At the command raise, raise the arms to the front smartly, extended to their full length, till the hands are in front of and at the height of the shoulders, palms down, fingers extended and joined, thumbs under forefingers. At Arms, DOWN, resume position of attention.
1. Arms upward 2. RAISE, 3. Arms, 4. DOWN. Fig. 2.
At the command raise, raise the arms from the sides, extended to their full length, with the forward movement, until they are vertically overhead, backs of hands turned outward, fingers as in 1.
This position may also be assumed by raising the arms laterally until vertical. The instructor cautions which way he desires it done.
1. Arms backward, 2. CROSS, 3. Arms, 4. DOWN. Fig. 3.
At the command cross, the arms are folded across the back; hands grasping forearms.
1. Arms to thrust, 2. RAISE, 3. Arms, 4. DOWN. Fig. 4.
At the command raise, raise the forearms to the front until horizontal, elbow forced back, upper arms against the chest, hands tightly closed, knuckles down.
1. Hands on hips, 2. PLACE, 3. Arms, 4. DOWN. Fig. 5.
At the command place, place the hands on the hips, the finger tips in line with trouser seams; fingers extended and joined, thumbs to the rear, elbows pressed back.
Combination of arm exercises
1. Arms to thrust, 2. RAISE, 3. THRUST ARMS FORWARD; SWING THEM SIDEWARD, FORWARD, AND BACK TO POSITION.
Four counts; repeat 8 to 10 times.
The arms are thrust forward, then relaxed and swung sideward, then forward and finally brought back to position, pressing elbows well to the rear; execute moderately fast; exhale on the first and third and inhale on the second and fourth counts.
837. As has been stated previously, the setting-up exercises form the basis upon which the entire system of physical training in the service is founded. Therefore too much importance can not be attached to them. Through the number and variety of movements they offer it is possible to develop the body harmoniously with little if any danger of injurious results. They develop the muscles and impart vigor and tone to the vital organs and assist them in their functions; they develop endurance and are important factors in the development of smartness, grace, and precision. They should be assiduously practiced. The fact that they require no apparatus of any description makes it possible to do this out of doors or even in the most restricted room, proper sanitary conditions being the only adjunct upon which their success is dependent. No physical training drill is complete without them. They should always precede the more strenuous forms of training, as they prepare the body for the greater exertion these forms demand.
At the discretion of instructors these exercises may be substituted by others of a similar character. Instructors are cautioned, however, to employ all the parts of the body in every lesson and to suit the exercise as far as practicable to the natural function of the particular part of the body which they employ.
In these lessons only the preparatory command is given here; the command of execution, which is invariably Exercise, and the commands of continuance, as well as the command to discontinue, having been explained are omitted.
Every preparatory command should convey a definite description of the exercise required; by doing so long explanations are avoided and the men will not be compelled to memorize the various movements.
First Series
Position of attention, from at ease and rest.
Starting position, Figs. 1 to 5.
838. 1. Hands on hips, 2. PLACE, 3. QUARTER BEND TRUNK FORWARD.
Two counts; repeat 8 to 10 times, Fig. 6.
The trunk is inclined forward at the waist about 45° and then extended again; the hips are as perpendicular as possible; execute slowly; exhale on first and inhale and raise chest on second count.
By substituting the words half or full for the word quarter in the command, the half bend, Fig. 7, and full bend exercise can be given.
1. Hands on hips, 2. PLACE, 3. BEND TRUNK BACKWARD.
Two counts; repeat 6 to 8 times, Fig. 8.
The trunk is bent backward as far as possible; head and shoulders fixed; knees extended; feet firmly on the ground; hips as nearly perpendicular as possible; in recovering care should be taken not to sway forward; execute slowly; inhale on first and exhale on second count.
1. Hands on hips, 2. PLACE, 3. BEND TRUNK SIDEWARD, RIGHT OR LEFT.
Two counts; repeat 6 to 8 times, Fig. 9.
The trunk, stretched at the waist, is inclined sideward as far as possible; head and shoulders fixed; knees extended and feet firmly on the ground; execute slowly; inhale on first and exhale on second count.
If an additional exercise is desired, by commanding: CIRCLE TRUNK RIGHT or LEFT a combination of the above trunk exercises is obtained.
839. 1. Hands on hips, 2. PLACE, 3. QUARTER BEND KNEES.
