V 481 H8 opy 1 Body Building "By HENRY N. HULANDER COPTniGHT 1921 BT HENRY N. HULANDEB. AUG \^i^2l ©C1A623146 I! I id Body Building Exercises adapted to persons of all ages Male and Female by HENRY N. HULANDER Director of the Hydriatic Institute of Brooklyn ''For the Whole Family" ^a; i4 BODY BUILDING OBSERVATIONS ON MUSCULAR ACTIVITY INCE the human body is largely composed of muscles, it is reasonable to assume that an intelligent use of them is beneficial. The proper use of muscles saturates the blood with oxygen and causes the blood to flush the tissues of the body. Waste matters are thus removed, and the fires of life are made to burn brightly. When the muscles are exercised the old, feeble cells are replaced for new and stjrong ones. Physical exercise,, therefore, actually rebuilds the body. Will power and courage are also strengthened. Whenever physical exercise is taken in an im- proper manner, good results can not naturally be gained. Exercises performed in rapid succession, difficult exercises and especially competitive movements (fen- cing, boxing and attempts to run, swim and jump higher, faster or longer than others) quickly exhaust the nerve energy, and they endanger and strain the entire body. Brain workers, persons less robust and those who have passed middle age waste time and energy engaging in such exercises. Robust youth should be taught difficult exercises in order to gain power of handling their own bodies under difficult conditions. Policemen, soldiers and firemen need careful training in difficult exercises. (3) BODY BUILDING Slow movements, and especially those that can be performed without mental effort, furnish great muscular activity at small expens^ of nerve energy. Walking is the best example of this kind of exercise, but swimming, rowing, horse-back and bicycle riding may also be learned so thoroughly as to become auto- matic exercises, requiring small mental effort These activities are especially beneficial because they furnish recreation without the nerve exhausting excitement of competitive exercise. Simple and slow games, such as golfing and horse-shoe throwing (quoits), are excellent forms of recreative exercise. Very good fun and exercise may be had from throwing a medicine ball. Special movements, however, are required to meet and overcome the effects of one sided and confining work, improper posture habits and malnutrition. The chest may be widened and the abdominal muscles and organs may be strengthened and stim- ulated. The spine may be limbered, straightened and strengthened. Children may be made to grow straight and strong. Every boy and girl, therefore, should be taught the importance of a straight spine, a wide chest and strong abdominal muscles. They should also be taught to secure these advantages by simple exercises. The chief object of exercise should be to im- prove and preserve the health, and to fit us for our work. To acquire bulging muscles, and to be able (4) BODY BUILDING to run faster and jump higher than others, is not necessary to efficiency and physical well-being. Mental and physical exercise alike are necessary to the best of health, and our work and recreation, therefore, should give us mental and physical acti- vity in the right proportion. Expending the brain energy in too constant and strenuous physical exercise, tends to fit a person for heavy manual labor rather than for intellectual acti- vity. A better division of the working hours between the fields and the factory or office would undoubt- edly be effected if the industrial enterprises were more often located in the country districts. Not only the health and happiness of the indi- vidual, but also the progress and strength of the nation, depend in no small degree upon scientific and thorough application of muscular activity. Conditions which forbid the taking of physical excercise: 1. Acute inflammatory conditions. 2. Fevers. 3. Acute heart diseases and serious valvular impairment. Conditions in which the taking of bodily exercise must be" carefully modified and, if possible, super- vised by a competent physician : I. In ulcers of the stomach, lungs and other organs violent exercises and especially those move- ments involving the diseased parts should be avoided. (5) AVi'iik al)ii(iriii:il IkmIv Noi-iiia niul |josfuri'. (Slr;ii A (1\- :iiiil |)(is1 lire it lliit iiol stilT). StiCr. arlilical jiosturc. C BODY BUILDING Gentle movements of parts distant from the affected organs may, as a rule, be taken with benefit. 2. Arterio sclerosis and high blood pressure require gentle exercises. 3. Hernia. 4. All violent exercise must be avoided in aneur- ism, concretions of the I^idrieys or gall bladder, em- bolism and pregnancy. 5. Affections of the heart require gentle exer- cise (leg and arm movements are most suitable). 