Jackson's Gymnastics for the Fingers and Wrist / being a system of gymnastics, based on anatomical principles, for developing and strengthening the muscles of the hand for musical, mechanical and medical purposes: with thirty-seven diagrams

by Edwin Ward Jackson

CHAPTER IX.
FREE GYMNASTIC EXERCISES FOR THE FINGERS AND THUMB.

First movement.

Fig. 5.

Fig. 6.

Stretch the fingers as much as possible one from the other, let them fall on the large muscle of the thumb (thumb-ball), and press them firmly on it; remain for a moment in this position, and bring the thumb against the forefinger, 40 times up and down.

You will find that this exercise, as well as several others, if vigorously continued for three minutes only, is very fatiguing; a clear proof that the muscles of the fingers, although they may be quite fit for ordinary daily occupations, are, nevertheless, very weak and incapable when anything more is demanded from them, and without proper gymnastical training, they must remain so.

Second movement.