IN childhood, habits are easily formed - good and bad. Why not then concentrate on the formation of only good habits and thus avoid the necessity later on in life of attempting to correct bad habits and substituting for them good habits - oftentimes impossible even when the physical exertion is accompanied by equally strenuous mental efforts.
Therefore, it is of paramount importance that the child be taught the major principles of "Balance of Body and Mind." In other words, the proper development of body and mind, through the new science of "Contrology," is what must he taught the child.
Generally speaking. physical culture methods employed in our schools today may appeal to the uninformed laymen, but to one who has a knowledge of the subject, as I have, they would be amusing were it not for the fact that they are deplorable in their efforts.
In classroom and gymnasium alike (invariably either overcrowded or inadequately ventilated or both), we see children exercising a few minutes daily as a matter of routine.
Few children understand the significance of these insignificant movements of their arms, legs and body, and only a very few exercise with vigor.
The great majority mechanically exercise without mental concentration - an utter waste of time and effort. Such exercising leads to false conceptions and conclusions in adult life highly detrimental to the ultimate welfare of the grown-up child.
Before any real benefit can be derived from physical exercises, one must first learn how to breathe properly - this all-important function requires individual instruction, not only by precept but by example.
It is wholly insufficient to tell the individual to inhale and to exhale. To learn to breathe properly is really more difficult an accomplishment than the average (uninformed) person realizes. Moreover, there are comparatively few teachers who understand the art of correct breathing and who are capable of instructing others in the art.
"Carriage of the Body" is freely preached, but what the correct carriage of the body is, is not understood.
One constantly hears the expressions "heads up" and "shoulders back." In the effort to throw the shoulders back, the individual hollows his back too much (bow-like) and forces his shoulder blades against his spine, and most harmful of all protrudes his stomach.
That the instructions themselves are unnatural and without benefit, is of secondary importance to the fact that they are dangerous to one's health, which is of primary importance.
What really is desired, is not the backward throw of the shoulders as previously indicated, but rather the simultaneous drawing in of the stomach and the throwing out of the chest.
The average child (uninformed) when standing, hands in pocket, abdomen protruding, shoulders stooped forward, legs too far back, joints locked and feet at the wrong angle, is not being benefited by this condition as all of these postures, of course, are not conducive to forming good habits but are responsible for bowlegs, knock-knees and later on, flat feet.
Were the child in the first instance, taught the difference between right and wrong, he would naturally avoid what is wrong and follow what is right. Particularly in the matter of breathing, is this early instruction of vital importance.
In their normal (natural) condition, children do not need the stimulus of artificial exercise. Unfortunately, however, children born to live under the influence of the artificialities, require a special course in mind training in order that they may consciously control their bodily movements until the good habits formed become subconscious routine acts.
The first lesson is that of correct breathing.
Children must be taught how to take long, deep breaths, sufficient to expand the upper chest to capacity. They must be properly instructed how to draw the abdomen in and out at the same time holding their breath for a short time. Then they should also learn how properly to fully deflate the lungs in exhaling.
To properly deflate the lungs is an art in itself and this final step in correct breathing is least understood. As a rule, it is seldom, if ever, properly taught unless the individual is privately coached by one who understands what it really is all about.
Correct breathing exercises under the dominance of mental control, would undoubtedly accomplish more toward the prevention of tuberculosis as well as accomplish more toward attaining and maintaining maximum health standards, than all other remedies combined.
The lungs cannot be completely deflated at first without considerable effort. With perseverance, however, the desired results can be accomplished and with increasing power, gradually and progressively develop the lungs to their maximum capacity. That will actually cause the chest to "balloon" and at the same time bring practically every other muscle of the entire system into play. Thus the child's posture will then be normal (natural).
With proper breathing and correct posture, the child has no need for artificial exercise. Walking, running, jumping, tumbling, climbing, wrestling, etc., are natural exercises calculated by Mother Nature to develop her children normally.
The law of natural exercise precludes the hobby idea altogether in the matter of exercise, unless one is really and seriously desirous of not seeking symmetrical development of one's body.
For instance, the left side of the body must not be developed while the right side of the body is wholly neglected.
The law of natural exercises recognizes "companion" or reciprocal movements in the normal development of the body.
Here we have four photographs showing the correct way to breathe - two side poses and two front views of natural breathing. Note in each the chest at the point of inhaling and when exhaling. The first is the inhale movement, the second, the exhale movement.
For example, if a series of natural movements call for a definite number of forward bends, then this series should be repeated by a definite number of backward bends and so on, ad libitum.
"Hardening" of the body is another most important consideration in the matter of its proper and normal (natural) development.
Correct clothing plays a leading role in this regard. Children, if left to follow their own natural inclinations, without restraint, will not hesitate to discard unnecessary garments. In fact, the fewer the clothes, the better they like it.
The more active one is in outdoor physical recreation activities, the less need there is for unnecessary clothing. Children seldom, if ever, contract colds under such circumstances, but the moment these activities cease, nature prompts them to seek the necessary clothing protection to avoid chills.
Children should be permitted to exercise in the open air irrespective of normal weather conditions, barring storms and severely cold spells, because the open air is Nature's tonic that strengthens their bodies naturally and "hardens" them accordingly.
If the child comes home from play complaining of feeling a chill, or cold, it should be given a good hot and cold shower and, after a little rest, sent out again to rejoin its playmates so that its body may gradually and progressively become accustomed to its natural regime.
Many are the sins committed by uninformed persons in following false theories and methods for accomplishing this highly desirable result. The more natural and simple the method, the better.
Experience has taught us that it is the part of wisdom to practice very early in life exposing the young child's nude body to the air and sun as much as possible. No restrictions should be placed upon natural exercises so long as their indulgence does not indicate danger to health and life.
Much of the child's welfare depends upon cleanliness of the skin. Water should be freely used. Hot shower baths followed by gradually cooler and cooler temperature until the water is cold, has a most beneficial and exhilarating effect, especially when the body is briskly "massaged" (at the beginning) with a soft brush to be later on discarded for a harder one.
Soap should be used only occasionally as when the body is covered with perspiration. In all other instances, the brush massaging answers the purpose. This system of skin treatment not only is responsible for its soft texture and pink glow, but by removing all the soap residue lodged in the pores of the skin, opens these pores, thus permitting them to function naturally and eliminating the cause of colds.
Children should also be taught when washing or taking a tub or shower bath, to cup some water in the hollow of one hand and while holding one nostril closed, with the other hand, snuff this water up in the other free nostril, expel it by pressing both nostrils slightly, and repeat for the other nostril.
In this connection, if the water is permitted to enter the throat and ejected through the mouth, the throat and mouth are cleansed and kept in a healthy condition and gradually immunized against disease. These simple suggestions, if properly followed, would prevent the majority, if not all of our nose, mouth and ear ailments.
The above plate shows some of the many models developed by the author to insure correct posture and to rest the body perfectly. A chair for every purpose - from the kindergarten child to the aged adult suffering from the physical ailments so prevalent in old or middle age from the effects of bad posture and lack of exercises.
