Maintaining Health (Formerly Health and Efficiency)Alsaker, Rasmus Larssen
Science
Maintaining Health (Formerly Health and Efficiency)
Alsaker, Rasmus Larssen
Diet; Hygiene
Many strive to build up a great musculature. This is a mistake, unless
the intention is to become an exhibit for the sake of earning one's
living. Big muscles do not spell health, efficiency and endurance. Even
a dyspeptic may be able to build big muscles. What is needed for the
work of life is not a burst of strength that lasts for a few moments and
then leaves the individual exhausted for the day, but the endurance
which enables one to forge ahead day after day.
It is generally dangerous to build up great muscles, for if the
exercises that brought them into being are stopped, they begin to
degenerate so fast that the system with difficulty gets rid of the
poisons. Then look out for one of the diseases of degeneration, such as
inflammation of the kidneys or typhoid fever.
The great muscles exhibited from time to time upon the variety stage and
in circuses are not normal. Man is the only animal that develops them,
and they are not brought about by ordinary circumstances. Once acquired,
they prove a burden, for they demand much daily work to be kept in
condition.
Good muscles are more serviceable than extraordinary ones. Vigorous
exercise is better than violent exercise. It is well known that many of
our picked athletes, men with great original physical endowment, die
young. The reason is that they have either been overdeveloped, or at
some time they have overtaxed their bodies so in a supreme effort at
vanquishing their opponents that a part of the vital mechanism has been
seriously affected. Then when they settle down to business life they
fail to take good care of themselves and they degenerate rapidly.
Exercising should not be a task, for then it is work. It should be of a
kind that interests and pleases the individual, for then it is
accompanied by that agreeable mental state from which great good will
come to the body. It is necessary for us to think enough of our bodies
to supply them with the activity needed for their welfare and we should
do this with good grace.
Exercise enough to bring the various muscles into play and the heart
into vigorous action. Office workers should take exercises for the part
of the body above the waist, plus some walking each day. All should take
enough exercise to keep the spine straight and pliable. Bending
exercises are good for this purpose, keeping the knees straight and
touching the floor with the fingers. Then bend backward as far as
possible. Then with hands on the hips rotate the body from the waist.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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