PHYSICAL FITNESS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19695, 23 January 1926, Page 21

PHYSICAL FITNESS.

NEGLECT OF THE ABDOMEN A LESSON FROM SAVAGES. MR F. A. HORNIBROOK’S LATEST BOOK. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, December 11. On the principle that you cannot have too much of a good thing Air F. A. Hornibrook has published another volume in which ho stresses the need for tho cultivatipn of the abdominal muscles. In bis first book “The Culture of the Abdomen,” which has had .a great success, ho showed how civiliseu people have no substitute for the dances of primitive races, and ho suggested a simple set of exercises which would make up for this serious deficiency. In tho present work —“Physical Fitness in Middle _ Life,” ho elaborates the same theme ,and in doing so there is no doubt that he is conferring upon tho community an inestimable boon. . In his foreword Dr Leonard Williams says: “I most firmly believe that a general adoption of the methods for preserving and re-educating the abdominal muscles which are set forth in this book would lead to an enormous increase in the capacity of the individual to resist morbid influences and a proportionate decrease in the incidence of declared disease.” Sir William Arbuthnot Lane C. 8., writing in. the Christmas number of T.P.’s Weekly, makes the remarkable, statement that Mr Homibrook’s system, by preventing chronic intestinal stasis will prevent cancer. “His new system of physical exercise, based on the native dance movements, is fundamentally sound in theory and in practice, and he will help ns to do for our body what every sound stateman is trying to help us do for our land—bring it into cultivation. . . . By encouraging tho practice of Air Hornibrook’s simple exercises we are bringing tho means of health to the door of ©very normal man, woman, and child.’’ No greater commendation of the system seems possible. AIODERN ATHLETICS. Mr Hornibrook maintains that, under the present system of athletic training tho exathloto is frequently obese, constipated, or flabby, and from tho general standpoint of good health is often no better off than the average man who has never engaged in active athletics. He suggests a number of causes for this: Tho discontinuance of muscular exercise in later lift!; tho habit of over-eating acquired during strenuous training and continued during non-train-ing; the practical cessation of sweating in later life, though this occurred freely in active athletic life- tho increased alcohol drinking in later life; prolonged constipation; and neglect’ of fresh air. 'tile author attributes the failure of the European system of physical ciQrci.se to a craze for over, specialisation and subdivision, and a notion that some parts of the human body are objectionable or indecent, and from these parts attention has boon wilfully distract.cn —that is, from tho lower half of the trunk, which contains some of tbe most important parts of the human body. Wo have left tho abdominal and pelvic regions to take car© nf themselves. HEALTH AMONG THE MAORIS. “Not merely did some native races know what kind of exorcises were most beneficial,” tyrites the author, “but highly developed natives, such as the New Zealand Maori.' knew also tho best order in which to perform them. Speaking generally, that order is as follows; —(I) Vibration —to loosen up the body: (2) breathing exorcises—to ensure clean’blood to tho muscles; (3) waist movements—to stir up the viscera and promole evacuation; (4) vibration—to ensure relaxation and rest.” DAILY EFFORT. “Native health and efficiency was not something the natives inherited, but somctliing they acquired: somethin" which they maintained by daily effort. Tho same results, therefore, can bo achieved to-day by all normal civilised men —old and young, weak and strong. Of course, wo have, not, the time, and some of us have not ihe strength, to do native dances for several hours daily; but in suitable tabloid exercise form it is quite possible for us to apply the principles expressed in those dances, and hence to benefit our health and improve our physical efficiency • to become better men in every way.” Mr Hornibrook docs not devote his book entirely to the cultivation of the abdominal muscles. He considers in some detail the average physical life of the middlo-agod man. A chapter on day-time drowsiness and over-eating is a reminder that many of the ills of life arise from a drifting carelessness in daily habits, 'I he author also has some arresting things to say on such subjects as repose, happy homes, tired feet, tight collars, hard hats, and niis-spent holidays—a strange medley, but subjects which have nn important bearing on tho general well-being of the race. BLOCKED DRAINS. “Every man should own an automatic machine- his own body. His body will be “automatic” if he feeds it properly, rests it properly, and exercises it properly,” Finally, tho author is much to tho point in the following • “Every sufferer thinks' lie is unique, and describes his mental symptoms to his family doctor, hoping against hope that ho won’t bo sent to a brain specialist. When tho diagnosis is given as ‘blocked drains’ the patient docs not know whether to he more relieved because his groundless fears of insanity have been dissipated or more annoyed because the site of intere' ■ has been shifted from tbe brains to the bowels. When a man fears he is going insane in thq upper story and is told ho is only insanitary in the lower story, tho shook may _bc unpleasant, but to an intelligent man it, is wholesome, and soon ho is ca tho road to health.”