6. In conditions of greatly lessened nerve power over fatigue is readily caused by too rapid, difficult and prolonged exercise. A well developed body and a normal posture per- mit the internal organs to function properly, but a stiff, depressed chest and sagging abdomen weaken the heart and the lungs, crowd the abdominal organs dov^n out of position and allow the blood to stagnate in vital organs. The resulting impairment of vital functions grad- ually impoverishes the blood and weakens the nerve centres, thereby ruining health and working power. The development of a weak and abnormal body is prevented and overcome by proper exercise and diet and by persistent efforts to maintain a correct posture. Posture C, showing rigid muscles, raised should- ers and saddle back, is ungraceful and weakens the lower back. It is often assumed with the idea of cor- recting a weak bodily attitude. (7) BODY BUILDING Vigorous chest raising is at first best taken sitting down, because in this position (especially if the legs are held out straight) the lower back is held from curving unduly forward. For the same purpose the abdomen is drawn in as the chest is raised. DIRECTIONS. Perform the exercises slowly, with a distinct in- terval between each of them. Don't stififen the whole body while exercising only a part. (Prolonged tensing hinders the circulation and taxes the nerve powers.) Breathe slowly and don't hold the breath. Inhale fully, but don't strain. At first perform each movement only a few times, and increase the number of times gradually. Don't exercise until fatigued. Go through a lesson once or twice a day. If practicable, rest (recline) a few minutes before and after a lesson. Perform the movements in numerical succession. Too tight clothing should not be worn while exer- cise is taken. Children need to play and run out of doors every day in addition to the special exercises. Young men and women, if in fairly robust condi- tion, should take daily a long walk, then a short run, followed by a longer walk, but the breath should not be allowed to become short. (8) Fjg.A FIG. B BODY BUILDING Walking with gradual increase of distance should be part of the daily program for middle aged and elderly persons of both sexes. BALANCE MOVEMENTS. Mov. A.' Raise heels slowly as high as possible as arms are raised forward (See Fig. A, page 9). Keep heels together. Lower heels and arms again. Mov. B. After movement A has been practiced for a few days, the heels are first raised as in Mov. A, and then the knees are bent (a little at first, but deep- er gradually) as the arms are drawn outward (See Fig. B, page 10). Keep body erect. Beginners may omit the _ arm movements and steady the body by placing one or both hands on chair or table. Chief Effects: Increases the power of bodily control and bal- ance; strengthens the legs; diverts the blood down- wards. (11) BODY BUILDING CHEST RAISING AND HEAD BENDING. Starting Position : Sitting with the hands placed on the knees. Active Movement : Pull on knees, raise the chest (straighten, the back) and bend the head slowly backward and for- ward once, before relaxing the back. Inhale slowly as the head bends backward. In raising the chest, care must be taken not to curve the lower back forward. The abdomen is therefore vigorously contracted as the chest is raised. As an additional safeguard a preventive starting posi- tion may be assumed (especially important for chil- dren and beginners). The body may lean forward. The feet may be supported higher than floor level. As the head bends backward, the chin is pushed as far upward and backward as possible, but not forward. Don't raise the shoulders. The chest raising is assisted by pulling with the hands on the knees, but after the chest is fully raised the hands may cease pulling for a few seconds in order to compel the back-muscles to act vigorously, in an efifort to maintain a straight spine without assistance. Chief Effects: Expands the chest; straightens the spine; limbers and straightens the neck. (By "straighten," the writer means the correction of abnormal curvatures.) (13) BODY BUILDING BACK LIMBERING. Starting Position : Mov. A. Standing. with legs apart; right hand on left hip. Active Movement : Slide the right hand downward along the left leg as body is turned to left and bent. The other arm is drawn backward and upward. Keep legs straight. After the body is straightened slide the left hand along the right leg as body is turned to right and bent. Chief Effects: Limbers and strengthens the back. (15) BODY BUILDING A. KNEE RAISING. B. LEG RAISING. Starting Position for A. B. and C. Standing; beginners and elderly persons may sup- port themselves by placing one or both hands on tables or chairs. Active Movement : Mov. A. Bend and draw the knees one at a time as high as possible. Mov.