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. 8

Massaging down both sides of the lower back alternately, with the back of each hand; at the same time turning the trunk to the right and left.

Detailed Description

Position.—Standing erect, with chest thrown forward and shoulders back, but without strain, heels about five inches apart and with the feet either pointed slightly outward to each side or parallel to each other, arms hanging loosely at sides.

Exercise No. 8.

Fig. 8 A. Fig. 8 B.

Fig. 8 C. Fig. 8 D.

Without altering position of legs and feet, turn the trunk around to the right so that, if possible, the chest and shoulders are facing squarely to that side, then turn it to the left, then to the right again, and so forth, alternately. During this movement of the trunk, stroke continually downward over each side of the back from the end of the shoulder blade to the buttocks with the back of each hand alternately. The hands are not clenched, but only half closed. After one stroke is executed that hand is lifted slightly outward from the body and placed underneath the shoulder blade to begin stroking again. The same movement obtains with the opposite hand alternately. Thus the hands come into contact with the tissues only when moving downward on the back (Fig. 8 A, B, C and D). The speed should be about one stroke a second.

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

Analysis and Effects of the Combined Massage Exercise No. 8

This exercise is combined in such a manner that there is obtained the movements of the arms and the turning of the trunk to each side together with massage of the lower back.

The movements of the body and the arms and hands in applying the massage movements exercise the muscles and nerves of the arms, the shoulders, the upper chest, the upper and lower back, the hips and the sides of the body. They also influence the kidneys.

The massage influences the muscles, nerves and vessels of the lower back. It also influences the kidneys, bladder and liver and, through the back, the nerves leading to the abdominal organs.