Gymnastics

the technical term used to designate any system of exercises specially designed to promote the development of physical, and especially of muscular powers. Such exercises a be either general or special. Special exercises are those designed to train particular muscles, thus in singing or playing on musical instruments the muscles of the mouth and chest, and of the hand and arm, are specially exercised. Gymnastics proper consist in exercises designed to promote muscular development without regard to the particular uses to which the developed power may be applied. It may be remarked in pa ing, that singing, dancing, violin-playing, billiards, cricket, football, bowling, rowing, military exercises, and similar amusements, afford means of physical education or development all the more valuable that it is acquired insensibly, and that such pursuits are more likely to be persevered in than any set of formal exercises which have no interest in themselves. The special value of formal gymnastic exercises is that they are capable of being scientifically arranged so as to gecure not only a general development of muscular power, but what is of even greater value, an accurate knowledge of the uses of the various muscles, contributing to the economy of muscular power on which health as well as succe ful exertion depends, and especially that they are capable of being applied to each individual case, so as to meet, allow for, and as far as po ible overcome defects in physical organization. For these purposes an elementary course of gymnastics is of great value to all, especially to the sedentary student. The first or elementary stage of gymnastics, which should be practised by children of both sexes, consists in regular series of simple muscular movements without instruments; a uming poses or attitudes, saluting, making various flexures of the arms, legs, or body, rising on the toes, marching, ete. These exercises are performed at first slowly and carefully, afterward rhythmically to_ the word of command or the sound of music, such “musical drill” being now very common in schools, It is said that by a well regulated course of such exercises, without any acce ories whatever, the strength of a boy may ‘be doubled. These exercises form a ‘nece ary ye ee for the gymnasium, in which, by means of complete apparatus and appliances, all the muscles of the body are regularly trained to their full a Gymnasiums are fitted with such appliances as horizontal and parallel bars, trapezes hung from the roof, vaulting horses, ladders set horizontally and otherwise, climbing ropes and poles, weights to be raised by pulleys and ropes, besides such things as dumb-bells, bar-bells, Indian clubs, ete. There are now also pulling apparatus which may be fixed up in private houses and form a useful means of exercise at home. A gymnasium training is most effective when conducted by an experienced master. In default of this there are many useful little treatises which explain the various kinds of apparatus and give detailed directions for their use.