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

THE COMBINED MASSAGE EXERCISE No. 14

Massaging, with the left hand, from the lower left side of the upper body and with the right hand from the upper right side of the upper body simultaneously straight across the lower and upper chest respectively to the reverse side and back again; at the same time turning the upper body to right and left.

Detailed Description

Position.—Standing erect, heels about five inches apart, feet nearly parallel, legs and feet stationary.

Exercise No. 14.

Fig. 14 A.

Fig. 14 B. Fig. 14 C.

Place the left hand, with the four fingers and thumb close, transversely on the lower left side of the body, underneath the line of the nipple or breast, and in such a way that the fingers are pointing toward the middle of the chest. Place the right hand in the same way on the upper right side of the body, just underneath the armpits (Fig. 14 A).

Now, stroke with both hands, from each side at the same time, directly across the chest and as far over on the opposite side as possible (Fig. 14 B and C). Stroke back again the same way.

The left hand thus strokes from the left side underneath the nipples or breasts over on the right side and back again, while the right hand strokes from the right side across the upper chest, over on the left side and back again.

At the same time, turn the upper body slowly from side to side without altering the position of the legs and feet. The turning of the body and the stroking should be done evenly and not jerkingly.

This exercise done five times will take about fifteen seconds. If counting each time the trunk is turned to either side, it will be ten counts.

Exercise No. 14 A

(Combined with Rolling of the Trunk)

The massaging over the chest as done in No. 14 may also be done, while the trunk is rolled around in the following way:

Place the feet further away from each other—about ten inches.

Begin stroking the chest, as described. Without altering the position of the legs and feet, bend the upper body forward; from there roll and bend it over to the right, continuing rolling and bending it backward, then to the left and around to the front, terminating in a forward bending. Stop here and with the body still bent, roll in opposite direction, that is, to the left, back, right and front.

The hands are, of course, stroking evenly across the chest during the rolling.

The trunk may be rolled around first two or three times to the right, and then two or three times to the left.

Three times each way around is equivalent to five executions.

This exercise done five times will take about twenty seconds.

Analysis and Effects of the Combined Massage Exercise No. 14

This exercise is combined in such a way that there is obtained the movements of the arms and the turning of the trunk, together with the massage of the chest and the upper sides of the body.

The movements of the body and arms and hands in applying the massage movements, exercise the muscles and nerves of the arms, the shoulders, the upper and lower back, the sides and the abdomen. This also influences the kidneys.

The massage influences the muscles and nerves of the chest and the sides, likewise, the heart, the liver and lungs.

Effects of Exercise No. 14 A

In No. 14 A the rolling exercises the muscles and nerves of the abdomen and lower sides to a greater extent than does the turning in exercise No. 14.