scbb09

You are strongly adviscd to lcarn the namcs of at lcast thc main surfacc muscles of thc body and lcarn to idcntify thcm on yoursclf as this will help you to still further understand what musclcs you are using in cach exercise. The study of an elementary text-book on anatomy and physiology would be timc woli spent as cvcryone should have a working knowlcdge of thc structure and function of the body. Wbcnmr posńble exertise in front of a minor. In this way you will be able to actually see as wcll as feel your muscles working and this will cncouragc you to expend your maximum effort—especially when you noticc, as you surely will, the gains you are making. Kccp warm when cxercising but at the same timc wcar as little dothing as possible and whcnevcr you can, wcar nothing at all. Kccp the room you exercise in wcll ven-tilatcd and if it is your bedroom do not csercise when the bcdclothcs are pulled back and the bed is airing.

Includea in this coursc arc four sclf-massage cxcrciscs, these arc imporłant and havc bccn designed to givc tonę and smoothness to thc skin, to improvc the dreulation and to eliminatc any skin blcmishcś from which you may be suffering. Many a heavy-musdcd body is spoilt by a bad blotchy skin and it is unfortunatc that so few physical culturists pay attention to this important point These massage exerdśes may be performed first thing in the morning on rising, cithcr before or after washing or immediatcly before or after your body-buiiding work-out. DO NOT NEGLECT THENL

During thc performance of your main cxcrcisc schedulc always breathe deeply and steadily in and ont through the NOSE. It docs not matter much when you breathe in or when you breathe out but what does matter is that you NEVER HOŁD YOUR BREATH. Your brcathing may be rapid and labourcd at thc pcak of hcavy cxcrci$e but this is not harmful. I am strongly against hcavy and deep brcathing cxerciscs unaccompanied by vigorous muscular activity as it is a quite unnatural procedurę. The best and most natural way of improving the depth of brcathing and strengtnening the respiratory organs is to make progressivc dcmands upon thcm through progrcssivcly strenuous activity. Be surę to elear your nasal passages by blowing your nose before commendng exercisc.

At the end of cach work-out shakc cach limb in turn, kccping it limp and loose, then do this with thc wholc of the body rather after thc fashion of a negro dnneer. This will help to prcvcnt any stiffness or tightness of thc musdcs. Nevcr have a very hot bath immediatcly before or after a strenuous work-out as this tends to draw the blood in thc body to the vast capillary bed of blood vessels bencath thc skin and away from the musclcs where it is ncedcd to help rccuperatc and build the musełe tissuc. For similar rcasons and bccausc you will bc unable to assimiłate it propcrly, do not eat a meal just before or after heavy exercisc.

The best timc of thc day for heavy excrcisc is the carly cvcning but any timc that is other-wise convcnicnt (provided it is not too soon before or after a mc.il) may bc uscd, cxccpt first thing in thc morning, when I do not advisc beauy exercisc. The five massage excrcises can pro-fitably be done evcry day of thc wcek but rest from those of the body-building schedulc every third day. This may bc modified if you fmd you eonie to a period (as is often thc casc) when you can feel that cxcrcising thrcc days running would bc best at that phase. By this I mcan that you will expcricncc periods when you can tell that your body has “ warmed ” to thc demands madę upon it and you can sense these times, to kccp at it for morc than two days in succcssion is a good thing. Do not ovcrdo this howcvcr and in any casc have at kast one completcly frec day a week. Convcrscly you may fecl that you could do with two succcssivc rest days, if so, takc thcm, but do not bc put off of systematic training just bccausc you do not feel much likc cxcrcise. You will often fmd that you fecl invigoratcd and refreshed after your work-out. In this matter of rest days you must lcarn from your own personal cxpcricncc what best suits you.

If you havc any other sporting interest such as tennis, football, etc., you should ccrtainly continue with this as it is omy by performing a varicty of movcmcnt that you can acquirc a wcll proportioned developmcnr. In any case you should endeavour to go for a run or indulge in some similar fast acrivity at lcast once a wcck.

With cach cxcrcisc is givcn dctails of making it progrcssivcly morc diflicult. Grcat attention should be paid to this as it is only by making incrcasine dcmands upon thc body that you will improvc and strengthen it. As soon as you find you arc able to incrcasc the number of repetitions or start on a harder grade, do so, but do bc surę that you can do the easicr gradc.cfficicntly first.