Two counts; repeat 8 to 10 times, Fig. 10.
The knees are flexed until the point of the knee is directly over the toes; whole foot remains on ground; heels closed; head and body erect; execute moderately fast, emphasizing the extension; breathe naturally.
By substituting the words half or full for the word quarter in the command the half bend and full bend, Fig. 11, exercises can be given.
1. Hands on hips, 2. PLACE, 3. RAISE KNEE.
Two counts; repeat 10 to 12 times. Fig. 12.
The thigh and knee are flexed until they are at right angles, thigh horizontal: toes depressed; the right knee is raised at one and the left at two; trunk and head erect; execute in cadence of quick time; breathe naturally.
840. 1. Arms to thrust, 2. RAISE, 3. MOVE SHOULDERS FORWARD, UP, BACK, AND DOWN.
Four counts; repeat 8 to 10 times.
The shoulders are relaxed and brought forward; in that position they are raised: then they are forced back without lowering them; and then they are dropped back to position; execute slowly; exhale on the first; inhale on the second and third and exhale on the last count.
841. 1. Arms to thrust, 2. RAISE, 3. TURN HEAD RIGHT, OR LEFT.
Two counts; repeat 6 to 10 times, Fig. 13.
The head, chin square, is turned to the right, or left as far as possible, muscles of the neck being stretched; shoulders remain square; execute slowly: breathe naturally.
To vary this exercise the head may be bent forward and to the rear by substituting the proper commands.
842. 1. Breathing exercise, 2. INHALE, 3. EXHALE.
At inhale the arms are stretched forward overhead and the lungs are inflated; at exhale the arms are lowered laterally and the lungs deflated; execute slowly; repeat four times.
843. 1. Arms backward, 2. CROSS, 3. RISE ON TOES.
Two counts; repeat 8 to 10 times, Fig. 14.
The body is raised smartly until the toes and ankles are extended as much as possible; heels closed; head and trunk erect; in recovering position heels are lowered gently; breathe naturally.
844. This exercise brings into play practically all of the muscles that have been used in the preceding exercises.
1. LEANING REST IN FOUR COUNTS.
Repeat 6 to 8 times, Figs. 15, 16.
| Fig. 15 Fig. 15 | Fig. 16 Fig. 16 |
At one knees are bent to squatting position, hands on the ground between knees; at two the legs are extended backward to the leaning rest; at three the first position is resumed, and at four the position of attention; hands should be directly under shoulders; back arched; knees straight; head fixed; execute moderately fast; breathe naturally.
Walking and Marching
845. The length of the full step in quick time is 30 inches, measured from heel to heel, and the cadence is at the rate of 120 steps per minute.
Proper posture and carriage have ever been considered very important in the training of soldiers. In marching, the head and trunk should remain immobile, but without stiffness; as the left foot is carried forward the right forearm is swung forward and inward obliquely across the body until the thumb, knuckles being turned out, reaches a point about the height of the belt plate. The upper arm does not move beyond the perpendicular plane while the forearm is swung forward, though the arm hangs loosely from the shoulder joint. The forearm swing ends precisely at the moment the left heel strikes the ground; the arm is then relaxed and allowed to swing down and backward by its own weight until it reaches a point where the thumb is about the breadth of a hand to the rear of the buttocks. As the right arm swings back, the left arm is swung forward with the right leg. The forward motion of the arm assists the body in marching by throwing the weight forward and inward upon the opposite foot as it is planted. The head is held erect; body well stretched from the waist; chest arched; and there should be no rotary motion of the body about the spine.
As the leg is thrown forward the knee is smartly extended, the heel striking the ground first.
The instructor having explained the principles and illustrated the step and arm swing, commands: 1. Forward, 2. MARCH—and to halt the squad he commands: 1. Squad, 2. HALT.
In executing the setting-up exercises on the march the cadence should at first be given slowly and gradually increased as the men become more expert; some exercises require a slow and others a faster pace; it is best in these cases to allow the cadence of the exercise to determine the cadence of the step.
The men should march in a single file at proved intervals. The command that causes and discontinues the execution should be given as the left foot strikes the ground.
On the march, to discontinue the exercise, command: 1. Quick time, 2. MARCH, instead of HALT, as when at rest.
