The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-01
GIVES ALONG WAIST
PIGEON TOES VANISH BEFORE
BENDING EXERCISES.
Kicking strengthens the Back Bone-BoN'
ing Promotes Grace-RubberinS MAKES
Plump Neck-The New York Womah'
beauty Hunt I'm the Gymnasium

a hHlu ull6T6nC0 DoOWCCh
work at this season'oi the year ana IN tne
fall and winter, cay gymnasium instruoOore'
Ia this: Moro adults take lessons during
Lent and the early spring than at any o'nei
time, and as a general thing lessons are
taken not 90 much for pleasure as 70 Az
oomplish some purpose. This apples "
both sexes. but particularly TO women.
New York women in easy circumstance
and with many social engagements are IN
about the least desirable condition as re.
CARDS health and appearance at the end OF
the winter. This comes about chieny De-
cause they neglect to take a proper amount
Of exercise for eight months out OF the
twelve. In the case of an adult past 20
such neglect almost inevitably means a
loss Of symmetry. f.
Would a woman escape a feeling OF slug
gishness, h~eaviness, escape that tired feel
ing which comeb with the spring, I" Gays a
gymnasium teacher, aiet her beware OF
accomplishing fieA In spots. II the extra
flesh is evenly .dlstfibntsd That is another
matter, But, alasl; It seldom is.-
Because Of this fact many woman after
a critical survey of herself in a mirror HES
herself at this time of year to a gymnasium
By the way, a woman with a definite pur-
pose in mind would always better take
private lessons than. try to manage with
class work, it is declared, 80. !
Glass work, " said a matron Of substantial
proportions, 4issall very well for my young
daughters, who enjoy the fancy, exercises
with sticks, wands, ~dumbbeIls and so on,
and who are in no particular need OF ex-
ercise. anyway but in my case it is Aiif-
ferent. / am working hard just now to
lessen my hips and waist proportions;
therefore 1 oonfne myself principally to
exercises which will do that particulaf thing
and they would be far too irksoule, for
elias work"
The chief instructor at a private gym
nasium much favored by fashionable women
indorsed this statement. This instructor, an
EngIishman who at one time was a physical
instructor in the British army andHs called
Sergeant, /" is an enthusiastic foe Of cor
pulency. In his opinion, strong, firm YER
tebre and lean proportions are, most of all,
the attributes to promote a graceful car
riage and a beautiful figure.
when l first came to America said he,
Il was remarkably impressed with the gait
of the average New York woman Of the
well to do classes.
Some of the younger of the more fash
ionable sets practised, l observed, a pecu-
liar mannish stride. accompanied with much
swinging Of the arms, which had a certain
vigor to recommend it, if nothing else;
but the average woman, l thought, walked
in a purposeless sort of fashion, as if her
spine needed Strengthening.
THE reason for this, / To- conclude, is
that most New York women don't have time
to walk. Those who haven't a carriage
or an auto ride in the cars if they are ling
ten blocks. When l e~Xpostulated v h a
pupil one day about this habit she exclaimed
in surprise:
"'Why, ten blocks is half a mile!' as If she
had said half a dozen miles, and she 'ooked
at me With polite doubt when l remarked
that there were few Bnglishwomsyi who
would call anything short OF three or four
miles u walk atall.
But walking tires me 3d. she sighed.
at won't tire you 80 much by the time
you have finished a course of lessons with
me- | told her, and 30 II turned out.
"A certain amount of physical exercise
is absolutely necessary if a woman would
keep in good health and good looks. Every
physician knows that and tells his patients
so-usually to no purpose.
a brisk two mile walk every day would
take the place Of gymnasium work-or
rather 1t would prevent some women from
getting TO a pass where they must call in
physical culture specialists to help restore
symmetry to their figure. So soon as a
woman begins to take on flesh to lose her
figure no amount of walking is likely to
restore il. More violent treatment is
needed then, and in order to find out lust
what sort of movements are needed to do
the work and how to practise them she visits
a gymnasium. That's what keeps private
gymnasiums going in New York 81
What are some Of the movements YOU
prescribe for private pupis?" the sergeant
was asked.
in combination or general work" he
answered., Il begin by strengthening the
back, for find hat most women complain
of ha wing weak packs, n two of the best
exercises | know of for that purpose are
these"
Az he spoke he stood erect, his hands
before him at the waist line. He thrust one
leg vigorously forward, bringing the foot
down with a stamp, and at the same time
throwing his arms out straight from the
shoulder. This movement he repeated
alternately with the right and the left leg
He bent the forward knee as if about to kneel.
the other leg meanwhile being kept stiff,
the heel of the ground, the weight on the
toes. With the forward leg bent, the other
straight, the body inclined forward, arms
outstretched. the attitude suggests flying.
ITO do the work cut out for il, the lunpe
and the outward movement with the arms
must be done vigorously" the instructor
said, @and at first it is not easy to get a
woman not accustomed to exercise 10 put
vigor into it.
Here is a second easy exercise, bound to
strengthen the back il practised daily"
The sergeant bent himself at the waist
line, arms hanging and touched the floor
with his fingers without bending the knees.
Then Strengthening himself he placed his
hands on his chest, threw his arms up to a
perpendicular and down and outward on a
81 straight line with the shoulders.
Even II the fingers don't touch the floor.
the bending movement, keeping the legs
stiff, ia ex cellent for the back" said he.
These exercises will also help to reduce
the hips and the waist, which is the special
purpose Of nearly one-half the adult pupils
who come here for private lessons,