The evening times., 1898-09-19
BEAUTIFUL ARMS.
Bad Habits of Carriage Make Bad
SHAPED Limbs.


The beautiful and symmetrically pro-
por, r,ioned arms Of women is subject
that has been discussed by writers and
artists with apparently a great deal of
faith in the belief that the subject fully
deserved it. says a writer in the Phila-
delphia Press.
The question naturally arises why are
the arms OF women. as a rule. so bent2
1t cannot be attributed TO any natural
formation of the arms. either in is
long or muscular construction, for there
is practically no difference between the
arms of women and those of men. and
yet the latter are generally as straight
as those of their mothers and sisters are
the reverse
The truth is that the serooked shape
Of the arms. like the crooked shape of
the spine. is artificialIy produced by bad
habits of carriage and gnthinkingiy
developed by age. This condition is
brought about unconsciousIy. The
whole process is carried on without any
thought being given TO the matter and
therein lies the trouble.
An Illustration of one of the things
which acts as a cause OF the malfOrma-
tion of the arms is the habit the average
woman has of resting the elbows the
artificial waist line, crossing the lower
part of the arms in front of her, holding
the back of one hand in the palm of the
other. The upper half OF the arms are
pressed close to the body and the shout
ders. as a rule. are lifted up toward the
ears and drawn back.
During conversation this position is
generally unchanged as 10 the shoulders
and upper half of the arms Even when
gesticulating. the lower half does all the
work, being thrown outward. lifted up
ward and rotated from the elbows
In every case the arms should be allow
ed to hang with the muscles OF the arms
and shoulders relaxed. no matter wheth-
er the arms be carried at full length or
bent at right angles The position of the
arm itself. as a rule. does not necessi-
tate the contraction of the muscles of the
shoulder.
1t is necessary to first develop the ex-
tensor muscles of the arm before they
can be strengthened. AS a means to this
end procure a bar, and place il between
the side posts of the door. about the
height of the chest from the floor Clasp
the bar firmly with the hands, having the
thumb of hand not opposed to the I'M
gers Keep the hands as far apart as the
/ width of the shoulders Firmly grip the
| body is at an angle Then relax the mus
/ cIes of the hip. allowing the body 10 sink
! down until the whole weight IS sustained
/ by the bar with the heels resting on ths
| floor The endeavor then should be to
/ relax every muscle of the body, arms es-
pecialIy, using only sufficient energy to
maintain the grip.
While in this position keep the lips
lightly pressed together. inhaling and ex-
| haIing through the nOstrils. Take as
/ long inhalations and exhalatiOns as pos
sibIe-at the rate. say, of not more than
| ten or fifteen respirations minute, main
| tanning the position in accordance with
/ the strength. Then rest and repeat.
| Another exercise / would suggest is to
| bend the body forward in a straight line
I from the hips until it is nearly parallel
/ with the floor, keeping the back perfectly
/ straight. While in this position let the
! arms hang perfectly loose from the
/ shoulder. Then endeayor to raise the
| arms, keeping them perpendicular to the
| floor by using the muscles of the should
! er only.
| In this exercise the arms should act as
/ though merely hooked on TO the should
| er Try to raise the arms by the aid Of
/ the shoulder blade only, without bring
/ ing into play any of"the muscles Of the
| shoulder whatsoever
| These movements develop the exterior
| muscles of the arms. and at the same
time enable the person to conserve a
| great deal of necessary energy, which
/ she ordinarily and unconciousIy expendS
/ by keeping the muscles of the arms and
| shoulders tenseIy contracted. especially
in the unconscious clenching of the hand.