The herald., 1897-09-05

really one form OF the SWoQlSh exercises,
of which there are many for the develop
ment of various parts of the body. There
are lots of others, but it is easier to do
one or two simple things regularly than
half dozen or more complicated move
ments for as many different purposes.
One exercise that has been found very
efficacious is the dip done on parallel
bars. -who-is- to- be- developed as
sumes reclining posture, face down.
ward, in mid air, supporting herself by
grasping the bar on each side of her
with one hand and one foot. She then
dips her head and body down as far as
her arms and her legs will permit, and
raises herself again by the strength of
her arms This motion will be found
extremely hard on unframed muscles
and should be tried very cautiously at
first
While we are on the subject of good
figures, let us linger for moment about
the slender waist-always a pleasant
thing to do, when it is slender, but alas!
how rarely is it SO!
The Narragansett girl might have
broadened her statement a little, and
said that, in general, good figure is a
matter of muscular development. This
is certainly true Of men, and the only
reason why 1t has not always been con-
sidered true of women is the fact that
they have been ranked as weakings
who are out of their sphere if they have
good health. Nowadays, although that
old idea is exploded and the average
girl would like to be healthy and strong.
she doesn't know exactly how to go
about it.
The very best thing we can do is to
initiate men in their methods of develop
ment. Any muscle can, of course, be
developed-but which muscles do we
want to develop, and how shall we get
at them when we have discovered that?
The two vital points of a woman's fig
ure are good neck and slender waist.
For the former we have recommended
the methods of the prize fighter and the
oarsman, as these are the best speci-
mems of masculine muscular develop
ment in that particular locality.
one might expect to look in vain for
specimens of small waists among men.
yet this would be to ignore that type of
noolest carriage and most magnificent
figure in the race-the military man.
West Point cadets lose an inch around
the waist before they have been under
military training for three months.
Soldiers in uniform always have the
appearance of wearing corsets There
must be a reason for all this-what is
1t but the exercises imposed?
Here are some of the military exer-
cises which girls, who want to reduce
the waist without tight lacing, or who
object to wearing corsets at all, may
try to advantage, confident that, if per-
sisted In, these are bound to make the
waist longer and more slender.
First, stand straight, with arms at
SIDES and palms to the front; then raise
the arms up over the top Of the head
till the thumbs touch, and drop SLOWLY
down again.
Second, hold the arms straight out
in front of you. palms down, and then
move each around gradually to the side
and back again, keeping them on the
same level.
Third, stand with the arms stretched
as far apart as possible, making a per-
feet cross with the body, and describe
small circles with each arm using the
shoulder as center.
The exercise Of slapping the backs Of
the hands together behind the back Is
good for both small waist and full neck,
but 1t Is so common that 1t is hardly
worth mentioning.
These are suggestions worth trying
at once, while still at the summer wa
tering places; for though it is fashion,
able to engage in all sorts Of outdoor
sports, and most up-to-date girls do so,
this does not always answer the pur-
pose of developing a particularly weak
collection of muscles in conspicuous
part of the figure. and little individual
exercise for that one collection will
often accomplish what years of tennis
and golf can never do. If begun now,