The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1894-02-01
The Valley Virginian.
CLIFTON FORGE. VA.
EICHELBERGER & WALTON, Editors and PrOp'rs
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 1, 1894
How to Cultivate The BODY.

/ Wilton Tournier in Lippincott's Magazine.
The ancient Greeks gave the impor-
tant subject of physical culture very
careful attention, and were rigid in ex-
acting for their youth gymnastic train
| ing. Even the girls of Sparta were ex>
pected to be good gymnasts, and no
was proficient in various exercises. Con
sequently the bodies of both sexes were
healthyand beautifully developed Their
minds were also highly developed, but
not at the expense of the body, as is gen.
orally the case nowadays. Grecian phil
osophers and physicians believed that
the mind could not possibly be in a heal
thy state unless the body was in perfect
health, and acted accordingly. 1t would
be well if with us it was compulsory for
parents to give their offspring course
of physical training
General physical exercise is the kind
required for boys and girls, and it is es-
sential that judicious systematic train
ing be pursued. This can be had
only at public or private schools where
physical culture is obligatory, or at we'll
conducted gymnasiums, where there is
a system for training the body in a ra-
tlonal way. This is mistake Ciergy-
men, doctors, students, clerks, govern
esses, and society people frequent re-
spectacle gymnasiums. The gymnasium
OF to-day is very different place from
that OF fifty years ago. Formerly the
aim of the gymnast was to turn out men
who could lift heavy weights and court
death on the flying trapeze. Nowadays
all this is changed; physical training is
carried on ina scientific manner; men of
ability have made physical culture
profession, and their object is to make
pupils healthy, strong and graceful.
Most modern gymnasiums have appli>
ances for the cultivation of every part
of the body, and able instructors and
physicians in attendance.
| advise all young and middle-aged
men and women to spend an hour daily
in earnest systematic physical exercise.
The best plan is to enter gymnasium
where some system is employed. There
are several systems OF physical training
the Swedish. the German, the EnglisA,
and the so-called American The Swed-
ish and the German are considered by
competent judges to be the best. The
teachers of the German system claim
that it is the best because it aims at
general hysical culture, and that it keeps
the mind as well as the body in a whole
some activity. This system was founded
by jain in 1910. 1t embraces three de-
partlnents, school gymnastics, popular
gymnastics and military gymnastics.
The founders aim was to make the youth
of Prussia strong and courageous to de-
fend their country when needed, and
from his idea the present German system
OF gymnastics has grown. The Swedish
system was devised by Lang at the COM
mencement of this century, and has been
improved by his followers, who assert
that it aims at an harmonious relation
of body to mind. and that it is the best
for the development of the fundamental
functions. 1t is system of voluntary
movements arranged and executed with
care. The movements comprise leg
movements, which increase circulation
and regulate the action of the heart;
back and chest movements, which
strengthen and expand the lower part
of the chest; heave movements. which
strengthen the arms and the upper part
of the chest; shoulder movements to pull
the shoulders back; respiratory move
ments, balance movements, abdominal
exercises, etc. The English system of
free athletic exercise has been tried with
great success in France. No doubt it
has a wonderful influence on the moral
and social qualities of the young. The
so-called American system is mixture
of the German and Swedish systems.
Our teachers of physical culture take
the best ideas from all systems, and find
that the combination works WELL
| do not advocate any particular sys>
tenn. My aim is to suggest practical
means whereby the body can be cul-
tivated. The Swedish, German, English,
and American systems are all good, and
either, judiciously followed, will bring
about the desired result. Gymnastics
should be directed toward promoting
the healthy activity of the organs that
make blood, to correcting defects, and
to the projection of the human figure.
The most helpful movements are also
the most beautiful. The Greeks Guilt
yated the body as no other nation has
done, with this result. In training, one
should begin slowly and build up the
weak parts first; then exercise should
be taken so as to bring nearly all the
muscles into action at the same time.
This stimulates the action of the heart
and lungs, besides increasing the circu-
lation and respiration. Many muscles of
the body, from lack OF use, waste away.
The technical term for this wasting is
atrophy, and to avoid it every muscle of
the body should be exercised regularly
Light, quick exercise is the best Heavy
dumb bells or pully weights should not
be used. One hours vigorous exercise
daily is all that is needed, and should
always be followed by a tepid BATH
Avoid everything that throws extra
strain. upon the heart, and aim at the
correction of errors of nutrition.
All who can possibly enter gymnasi-
UNI should do so, for public gymnasiums
are now so conducted that by following
the directions of the instructors it is al
most impossible to exercise in such a
way as will be detrimental to health;
but those who are unable or unwilling
to do this can by simple means build up
| and improve the body at home. For
strengthing and developing the legs
nothing can be better than walking. A
simple but most useful exercise, which
all can practice, is that of breathing.
When the breathing capacity is increas-
ed, the general health is improved. For
the breathing exercise. throw the head
up, the shoulders back, and the chest
out; initiate the lungs through the nose