First Series

Fig. 1. SHOULDER SWING, forward and backward, four, six, or eight times. Rings at the height of the head. The swing motion is obtained by springing from the floor, and a continued effort of the legs.

Fig. 2. ELBOW SWING, forward and backward, four, six, or eight times. Rings high enough for the body to hang straight, the body being supported by the elbows. Swing the same as in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3. HAND SWING, forward and backward, four, eight, or twelve times. Rings so high that the feet will not touch in swiniging ; with the arms straight.

Fig. 4. HAND SWING SIDEWISE, four, eight, 07 twelve times. Rings same as in the last. The swinging which is sidewise, is carried on by efforts of the legs and arms. This exercise operates happily by enlarging the chest.

Fig. 5. STANDING INCLINATION, forward and back ward, two, four, or eight times. Rings as high as the chest. Seize the rings as shown in the cut. The feet remain at one place, simply turning on the toes as the person falls forward, and on the heels as he falls backward. In falling forward it is well, for beginners especially, to keep the arms in the attitude seen in the cut. The legs must not be bent.

Fig. 6. STANDING INCLINATION SIDEWISE, two, four, or eight times. Rings and grasp the same as in the last. The inclination of the body is exactly to the right and left alternately. The arms remain in the position shown. The body remains inflexible.

Fig. 7. TUNNEL CIRCLING, with Shoulder Support, four, eight, or twelve times. Rings a hand’s breadth below the height of the shoulder. Arms put through the rings; feet do not leave their position. The exercise consists in circling the body around, from left to right and from right to left, the same number of times each way. From all parts of the circle, the body faces in the same direction. The body must not be allowed to bend in the least.

Fig. 8. TUNNEL CIRCLING with land Grasp, two, four, or six times. Rings at the height of the shoulder. The rings being taken in the hands, the circle is larger and the muscular exertion greater. The lower the rings are placed, the greater will be the muscular exertion. The body must not be allowed to turn upon its axis. The arms must be kept bent just as seen in the cut, except at the extreme backward inclination, Figure 9. where they may be allowed to stretch out at their full length for a moment. As in all other similar exercises, the circling must be the same number of times each way.

Fig. 9. FINGER STRETCHED POSITION, one, two, or three times. Rings at the height of the shoulders. One takes his position between them. Hle puts his hands through the rings, spreads the fingers out as far as possible, and brings their back surfaces against the upper part of the rings. Without changing the location of the feet, and with the body kept unbendingly straight, he makes an inclination backward as if he would permit himself to fall. The resistance against the loss of balance comes from the outstretched fingers, which must be so held as to press equally against the ring. This is a difficult exercise at first, but brings the extensors of the fingers into action as nothing else will.

Fig. 10. CHEST STRETCHED POSITION, during two, four, or six inhalations. Rings one foot from the floor. Grasp from the outside as shown in the cut, arms exactly perpendicular. Legs straight, supported on the points of the toes. The rope must touch the shoulder. One hand can be lifted, and the weight of the body supported by one hand, though this exercise belongs to the second series.

Fig. 11. BACK STRETCHED POSITION, during two, four, or six inhalations. Rings same as in the last. Grasp with the spoke grasp from the outside, in such a manner that the rope is brought close behind the shoulder joint, and the shoulders braced against the rope. The ropes perpendicular, while the body is kept rigid, with the chest arched upward.

Fig. 12. SIDE STRETCHI POSITION, during two, four, or six inhalations. Ring still one foot from the floor. The hand seizes the ring on the outside with the spoke grasp, the rope touching the front of the shoulder. Arm exactly perpendicular. Body otherwise just as represented.

Fig. 13. ARM HANG, during one, two, or three inha lations. Rings a little higher than the shoulders. Bend the forearm on the arm, and push the elbows through the ring as far as possible. Hold the body in the position shown in the cut. There should be no swinging.

Fig. 14. SUPPORT HANG, during two, four, or six inhalations. Rings as high as the breast. Hands take hold from the outside with the support grasp. With a little spring the body can be lifted into the position seen in the cut. Beginners, with but little muscle, had better hang the rings no higher than the abdomen. Back straight and rigid. Chest arched forward. Feet locked. Body held still.

