ,

EXERCI Rubbing of Arms

E No. 10 Knee-

and round Shoutders , with full Bending

PRELUIINARY MOVEMENTS

A. A.,.", mopem."t.s.-Either stand up or sit down. During inbalatic n move the arms as far bac kwards as possi ble, the n slap them ac ross the chest as shown in Fig, 58. Doring this last movement begin exhala-

.-------------------~

EXEJlC1SI:..

X'l

(I,

Fig. 55

Fig.

5],

90

tion and continne same for a while alter the arms have" crossed." Ten repetitions to ten full respirations, Alternately put the left and right ann uppermost. This exercise has from time rmmernorial been adopted by cab drivers when on a cold morning they sit OD their boxes awaiting fares. B. K1I8e-/!lmilillJl.-Stand with your feet comfortably apart. arm. hanging by the sides. palms to the rear (Fig'. 59), Lift the outstretched arms slowly upwards with palms downwards until they mach shoulder height (and shoulder distance apart] while inhaling. During the following exhalation perform these movements : bend the knees quickly until the s'lm ..lting position Is reached without raising the heels, then return sharply to the standing- position while lowering the arms. If the arms be lowered too-soon one Ill:lY easily fall backwards. People with weak knees or a bad balance can support themselves by the end of a bed or by a chair, ann omit the arm movements, Ten complete movements during len resplrations.

Fi~. 5tL
TH" l~U.aB[NG

Extend the left arm. palm downwards. Wlth 11 right palm, stroke the u ppcr side of the left arm (Fig. 601 from the tips of the fingers to the shoulder and 011up to tile neck (Fig. 61)-tll(lD back again to the finger- ips (Fig, 6o)-after that, in the same way. the under-arm up to the armpit (:Fig,6~). and then inwards across over the left breast (Fig. 63); here the-right baud relaix es its hold, immediately slapping the left sboulder-blade smartlv as far back as possible, "tlder the left arm, which at the same time is ~nt so that the left hand call take firm hold 'round the rigbt shoulder (Fig. 6.j.), 111en the right hand stroke" the part from the "boulder-blade in under the left 11,1 mpit. when it relaxes its hold, while the left band has oj th~ same lime stroked the upper side of the neht ann from the shoulder bone (Fig. 6S) down to the finger-tips .. The arms will now be stretched out in front of you once more. and the movement is finished, the left hand res ing meanwhile above the right.

EX

ReISE

o.

II

,
,

,
I

'/

,, ,
I

\
I

;.

I
",'

Fig. 66.

T'h:.

G7

93 ready to hegil1 a.J1 al.J,~I)III/~ly correspondt ng action (bur repla e the word Tight·· with lett," arid ""1CPv rsa, ill the above dcscrrprloc}, It will be seen mat eLl,t,hcomplete movcmerrt ',"')119 I11tO ~t measnre ol five bel is wluch. ,,~ith a vel'> little practice, will proceed meehttnic.ally tt) your cnunring urru, t"lYO. wE'e.,) fuur, five. There sliould be- ample time iOT tern of these movernents cl five bf!tlt::i..l>t.:gi.t1ni.ng \\'1tJJ tbe tight and lh~ I"rt 1100d alternately. \1 'hen yon havereallv learn t the exercise, do cot count ,nth each bear, blJ~' onlv each complete movement. -, xllalc dud!'g the first beats and inhale during the ]""1: ~! beats, because It is 1Jjl,.tUJ1'lJ to start inhalation at he moment you btgin open the ... 'l.J'JTlS iust b (ore they are lapped 4-' pt'elj minury InhFtlation is taken while the arms are being rulsed ~!}'-\'ly to the front before starting the exercise. 'rho outside. of the ~rm" <He rubbed eonsidera 1>1, more tlran tho 'inaides, the- skin en the back of tbe arms always neeuing it rnore : afM some t,-O"fle.hM elapsed, t.htl" il..IIDS nnd :;bnuhters hav e .grown f rrn and round and ch. skm feel' like satin-with IIO mug-lines, au the hack of tbe upper nrrn , anti no wrinkles at the elbow, Not until after Jong practice, 'when one can take very full respirations, SllllUld two complete movements be performed during one respiredon, filM is, Jive beats during inhalation and five whilst exhaling, The rubbing t combined with the fu ll-knee-bendtngs h)' sinldrri; down sbnultaneoualy with-the first beat (Pig. 6T) end ris1ngrluring- the second f There 3Ie t_b~r~lore nO leg movements during the tast three "cats or ench complete rubbing-movement.
II
.j

