The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-05-13
LIE NEW FRENCH SHAPE.
How to Acquire the Fashionable Fig
nre bY Arm LNercisc.


As / have Written before ia the col
umns OF This newspaper, the gIrl ath-
leics of Paris are Shaping tnelr usuIes
py ANN exercise. 1ney have dIscOV-
cred mat inc only way TO develop The
bust Is by exercising with the hands.
O4d French women have long known
that shaking the rugs in the Aule court
yards was good exercise Tor the chest.
But rug shaking and carpet sweeping
Is rs nothing compared % the lenenceut
effect of a good systematic ann exercise.
Women are narrow in the chest small
in the arm and fat in the waist because
they do not use the arms enough. Type
writer's who sin at the desk al day,
hammering the keys, get a good bust
development when their wealhler c0u-
sins who shop and dawdle at home are
fiat.
The first exercise in am up-to-date
French gymnasium consists boo raising
the body on the hands. Lie face down
ward ON the floor and raise yourself
ON your hands holding the body rigid.
DO not DO this over six times when you
first try 10 or you viii strain the mus
Giles of your back
Repeat every day for week and az
the end of the week YOU can support
the body ON the palms of the hands and
r.
exercise and one that reduces The abd0-
men. There is no need Of trying o. re-
duce the abdomen hy facing the more
you lace the softer the muscles viii get.
and if you have tendency 20 grow fat
you will increase in weight every cay
you are tightly laced
After you have learned 10 iift the body
on the hands Try swinging by the arms.
Place two chair backs. two feet auart.
and lift yourself between them Very
soon you will bc able 90 swing like a
pendulum TO and fro.
When you have done this YOU can Ie-
gin To- lift yourself on one hand AS Won
pass table place your hand fat upon
10 and give jump. After "a time the
muscle in the arm viii become So strong
that YOU can bear your weight upon
one hand. Then comes the vau.fue OK
ercise.
Ny pupils 10 timber MP vault over
horizontal har every day AS soon as
they get into their gymnasium suits
they run out 10 the bar and Begin Jump
ing az one side Of H. When certain
chord lis struck upon the piano they give
little run and leap over the bar.
All our practice work rs done 10 music
This Is 10 make it more Interesting
Gymnastics indoors. pure and simple
are tres0me and one vets very weary
of the motion. With music 10 is differ
emit. then the time passes quickly and
athletic work becomes Ike dancing and
even pleasanter, for the dress is more
comfortable.
Women who wish 20 reduce their ON
bonpoint can simultaneously take this
exercise. IL will reduce them quicker
and better than the so-called abdominal
movements which are apt. unless done
under careful supervision, TO injure a
woman internally.
Our gymnasium suit IS a very loose
costume which LOCKS like a divided skirt
and blouse. II is curious affair not
quite divided but separated midway as
the bicycle skirts are. Il IS a sort Of
saddle skirt with a Turkish trousar leg.
Many of my pupils wear n very soft
short corset when exercising 10 prevent
strain upon the muscles Of the back
The corset IS most beneficial thing
used as a support. n a. Ike the shoe
upon the ankle-it supports and pro-
tects. but II the ankle Of the shoe is
tight 81 win iniure the circulation; 50
also with the corset.
An old corset well SHAPED 10 the fig
IRE is excellent for gymnastics vcrv
fastidi1us women can huv tho Emnire
corset which is only a little wider than
the girdlc.