All of the arm, wrist, finger, and shoulder exercises, and some of the trunk and neck, may be executed on the march by the same commands and means as when at rest.
The following leg and foot exercises are executed at the command march; the execution always beginning with the left leg or foot.
Double Timing
846. The length of the step in double time is 36 inches; the cadence is at the rate of 180 steps per minute. To march in double time the instructor commands: 1. Double time, 2. MARCH.
If at a halt, at the first command shift the weight of the body to the right leg. At the command march raise the forearms, fingers closed; to a horizontal position along the waist line; take up an easy run with the step and cadence of double time, allowing a natural swinging motion to the arms inward and upward in the direction of the opposite shoulder.
In marching in quick time, at the command march, given as either foot strikes the ground, take one step in quick time, and then step off in double time.
When marching in double time and in running the men breathe as much as possible through the nose, keeping the mouth closed.
A few minutes at the beginning of the setting-up exercises should be devoted to double timing. From lasting only a few minutes at the start it may be gradually increased, so that daily drills should enable the men at the end of five or six months to double time 15 or 20 minutes without becoming fatigued or distressed.
After the double time the men should be marched for several minutes at quick time; after this the instructor should command:
1. Route step, 2. MARCH.
In marching at route step, the men are not required to preserve silence nor keep the step; if marching at proved intervals, the latter is preserved.
To resume the cadence step in quick time, the instructor commands: 1. Squad, 2. ATTENTION.
Great care must be exercised concerning the duration of the double time and the speed and duration of the run. The demands made Upon the men should be increased gradually.
When exercise rather than distance is desired, the running should be done on the balls of the feet, heels raised from the ground.
Double Timing Exercises
While the men are double timing the instructor may vary the position of the arms by commanding:
At the command down, the double-time position for the arms and hands is resumed.
847. The object of these exercises, which may also be performed with wands or bar bells, is to develop the muscles of the arms, shoulders, and back so that the men will become accustomed to the weight of the piece and learn to wield it with that "handiness" so essential to its successful use. When these exercises are combined with movements of the various other parts of the body, they serve as a splendid, though rather strenuous, method for the all-round development of the men. As the weight of the piece is considerable, instructors are cautioned to be reasonable in their demands. Far better results are obtained if these exercises are performed at commands than when they are grouped and performed for spectacular purposes.
All the exercises start from the starting position, which is the low extended arm horizontal position in front of the body, arms straight; the right hand grasping the small of the stock and the left hand the barrel; the knuckles turned to the front and the distance between the hands slightly greater than the width of the shoulders. Fig. 17.
This position is assumed at the command: 1. Starting, 2. POSITION; at the command position the piece is brought to the port and lowered to the front horizontal snappily.
To recover the position of order, command: 1. Order, 2. Arms; the piece is first brought to the port and then to the order.
Rifle Drill Combination
The following exercises consist of four movements, the third position always corresponding to the first position and the fourth to the starting position. When performed as a musical drill, the instructions laid down in that lesson are applicable here.
All exercises begin and end with the first or starting position. Fig. 17.
The form of command is, for example:
(Being at the starting position)
1. First group, 2. FIRST, EXERCISE;
1. Second group, 2. THIRD, EXERCISE;
Etc., Etc.
