PHYSICAL EXERCISE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLII, Issue 9594, 31 August 1921, Page 6

PHYSICAL EXERCISE.

MAINTENANCE OF HEALTH. '■ NEED FOR PROPER CURRICULUM IN SCHOOLS. Of great interest was a lecture oil • *x'ii^ sica.l jiixemse," uehverect m, tteumgtou recently by ut i±. J. jj.oJL.eaii, CB.JUi.j under the auspices gl tue i\ew Zealand. .Branch oi the x*rrtmli Keel Cross toociety and Order ot tot. John. Colonel <i. F. C. Campbell, C.M.G., wlio presided, said that England was die a|jostle m outdoor exercises, Germany m indoor exercises, and m l'rance tliere was a Minister ot bport. "l hope we will haye one here some day," he added. jjr. McLean produced comprehensive charts which illustrated his lecture. He said that the aim of exercises was to maintain good health, with a. combination of intellectual and physical power. Training m physical exercises could be traced back to eaxliest times. The Olympic Games were one of the most famous, and their fall was due to the growing cult of professional athletes. The Spartans, also, had splendid exercises, the system of which brought physical strength to a very high pitch. With the Konians, physical training was essentially to prepare a youth for the bearing of arms. In England, m the fourteenth century, a large number of games were prohibited, notably . football, tennis, and skittles. This was done to encourage archery. The lecturer outlined the method of blood circulation, and actions of the -body. The muscles used m most exercises were "voluntary" muscles,, ones not attached absolutely to the bone. Skill, however, depended on nerve rather than muscle ; and the same applied to strength. , A muscle was no use without nerve impulse; and by ' that it could be seen how important was development of the nervous system. Exercise increased the amount of waste material m the system, and therefore the heart was taxed. But by gradual exercise the muscles of the heart would be strengthened. Weightlifting, he thought, was the most extremely exacting exercise. Development m Youth. Exercise, he continued, would also | develop the lungs. The time for such development was youth. Deep breathing, without exertion, was not much good, although the elasticity of the chest was developed. The chief good done by deep-breathing was the moving of the diaphragm, and its action on the liver and other internal organs. Breathing should be done through the nose. "Extensive exercise loses its object," he said, "if a person becomes muscle bound. That was the defect m the Sandow system, which certainly produced great muscles. I saw Sandow, and I thought that any of our fit footballing schoolboys would have taken him over the Makara hills and lost him!" Excessive use of nervous energy produced ' 'stale uess." That was wiry athletes always "let up" before the supreme effort. Late hours, excess o°f tobacco and alcohol, and insufficient sleep tended to impair nervous energy. Dr. McLean classified exercises under the headings: (1) Without apparatus ; (2) with apparatus ; (3) natural exercises (walking, running: and swimming). The first was the Swedish system, but it did not give the pupil any chance of originality. Each movement was done by word of command. An exhibition of these exercises was given by a party of school ■ girls from Wellington Girls' College, (under Miss Whish.) Exercises given were : Arch flexion (depletion), heaving, balance, dorsal, abdominal, lateral marching and running, jumping and finishing. Introductory exercises, explained the lecturer, consisted of exercises to promote circulation. The arch flexion exercises were difficult, exercising specially the muscles of the chest. "Heaving" promoted correct carriage by cultivating the power of the muscles' that expanded the chest. "Balance" exercise employed all the muscles which created correct carriage. Dorsal exercise employed all the muscles of the bf ck and spine, and gave power to maintain a correct attitude. From inability to do this spinal deformities sometimes occurred. Abdominal exercises, as demonstrated, developed the muscles of the waist and thigh, and counteracted any tendency to hollow back, also stimulating the digestive organs. Lateral exercises developtd the muscles' of the thieh and spine, also the abdominal "oblique" muscles, assisted to correct spinal curvatures. In running, also, all the muscles of the body were exercised. The , jumping exercises could well be replaced by dancing and skipping, although high jumping was not a beneficial exercise for women. The "finishing" exercise was deep-breath-ing, to quieten down the system after the exercises. That wa« the system, and it was certainly beneficial. Work With Apparatus. The lecturer dealt shortly with gymnastic apparatus, and springs and pulley arrangements. He said that there was no royal road to learning, and apparatus work, had to be done consistently. All exercises should be recreationary. Of late years there has been a tendency to too many competitions. The sport was not benefited by cup-chasing. "I am glad to think that some headmasters have objected to their teams travelling too much," added Dr. McLean. The lecturer also dealt with remedial exercises for such defects as flat feet and spinal curvature. In conclusion, lie contended (a) r that a certain amount of exercise was good for both sexes; (b) that there should be a definite curriculum m schools; (c) that when the size of the' school permitted, thei<e should be on the staff a trained games master or mistress ; (d) that all teachers m smaller schools should have ~a knowledge of exercises ; . (c) ..that playgrounds should be made to the greatest posible extent. "Then we would produce . a stronger, healthier, and happier race," he said. Dr. McLean was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.