Massage & Exercises Combined / A permanent physical culture course for men, women and children; health-giving, vitalizing, prophylactic, beautifying; a new system of the characteristic essentials of gymnastic and Indian Yogis concentration exercises combined with scientific massage movements; with 86 illustrations and deep breathing exercises

by Albrecht Jensen

RESULTANT BAD EFFECTS FROM THE USE OF HEAVY APPARATUS, WEIGHTS AND TOO STRENUOUS EXERCISES

Something similar to what happened to the frog that wanted to be as large as the ox occurs in many a young man, who begins to exercise with heavy apparatus and weights in order to develop his muscles. Usually in the first or second month there will be a marked increase of development of the muscles and believing that this relative development will continue, he becomes over-enthusiastic and works so vigorously that he suffers from his mistake. Then, if the exercises are suddenly stopped and not gradually decreased, and if the poisonous substances and fatigue matter accumulated in the muscles are not removed by massage, the result will be muscles that are too hard and too stiff, with the accompanying ill effects. Such exercises also place too great a strain upon the nerves, heart and other organs of the body. The energy it demands ought to be put to a better purpose; as Jules Claretie of the Theatre Français in Paris aptly said, when discussing some rough sport, “Think though about other things.”

Most apparatus used for exercise acts too artificially.

Because a person possesses great muscular strength, it does not necessarily follow that his organs and nerves have a proportionate strength and vitality. Many noteworthy examples of this fallacy may be cited. Thus, for instance, Ellegaard, known as one of the best cycle riders in the world, some fifteen years ago, was rejected as a soldier. John L. Sullivan, the boxer, died of a weak heart. Les Darcy, the boxer from Australia, who was to have fought Jess Willard, succumbed to pneumonia within a few days after his illness, and many other athletic exponents have impaired their health or gone to too early a grave, the victims of professional ambition.

One should be by no means adverse to well developed and strong muscles, so long as the elasticity and rhythm of the movements of the body are unimpaired, but if the nerves and organs have been overtaxed in the development of the muscles, the result is a weaker instead of a stronger individual.

Experiments have shown that while the man with big and hard biceps muscles may be able to lift a heavier weight than the man with more supple and elastic muscles, the latter would lift a smaller weight a greater number of times. Both would improve their performance after five minutes of massage had been applied to the arms.

When practicing the combined massage exercises set forth in this book, the muscles become massaged during each exercise.

The strongest athlete may exert the same strength that he employs in heavy-weight lifting, or apparatus work, when applying these massage movements to the body, without any of the possible ill effects resulting from heavy gymnastic work. The use of such strength in the combined massage exercises will thus result in benefit for the body in the form of massage, and this will greatly assist in re-establishing the vitality that might have been lost by excessive strenuous exercises.

It should not be construed that these arguments are intended as advice to refrain from outdoor exercises and sports. Anyone and everyone should practice and participate in any sports suitable to their temperament, time and purse, but care should be taken not to overtax the strength or vitality.