(19) Same position as before, but hands on hips or clasped in back.  Raise upper part of body without assistance from hands or arms.

(20) Rocking chair motion: 

Sit on a mat or bed, legs straight, arms at side.  Recline so that the upper part of the body almost touches the mat, at the same time swinging the legs upward.  Return to original position and repeat without any pause between the movements, rocking back and forth until slightly tired.

As you get stronger, clasp the hands behind the head.  As a variation, rock with the knees bent, hands clasped below them.

Special Exercises for Reducing Flesh and

Strengthening the Abdominal Organs

(21) Lie flat on stomach, heels and toes together, hands stretched out in front.  Fling head and arms upward, at the same time raising the legs, knees straight.  Avoid straining.

(22) Same position, hands clasped on back, feet together.  Roll from side to side.

(23) Lie flat on back, seize a bar (bed rail or rung of chair) just behind the head.  Keeping the feet close together, raise the legs as high as possible, then swing them from side to side.  As a variation, swing legs in a circle without flexing the knees.

(24) Same position.  Raise and lower the legs up and down without letting them touch the floor, keeping the knees straight.

(25) Lie flat on the back, fold the hands loosely across the stomach.  Raise and lower the upper body without quite touching the floor.

(26) Stand erect, heels together, arms raised above the head.  Bend forward and downward, endeavoring to place the palms of the hands on the floor in front of the body without flexing the knees.  Return slowly to original position and repeat.

(27) Stand erect, hands on hips.  Keeping the body motionless from the hips downward, sway the upper part of the body from side to side and forward and backward, and in a circle to right and left.

(28) Stand erect, raise the arms above the head.  Rotate the trunk upon the hips with extended arms, bending as far as possible in each direction, but avoiding undue strain.  These are strenuous movements and should not be carried to excess or performed very long at a time.

Physical Exercises for Invalids

Persons who are very weak and unable to be on their feet for any length of time need not, for this reason, forego the benefits to be derived from systematic physical exercise.

A low chair, with straight or very lightly curved back and no arms, or a rocking chair of similar construction with a wedge placed under the rockers in such a manner as to keep the chair steady at a suitable angle, is well adapted to the practice of a number of corrective movements, such as rotating of hips and waist, forward and sideward bending of the trunk, the various arm and neck exercises, bending and twisting of feet and toes, the internal massage (Exercise Number 12) and “Breathing Exercises to be Taken in Bed,” in previous Chapter.