First Group
848. First Exercise
| Fig. 18 Fig. 18 | Fig. 19 Fig. 19 |
| Counts | |
|---|---|
| 1–2. | Raise piece to bent arm front horizontal, shoulder high, and stride forward right, Fig. 18; |
| 3–4. | Face to the left on both heels and extend piece upward, Fig. 19; |
| 5–6. | Resume first position; |
| 7–8. | Resume starting position. |
| Repeat left, right, left. |
849. Second Exercise
| Fig. 20 Fig. 20 | Fig. 21 Fig. 21 |
| 1–2. | Raise piece to extended high horizontal, and stride sideward right, Fig. 20; |
| 3–4. | Bend right knee and lower piece to left horizontal, Fig. 21; |
| 5–6. | Resume first position; |
| 7–8. | Resume starting position. |
| Repeat left, right, left. |
850. Third Exercise
| Fig. 22 Fig. 22 | Fig. 23 Fig. 23 |
| 1–2. | Raise piece to high side perpendicular on the left, left hand up, and stride backward right, Fig. 22; |
| 3–4. | Face about on heels and swing piece down and up to high side perpendicular on the right, Fig. 23; |
| 5–6. | Resume first position; |
| 7–8. | Resume starting position. |
| Repeat left, right, left. |
851. Fourth Exercise
| Fig. 24 Fig. 24 | Fig. 25 Fig. 25 |
| 1–2. | Raise piece to extended high horizontal, and stride obliquely forward right, Fig. 24; |
| 3–4. | Face about on heels and lower piece to horizontal on shoulders; Fig. 25; |
| 5–6. | Resume first position; |
| 7–8. | Resume starting position. |
| Repeat left, right, left. |
Second Group
852. First Exercise
| Fig. 26 Fig. 26 | Fig. 27 Fig. 27 |
| 1–2. | Lower piece to front extended horizontal and bend trunk forward, Fig. 26; |
| 3–4. | Lunge obliquely forward right and raise piece to right oblique, left hand at shoulder, Fig. 27; |
| 5–6. | Resume first position; |
| 7–8. | Resume starting position. |
| Repeat left, right, left. |
853. Second Exercise
| Fig. 28 Fig. 28 | Fig. 29 Fig. 29 |
| 1–2. | Raise piece to high perpendicular on the left, left hand up, and bend trunk sideward right, Fig. 28; |
| 3–4. | Lunge sideward right and swing piece down and up to right high perpendicular, right hand up, Fig. 29; |
| 5–6. | Resume first position; |
| 7–8. | Resume starting position. |
| Repeat left, right, left. |
854. Third Exercise
| Fig. 30 Fig. 30 | Fig. 31 Fig. 31 |
| 1–2. | Raise piece to high extended arm horizontal and bend trunk backward, Fig. 30; |
| 3–4. | Lunge forward right, and swing piece to side horizontal, left hand to the rear, Fig. 31; |
| 5–6. | Resume first position; |
| 7–8. | Resume starting position. |
| Repeat left, right, left. |
855. Fourth Exercise
| Fig. 32 Fig. 32 | Fig. 33 Fig. 33 |
| 1–2. | Raise piece to right high perpendicular and side step position left, Fig. 32; |
| 3–4. | Lunge sideward left and swing piece to left high perpendicular, Fig. 33; |
| 5–6. | Resume first position; |
| 7–8. | Resume starting position. |
| Repeat left, right, left. |
Third Group
856. First Exercise
| Fig. 34 Fig. 34 | Fig. 35 Fig. 35 |
| 1–2. | Raise piece to front bent horizontal, arms crossed, left over right; lunge sideward right and bend trunk sideward right, Fig. 34; |
| 3–4. | Extend right knee and bend trunk to the left, bending left knee and recrossing arms, left over right, Fig. 35; |
| 5–6. | Resume first position; |
| 7–8. | Resume starting position. |
| Repeat left, right, left. |
857. Second Exercise
| Fig. 36 Fig. 36 | Fig. 37 Fig. 37 |
| 1–2. | Raise piece to bent arm horizontal; face right and lunge forward right and bend trunk forward, Fig. 36; |
| 3–4. | Raise trunk and turn to the left on both heels and extend piece overhead, Fig. 37; |
| 5–6. | Resume first position; |
| 7–8. | Resume starting position. |
| Repeat left, right, left. |
858. Third Exercise
| Fig. 38 Fig. 38 | Fig. 39 Fig. 39 |
| 1–2. | Raise piece to left high horizontal; lunge forward right, Fig. 38; |
| 3–4. | Bend trunk forward and swing piece to extended low horizontal, Fig. 39; |
| 5–6. | Resume first position; |
| 7–8. | Resume starting position. |
| Repeat left, right, left. |
859. Fourth Exercise
| Fig. 40 Fig. 40 | Fig. 41 Fig. 41 |
| 1–2. | Raise piece to high extended horizontal and hop to side straddle position, Fig. 40; |
| 3–4. | Bend trunk forward and swing piece to extended low horizontal, left hand between legs, right hand forward, Fig. 41; |
| 5–6. | Resume first position; |
| 7–8. | Resume starting position. |
| Repeat left, right, left. |
860. These exercises are those in which the benefits are lost sight of in the pleasure their attainment provides, which in the case of these contests is the vanquishing of an opponent. The men are pitted against each other in pairs; age, height, weight, and general physical aptitude being the determining factors in the selection.