2t

EXERCISE

No. I I

Full slow Backward and Forward Bending wtth Rubbings of FroDtand Back of Body lengthwise and Abdominal Movements
PRE:LI.1ilN.;\RY )fOV"ElI.CE:.NTS

A _ TI'!",k ~'/lding.~<:;ta"<,l with feet apart and hands on hips. Bend [he trunk i:lnd h~,..('"LC1 slowlv backward as. far as possible, while Inbalina (see Fiz. 6), Then wlUlst exhaling bn:ng tho trunk forward and contfnue tc b lJIJ it co'''plelely downward. Then rdsc and henri once more baekwnnls, inhahng. Perform 20 such <luoule movements with -20 full respirations. Tbc trunk i. moved .t.ruLi v w j taou t pn u ~i g at "i ther end, Dun 0 g " tho forward-downward bending thu niuscl es of the back and n~ck should ...,1"", that the weight or the trunk and head helps to .. pull .. downwards until you CLLn look theou . gb your legs, l'bu knees an: bent aJ little as possible. Do not forget to begin tho exhalation 10 ume, So as to avoid bolding the breath, IJ you feel dizzy at Mot yon may support yourself with one hand. B_ AbdcmlHlaJ moveN,ents_-La,tbe hands fiar on the" .stomacb." Fill rue lower part of th~ lungs Wlt'U air tiU me abdominal \V~U is distended, TIien empty again this portion of rue lungs whilst pulling with tho hand>, so that uie relaxed abdomen ill pressed Inwards and upwanh, under t.ue ribs (Fjg. 071. Twenty such abdominal respira-

"U

!.

94 fions" ,,1'8 to he performed, \\·loell muscles are stronaer and under better hand m,1Y be ,I i pensec with.
THII

after practice the ahdnminul control, the assis ,<I1'·C nl" th e

1{U1HHNG8

Every tun e the trunk bas been bent backward (Fig. 68), stroke quickly downwards with the palms of the banos over the whole of the chest and nbdorneu, which should be well distended. Then when the trunk commences its forward movement, the abdomen is pulled In as much as pcsstble, after which the hands are drawn apart (.FiS. 691 and carried round to thesmall of the back as high up as is convenient (Fig. 70). 'Vith thumbs pointing downward. the rubbing is then continued over the Joins, seat and back of the legs (Fig. 71) down to the ankles. Tile trunk is here bent as far downward as possible, with the back curved, and you then, without pausing, start to raise it again, the hands passing round the insteps and stroking up along the shins (.Fig. 7~), and the fronts of the thighs (Fig. 73), where toe hands are taken off. Swing the body over backwards again. stroke once more down the chest (Fig. 68). and the combined movement which bas just been described is repeated. For women it is better not to take the bands away as "hey rtse, but to stroke uninterruptedly from the instep up to the collar- bones, stipping the hands thence to the back as the forward movement begins (see" My System [or Ladies "). The various movements should glide evenly over into one another, and the strokes be long and continuous. Only on the small of the back should one rub up and down a Iew times when one has become able to breathe out more deeply, and hence have more time to perlonn such extra movements during the exhalation. Twenty complete combined movements are performed. Every other time, or else the last ten times, stroke up the inside of the legs instead of up their fronts. The knees may at first be bent iii little during the forward beuding; later on the legs should be kept rigid all the time. Do not forget the special movements of the abdomen, which are highly beneficial to the intestines, This is the only exercise in the whole of "l'1fy Sy tem" where the abdomen should be drawn ill, but then it is done as complet Jy as possible. and for a few short momen 5 only, in that it is quickly alternated with a full "blowing out" of the abdomen, By this means a powerfut internal massazc is given. which hill! just the opposite effect to that of a continuous indrawing of the abdomen. which is 0 harmful, owing to the Iact that there is 110 internal massage or movement at a ll,

