Curvatures of the spine / by Noble Smith.

  • Smith, E. Noble (Eldred Noble), 1847-1906
Date:
1889
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Curvatures of the spine / by Noble Smith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    you not only avoid hurting the chest, but you bring it great benefit—and not only the chest, but you benefit nearly all the vital organs in the body as well. Curl the dumb-bells in exactly this way six times each day the first week without stopping, ten times daily the second week, and fifteen times each day after that. Also, if you have dumb-bells at home (as it would be well to do), you will get on all the faster if you do the same thing there each morning and evening. One thing more. If in curling in this way six times daily the first week you found that you took three breaths, though you tried to breathe deeply and slowly, now see if in the second week you cannot curl ten times in the same number of breaths, or even in two breaths. THIRD CHEST EXERCISE. Directions.—1. Stand in the aisle, between two desks or benches, not over two feet apart, and put one hand on each. 2. Now, keeping your hands on these desks, walk backward two steps, and stand there. 3. Keeping your chin up, and your body and knees at the same time stiff and straight, gradually bend your elbows and lower your body till your chest touches your thumbs, as in fig. 34 [in original]. 4. Push slowly upward, then lower again. 5. Eepeat this five times. Do this five times daily the first week without stopping, ten times daily the second week, and fifteen times daily after that. At home, to get this same exercise, simply place two strong chairs about two feet apart, put one hand on the seat of each, as in fig. 11, and follow the above directions. FOURTH CHEST EXERCISE, OR HALF-DIPPING. After following up the last two exercises as directed, for a minute or less daily for six weeks, the muscles on the front of your chest will be strong enough to try something harder. Directions.—1. Stand between two desks, which should not be over two feet apart, and seventeen inches would do better.