The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-23
ROLL YOURSELF TO HEALTH,
PHYSICAL CULTURE AS TAUGHT
by WILD ANIMALS.
They Get Massage and Make the Blood
Circulate by Rolling About ON the
Ground, and the Tired Business Man
Can Benefit Himself IN the Same Way.

Circulate by Rolling About ON thu
Ground. and the Tired Business Mar
Can Benefit Himself in the Same Way
Do you remember how when you were
a boy you used to roll around in the grass
! when you were taken to the country for
the summer? Do you remember what
your father used to say: "Let the rasca
roll, it's good for him2" And, more i'm.
portant still. do you remember how the
tossing exhilarated you and sent you to
bed O. nights ready for healthful sleep?
The roly-poly system of outdoor physical
culture is as good for grown-ups as it il
for children. 1t is based on the rolling
instinct that is natural with children and
nearly all wild animals.
The child outgrows the habit because
Of his environments, and thereby loses
one Of his holds on health, but the wild
animal keeps it up through life, and thereby
insures itself a splendid circulation of the
blood to all parts Of the body.
Herein lies the chief value OF the roly-
poly system. 1t gets the body out Of its
sitting or standing posture. II does al!
it can to invert the body--to make the
heels higher than the head, and to give
the head stimulated blood supply
At the same time that the usually neg
lected parts Of the body are brought into
play, no other part is neglected, and for
! any part the exercises can be made as
! severe or gentle as desired
| This instinctively natural exercise is
also valuable for it's massage effect. In
fact, natural massage can be got in no such
| measure in any other way
| IfSt ro1lip0 an tho oro no onyara n
earth keeps an animals coat glossy and
fine. SO mother earth will keep mans skin
| in the pink Of condition il only he will let
her. The brain massage is especially
good. This is produced by the brain
being gently bumped from side to side Of
| the skull as the body is rolled about.
Let the man who has been in his Office
the year around, or who smokes too much
or who has been living too high, start with
| the simplest roly poly exercises and grad
ually work up to the harder ones. In this
way he will accustom his body to strange
positions that once were natural and easy
! OF accomplishment, without any accom-
panying traces Of dizziness But II he
should become dizzy, let him rest and try
1t again, and before long no uncomfortable
feeling will be noticed.
The exercises-four are described below
! will soon let the man know where he is
weak and what muscles need building I'D.
| mind on those parts and strive earnestly
! to strengthen them against the day Of
| disease Let him not be annoyed by any
strain on those parts, for this will be a sure
sign to him that his efforts are having a
| beneficial effect.
| l. Side Rolling.-Lie down fiat on your
| back on grass plot or the seashore. Bend
! the legs, grasp the toes on the outside
In the hands and see that the feet are touch
| ing.
| Pull little in opposite directions with
! feet and hands, that the arms may be well
! stretched. Then, at first roll from side TO
| side on the back only. When you become
sharp effort to land on your back again
AS in nearly all Of these exercises, the
whole of the body is benefited, but the parts
especially looked after are the neck, the
shoulders the upper legs, the small Of the
back and the region around each knee
II. The Back Roll.-This Is difficult but
| excellent exercise for a fat man, as 1t
speedily reduces the abdomen by con-
tracing 1t in an unusual way.
Lie down fat on the back, with the palms
OF the hands on the ground at the sides of
the head, and with the fingers pointing
back of the head. Raise the legs and lower
part of the body over the head until the
toes touch the ground.
When you become adept push against
the ground with the hands while the legs
are being carried over the head, draw the
head from between the arms and lie fiat
on your stomach.
Next push harder with the arms and
spring up to a standing position the moment
the toes touch the ground.
The placing OF the legs over the head
keeps the abdominal region and the organs
contained therein in fine trim. The push
ing is good for shoulders, arms and neck.
The stretching Of the muscles along the
l. rf han md fhn
enlarged supply Of blood insured the head
banishes headaches
III Equilibrium Exercise is exc
cuted on log eighteen inches or two feet
in diameter, or rock, or mound of earth
or sand
Place the abdomen on the log and have
the head, knees and feet on the ground
to begin with. Stretch the arms to their
full length clear of the ground in front Of
the head, and then bring the body in
straight line, with the abdomen alone
touching any earthly thing.
Later on, when this can easily be done,
bend up and backward the head, upper
back and legs, so that the body will form
as much of semi-circle as possible. At
least make them go higher than the alb
domen.
The exercise may be varied in many
ways. Move arms and legs as in swimming
Hit and kick out in every direction. Lie
on either side and on the back.
This vigorous exercise is especially
good for the trunk.
" The One-Arm Roll The one arm
roll is quite severe for beginners, but
even the weakest can master it with a little
perseverance.
Lie down at full length on your side
and spread the legs so that both feet can
be firmly planted on the ground later on.
Then assist with both hands TO raise the
body on one outstretched arm and hold
the other outstretched directly above
the former SO that it will be in readiness
TO support the body in its turn.
When the balance is complete shift IL
completely to the other side and arm,
taking care that the body does not sag
down. but presents a straight santing
line Keep going over in a circle and re-
volve either forward or backward
To vary the exercise and to make ii
still more severe bend the arm supporting
The body until the forearm lies along the
floor and the elbow touches it, and straighten
out the arm again. This is a particularly
energetic exercise for shoulder and wrist
The original exercise, especially. builds
up the hands. wrists and arms, the chest
near the shoulders and the abdominal
region. But the legs and the hips receive
not little benefit,
AN EN-BANDTT FOR HONESTY.