Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-03-30
PHYSICAL CULTURE.
WHY SHOULD NOT WOMAN BE
STRONG.

Experience of n Woman Who Has
shown How Physical Develop.
ment May He Attained.
Why should not women be strong?
is a question which Aida Mureal an
swers in an Eastern exchange. Many
persons say there is no need OF it for
the reason that those occupations to
which women devotes her energies do
not involve the use of any great
strength. This may be true in q
measure, but even though q woman be
possessed of great wealth, SO that she
may live as she pleases, it is well for
her to have the muscles of her body
we'll trained and developed, for under
those conditions only will she know
perfect health. Disease finds it difficult
to secure footing upon the human
frame which has been carefully looked
after and intelligently brought as near
perfection as possible. Men recognize
this to considerable extent, though
not as generally as they should, but
women either do not know or do not
care.
Fat is often mistaken for good,
healthy flesh, when, as matter OF fact,
it would be better off than on. Some
persons have a tendency to become
corpulent on comparatively little food.
1t does not need physician TO inform
us that this is an anomalous and not
a natural condition. Such an indi-
vidual by constant ight exercise might
easily convert an unseemly obesity
into perfect and pleasing plumpness.
To illustrate: am not considered
by my casual acquaintance a very
large woman. am feet II inches
tall and weigh 1913 pounds. Women
of much greater bulk and height than
myself weigh from 140 to 160 pounds.
Why? Simply because they are two
thirds fat, while there is not an ounce
of it upon me. keep it away by my
diet and exercise, and while every
woman cannot be as strong as am,
any one can keep in excellent
muscular condition by observing very
simple rules. / swing a pair of heavy
Indian clubs with less fatigue than
most persons would experience in
swinging a pair of lead pencils, and
the reason is no secret. Judicious
exercise is responsible for it.
OF course the diet must not be
neglected, or the digestion will revolt,
and without perfect assimilation of
food there is wanting the foundation
without which perfect health and
physical vigor cannot exist. Slim
ulants, it may be stated in a general
way, are injurious not alone to the
person who would become an athlete.
but to every one who has any regard
for the laws of hygiene. 1 do not,
however, believe in strict diet. AL
most any wholesome food not too high
ly seasoned is beneficial il it does not
contain much grease, which must al
ways be avoided.
For breakfast usually take cup
of tea, two soft-boiled eggs, a slice of
toast and some oatmeal. Myluncheon
is a very simple meal and is made up
OF chop, with piece OF stale bread
and some green vegetables, which may
be eaten in almost unlimited quantity
without fear OF injurious effects.
Roast beef or broiled chicken, with
stale bread, vegetables, fruit and
tapioca or sage pudding, constitutes
my dinner. Late suppers are an
athletes bette noir and must never be
INDUCED in, for they breed insomnia.
and that, next to indigestion, is the
thing most to be avoided.
A cold bath is wonderful invig-
orator and should be taken at least
once day. 1t should not be made q
long, tedious operation. The shock of
the plunge is what is needed most.
This must be followed by vigorous
rubbing with rough towel until the
skin glows.
OF course my exercise is arranged
with especial regard to my work. As
I am a professional club swinger, 1
practice exclusively with Indian clubs,
using light ones, which weigh less than
IL pounds the pair. This is sufficient
to keep me in perfect trim. My rule
is to swing them for about Is minutes
one hour after each meal-an hour
and half after meals would perhaps
be better. Then / 90 through regular
course of body exercises with the
hands, arms, legs, head and back.
This is very simple, but absolutely
necessary to avoid becoming stiff in
the joints. After my exercise l al
ways rub with extract of witch hazel,
which prevents soreness.
If any young lady will follow, in the
main, the suggestion given above, 1
will guarantee that she will be sur
prised at the quick and surprisingly
beneficial result. She will enjoy life
better, take keener interest in her
work and pleasures and realize for the
first time how much there is in this
world that is worth living for. l do
not, of course, assume to say that she
will be able, as l am, to lift several 100
pounds of dead weight from the floor
without much exertion, or to swing a
pair of heavy clubs without resting
for half hour, but she will be able to
do much more in either line than she
is at present capable OF.
think the curse OF physical woman
kind is the corset. have never worn
one, and whenever see woman with
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