Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-27
STRONG AND LITH E
DAILY EXERCISES FOR HEALTH
AND BEAUTY.
Should Be Part of Children's Home
Training, but is Often Neg
lected.

Little children need regular gymnasium
work quite as much if not more than older
persons. because daily exercise not only
brings them health but means the strength
ening and developing of muscles that make
for future beauty. The physical benefit and
personal attractiveness secured by simple
free-hand training is. If properly done. a
part OF the upbringing that every mother
should recognize and insist upon her chill
dren having with regularity either in the
morning or at night-at least this is the
opinion OF an expert physical culture teach
er VINO works constantly with children.
TOO many parents neglect this necessary
training of young children" she saws .be-
cause they think the little folk get enough
exercise by playing games. running etc
ana 90 not need gymnasium work for either
health or development. But this idea is a
mistake. for only certain sets of muscles
are used In running. playing ball or any of
the other active games. and the sinews I'm
the chest and back. well as in the arms
and legs. need attention to round out the
inquire and give strength that is constantly
used in everyday work. 1t should be re-
membered by mothers that when certain
muscles are overturned and others are
practically useless the result is almost
bound to be badly proportioned bodies that
are detriment to The children when they
grow up.
''One Of the best exercises for strengthen
Ing the organs of digestion and incidentally
FOR developing muscles in the back legs and
arms that will almost force young boys
and girls to walk erect and to take good
sitting postures. Is done by lying fiat on the
floor placing the hands above the head on
the round OF chair that has been weight
ed down so IL will he stationary, and then
draw the feet up until the heels touch the
hips or as near as is possible.
count four while moving the feet from
the original lying position to the final pos
ture with the feet against the hips, and
then to the same number of counts assume
the fat lying position by slowly pushing
the feet downward from the hips
Repeat this four or five times for the
first week. until the muscles become accus-
TONED to the strain, and then double the
number of exercises Always be careful
that little ones do not overwork for their
tendency is usually to do more than their
strength can stand, and a result they
strain the muscles and feel sore for sew
eral days.
Another balance and developing exercise
| that children enjoy doing is to stand erect.
place both hands, with the fingers touching
at the nape of the neck with the arms held
so that they form a straight line from ell
bow to elbow In this posture. one that Is
easy to assume but difficult to hold for any
length of time, the right foot-toe pointing
upward-should be slowly raised until about
half the distance from the floor to the hip.
Then bend the knee and bring the bent leg
as close to the body as possible without re-
| moving the hands from the back of the
neck.
do not hurry with this exercise Count
four fer the time of moving from the floor
up and four more with the knee bent then
to the same number of counts lower the
knee and to count OF four place the foot
on the floor in the original position. This
done with alternate feet two or three times
is excellent for the muscles of the back.
and for those of the chest and between the
shoulders.
An exercise that all children enjoy do
ing because it is difficult and like stunt
Is taken by fiingtng or bending the right
knee slightly and at the same time holding
the left leg cut straight in front several
inches from the floor and then slowly. to
the count of eight, take STOPPING posture.
lowering the body close to the floor the
muscles will permit. For balance. keep the
hands the hips AT the nape of the
neck, the finger tips lightly touching. This
must be done alternately, first with the
right leg and then with the left. 1t is eX-
cellent for balancing and poise of the body
"A fourth exercise mat fits in with the
other three and makes for suppleness and
grace is the so-called swimming exercise. II
is taken by first assuming an erect pose of
the body heels together. head well up
with eyes straight to the front. TIE hands
are then raised to the chest line, palms
down, with finger tips touching. Count one.
then two at the same time the hands must
be stretched cut in front on straight line
from the chest. At three the palms are
turned outward, while the hands are
thrown far out on either side as they
will stretch. AT the count of four. the
hands must be In the original position ready
to do the exercise over again This may be
taken six or eight times after the first
trial and increased as the muscles develop
For small children romper suits. that
are SO much worn now, Will be excellent
for this gymnasium work. because in them
the arms. legs. as well as the muscles IN
chest and back, are given free play.