The Florence daily tribune., 1902-01-13
BAG PUNCHING ART.
INDOOR EXERCISE FOR WOMEN IN
GOLD WEATHER.
Ten Minutes a Day for Week Ia AA-
vfssd by . student of Athietiss-
Not stupid Business Like Handbag
DumbbolIs.

Tennis and rowing are over till next
year, and golf will be all but imposst-
BILE In few weeks, SO now the athletic
instructors are advocating bag punch
as the ideal indoor exercise for women.
| particularly for women who have to
solve the ever-present problem of how
10 grow thin. wellknown writer on
athletics insists that by punching a bag
for ten minutes a day for week a
woman can do more to reduce her
weight and preserve good figure than
by observing a rigid diet for six
months. Bag punching develops the
chest, neck and shoulders and reduces
the waist II exercises every muscle,
gives thin women curves and makes
stout women thin. If woman has a
poor complexion the exercise will give
her the tnts of peaches and cream,
If anything will. The object of all sx-
ercise is to make the blood circulate
rapidly and well. and bag punching
does that to perfection. Unlike fen
cling, bag punching requires no instruc-
tor, yet It's advocates say 1t will make
a woman just as graceful and as ligh.
will learn to poise and balance herself
and this will give her springy step
and an easy graceful carriage. Unlike
fencing, too, no antagonist is required.
That is another strong point in favor
of bag punching. Last of all the outfit
is inexpensive. Ten dollars will buy
first-class light punching bag with
framework support; fairly good one
may be had for even less. The only
other thing necessary is pair of light
weight boxing gloves which may be
bought for dollar. The exercise can
be taken in any costume Just as we'll
as in the most up-to-date gymnasium
garments And woman will derive
almost as much benefit from awkward
bag punching If she keeps at it, as she
Will from the real scientific kind. These
are rules of the punching contest as
laid down by an authority:
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, tends to expand the chest
and gives a good poise to the neck.
Always hit the bag, II possible, a trifle
above the center and this will prevent
rebound and bruised nose. This
will be best understood with practice.
Ten minutes day is long enough for
the average woman, but twenty min
utes Will be better If she wants to re-
duce weight rapidly. Punch the bag
twenty-five times with the right arm
twenty-five strokes with the left hand
Strike with the greatest regularity pos
sible. Then alternate one punch with
the right and another with the left
But keep at 1t. Don't exercise an hour
one day and then forget all about 1t
for a week. There are fancy strokes
and these may be learned In time, as.
for instance, punching the bag with the
right elbow, alternating with punches
from the left fist, and vice versa. An
other. a little more difficult, Is the ell
bow punch with alternating upper arm
and under arm thrusts with the fists.
Still other combinations will suggest
themselves. Gradually the punches
can be made faster and faster till the
bag will beat a regular tattoo on the
top of the framework overhead. Prac-
tice only makes perfect in bag punch
ing and practiced puncher enjoys the
exercise thoroughly. 1t is very differ
ent from handling dumbbells, which,
| to most folks, is a stupid business at
best. Bag punching is exhilarating. 1t
is almost like having an antagonist
keeping the puncher constantly on the
alert.-New ork Sun.