Sex efficiency through exercises : special physical culture for women / by Th. H. van de Velde ; [photos, by E. Steinemann].

adolescence must be very carefully individualised, and modified or accentuated according to personal needs in each case. The action of the pectoralis major on the thorax in general, interests us less, however, than its effect on the mammary gland which it supports. The breasts are linked to the muscles by connective tissue, and as long as the attachment is not excessively loosened, their position or " set," whether high or low, depends on the pectoralis major. I am even inclined to suppose that physical culture attaches the glands and muscles more closely and over a greater area, even though this cannot be proved by anatomical demonstration. The accuracy of the observation of women experts in physical culture that they " can feel the action of the muscle quite distinctly right inside the gland " cannot simply be dismissed as groundless. Moreover, I have heard from the same quarters that, when these exercises are performed nude, the interaction of the muscles on the mammary glands is perfectly perceptible. It is, at least, certain that breasts firmly and closely attached to the pectorals beneath them, rise and move with the supporting muscles. Etna Glasmer and Rud. Amersbach (39) show various admirably successful photographs in which muscles and breast appear as though chiselled from one piece of marble. We must, therefore, aim at increasing the taut and close connection between glandular and muscular tissues in this region both by developing the pectoralis major and by preventing undue strain on the attachment through swollen and pendulous breasts. We append descriptions of various exercises to develop the pectoralis major. In selecting them at the suggestion of Mrs. Lisa Mar, we have started with the assumption that the main need here is not control of tension and relaxation, but increased muscular development and tone. The most suitable exercises are, therefore, those which involve resistance, whether exerted by the instructress, or by the patient, actually or subjectively. The most effective are those with an element of rebound ; uniting rapidity with the overcoming of resistance ; these have much greater results than any breathing movements.