Keeping Fit All the Way / How to Obtain and Maintain Health, Strength and Efficiency

by Walter Camp

GROUP EXERCISES

No. 1. Attention! (or "Hands!")

Hips: Same position, but hands on hips, elbows back.

Neck (or "Head"): Same position, but hands on back of neck, elbows back.

Cross: Same position, but arms extended full length out from body, palms down.

Grind: Maintaining the "Cross" position, turn palms up, and then make ten circles with hands, the diameter of the circle to be one foot ([Fig. 12]). In doing this keep the arms horizontally out from the body, and on the backward sweep try to make the shoulder-blades almost meet at the back. (See [Fig. 4], Chapter XI.) Rest ten seconds. Deep breathing with hands on hips.

FIG. 12.—"GRIND," SHOWING HOW THE PALMS OF HANDS ARE TURNED UP IN THIS EXERCISE

No. 2. Attention!

Stretch: Lift arms straight up above head, palms out.

Reach: Bring arms down, extending them straight out in front. Palms in, but keep shoulders back.

Fling: Bend elbows out and bring hands in to chest, palms down. Then to "Cross," back to "Fling" again, and so on ten times. (See [Fig. 13.])

FIG. 13.—FLING. CORRECT POSITION

FIG. 14.—WAVE. EXCELLENT DEMONSTRATION

Wave: Assume "Reach" position. Now bend the arms sharply at wrists and just let the fingers interlock. Bring the inside of elbow close to head, keeping head up. Then, by turning the body at the hips and keeping the back straight, cause the hands to make a complete circle of the diameter of a foot ([Fig. 14]). Do this five times, and then reverse for five times. (See [Fig. 12], Chapter XIII.) Rest ten seconds. Then deep breathing, lifting arms on inhalations and crossing them on exhalations.

No. 3. Attention!

Stride: Separate the feet by taking a step to right, bringing the feet about eighteen inches apart.

WEAVE—Common fault of not keeping shoulders and arms in line.

Weave: Turn the body at the hips while keeping the arms horizontally extended and bending the right knee slightly. Bring the right hand down to the ground midway between the feet and let the left arm go up, keeping its horizontal position from the body, the spine doing the turning. Hold this position five seconds; then up to "Cross" position and turn the body the reverse way, bending left knee and bringing left hand to ground. Hold five seconds, then up. Repeat five times for each hand. (See [Fig. 14], Chapter XIII.)

FIG. 15.—"CURL" POSITION. EXCELLENT DEMONSTRATION EXCEPT THAT THE ELBOWS SHOULD BE THROWN BACK

Curl: From "Cross" position, clench the fists and bring arms in slowly to the side and up into the armpits, at the same time bending the body and head backward ([Fig. 15]). The fists should be clenched and the wrists bent, bring the hands in toward the chest, the elbows out, and inhaling. (See [Fig. 9], Chapter XII.)

Forward: From the above position, gradually bring the body up to an erect position, extending the hands to a "Reach" position, and slowly bend the body forward at the hips, exhaling at the same time, and letting the hands go back past the hips and as high behind the back as possible, keeping the head up and the eyes looking directly forward, not down. Go down about to the level of the wrist, then back to "Cross" position again, and repeat this backward and forward movement five times.

No. 4. Attention! (Cross-Crawl!) Assume the "Cross" position.

Crawl: While still keeping the neck back, the chin, and the chest arched, slowly lift the right hand and arm until it points directly upward, then curl in right arm over the head, at the same time dropping the left shoulder and sliding the left hand and arm down along the side of the left leg until the fingers reach directly to the knee, or as far as comfortable. Now come back from this position. (See Figs. [7] and [8], Chapter XII.) "Cross" once more and raise the other arm in similar fashion. Repeat this five times on each side.

No. 5. Attention! (Cross-Crouch!)

Crouch: Assume the "Cross" position of the arms and "Stride" stand, feet about eighteen inches apart. Now, keeping the head up and the neck back and back straight, bend the knees and come down slowly, not too far ([Fig. 16]), until fully accustomed to it, and up again. Repeat this five times. (See [Fig. 10], Chapter XII.)

FIG. 16.—"CROUCH," SHOWING ERECT POSITION OF BODY AND BACK

No. 6. Attention!

Heel-raising: Lift the heels from the floor, maintain the position on the toes for a second, then back onto the heels once more. Repeat some ten times, then take the "Stride" stand and repeat ten times in this position.

No. 7. Attention!

FIG. 17.—"WING" POSITION, ALSO BACK POSITION OF "CURL." FACE SHOULD, HOWEVER, BE TURNED UP

Wing-work: Raise the arms to the "Cross." Then lift arms straight over head, inhaling; then, bending body forward and keeping the neck straight, swing the arms backward at the shoulder, exhaling, and come forward until the body is about level with the waist; then up again ([Fig. 17]). Picture the arms as looking like a bird's wings. Repeat this five times in each direction. (See Figs. [15], [15a], Chapter XIII.) Final deep breathing, with arm lifting as before.