The herald., 1897-11-21
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BICYCLE GIRLS WINTER TRAINING
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The season is approaching when the
bicycle must be put aside ana the en-
thusiastic girl cyclist must look from ner
window at the snow-drifts ana the sieet
into which she and her noble wheel can
not venture.
This means that the girl cyclist will
lose all the muscle she has developed
during the summer and that she Will
mount her wheel in the spring as be-
ginner, having only her balance and
skill but none Of her old endurance.
How to keep her muscle during the
winter is a problem which has con-
frouted every cyclist since the cycling
fever broke out three years ago. 1t Is
aggravating to get good, round calf
and hard thigh, with strong arm mus
cles, only to have them soften and dis
appear by spring.
But the cycling girl need not despair.
even though she cannot-as In some lat
itudes-ride all winter, for. even though
she were off her wheel for six months,
she could still keep her muscle, and this
by simple process Of home develop
ment that is very easy to learn, and still
easier to carry out.
When a woman learns to ride bicy-
Gle she soon masters the art OF balance,
but It takes her long time before she
has wind and endurance. She finds that
her knees give out. After an hours ride
a beginner is so tired that she cannot
climb O fight of stairs. 1t is her legs
that have proved her weak part.
To keep the legs In practice, then, Is
what the bicycle girl needs In winter.
She. must keep the foot strong. the calf
hard and the whole leg supple. The
arms and neck, too, must have their ex-
ercise.
All this Is easy
She can do it and be seated. She need
not go through with the disagreeable
and firing body wrenching calisthenics
Of the gymnasium. She can keep up
her development sitting down. which is
exactly the position she occupies on her
wheel.
Let the girl cyclist seat herself upon
a chair. The best time for doing this
is in the morning one hour after break
fast. Let her sit down and stretch out
the right leg until 1t is almost at right
angles with the body. then let her bend
it at the knee quickly and bring 1t down
upon the hoor. This she should repeat
until she mas exercised the leg fifty con-
secutive movements. This should be re-
peated with the left leg. 1t will now be
found that both legs are tired and lit
tie rest is necessary. The cycling girl
has ridden quite a little distance.
This is the movement for the strength
ening of the knees and the woman fol-
lowing it will keep the knee supple all
winter
The next movement is for what physi
cal culturists call the thigh develop
ment It is for the Strengthening Of
the muscle that lies between the knee
and the body upon the outside Of the
leg. To keep this muscle strong lit
tie artificial aid is required and nothing
is any better for this than a common
flatiron procured from the kitchen. The
girl cyclist who wants to be scorcher
can take two flatirons and, putting her
feet through the handles. can provide
herself with all the apparatus foc thigh
Strengthening.
Let her gently but steadily straighten
the leg with the flatiron on the foot and
repeat the movement until she is tired.
This is magnificent exercise. 1t develops
not only the leg but it gives the muscles
of the abdomen sufficient exercise. and
the woman who Is inclined to grow a
little heavy around the waist during the
winter will find that the flatiron exer-
else will keep her down nicely.
For the calf movement let the girl
cyclist rest her foot fiat upon the floor.
still being seated, and raise it gently
until it rests upon the ball. Then lower
the foot until the heel touches. Raise
again and continue to raise and lower
until the calf Of the leg feels tired.
1t is feared that this exercise may en-
large the foot but this is not the case.
A normal foot never grows bigger.
neither does a normal hand. Both hand
and foot may get fatter and the foot
may become distorted by corns and bum