When the woman rides astride, the body is held erect and in a natural position, and she sits much more firmly on her horse and, if not corsetted, it becomes an exhilarating and delightful form of exercise. The best results will probably be found in a neurasthenic class of women, who are not strong enough to take more active exercise, and for them it will be of decided therapeutic value to both mind and body.
Rowing.—This is one of the most beneficial of exercises; it has the advantages of scenery, freedom from dust, and companionship; it exercises equally both sides of the body and most of the muscles. It is an excellent exercise for strength, rapidity, and endurance.
In correct and graceful rowing there is a pendulum-like movement from the hips. The rower should sit with the trunk fully extended, the head up, the eyes to the front, the chest thrown forward, and the weight of the trunk equally distributed upon the two sides of her seat. The feet rest against the stretcher, the two hands should be near together, and should be held symmetrically at an equal distance from the body.
Stretching.—The body and extended arms are brought forward as far as possible. The spinal column should be kept extended, not bent so as to make a crooked back, and the trunk should be thrown forward from the hip-joints. When the stretch has reached its forward limit, the oar is dipped into the water just far enough to cover it; then immediately the pull begins, and it must be continued evenly to the end.
The Pull.—The body rises erect from the hips and swings backward. The hands should not reach the front of the chest until the body has passed the perpendicular and is sinking back. When the pull is finished, the hands are dropped and suddenly bent toward the wrists. This lifts the oar out of the water, and keeps its lower surface parallel with it; during the stretching forward, the oar is kept parallel with the water, so that it has not much resistance from the air.
The muscles brought chiefly into play are the long muscles of the back in the backward swing, and the abdominal muscles in the forward swing. But the muscles of the pelvis, thighs, and legs all have to work, likewise the muscles of the arms, chest, and shoulders. And it is one of the best exercises for developing the lungs and chest, as well as of strengthening the heart. Fatigue will be felt most in the muscles of the legs, hips, and arms, but the exertion is so well distributed that it causes much less fatigue than would otherwise be the case.
Athletic Sports.—Athletic sports possess three distinct advantages—they are played out-of-doors, and give an incentive to taking the proper amount of exercise; they are all team games, and so develop the social and coöperative spirit; and last, but by no means least, they afford a great deal of amusement and real recreation.
Formal and systematic gymnastics are essential for the development of the body and the correction of its defects; out-of-door exercise is excellent, but the solitary walk, climb, swim, or row leaves much to be desired, while in walking especially the mind is free to pursue the same trains of thought which with it was occupied at the desk, and so it fails to be properly refreshing to the mind and body. Whereas in all athletic sports the ego has to be pushed into the background, with all its interests; the day’s work left behind, and the entire attention concentrated on the play. This is a very distinct advantage to the individual.
Women at all ages take themselves and life too seriously. This is in all probability due to a defective early education; between the long school hours, home study, housework, and sewing, they had neither time nor opportunity to cultivate a love for play and games, and so the play instinct was not developed, and if not developed in youth, the chances are that it never will be. In middle and advanced age, when the stress and storm are at their height, nothing is so sure a restorative to overtaxed brains and overwrought nerves as games, sports, and a love of fun.
As a result of our unnatural mode of life in youth, it has come to pass that American women especially have been defrauded out of their birthright of the love of games and sports. Athletic games and sports are as essential to a scheme of education as are reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Other distinct advantages accruing to athletic games are that here the individual becomes acquainted with her powers and weaknesses. In formal gymnastics the movements follow each other in a regular sequence, through lines already carefully laid out; in games, on the contrary, no two plays or combination of plays are exactly alike. One can never tell what her opponent is going to do, and yet what one’s opponent does is so vital to the success or failure of the game that the player must decide quickly and accurately how that move in the game can best be met, so that intense concentration, quickness, alertness, prolonged attention, self-control, and even self-sacrifice are called for, for in the team game the individual interests must be submerged, in order that the side may win; and so the individual power, sense of responsibility, and an esprit de corps are developed, in a manner almost impossible in the same degree in any other way.
The principal outdoor games for women are croquet, lawn-tennis, hockey, golf, hand-ball, basket-ball, baseball, boxing, and fencing.
Croquet.—Of all these games, croquet is the mildest, and for that reason is a good beginning game for a woman who has always led a sedentary life, or for a woman who has become enfeebled through serious illness. It is also an excellent game for old age.
To be beneficial and not detrimental, the exercise must be very gradually increased, both in the length of time occupied and in the vigor of the movements. The muscles must be slowly built up and improved in tone, the lungs developed, and the heart strengthened.
Another advantage of croquet is that it is inexpensive and requires a limited amount of ground.
Lawn-tennis.—Tennis is a much more violent exercise than croquet, and is a game for young people and youth. Now, as to just what constitutes youth: it is altogether a question of the condition of the arteries, heart, and muscular system, and is not a question of years per se.
The game is moderately expensive; played with four, it is not at all violent. It is an excellent game for social purposes, and can be kept up until late in life, but it cannot be begun late in life. It has just the proper amount of variety, activity, and endurance to suit hundreds of people for whom croquet would be too mild, and for whom ball-games would be too severe.
Golf.—Golf is deservedly a very popular game at all ages. Perhaps the greatest drawback for the city dweller is the inaccessibility of the golf links and the great expense of the game.
It combines scenery, walking for several miles, some hill climbing, and a considerable amount of exercise for the right side of the body, particularly for the right arm, and the muscles of the right side of the back and chest. The great drawback, from the physical standpoint, is an overdevelopment of the muscles of the right side of the body, which, in the majority of people, are already better developed than those of the left side; the muscles of the left side of the body are brought very slightly into play.
While the distinct advantages of the game are combined with walking, the healthy body swings, the accuracy needed in making the drives, the distance of the drives, the variety of implements as well as of stroke, and many other features, and, further, it is a game that keeps one pleasantly employed in a company of one’s choosing for several hours.
Hockey.—Hockey is among the finest of games for most young people, and should rank at least third among games. It has most of the advantages of foot-ball, and many of the advantages of cricket. It involves a considerable amount of running and a great deal of real sport and fun.
Basket-ball.—This is another of the most popular games for young people, and possesses in a very great degree all the advantages of a team game. The confidence that follows a successful throw proves of considerable value, unless it leads to the carelessness of overconfidence. Faith in the ability to get out of a desperate situation in the tossing increases with success. This leaves the attention imperturbed, and one does not go to pieces. According to Mosso, movements develop the brain, and it has been repeatedly noticed that intelligence in animals increases with the increased motility of their extremities.
FOOTNOTES:
[8] Superintendent of Dancing, New York Public Schools.