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

CHAPTER VII CERTAIN CONTRAINDICATIONS The exercises already described are not by any means suitable, safe or beneficial to all or any women, at any stage of life, or in any and every state of health. In my opinion, the exercises of the perivaginal muscles for psychological reasons cannot be recommended to un- married women ; or, to put it in more modern terms, to women who are not in a position to express and satisfy their sexual emotions in a socially protected and recognised manner. To draw her attention needlessly to the genital organs may lead to suffering and danger. If a girl has understood and practised general physical culture and attained a certain degree of muscular fitness and control— including general pelvic co-ordination—she will be fully prepared for the perivaginal sections at marriage ; or, preferably, shortly before marriage. And married life will normally increase both her knowledge and her powers in this respect. The physical culture of the pelvic floor in general, includ- ing, of course, relaxation as well as tension, is quite suitable for girls, especially in combination with other movements. They cannot harm the general organism, even if immature, nor perturb the imagination. This is equally true of the exercises of the pelvic zone described and depicted in our Films, with the exception of No. 19 (Film 12, Figs. 21 and 13). This is, in some respects, unique, and we will deal with it presently. The other abdo- minal exercises have been carefully selected and, indeed, con- structed, so that they can do no harm, even during puberty. For they have been adapted with a view to increasing pelvic suppleness and elasticity as a whole and avoiding any excessive wrench or dislocation of the component pelvic