Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-11-05
Checkley ON PHYSICAL Culture.

Edwin Checkley, "the strong man,
gives some hints on acquiring bodily
perfection that are interesting and i'm.
portant. lie writes chapter in Lippin.
colts Magazine on muscle building.
To begin, he has no faith in systems
of physical culture that attempt to
build up the human frame by alternate
contraction and relaxation of the mus
cles. These muscular movements he
pronounces "straining methods" Mel
Their does he believe that Indians are
healthier, stronger or handsomer than
white people. On the contrary, he de-
clares emphatically that civilization
does not cause the race to deteriorate
physically.
His particular theory about health and
physical exercise is worth noting: 1.-THE
force called gravity, unless resisted,
tends to destroy life" The more we al
low ourselves to slump or Lend over, the
more we give way to this Ii destroying
force. The more we strive to hold the
chest up, the more we are able to resist
the deadening power by giving room to
the processes of digestion and respira-
ton. Constant mental effort to brace
up thus will help wonderfully. His
somewhat novel ideas are partly to be
found in the extract below;
l am bold to lay all stress on this theory of
controlling the muscles by a mental effort, IN
assisted by any means other than the will. In
my own experience and that Of my pupils IL
conservos physical energy, and conduoes to
health and long life. The body needs chiefly
air and food TO keep up its elements, as bone,
blood, muscle and sinew. These, / firmly be-
heve, can be preserved in a healthy state only
by the cultivation Of that subtle something
which we call reason or intelligence. Thought
pulls the string thar moves our mass of matter;
whether it be the Instructive or the voluntary
functions of the brain, the result is the same.
The ancients held that death could be re-
tarded in two ys-by developing vitality and
by conserving physical energy. As to the best
means TO attain the first of these ends, many
discussions have been held and many theories
advanced. My advice to those who wish to
develop vitality is TO attain good circulation
Of the blood by persuading the organs of diges-
ton, secretion and excretion u perform their
proper functions-not 10 shake up the body by
special exercise, but to resist the crushing eff
fects Of gravity as much and as constantly as
possible, whether seated or on foot. Don't
slump. Don't loll. Hold the body, from the
top Of the head to the joints of the hips.
stretched out to its fullest extent, as to give
the organs incased within it all the room pos
sible 10 perform their work, instead of re-
tarding the Involuntary peristaltic action
Of the stomach and intestines by letting
the body sag down, as Is so often done.
Then fill your lungs with air by drawing
1t gently into them through the nose and ex-
pei IL through the same organ, as the horse
does. Use the mouth as the chief organ to
reach the stomach with, and not for breathing.
During this process do not forget to relax the
muscles Of the arms, shoulders and chest. Let
the abdomen, as an assistant TO respiration.
alone Use the muscles of the nose, upper lip
and chest instead-they will do all that is
necessary In the respiratory act without it's
aid, and do II a great deal better. Relax the
muscles OF the arms and shoulders when walk
ing or In any position in which these members
are directly used. Let them hang by their own
weight-they will not fall of. There is no
need Of olinching the hands and contracting
the muscles OF the arms, or carrying the shout
ders high or pressing them back. Let them
alone; they will find their best position II the
body proper Is carried aright-i. O., IL you
stand and sit with your spine straight, pelvis
back. trunk erect and head held with face In
line with the body, and no round shoulders OF
"dorsal curve