Strength and happiness / by Richard A. Proctor.

  • Proctor, Richard A. (Richard Anthony), 1837-1888.
Date:
1885
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Strength and happiness / by Richard A. Proctor. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ticalar end, is to keep the body rigidly npriglit. The work then tells cliiefly on the chest, shoulders, and. arms; in so far as it acts at all on the waist muscles, it tends rather to harden and contract than to limber them. But now change tlie mode of swinging, letting the body yield as the clubs are swung forward over- head and backward,—so that, as the clubs end their backward sweep, the body is well arched forwards and the ends of the clubs almost strike the calves or even the heels. (But avoid actually striking, for, while the blow will cause discomfort, it will not help the de- velopment of any particular set of muscles.) Now, after the full backward swing has thus been reached, swing the clubs well over the head to the front, making all the stretched muscles of the front of the waist take part in the beginning at least of the pull. Do not mind the shoulders and chest comino- well O forward as the clubs swing down past the feet and backwards. In fact, throughout this club exercise give up the firm upright position which is essential in the ordinary form of the overhead swing. Make your body bend well forward as the clubs come down in front,—even so far if you like that the swing of the club backwards beyond the feet may be necessary to save you from toppling over forwards. Contrariwise let your abdomen come w’cll forward as you send the clubs backwards over your head,—so far that there is an elastic back pull available from the abdominal muscles as you begin to bring the clubs up again. This exercise has a splendid effect in correcting the