The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-04
Chest Expansion.

| Ladies' Home Companion.
The first thing to acquire is breath con-
| troll Learn to manage what you have,
then increase your store. This is accom-
plished by building up power to hold ones
breath. The first day. taking the correct
standing position. the body straight. but
not stiff the weight resting lightly on the
balls of the feet while the heels just touch
the floor the hands hanging easily at the
side, and the head and chest upright in
hale slowly and smoothly just as much air
| as you can, swelling out the lower chest at
the sides just below the armpits air is
drawn in. Hold this air five seconds
Now exhale it all slowly and gradually,
crushing in the ribs with the hands as the
air goes out. and continuing to breathe out
until you feel empty. No harm can come
of forcibly emptying the lungs. We need
to get rid of the effete, poisonous gas that
is never exhaled in ordinary breathing.
With the lungs thus clogged where is
there any room for pure oxygen to enter?
During the exhalation recollect 70 keep the
upper chest still. Don't let it sink, which
it surely will do if not restrained by an
effort of the will. Now inhale again and
hold the breath for ten seconds. Let ali
the air out in the same cautious manner as
before; lnhale again and hold for fifteen
hold for twenty seconds. This is long
enough for the first day.
The second day repeat the exercise
twenty seconds till twenty-five is reached
Repeat the third day The fourth day at
tain to thirty, the sixth Gay to thirty-five,
and SO no, increasing every other day until
you have gained power to hold the breath
easily and without effort for forty-five sec
onds. This may take week perhaps
month. Give al least ten minutes a day to
practice. After you have been practicing
holding the breath for a week, add
to it the second exercise, which, which
isl Is extremely valuable, but harder.
he in q 10 n
hold Be sure that the upper chest is firm
and well stretched. Now raise the elbows
at the sides to a level with the shoulders,
and, while holding the breath, tap lightly
with the ends of the fingers the whole sur
face of the chest. Continue this as long
as you can hold the breath. Now breathe
out slowly, never letting the chest sink.
Always breathe through the nose. Repeat
this exercise three times every day. The
best time for practice is two hours after
The third week add to the above two ex-
ercises the following: Stand; inhale as
fully as possible; hold the breath, and
while doing so press in the abdomen with
the abdomen is thus drawn in; eXhale, and
rest an instant Repeat from three to five
times. being careful not to let the slightest
quantity of air escape while the chest is
being expanded. This exercise is inValu-
able TO a short woman who wants to lessen
the apparent size of her abdomen She
learns to hold it drawn in.
The fourth week add this to the above
exercises Stand; slowly. fill the lungs
hold the breath eight seconds and during
that time slowly and gently stretch the
frame of the upper chest, using it's own
muscles for the purpose. Do this only
twice the first day; afterward, three times
but never more than three times o. any
one day. Be very careful not to make any
motion suddenly. In calisthenics, the more
slowly and carefully every exercise is per-
formed the greater will be the benefit.