^ B. Is performed by fairly robust persons after Mov. A has been practiced for a few days. The straight legs are raised one at a time. This movement should alternate but not substitute Mov. A. Keep chest high and supporting leg straight; don't lean backward. (17) BODY BUILDING C. KICKING BACKWARD. Mov. C. Is performed immediately after Mov. A. and B. have been repeated due number of times. The feet are raised backward and upward, one at a time, as high as possible. Chief Effects: Mov. A. Strengthens the pelvic and abdominal muscles and organs ; strengthens the front part of thighs ; limbers the knees ; gives balance and control of the body. Mov. C. Strengthens the back part of the thighs ; limbers the knees. (19) oo ,'■■^^^3 Maj' be performed without chair. BODY BUILDING ROWING. Starting Position: (See Pos. A.) Mov. A. Sitting astride a stout chair; hands far apart grasping the back support; arms straight. Active Movement : The arms resist and yield slowly as the body itself presses forward toward Pos. B. Again move the body backward passively. Chief Effects: Strengthens the abdominal muscles and organs, the arms and the pectoral muscles. Mov. B. Starting position as in Mov. A. Active Movement: Pull the body slowly forward with the arms to Pos. B. while the body itself resists and yields slowly. Raise the chest and inhale as the body is pulled forward, but don't raise the shoulders and don't move the head and chin forward. Chief Effects: Strengthens back and arms; corrects shoulders. Children (especially in school) and less^ robust persons, perform rowing best without pushing and pulling against a chair. The body and arms are simply moved backward and forward as is shown in the picture, but the hands do not grasp any object. The vigor of the exercise is increased by sitting low, by supporting feet higher than floor level or by leaning further backward and forward. (21) BODY BUILDING A. KNEE RAISING. B. EXTENSION. (Lying.) Starting Position : Lying on the back; knees bent with feet resting on the bed. Active Movement : Draw both knees up toward the chest as high as possible. Replace. After the knee raising has been practiced for some time, persons, fairly robust, should extend, also, the legs toward the ceiling. Always bend the knees immediately before low- ering, as well as before extending the legs. Chief Effects : Strengthens the abdominal muscles and organs. (23) BODY BUILDING BEAR STANDING LEG RAISING. Starting Position : Hands supported on two chairs or bed, so that body leans forward; feet placed far back and heels somewhat raised. Active Movement : Raise one leg at a time as high as possible and stretch feet at the same time; don't bend the knees. Chief Effects: Strengthens and reduces the hips. (25) BODY BUILDING BEAR STANDING ARM RAISING. Starting Position : Hands supported on two chairs, bed or table so that the body leans forward. The movement is made more vigorous by raising the heels, by placing the feet farther back, and by placing the hands as well as the feet further apart. Active Movement : Raise one arm slowly forward, upward (as high as possible) and outward as-breath is inhaled. Re- place. Then move the other arm in the same manner. Don't move the body toward the supporting arm. Chief Effects : Strengthens the abdominal muscles and organs; widens the chest; limbers and corrects the shoulders. (27) BODY BUILDING ABDOMINAL CONTRACTION. Starting Position : Sitting (elbows may be supported on the knees) or lying (on one side with knees drawn up) or standing. Active Movement : Contract the abdominal muscles vigorously (draw the abdomen inward and upward). Then relax the muscles, and allow the abdomen to expand 'moderately. The vigor of this exercise is increased by blowing through somewhat compressed lips (imitate the blow- ing of bubbles, the stirring of a low fire by a more sustained blowing and, as a variation, also the blow- ing out of three candle lights, one after the other in one breath). The inhalation is taken slowly and should expand the abdomen and the chest about equally, but without straining. The breath should never be held. Chief Effects: Strengthens the abdominal muscles and organs. (29) BODY BUILDING ARM RAISING. Starting Position : Sitting. Active Movement : Raise left arm and push it as high as possible (try as it were to touch an object just barely out of reach) and draw the other backward as slow breath is taken (a raising and expansion of the chest should be felt) . Don't lean the body backward, and don't move the head and chin forward. Return to the starting position as breath is exhaled. Then raise the right arm upward and retract the other as the breath is inhaled. After some practice both arms may be raised at the same time. Chief Effects :- Raises the chest; straightens the back; limbers the shoulders^ (31) BODY BUILDING A book of self help to better health Being lessons and exercises adap- ted to persons of all ages male and female The result of nearly twenty years study and teaching of gymnastics and their relation to good health Published by HENRY N. HULANDER Director of the Hydriatic Institute 127 Halsey St., Brooklyn, N. Y. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 029 712 975 2 9