In the contests in which superiority is dependent upon skill and agility no restrictions need be placed upon the efforts of the contestants; but in those that are a test of strength and endurance it is well to call a contest a "draw," when the men are equally matched and the contest is likely to be drawn out to the point of exhaustion of one or both contestants.
It is recommended that these contests be indulged in once or twice a month and then at the conclusion of the regular drill.
Contests that require skill and agility should alternate with those that depend upon force and endurance. In order to facilitate the instruction a number of pairs should be engaged at the same time.
1. Cane wrestling: The cane to be about an inch in diameter and a yard long, ends rounded. It is grasped with the right hand at the end, knuckles down, and with the left hand, knuckles up, inside of and close to the opponent's right hand. Endeavor is then made to wrest the cane from the opponent. Loss of grip with either hand loses the bout.
2. Cane twisting. Same cane as in 1. Contestants grasp it as in 1, only the knuckles of both hands are up, and the arms are extended overhead. Object: The contestants endeavor to make the cane revolve in their opponent's hand without allowing it to do so in their own. The cane must be forced down.
3. Cane pulling: Contestants sit on the ground, facing each other, legs straight and the soles of the feet in contact. The cane is grasped as in 2 but close to the feet. Object: To pull the opponent to his feet. The legs throughout the contest must be kept rigid.
4. "Bucked" contest: Contestants sit on the ground "bucked"; i. e., the cane is passed under the knees, which are drawn up, and the arms passed under the cane with the fingers laced in front of the ankles. Object: To get the toes under those of the opponent and roll him over.
5. Single pole pushing: Contestants grasp end of pole, 6 feet long and 2 inches thick, and brace themselves. Object: To push the opponent out of position.
6. Double pole pushing: The poles are placed under the arms close to the arm pits, ends projecting. Object: Same as in 5.
7. Double pole pulling: Position as in 6 but standing back to back. Object: To pull the opponent out of position.
8. "Cock fight": Contestants hop on one leg with the arms folded closely over the chest. Object: by butting with the fleshy part of the shoulder without raising the arms, or by dodging to make the opponent change his feet or touch the floor with his hand or other part of his body.
9. One-legged tug of war: Contestants hop on one leg and grasp hands firmly. Object: To pull the opponent forward or make him place the raised foot on the floor.
10. The "siege": One contestant stands with one foot in a circle 14 inches in diameter, the other foot outside, and the arms folded as in 8. Two other contestants, each hopping on one leg, endeavor to dislodge the one in the circle by butting him with the shoulder. The besieged one is defeated in case he raises the foot in the circle, or removes it entirely from the circle. The besiegers are defeated in case they change feet or touch the floor as in 8. As soon as either of the latter is defeated his place is immediately filled, so that there are always two of them. The besieged should resort to volting, ducking, etc., rather than to depend upon his strength.
11. One-armed tug: Contestants stand facing each other; right hands grasped, feet apart. Object: Without moving feet, to pull the opponent forward. Shifting the feet loses the bout.
12. "Tug royal": Three contestants stand facing inward and grasp each other's wrists securely with their feet outside a circle about three feet in diameter. Object: by pulling or pushing to make one of the contestants step inside of the circle.
13. Indian wrestling: Contestants lie upon the ground face up, right shoulders in close contact, right elbows locked; at one the right leg is raised overhead and lowered, this is repeated at two, and at three the leg is raised quickly and locked with the opponent's right leg. Object: to roll him over by forcing his leg down.
14. Medicine ball race. Teams of five or six men are organized and a track for each team is marked out. This track consists of marks on the floor or ground at distances of 4 yards. On each of these marks stands a man with legs apart, the team forming a column of files. At "ready," "get set," the contestants prepare for the race, and at "go," the first man in the column rolls a medicine ball, which he has on the floor in front of him, through his legs to No. 2, he in turn rolls it to 3, etc., when it reaches the last man he picks it up and runs to the starting place with it and, the others all having shifted back one mark, the rolling is repeated. This continues until the first man brings the ball back to the starting place and every man is in his original position. The ball should be kept rolling: each man, as it comes to him, pushing it on quickly. Any ball about 9 inches in diameter will answer; it may be made of strong cloth and stuffed with cotton waste.