The herald., 1895-05-26
The Latest Health Fad
Makes Women Supple
and Strong
EASY AND GRACEFUL POSES
Physical Culture the Object and Sym.
metry Of Form Is Attained
at Home

IN extent that private gymnasiums have
been added to the nursery and the bon
doir. The sgoverness that has no knowl'
edge OF calisthenics has but little chance
of retaining her position in the moder'
rich mans household. She is expected
to take the little ones in hand and pu
them through daily exercises that are
calculated to develop every muscle of the
body and limb, while milady takes les
sons from professor in gymnastics.
But while the women's gymnasiums
have hundreds of pupils, there are scores
of.othe, women,who get their exercise n
their own homes and according to.wsll-
tried rules. The bedroom may be made
to answer the purpose OF gymnasium.
and the outfit is such as may be set up in
anylhousehold.
If YOU should chance to know OF girl
who few months ago was thin and al
most consumptive-l looking. but who is
now full-chested. rounded perfectly IN
arm and leg. square OF shoulher. ana
graceful of carriage, and if you know she
hsa not attended a gymnasium, you may
dcpcrd upon it that she has practiced
bol:doir calisthenics.
The chances are that as soon as she is
out of bed in the morning a loose-fiow-
ing. chemise-like garment is put on, belt
ed at the waist by ribbon. The bed is
pushed to one corner to give plenty OF
room, and her exercises begin. The only
gymnasium like implement she uses is a
stick about five feet long and one inch
in diameter; possibly at one time it did
dutv as broom handle. With this she
goes through q series OF gentle but
STRENGTHENING exercises. window is
ro;.oJ 70 the weather ia not too old to
admit fresh air.
The first exercise is filling and expand
ing OF the lungs. She stands perfectly
erect, heels together and arms extended
straight to the front, palms touching.
The palms are now separated and the
arms sweep backward; at the same time
she draws a full breath. When the arms
are thrown as far backward as convenient
and the lungs are expanded the opera
ton is reversed, the arms being brought
to the first position and the breath ex-
hailed.
After this is repeated several times she
varies the exercises by dropping the arms
her head without bending the elbow.
drawing in the breath all the while. ana
letting it out as the arms are dropped to
the hips again. Now she doubles her
fists and draws them towards her It'll
they strike her shoulders, the elbows be-
ing close Dy D0T sue, tuell SHc eAteuuS
them full 10 the front, as though striking
at an imaginary foe, inhaling and exhal-
ing her breath with each motion.
By this time the muscles of her arms
are limbered. her lungs expanded with
fresh air and the blood is tingling in her
veins. She is now ready for the next ex
ercise. In this she simply lets her head
drop forward as though the muscle OF the
neck lad lost their power. The head is
then rolled with a circular motion from
side to side. as though she were trying
to see how large circle she could de-
scribe in the air with the crown of her
head as marker.
In the course of the moving of tho head
in this manner every muscle of the neck
is brought into action at some point of
the circle. This is a favorte exercise of
actresses and society girls, and is pro.
ductive OF full, well-rounded necks.
The next boudoir exercise is that with
the broomstick. The first movement is
to extend the arms at full length to the
front. grasping the stick in both hands;
the young woman then raises them slow
" to position over her head, and then
down behind. keeping the arms rigid.
At first her hands had to be widely separ-
ated on the stick to enable her to do this,
but as she progressed it was not long be-
fore the feat could be done with the hands
no mere than two inches apart. This ex-
chest and back.
She begins another exercise by holding
the stick in the same manner and putting
her foot through without removing either
hand. Her dainty toes got many a crack
before she could put her foot over the
stick without striking it. but perseverance
conquered. and now she puts either foot
over and back again equally well without
touching her stick with her toes. She
will soon be able to jump through it. both
feet at once, quite as easily as she skip
ped rope at chic fourteen.
In this movement the muscles of the
arms. leg. hip and back are brought into
to create bodily warmth.
Another movement that gives strength
and suppleness to the back is that OF lean
ing forward until the tips of the fingers
touch the toes. In this woman shows
her superiority over man. for no Adam
can compete with an Eve in the ease and
grace with she can execute this move
ment. A woman is equally adept at lean
ing backward, and the trained athletes
among them can catch hold Of their heels
before a man can recover from his first
effort at the backward bend. There is no
exercise that the athletic young woman
takes to more easily than the forward and
backward bend.
The young lady at exercise is now
ready for the leg swing. In this she tries
see how large circle she can describe
in the air with her great toes as markers.
by swinging first one leg and then the
other. AS u developer of the thigh this
movement beats high kicking. us it brings
into action all the muscles of the leg
from the ankle to the hip. Sometimes
she may vary this movement by balanc-
ing on one foot and describing a circle on
the floor with the other. and she may en-.
kyen it with little hign kicking and 9th
or maneuvcrs which sne would consider
quite improper outside the precincts of
her own sanctum.
In these exercises she is careful to
atoid oyer-ever5ion. and with equal care
she cndeavors to develop all muscles
equally. Her aim is physical culture, and
not merely chat she may be able to per-
form partIcular feats of skill and agility
The neck. chest, back. hips. legs and an
kles oil receive due attention.
.1Iaving performed all these exercises
y be will probably end them by sitting on
the floor and. drawing one foot up under
her, Try 20 rise from this position with
ut touching her bands 10 the floor. This
is more 1ifiicIlt than it seems. and is
prictic"dswith care, from fear OF over-exer-
ton. Though it is not a graceful position
III which to be caught. it is worth irving.
:s'l'y it almost every muscle of the body
is brought into play. AS hin dcyeIoper
it beats oil the patent PADS ever invented.
Although tho boudoir athletic Young
woman is deprived Of the opportunity to
indulge her vanity and parade her charms
by strutting about after the style of the
EomaG gladiator and does not punch
bag. whirl on horizontal bar. swing bv
one foot ON trapeze OF turn hand