Fig. 39.—Showing how the Muscles of the Back may be developed by a Moderate Amount of Dumb-Bell Exercise at Home. (From a photograph.)
82. Effect of Exercise upon the Muscles. Systematic exercise influences the growth and structure of the muscles of the body in a manner somewhat remarkable. Muscular exercise makes muscular tissue; from the lack of it, muscles become soft and wasted. Muscles properly exercised not only increase in size, both as a whole and in their individual structure, but are better enabled to get rid of material which tends to hamper their movements. Thus muscular exercise helps to remove any needless accumulation of fat, as well as useless waste matters, which may exist in the tissues. As fat forms no permanent structural part of the organism, its removal is, within limits, effected with no inconvenience.
Muscular strength provides the joints with more powerful ligaments and better developed bony parts. After long confinement to the bed from disease, the joints have wasted ligaments, thin cartilages, and the bones are of smaller proportions. Duly exercised muscles influence the size of the bones upon which they act. Thus the bones of a well-developed man are stronger, firmer, and larger than those of a feeble person.
He who has been physically well trained, has both a more complete and a more intelligent use of his muscles. He has acquired the art of causing his muscles to act in concert. Movements once difficult are now carried on with ease. The power of coördination is increased, so that a desired end is attained with the least amount of physical force and nervous energy. In learning to row, play baseball, ride the bicycle, or in any other exercises, the beginner makes his movements in a stiff and awkward manner. He will use and waste more muscular force in playing one game of ball, or in riding a mile on his wheel, than an expert would in doing ten times the work. He has not yet learned to balance one set of muscles against their antagonists.
Fig. 40.—The Standard Special Chest Weight.
A convenient machine by means of which all the muscles of the body may be easily and pleasantly exercised with sufficient variations in the movements to relieve it of monotony.
A space 6 ft wide, 6 ft deep, and 7 ft high nearly in front of the machine is required for exercise.]