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

(d) Practise simultaneously with one arm forwards and one sideways. (e) Having fully mastered both ground theme and varia- tions of this exercise, the following extended version may be tried. As the hand rests on the shoulder, the shoulder should be rolled backward and upward with a rotatory movement and the exercise repeated from the beginning. This modi- fication of the exercise is especially helpful and tonic* (31) Arm Stretching with Towel. Stand upright in the first position. Then let the arms hang at full length, grasping both ends of a firmly rolled towel—or strip of strong cloth—from above, and so that the knuckles are nearer the body than the towel. Now raise the arms, still stretched at full length and grasping the ends of the taut towel, slowly above the head and then lower them behind the back, as far as possible. During these movements, the arms must be at full stretch, and this is not always easy at first with a towel 80 cm. long. Inhale while lifting, exhale while lowering the arms. Then raise them again, drawing in the breath, till they are above the head, and breathe out as they are lowered, in front, to their first attitude. The correct performance of this exercise demands repeated and regular practice. The towel should be grasped at shorter lengths every time, so that the hands draw closer and ever closer together. This promotes shoulder action and strengthens the local muscles. (32) Rebound Exercise. (a) First position, as in preceding exercise. Both arms * I have been told by critics, more expert perhaps in theory than in practice, that in variations {a) to (d) of Exercise 30, neither the shoulder muscles nor the pectoralis major is sufficiently exerted, and that, therefore, variations (a) to (d) are merely supplementary and accessory. This objection is not valid. Both pectoralis major and shoulder blades take a vigorous share in the movements of this exercise. Thus it may be seen that a slightly pendulous breast—so long as it is not irreparably deformed—is lifted and tautened as the arms move, so that, for the moment, its defect ceases to be perceptible. Moreover, these special variations, 30 (a) to (d), generally tire the shoulder blades so that they feel the effects after the lapse of twenty-four hours,