EXERCISE

No. 12

Slow Tr-unk-Bending Sideway , with Half Kneu-Bendtng and Rubbing upwards on Thighs and Hips and across the
Abdomen
PIIE!.UU:'lAJlY MOVE',-ENT

Stand with bands on hips, and feet wide apart. While exhaling deeply. bend the lett knee, leaning the trunk at the sarno time sideways over the ri",ht leg, which must be kept quite straight. Then raise the

body lowly and resume the uprigbt posltion witb both legs straightened. at the 511m~e time inhaling. Remain thus iOT a moment, commencing exhalation, then lean the trullk sideways over the straight left leg. bending the right knee. while finishing the exhalation. Again rise whilst tahallng, stretch ing the right leg; pause in the upright position while commencing the exhalation, and [OT the second time bend over the righJ leg while completing it. Continue with intermittent pauses these swaying movements. making in all 1'2 trunk-bendings to the two sides alternately, during JZ complete respirations. Keep the face and breast to the from tho. whole time. It is It common fault to bend the trunk obliquely forward instead of sharply to the side. Remember. also. always to bend over the stretched leg; but the weigbt of the body should be thrown upon the bent leg, hcnee you should he able, in the correct! y berrt pes \ u rc, to Iif t che f 00 t of the stretche c.l 1eg an ; nell fro rn the tloor and keep it there without losing the balance (see F;g. 741.
THE RUBBING

"~

On bending to the left you place both palms 1in111y on the outer side of the left leg as far down as yon can Teach without bending forward (Fig. 75). Then while resuming the upright positionvslide the palms upwards over the thigh, hlp and half-way IlP tne side of the trunk {Fig. i6). Here the left hand should be kept vertical under the right, which has been turned horizontal; the two forming the letter T. Now press hard across -the abdomen with the hands still in the" T .. position. the righ t "pulling" above the navel, the left .. pushing" below it (Pig. 77). Having stroked right across the 1ront (Fig. 18), the hands are taken off and then slapped down on the outer side of the right leg whilst bending the trunk to the right sida and bending the left knee (Fig. 79), whereupon the whole movement is continued in the same way as described above. only with sul:>Sti ution of the word" right" for" left." and vice versa. Of course. the left nand is now uppermost (Fig. 80), and the stroking of the abdomen is now performed in the opposite direction. Beginners are prone to cross their hands when bringing 110mup from. one the legs, which. of course, is wrong: the .hand which is nndcrmost upon the leg should remain undermost also when moved acres'S the abdomen. Persons suffering from digestive trcu hies ougb l to relax or soften the abdominal muscles, so that the massage becomes as deep Inwardly as possible. The same concerns persons with weak and distended abdominal wall, On the ether hand, those with layers of tat on top of strong abdominal muscles should contract these (without holding the breathl) so that the superfluous [at gets squeezed between the palms aMI the hard muscles, and so loosens. 1n persons witba big" tummy," the abdomen ordinarily feels soft to the touch, both standing, sitting and lying. To ascertain whether the case is one of " distension " or just excessive fat, one lies tiat on the back ana lift!! both stralgh lened legs a few inches off the floor. Then feeling the stomach with lhe fingers. tills part apprors hard and swelling like a well-pumped football, or else you will find a flat muscular wall covered with sort fat. A distended thlD abdominal wall will, 01 course, be strengthened and 'thickened by its possessor doing my axercises correctly; and will ultimately cease to ~ive way to the pressure from the heavy bowels and liquid inside. and so

