Saving Strength. 



643 



spine, being careful not to collapse at the waist-line in front. Repeat 

 several times. 



V. Stand as in Fig. 11. Extend the arms well outward from the 

 shoulders, keeping the palms of the hands facing forward. Rise on 

 the balls of the feet; then simultaneously fill the lungs with fresh air 

 and bring the forearms inward until the fingers touch the chest. Retain 

 the breath a few seconds while the fingers lightly tap the entire surface 

 of the chest. Then relax, come down upon the whole of the feet and 

 exhale the breath. Again stretch and repeat the exercise. Care should 

 be taken to keep the body from inclining even slightly backward as it 

 brings strain upon the lower back. To avoid this, it is well to incline 

 the body somewhat forward from the hips — not from the waist-line. 

 While patting the chest, the 

 elbows should be raised very 

 high so as to stretch all of 

 the side muscles. In ordinary 

 daily occupations these mus- 

 cles are often contracted for 

 long periods. Such contrac- 

 tion interferes with digestion 

 and the circulation; it also 

 tends to misshape the figure. 



The next exercise is one 

 especially beneficial in 

 strengthening and freeing all 

 of the waist muscles. It also 

 stimulates the action of the liver and the stomach. 



VI. Sit erect with the back unsupported, as in Fig. 12 (b). Place 

 the open hands at the waist-line above the hips, the thumbs pointing 

 bacla\^ard and the fingers forward. First uplift the shoulders and the 

 entire trunk as much as possible; then bend and stretch the trunk 

 toward the right side. Hold this position of energized side-stretching 

 for a moment, then come back to the position of Fig. 12 (b) and com- 

 pletely relax the side muscles. Rest a moment, again bend and stretch 

 toward the right. Repeat the exercise by twice bending and stretching 

 toward the left side. Care should be taken not to allow the body to 

 collapse at the waist-line in front when the side muscles are relaxed. 

 At the beginning and during the moment of rest, the back should keep 

 its double curve of strength and beauty. 



Keep the body young in spite of years. — There is also another good to 

 be gained by the practice of these one-minute exercises. In a marked 



Fig. 17. 



Fig. 18. 



