In a group the leader constantly cautions the men
as to carelessness or slackness. The individual
having no leader must always keep his mind fixed upon
the exact way in which his exercises should be performed.
When he puts his hands behind his head in “Neck
Firm” or “Head” he must keep his
elbows back and his head up, while the chest should
be arched. When he bends forward in the prone
position he must not allow his head to droop.
When he raises his knees in alternate motions he must
bring his knees well up. When he does the exercise
of leaning up against the wall, by means of the extended
arm and hand, he must keep the distance far enough
from the wall to bring about a certain amount of real
effort by the hand, arm, and shoulder. And so
it goes. It is for this reason that all the exercises
are so carefully described and the method and manner
of walking, marching, or “hiking” receive
so much attention.
In a book recently published by one of the highest
authorities on hygiene in the country, the following
statements are made, statements which would prove
of especial interest to those of us who have had the
pleasure of being members of that “exclusive
official Washington club,” or of the Senior
Service:
The problem of the mental worker is
to get sufficient physical exercise to keep the
mind and body at its maximum efficiency. This
problem gets more and more acute as he gets older.
The amount of work necessary to keep the man
of sedentary habits in good condition is about
100 to 150 foot-tons. Five hundred foot-tons is
the amount of work a soldier would perform by
marching twenty miles at three miles an hour
on a level road.
It is a fallacy to think that sufficient
exercise can be taken once a week. In order
to be efficient exercise must be regular and at relatively
short intervals. All exercise should tend toward
using all of the muscles of the body. In
fatigue a person has lost control over his muscles.
The process of getting into condition, therefore,
is directed more toward strengthening the nervous system
in its control work over the muscles rather than
in increasing sheer muscular strength.
Pure creative mental work, although
requiring no out-put of physical energy, is perhaps
the most productive of fatigue. The brain
gets more blood during physical activity and waste
products are much better removed. The effects
of exercise are particularly apparent in the
lungs. More fresh air is brought to the lungs
and the waste products are driven off.
An attainable minimum for the average
adult person might well consist of taking simple
exercises in his room, and to get out of doors
once a day and walk rapidly for at least half an hour.
In addition, it is desirable for any one up to
fifty years of age to take some kind of moderately
violent exercise at least once a week. This
