The Detroit times., 1909-12-13
C0-E0S ARE MADE
STRONG BY SYSTEM
OF GYMNASTICS
Plan To Straighten Curved Spines
by Exercise Is Producing Satisfac.
tory Results in Barbour Gym
nasium at Ann Arbor.
Thirty-0ne Out of $50 Freshmen
Girls at University Have
Curved Backs.

ANN ARBOR Mich. Dec. l3.-Out oil
80 freshmen girls AT the University
Of Michigan there are II who nave
curved SpineS For each Of these al
flicted girls there are certain exercises
given i'm Barbour gymnasium, by kath-
crime Bisclow. the woman's physical
director. all tending To bring the coed
back to her normal condition and
health
Miss Bgelow believes that every
public school should have trained
director TO intelligently instruct In
physical science. II would mean fewer
stopped men and women. she says.
In Barbour gymnasium are complete
apparatus of all kinds The case Is
indeed stubborn that shows no marked
Improvement after six months cor
receive work. Miss Bigelow says.
For each coed afflicted with spinal
trouble there is an exercise suited To
her individual needs. At the begin
ming of the semester an examination OF
each student is made. and measure
ments taken OF each freshman girl
After "A careful study Of these records,
Miss Bigelow evolves certain exercises
which she considers needful. The eX-
ercises are first given with the girl 5
back bare, that the instructor may see
II her theory works out correctly. New
exercises are added when the student
has strength To- stand them.
The apparatus used for curved
spines includes table that looks more
ike some fiendish torture instrument
Of medieval age than twentieth
century blessing On the table the
patient is strapped hands grdsping
ropes which work from pulleys AT the
head and each side The heavy straps
from each side are SO arranged that
when the spine is curved 20 the right,
the lett strap, arranged to cross the
back at the place where the curvature
is most pronounced. exercises resist
ancc TO that particular spot. drawing
The curved column 10 the left AZ that
place The coed holds this position
for from Two to five minutes, accord
ng 20 endurance.
Another instrument is roller.
beneficial To rounded shoulders and
where the curvature comes higher up
the back. On the roller the patient
has no support other than the leather
strap across the shoulders She
clutches the iron bar above her head.
she Is lifted off her feet. and the posi-
tion of her hands. together with the
weight OF her body, causes terrific
stretching Of the breast muscles. and
the bowed shoulders can go back to
their rightful place. The exercise lasts
less than TWO minutes This exercise
strengthens The abdominal muscles.
which enable one 10 hold an upright
position
These two exercises are given 10 the
girls whose condition is most grievous.
For others Swedish apparatus called
stall bars is mostly used The weaker
girls. to whom this exercise would
prove too strenuous "A correction. are
laid nat on their backs on the gym
floor. with their arms extended above
their heads, l0-pound weight bar in
each hand In this position with feet
together slowly they raise and lower
their legs. knees and toes extended.
This exercise strengthens all abdom-
Inal muscles aud straightens the back.
"a good student must be a healthy
one said Miss Bigelow. All my eX-
prcises strengthen the abdominal mus
cles aud the back the muscles that en-.
able one 10 stand erect When one
has a correct carriage, then only can
one breathe correctly. When my
girls stand and breathe correctly. then
they are on the fair road 10 perfect
health.