Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-03
BAG PUNCHING FOR WOMEN
AN EXPERT SAYS 1T MAKES THE
THIN FAT AND VICE VERSA.
Complexion of Cream and Roses, Slim
Waist and Graceful Carriage
Guaranteed.

'By punching a rubber bag for ten min
utes a day for a week woman can do
more to reduce her weight and to preserve
firm figure than by observing a rigid
diet for SIX MONTHS says a woman ath-
lete.
'In summer golf is the resource Of the
woman who fears embonpoint. Whether
she cares for the game or not she can
tramp around over the links for an hour
day and keep her weight down to COM
Portable figure She can play tennis and
row and climb mountains and actually de-
rive pleasure from solving the ever pres
ent problem of how to grow thin. But,
with the coming of autumn, the question
reduces itself usually to matter of hard
work and rigid diet.
Ideal Indoor Exercise.
bag punching is the ideal indoor exer-
else for women. The, object of all ath-
letics is, of course, to get the blood to cir
culating rapidly and well. 1t is the
proper action of the blood that clears the
complexion builds up tissues and makes
the thin woman fat, or burns out I'M
healthy adipose tissues and makes the
stout woman thin. Plenty Of good blood
coursing fast through the veins Is a reme
dy for nearly all physical ills that are
remediable.
IF woman has complexion like paste
bag punching will start the sluggish blood
in motion and give her skin the color Of
peaches and cream if anything will. When
I began practice L had been an invalid with
nervous dyspepsia for three years and
now 1 have the appetite and the digestion
of an ostrich, and not an ounce of flesh too
much. Bag punching exercises every mus
Gle in the body, and especially those that
have a tendency to take on fat. 1t devel-
ops the chest and shoulders and neck and
reduces the waist Unlike fenctnp
not require an antagonist. Ten dollars will
buy first-class light rubber punching bag
with framework support, and a fairly good
one can be had for less money. This is all
of 1igntweight-say ounce and a quarter
boxing gloves, which will cost from IS
cents to $1.25. Exercise can be taken in
evening dress or street costume just as
well as in the most up-to-date gymnasium
attire. A woman will derive just as much
benefit from the most awkward bag punch
Ing as from the most scientific.
The Works the Thing.
with practice a puncher will learn to
strike the ball with the regularity of a
piston rod. To begin with, she will merely
play with 1t, and 1t will be a very enjoy
able exercise, because a punching bag has
some resistance to it. Dumbbels are well
enough in their way, but they are very
stupid ands uninterestng. One takes the
SNSiSioS DeCduSe II Is necessary ana not
because there is anything exhiiarating in
1t. But with the punching bag it is differ
ent. One must be constantly on the alert
and 1t is like playing against an active OPP
ponent. %
In beginning it is necessary to observe
just two rules. Suspend the bag on a
level with the shoulders and strike straight
out from the shoulder This stroke brings
into play greater number of muscles than
any other, and it tends to expand the chest
and gives good poise to the neck. AL
ways hit the bag if possible a trifie above
the center, and this will prevent a rebound
be understood with practice and it is a
part of the game to keep out of harm
way
Good Advice.
Bag punching is almost if not quite as
| valuable as fencing In making a woman
graceful in movement and light on her feet
| as the saying is. She Will find in a shor
while that the easiest and, best position
for striking the bag is to poise herself
| lightly on the ball and toes of the feet the
| right foot little in advance of the left
This will give her springy step and ar
easy and graceful carriage.
Ten minutes a day Is long enough fol
athletic exercises for the average woman
| or 20 minutes If she wants to reduce he,
weight rapidly. Punch the bag twenty-five
| times with the right arm swing rest a few
moments and then try twenty-five stroke:
with the left hand. Strike with the great.
est regularity possible. and if one is careful
as | say, the punches will soon fall with
| the regularity of piston rod. Then alter
nate one punch with the right and another
with the left.
Mark Twain's Punch, punch, punch with
| care about sums the matter up. Keep al
| it Don't exercise hour one day and
| then forget all about it for a week; al.
| though l am a believer in the theory thai
| even little work is better than none
| of course, there are various fancy
| strokes that may be learned in time, as
| for example punching the bag with the
| right elbow, alternating with punches from
| the left fist. or vice versa. Then a little
more difficult still is the elbow punch with
alternating upper arm and underarn
| tEruSts with the fists. Gradually the
| punches can be made faster and faster until
! the bag will beat a regular tattoo on the
| ton of the fra mewnrk ouerhaad