A GRACEFUL, UPRIGHT CARRIAGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 999, 16 June 1930, Page 5

A GRACEFUL, UPRIGHT CARRIAGE

it you want to have a graceful, up- | right carriage, keep the muscles of the back in good condition. These j muscles are often stretched and j weakened by the weight of the head j and arms, which tends to draw the j body forward. Also, most activities call for the use of the hands and necessitate a bending forward of the body, and there is, therefore, a corresponding stretching of the back muscles. Here is a good exercise to ( strengthen them.

Bring your hands to your shoulders, holding the elbows at right angles to the body, and move your elbows forward, sideways and backward, describing a circle with each one. Repeat ten times, making each turn slowljand holding the chest high throughout. Another good exercise: Raise the arms overhead, bend forward and touch the floor with the tips of your fingers, keeping the knees stiff. Straighten up, bending the knees slightly as you do so. Repeat ten times. You may not be able to touch the floor at first, but if yon persist you will Improve from day to day. Later on, increase the number of bendings and see how much of the palms of your hands you can lay flat on the floor. This exercise preserves the suppleness of the waist, strengthens the back muscles, and stretches the long muscles at the hack of the thighs, which otherwise tend to shorten and cramp.

Balancing Exercises

Balancing exercises train the body in grace and suppleness. With your hands on your hips raise your right leg and extend it as far forward as you can; swing it sideways and stretch it; then stretch it backward. Repeat the exercise ten times, five times with each leg. As you improve hold each position a little longer and raise the arms forward, sideways and upward as you stretch each leg forward, sideways and backward. Practise deep breathing in combination with arm raising. Stand straight and raise the arms slowly at the sides to the horizontal position, palms up'; bring the. arms overhead, inhaling deeply, then lower them while you breathe out.