Exercises for Forward Projection of the Chest and Retraction of the Abdomen (Figs. 38, 39).—First Position.—Stand erect, with the arms behind the back, the hands resting in the small of the back, the fingers interlocked, and the palms facing backward.
Second Position.—Straighten the arms, turn the palms inward and then downward, and lastly out, all the while keeping the fingers interlocked. Roll the shoulders and arms into supination, and extend the neck, as in the attitude of the second position of the figure. Retain this position for a moment, then reverse slowly back into the first position.
When the fingers cannot be held in this position, start by holding a loop of cord in the hands, instead of interlocking the fingers.
This exercise is particularly valuable for projecting the chest forward, stretching the shortened ligaments, and drawing in the abdomen. Care should be taken to have the chin pressed backward when the arms are brought downward and turned outward.
Shoulder and Back Exercises (Figs. 40, 41).—First Position.—Stand erect, with the feet together, and both arms extended on a plane with the shoulders, so that in the first position the left arm is extended directly in front of the body and the right arm on the same plane directly behind the body. The arms must be held rigidly on the same plane.
Fig. 34.—Shoulder-blade exercise. Number 2.
Fig. 35.—Respiratory exercise. First position.