of

EXERCISE 'N°12

11)::<r",it:'. .' tuhhy •• HPII!'lLr.IH .,~, ISHt It IS ,L W(utl~ \\'-.1) fI tr}' ~uld g~~l rid tlf it hy keevlUt' lilt- ,1I1l!unn'n iudruwu. \\ hell wcll mlv.uu I'll. nne 111.''-\' Pl'rtnrll1 1111' ilillil'~ i,,~ I'Xlr'a ,rJllI1"LIIg, dulin,M ''';llh c::r-r;.h,d,ttron ~ .1"1 the r!l":~'r h,ulIl hri. ... P:l"",,·.,'d .U:fq:s' ,Il!.' tlhdlJJII'-II. it t,:IHllI1U1.·... HI II J,tI L!.'~ nmll,ld" I Iff t ..~ IJPu:l't'd~ ,n,.1 UI~'!I lI:r~· ........ l lu- ~h(~"It (Fi~, K I). " •• nur ...,_, .LJ..:"olllt""l t lie djr.~·1illll I.; 1l~1'" ~ti 'Uh.l!.11 ~lI'llkL"', tlb,.'n dnWUU.lrd" ..•. B-I !In.I.U\.' !111I " Itllrh.' dlru';""..., t h .... lhd~IIOt'n, I ~lIuult.iUl·OIl..I~' U.· ul'l"'r h.LWI i... '\\um,~ nlun,l lutwr-r-u II",,· ... lHHlld,'r ~fJ.itll~ I with ~MJUl I tIIl\\.,r,1 , IP,rn \\ li'·(J· It. l~'l!:c t llvr \\ itll tlw II ~fI arru,

makc-:

';L

jjf ..... )

dnJ1I:' in li.. 'n·n'h~· ;""". IS.

hlflJ.:. ~\\'t'1"P i hrwn

ll!1

h.,.~I,- 1ud

IUli.;,l};!~

.wn

I......

lll!'

M';U

(" ...

i,

1 iJ(. l1!

EXEH.CI.

o. 13

luw 'I'runk-Twisunus to Alrernute Sides. LO~ethl!r with Hubbing verttcally of Sides and Loi ns,
I 'Hf.J.)~'I".\lt\·
~l<\\,DIE"T

(;np
nther filii\"

~i(bnlo!: In urt\"r t" ~t;l till' hl·~t results, It', sUpplt,'lW!'!o"S In nu." \,;.d::oo." it IS a ~I)U'I pl.•n I'~ '11 nn a slonl !If chair \\"Ilh yr1ur l.ht.(k tll ;;1 rrurn-r.

he

Ch'UT

le!!s \\Ith

~·""r

[Ct·t

;ln,1

(.tt-I"

the ba 'k ,.f til.

<

hair,

In

wnrd-s, .. ~H ,l ... ruh, t l'In- Mr... mu .... "Itt 01"\'t," rt l \\'hll'"'it IOf'Hllll1~ "1,,,,-1\' tWI~t tI u- Idt III till' wnrsr till vuu '"Ill I.. «k intr. the mirrur. WIth "giLl .cnu III<' "h,I<'m~n. Id\ nrrn "I lh~ h'Llh,\\' ()f !lo~

,<I

.'LI"'~,

EXERCISE

No.

13

I iy. ~·L

lOCI back (Fig- ~2). Exhaling fully, twist slowly all the way round to the right. changing Over the arms, alld once aeain looldng iota the mirror. Go on thus. twi~tjn.l( left inhaling. and light exhaling for six full breaths, Return to front. Then do another six breaths. but this time twist to right inhaling, to Left cxhaling : twelve hrcuths in all. Standing: Havins done the above for a few davs (or weeks, if vou are very stout or stiff in the waist], you CRn do the movement standing as shown in Figs. 83 and ,4. The feet: must be Y"ry wide apart, toes turned Inwards, and knees kept straight (braced back). This position. If maintained, will keep the hips stiJl, and thus ensure that me twisting IS done in tile waist cxchisiv eJy' Carryon as above, twelve breaths in all. six each way_
T'Il£ T'{iJ.DlllNGS