Fig. 15. SIDE HAGING, with bending of the Hips, two, obur, or six times. Height of the ring and position of the two arms, the feet and the hips are well shown. The hips are drawn upward and allowed to fall, as suggested in the dotted line.

Fig. 16. PERPENDICULAR FOOT BENDING AND STRETCHING, from the Shoulder Hlang, eight, twelve, or sixteen times. Rings as high as the head. Place the arms firmly in position and hold the body still. Toes are stretched down as near the floor as possible, and drawn up near the ankle.

Fig. 17. LEG TWISTING, from the shoulder, eight, twelve, or sixteen times. Position same as in the last. Turn the toes slowly and vigorously outward and inward.

Fig. 18. LEG SPREADING, from the Shoulder Hang. Position same as the last two exercises. The legs are thrown out exactly sidewise and with great vigor. The position of the feet when in contact and when separated is well shown.

Fig. 19. KNEE, LIFTING, from the Shoulder Hang. Rings in the same position. In this and the following three exercises, the hands seize the ropes close above the rings. By this means, a more concentrated exercise upon the corresponding muscles of the legs is secured. The knees are drawn up as high as possible. Those who are muscular and flexible, can carry the knees as high as the chest.

Fig. 20. HORIZONTAL LEG RAISING, from the Shoul der Hang, two, four, or six times. Rings, hands and body in the same position as in Fig. 19. The legs are kept perfectly straight, and they are raised as shown in the figure where they are held for a moment.

Fig. 21. HORIZONTAL LEG SPREADING, from the Shoulder Hang. The body and hands continue in the same positicn, except that here and in the next exercise the rings may be placed a little lower, perhaps as high as the shoulder. The legs are raised exactly as in the last, and being thus held they are carried apart as in the cut. Do not fail to keep the legs straight.

Fig. 22. KNEE EXERCISE, from horizontal position, two, three, or four times. Same position of the body and hands as in the last. Legs as in Fig. 20. Then they are bent at the knee to an acute angle and back again.

Fig. 23. SUSPENSION from Spread Arms, six, eight, or ten inhalations. Rings sidewise, high enough to suspend the body from them. Head erect ; back straight; legs straight and close together; feet at right angles.

Fig. 24. STIRRUP CROSSING, four, six, eight times. Rings as high as the hips. Support grasp from the inside. Legs cross each other, so that each alternates before and behind the other. Hold the rings so that they will not partake of the movement. Count as one in this and similar exercises, the movements of both legs. It will be self evident, that to stand in the stirrups without movement, develops varied muscular action in the legs and feet. It will be observed that the toes only, rest upon the stirrups. For obvious reasons the feet should not be pushed through to the heels.

Fig. 25. STIRRUP SPREADING, two, four, or six times. Rings as high as the waist. Support grasp from the outside. Move the legs sidewise rapidly. Keep the rings in their place.

Fig. 26. SWINGING IN STIRRUPS, four, eight, or twelve times. Rings as high as the waist or chest. Support grasp from the inside. Swing as upon any ordinary swing, when standing.

Fig. 27. SUSPENDED RUNNING IN THE STIRRUPS. Rings and stirrups as in Fig. 26. Make the same motions of the legs as in running. As the legs pass each other they should be close together.

Fig. 28. STIRRUP STANDING INCLINATION, in the Elbow Hang, four, six, or eight times. Standing in the stirrups, the rings are placed as high as the shoulder. Arms as seen in the cut. The body is thrown vigorously forward and backward.

Fig. 29. SITTING DOWN IN THE STIR RUPS, two, four, or six times. Standing in the stirrups, the rings are placed as high as the waist. Now sit down so as to touch the heels. In rising, use the legs alone, simply employing the arms to steady the body.

Fig. 30. KNEE CHARGING IN THE STIRRUPS, four, six, or eight times. Standing in the stirrups, the rings are placed as high as the chest. Charge out on either side just as represented in the cut. Make the stride as great as possible.