PHYSICAL EXERCISE. 175 



in-door, inactive lives. Want of strength, loss of growth, 

 and lack of symmetry in form may all result from a careless 

 disregard of the necessity for daily exercise. Physical exer- 

 cise stimulates the whole system, puts new life into every 

 part, and gives increased energy and force to every organ of 

 the body. It develops the various muscles, gives strength 

 and form to the limb, and courage and ambition to the mind. 

 The child grows proud, not only of his attainment of mus- 

 cular strength, but of its effects. His body becomes better 

 set up, the chest expanded, the shoulders well back and the 

 head erect. The movements of the limbs are done with 

 precision and ease. The step is elastic and the gait free and 

 smooth. 



Physical exercise should be taken regularly and at stated 

 times. It is not the impulsive exercise of a day that will 

 improve the system. *Et is the taking of a certain amount 

 of muscular action every day. Too much exercise in one day 

 or at one time is fatiguing, and will exhaust the strength 

 rather than build it up. The amount of exercise must be 

 regulated by the strength, and can be gradually increased as 

 the system becomes used to it. 



2. Kind of Exercise. That kind of exercise which 

 calls into action the greatest number of muscles is always 

 the best. It is well to exercise as many of the muscles as 

 possible at the same time, ana as no one form of exercise or 

 employment brings into use all the muscles, the necessity for 

 some variety is at once apparent. There is quite a variety 

 of natural forms of exercise apart from the many occupations 

 of life. Walking, riding on horseback or bicycle, rowing, 

 swimming, skating, snow-shoeing, lawn tennis, football, and 

 out-door games generally are all valuable modes of natural 

 exercise. They have also the great advantage of taking 

 persons out into the open air and sunshine, where the Lungs 

 are better supplied with pure air, and the blood enriched 



