The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-05-24

OF the body, that they "are perllOuSly
weak in the sides, between the shoulders
and at the back of the head, but, usually
in the loins and small of the back; and
athletes, with arms like blacksmiths, and
chests like the Torso of the Vatican, wrench
themselves across the kidneys in efforts
that a school boy might make with 1mpun-
ity. For Cumulative Exercise one is no
stronger than his weakest part, whether
that be his biceps or his liver; he can lift,
in a natural position, calling uniformly on
the whole system, on the measure of that
weakest part. In ordinary Exercise, he may
do much more than this; by position, fav-
oring and protecting the weak he may
increase the disparity, the strong growing
stronger by use, and the weak growing
weaker by disuse; and the "peril" grow
ing in the same proportion, for, sooner or
later, GENES a time when the right position
cannot be assumed or is neglected, and the
very strength, then, of the strong, is disas-
trous to the weak spot, and irreparabe
injury may so be done. Almost every one
knows some instance of this, some giant
who was the boast Of the neighborhood in
his youth shoulder barrel of flour,
fell an OK with his fist, or do some other
wonderful feat-a cripple now, or prema-
turely death, from the exertion of that
unsymmetrical strength which had been,
literally and figuratively, at once his
strength and his weakness.
Being no stronger, for the System of
Cumulative Exercise, than his weakest
part, it follows that any increase of the
strength of an individual, as shown by the
heavier weights raised from day to day, is
due to Strengthening of the weak mus
cles, organs and tissues, an approximation
to symmetry of development, an actual,
tangible increase of working, every. day
strength and endurance, the basis of men
tai and physical health.
Rowing men, club-swingers, pedestrians,
and other experts in special gymnastics
who have thoroughly investigated the sys-
tenn, concur in this view.
Allusion has already been made to the
evils which VIGOROUSLY follow the ordinary
methods of mere strength culture. 1t has
been shown that the inordinate develop
ment Of superficial muscles produc-
ton of the knobby masses of indurated
flesh which it is the delight of the average
gymnast to exhibit in season and out of
seasons, to the eye of the psychologist,
a monstrous deformity, indicative, not of
valuable strength, but of a perversion Of
nutrition, want of equilibrium as certain
to result in weakness of the vital organs,
consequent disease and premature death as
though the conditions had been reversed,
and, by want of Exercise, the muscular
function were destroyed, and so apoplexy,
paralysis, fatty degeneration, and other
disease of the vital organs invited.
1t is claimed for Cumulative Exercise
that, in addition to it's direct effects upon
the muscular system, it exerts a profound
influence upon the nutrition, functional
activity and health of every organ of the
body. That, in short, it is perfect sys-
tenn of physical training, in that it devel-
ops and strengthening merely the mus
cular system, but-the entire physique.
This it does, in common with all Exer-
else, through the agency of muscular con-
traction upon the circulation of the blood.
And it only remains to point out the radi-
cal difference between the repeated con-
fractions of few muscles, as in walking
or in any ordinary Exercise, or even in
manual labor, and the contraction of the
great bulk of muscle Systematically aroused
by Cumulative Exercise.
Ordinary forms Of muscular Exercise in
crease the rate Of tile hearts action, but d.
minish its etfeiency-so that, while the
heart may be throbbng violently and labor
ing to supply the limited number of mus
cles generally used, with the necessary
amount of blood for the action, the COM
preston of these muscles is not sufficient
to send the blood back to the heart by the
deeper veins in sufficient quantity to meet
this demand nor is the contraction of
few muscles sufficiently potent in relieving
capillary congestion, which may be offer
ing resistance to the free flow Of blood
from the arterial circulation. Hence,
while the pulse is made more rapid and
often irregular, it's volume is either not
increased, or is absolutely diminished.
The gradual arousing Of the latent muscu-
lar strength By overcoming gradually in
creased heights or rssistan ces, reduces tile
rate Of the hearts a ction, but increases its
efficiency, that after raising in this
graded manner, the heaviest weight one is
able to, the heart will be found beating
more slowly and regularly, and the pulse
increased in volume.
This, then, explains why the so-called
Lifting Cure" or Health Lift, produces
such beneficial results
1t explains why ordinary Exercise ex-
hausts-- Cumulative Exercise invigorates:-
Why ordinary Exercise makes one pant
for breath-Cumulative Exercise makes
the breathing deeper and fuller
Why ordinary Exercise sets the heart
beating like trip-hammer, the temples
throbbing and the chest laboring-Cumu-
lative Exercise makes the same heart work
as regularly and efficiently as steam
engiDe:-
Why ordinary Exercise leaves a man
shaky' and unfit for anything requiring
delicacy and steadiness of "nerve Gu
mulative Exercise tones alike muscle and
nerve, so that after ones heaviest weight
he can write, or paint, or practice with
more accuracy than before:-
And-more valuable than all-Why Or
binary Exercise if often unsafe and iniur-
ious-Cumulative Exercise rarely, if ever,
is; ordinary Exercise generally "costs
more than it comes to ''-Cumulative Exer-
else is the most economical of brain and
nerve power; ordinary Exercise may do
good, if man is strong enough to stand
it-Cumulative Exercise can be graded to
the most delicate person. In short, Cumu-
lative Exercise, by it's influence on the
81, ., a. H., IL,