KEEPING FIT IN WINTER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 June 1941, Page 2

KEEPING FIT IN WINTER

NOT A DIFFICULT MATTER. TRY THESE EXERCISES. For those whose work keeps them indoors during the day, nothing is more beneficial than setting up exercises carried out for ten minutes or. rising. The series of exercises outlined here, carried out intelligently, will not only preserve physical fitness, but will work wonders with the poorest physique. Good Breathing. Faulty breathing deforms the carriage of the whole body and interferes seriously with health. The following are useful exercises:— (1) Stand erect; breathing in deeply raise the arms slowly forward, upwards, and outward to shoulder height; hold the breath as long as possible; then bring the arms forward sharply, expelling the.breath in a sharp puff. Relax thoroughly and repeat four times. (2) Stand erect, with arms raised forward to shoulder height; lunge forward with the right foot, flinging out the arms, and inhale deeply; bring right foot back, swing arms forward, and expel the breath with a puff through the lips. Repeat at least four times. After these exercises, the body literally tingles with warmth and well being.

General Carriage. A beautiful and supple carriage depends upon the straightness of the backbone and flatness of the shoulder blades. A crooked shoulder, a stoop, or a slight curvature not only spoils the hang of a frock, but interferes with the breathing and general health. Stand erect before a window, feet together, hands by the sides. Drawing in the chin, stretch the muscles of the back and neck, inhaling as you do so. Relax and exhale. Repeat three times. Eastern women, and, indeed, all who habitually carry burdens upon the head, attain an incomparable dignity and beauty of carriage. Place a book, not too light, upon your head, and try to walk round the room without letting it fall. With the book on the head, take “hips firm” position; raise the heels, bend the knees outward and sink slowly into “curtsy sitting.” Slowly straighten the knees and stand upright. Repeat six times. These exercises to be of any benefit must be performed daily. The last two balancing exercises are best performed to slow music, which has the effect of training movements to become calm and rhythmic.

Waist Suppleness. A supple waist and a graceful, willowy figure have been the aim of women since the beginning of history. Those with a tendency to thicken at the waistline should perform the following exercises every morning:— (1) Stand erect, feet apart and arms upward stretched. Keeping t,he knees taut, bend the trunk downward towards the left toe, raise the trunk and bend to the right toe. Repeat these movements as often as possible without actual fatigue. The aim is to touch the toes and to perform the four movements smoothly and rhythmically and sweepingly. This exercise can be performed with advantage to a slow waltz tune.

(2) Stand erect with “hips firm.” Bend the trunk slowly, with a rolling movement forward, to the left, backward, to the right, forward and up, keeping the neck and chin in line with the back. Repeat five times. This last exercise is excellent not only for the removal of rolls of fat at the waist, but also for correcting internal sluggishness. To Aid Fitness.

Every woman, in however fit a condition generally, knows what it is to feel at times “off colour” and sluggish, particularly in the winter months, when lack of exercise and sunshine take their toll of health and spirits. Here is an excellent exercise, which is also very good fun to try. Sit on the floor on a rug with knees drawn up to the chest and hands clasped firmly about them. Rock yourself backward until you are lying on your back; then without unclasping the hands, rock yourself up and forward until the forehead touches the rug. Repeat a’s often as you can.

Stand erect before a hip-high table or ledge. Keeping the left knee taut, raise the right leg from the hip and rest the foot upon the ledge. Bend, the trunk, endeavouring to approach the forehead to the right knee. Reverse the exercise with the left leg raised. Dancing in a crowded ballroom is no substitute for tennis or swimming, yet dancing under the right conditions is one of the finest exercises. Open the window wide, put a favourite record on the gramophone, and perform freely and naturally the movements which the music suggests. These exercises are strenuous, but the human body responds rapidly to practice, and if the will to improve and a natural joy in life are present, the poorest physique may become sturdy, lithe, and glowing with health.