Natural Method of Physical Training by Edwin Checkley, (08) TRAINING FOR WOMEN

Post date: Mar 26, 2017 2:55:21 PM

Natural Method of Physical Training

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Chapter VIII. TRAINING FOR WOMEN

• • The muscular and bone systems of men and women are so much alike that what is good exercise for one is, except in cases of particular weaknesses, good exercise for the other. Avoid the chances of shock to the pelvic region. Avoid also the chance of strain. Seek to acquire perfection by degrees in exercises that seem to make a great demand on the the muscles. Gradually gain control of the stiffened fibres and joints.

  • Where women lead an active life their strength and endurance comes remarkably close to the strength and endurance of the other sex. It is woman’s nature to be strong . Only tradition deems them the weaker sex.

  • Materially reforming women’s clothing must be done. Once the shackles of badly designed fashion trends are stricken from long suffering womankind, then profitable physical training may begin. Any type of clothing that keeps the body from supporting itself is antagonizing the first principle of physical development--the perfect muscular possession of the body.

  • Honest chest expansion and the strengthening and enlarging of the breast muscles aids development. By persistent effort, a control over these muscles may be established until it will be possible to voluntarily contract and relax them, with the result that a sunken and flabby bust may be made full and firm. There is no reason why a woman should not develop and mold her entire form by simply acquiring muscular control of the parts deficient in contour. The gaining of this control requires a distinct effort of will, but the results surely justify the effort.

  • Women are not less under the necessity of cultivating deep breathing--long breathing. The cultivation of more pliant and vigorous bodies would tend to encourage more vigorous breathing.

  • Do not wear clothing that threatens the very basis of health: a ready circulation of the blood. Do not create any obstacle to the free play of the body, to facility in stooping and turning or movement of the muscles.

  • The only direct and effective way of fighting the distended abdomen is by getting muscular control of the abdomen. Cast aside any corset and practice the contraction and expansion of the muscles while holding the breath, and follow all of the exercises outlined in previous chapters that keep active the muscles of the pelvic and abdominal region. Do not be afraid to bend the body.

  • Dress should not interfere with the ability to reach over head. Practice reaching over head. Learn muscular freedom in this direction. In reaching, do not rashly strain the body in any way. High reaching with both hands upward and forward, is very beneficial for all and combined with breathing will be found to be very strengthening. Practice thoroughly the exercises tending to develop the shoulders and to increase the extension of the arms. Comfort and strength derives from increased versatility in the shoulder.

  • Avoid the vicious tendency of badly fitting shoes. Probably ninety-five per cent of women of all classes are suffering from small or badly designed shoes. Small shoes discourage walking and standing, and those who stand and walk little can never have a graceful carriage. ‘Tight shoes’ affect circulation directly and indirectly by retarding exercise.

  • Women should walk more. Women should cultivate all the exercises that might give suppleness to the body. There can be no grace without suppleness. Complete flexibility in all the muscles of the body is absolutely necessary to the charm of carriage. Carriage distinguishes one woman above another. Unused muscles are worse than no muscles. There is no essential boundary to neither the intellectual nor the physical possibilities of women. Women have an even chance with man to develop the mind as well as the body. Do not rest in the tradition of necessary ‘weakness.’