Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-09
PHYSICAL EXERCISE.
Why Many Men Do Not Keep Up the
Practice

1.-The series of articles, well illustrated with
instructive cuts, which The Star is publish
ing in it's Saturday edition on exercise Is
the best and most sensible that have seen
of these newspaper courses on physical
culture" said a well-known Washington
amateur athlete this morning, ''but there
are two points which the amateur should
not lose sight Of for a moment, and fall
ure to observe these points very largely ac-
counts for the unsuccessful attempts to
keep up a systematic course of muscle
building once it Is undertaken.
"These articles are mainly published for
the benefit of men who follow an indoor
occupation, such as business men, those en-
gagged in office work. clerks In the depart
ments and stores and others whose means
of earning a. livelihood necessitate confine
ment inside all day. My remarks do not
apply to mechanics and others who use
their muscles in shops and out of doors, as
these men usually get more exercise than
they want Therefore. let the amateur
Would-be muscle builder bear these points
in mind:
.'FNrst-Remember that the man whose
pictures you see In the cuts so excellently
designed to bring the different muscles into
full play does nothing else, probably for a
living, and he therefore keeps himself in
perfect physical condition. His muscles are
hardened and pliable, and he can go through
the motions by the hour without much
fatigue.
'"The great reason why so many men quit
is because they attempt to do 1t all and to
go through the whole stunt OF motions right
Off forgetting that not only is their mus
cular system soft and f1abby, but that their
organic system is more or less weak. Las
stude, soreness, fatigue and palpitation and
weakness of the heart result almost at once.
and you become disguised and quit, declar-
ing that the motions are too much like
work
"Again, the amateur exercises at the
wrong hours, such as before breakfast, or
upon returning home from work before
dinner, in both instances enforcing a strain
and drain upon the entire system. The
physical Is already depleted by ones daily
occupation, and exercise upon an empty
stomach, with already fatigued muscles,
Is not only physically wrong. but is apt to
produce such subsequent facilitating eff
fects that once more the amateur quits dis
gusted with exercise when he himself alone
is to blame.
my personal experience has proved that
a man cannot properly follow his ordinary
life and a course of physical culture, too,
without yielding point to the latter, what
ever others may claim to the contrary.
He should abandon late hours. late suppers.
drinks and other similar recreations and
designations more or less INDUCED in by
men, Because men try to combine these
conflicting conditions and emulate the
trained athlete In his stunts accounts for
another reason why these excellent courses
are given up. Men who work during the
day should exercise at night before retiring,
and retire reasonably early. Muscular ia
tigue is then slept Off and an opportunity
for stimulating reaction afforded. To the
man who does not have to work, and who
may rest as he pleases, it Is another matter.
''Second-The next great reason why these
courses are so often abandoned almost as
soon as begun is that they are gone into
too vigorously at the outset and too di-
verse exemplification Of the exercises Is at
tempted. 1t Is better for the amateur to
begin SO gently that the muscular effect is
almost impercepHble, and in all cases stop
the instant fatigue and soreness Is mani
tested, which, strange to say. men will not
do The remaining great point Is that all
physical effort must be followed by repose
to allow for natural and normal reaction,
and do not begin to exercise unless you can
rest afterward as may be necessary, de-
pending upon the strength or weakness of
your muscular system and the condition OF
your heart.
'.If you will cut out the articles In aues-
ton In The Star, paste them up IN your
room, and follow these fundamental points,
based upon hard experience. you will be as
tonished to see how rapidly you will Inn
prove as time progresses and your system
Adjusts itself to the new conditions imposed
upon t.