The procedure III not quite the same now as <luring prellmmary movement. The trunk only moves eluring tile inhalati: as. Whilst exhaling, it remains twisted to alternate sides wher e the rubbing is performed. Take up starting position: Standing. with feet "(lry wide apart, toes in • knees s raight: your back to It mirror 11handy, Arms hanging loosely at sldes, Empty your lungs completely. Whilst inhaling deeply, twist to the left in waist only, and bring arms to positions in Fig. il3. Til I It hand with palm outwards (ASright llan(J in Fig. 84). During the whole of the exhalation mass"ge lip and down sides and loins moderately last. The rncx merit comes from the elbows ; but the wrists can also move, Fig. ~3 shows +helowcs+ position of the hands. l'ig. 8.;1+ue Iiigbcst. Again, inhale nnd slowly twist trunk comple ely round to the right (.Fig, ">ll, changing over the arms whilst twisting. NllW massage up arul down as before. Over sides and loins. till exhalation i, finished. Then twist to the left inhaling. slop and rub again, exhaling. Carry 011; twelv breaths in all. This exercise r -(Juces fat ou hips and sides; slims waist ;;mel makes it supple. Internal massage is also git.en 0 the liver and other organs. Latex on you can increase the speed of the massage.

10'J

EXERCISE No. 14
Slow Raising or Stretched Leg in t hrne directions, with Rubbing LIp and down Leg and Lower parts of Trunk
I'RELTllTIl'!.1 RY l\.lO\·.E~IBl'!T

Stand with feet almost tcgerher ann p,,:nul..,J, Hands OD hips, or still better to assist balance, with pulms "I!ainbt dauks, fingers pointing downwards (Fig. j). SlolI'ly raise ldt leg forward as high up as possible, «od low"r it 'l:\a.ln, all the while inhtilillg. Repent hese movements with right leg. "'x haling. 1'11 raise left ll:g hi>;h up side..n ways to the left, and lower il again, inhalinz ' and move the right leg in corresponding wa,1 while exhulinz. .Finally, raise the left kg backward as high up R$ possible and IUI~n 51011'1) again, aU during it inhalation: and perform the same movements with rijrht ll"g <lllring the exhalation. . TIl<; knees and ankles should he well stretched each tune a leg rs rai ed. Hepeat the whole performance twi .e mort', and that "ill cornj Jete the exercise, the whole being- throe cycles, each of six double movements, and the performance will then last nine respirations, Beginners who experience ill 111 culty in keepinp their balauco can support themselves by grippl11g thf' back I'lf a chair.
TIlE l{UBBI~GS

Starting posrtion as Flg. 85, or with feet parallel. Leg moverneut and breathing exactly as in preliminary movement. Each time a leg 15 raised forward, the correspondmg palm should stroke duwn over the :::1'l)in and uut along the tront of fhe thigh, the knee and the sh in (Fig, 86). ;1011 while t he leg is lowe-red, "the palm strokes outward round the calf and then up he b~cl, of the leg oyer the scat, and r rplaoes itself upon the flank (Fig. 'i). Each time a leg is moved side, ays, the hip and outer side of the thigh arc stroked (Fig. 881 during he raising ot the leg, and when it Is lowered, the palm rokes inward round the knee, back upon the il'l:otideof the tbiglJ (Fig, 9), and over the g-roin to the tlank, And each time a leg is raised back ward and aga, n lowered the palm strokes down over the loin, "Scat ilnd back of the thigh (Fig. go), then round the leg. upward on the rr-ont of the thigh, ami back again to its startjnp posrtiou on the Jlank. During all the raisings and lowerings of the leg the palm should continuously press hard against th" movement. of the ll'''. Eighteen double movements during nine respirations. Later, when you can take longer respirations, you may rub smartly up the abdomen <111<1 own d tho loins and seat in the last part 01 each explra.tinn, this rubbing being very similar to that done ill Exercise ~Q. IS. This exercise strengthens several m uscles of the lups and lev..er back, which J,Te otherwise eklorn developed.