Daily Exercises and Home

Development

Thoughts on Developing Physically,

Mentally, Morally and in Ideals

By Marshall Stillman

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Contents:
Page

1. Daily Exercises 3
Muscle exercises
Bridging
Front Bridging
Dipping
Chinning the Bar
Foot Exercises
Leg Exercise

2. Colon Exercise 8
First Movement
Second Movement
Third Movement
Fourth Movement

3. Synthetic Breathing 14
First Movement
Third Movement
Fourth Movement
Fifth Movement
Sixth Movement
Seventh Movement
Lung Sweeper
How to Breathe
How to Stand
How to Walk
How to Run

4. Shadow Boxing 23
Helpful Thoughts
Advice on Methods of Living for Everybody 35
(Interview with Professor Mike Donovan)

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Daily Exercises
The four exercises following should be taken every morning by everybody
regardless of age, preferably in the open air or if that is not possible, by an open window
so that fresh air can be breathed into the lungs.

Each of these exercises properly done takes only five minutes. If this is too long
cut each exercise in half and take two and a half minutes, but if possible get the full
benefit by taking the full time.

If these exercises are faithfully observed every day they will keep any man in
excellent condition and will not take from his vitality of the day. He will not go to work
or school feeling tired, but fresh and vigorous.

These four exercises are the best that have ever been presented for muscle, for
bodily health and for the retention of youthful agility and sense of orientation, and also
the training and coordination of brain and muscle.

Before starting them please do one thing: Determine upon regular routine
exercise. Get the habit.

Fig. 1. - Bridging. Lie flat on your back throwing the chin up in the air.

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Fig. 2. - Lower body again till the shoulders touch the floor; then raise it again.

1. Muscle Exercise

Bridging - Select a bed with a fairly hard mattress or a lounge or a couch, or place
a pillow on the floor, giving a comfortable place for the head to rest.

Lie flat on your back. Raise the weight of your body from the bed or floor by
means of throwing the chin up in the air (as in Figs. 1 and 2). The hands can be placed
either at the waist or on both sides of the jaw. Lower your body again so that the
shoulders touch the bed or floor and then raise it again.

This is called bridging and is known to wrestlers. You will find that when the
weight of your body is raised from the bed or floor that the only points of contact will be
the back of your head and your heels or the sides of your feet.

This exercise increases the strength of the neck and the muscles of the back
tremendously.

NOTE: The writer performs this exercise 50 times every morning and finds it most beneficial. He would
suggest commencing this exercise very gradually, working up to a convenient number of times with the
utmost caution, as these muscles are seldom used by anyone ex-cept wrestlers, and are consequently not
strong and easily strained.

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 Fig. 3. - Front Bridging. Turn on the stomach. Place forehead on the pillow
or mattress with toes up against the wall. Raise weight of body, allowing only
the point of contact of your forehead and toes to support weight.

Fig. 4. - Lower body until stomach touches floor, then raise again.

Front Bridging - Turn on the stomach, place your forehead on the pillow or
mattress with your toes up against the bottom of the bed or the wall (if performing this
exercise on the floor, as in Fig. 3). Raise the weight of your body from the floor or the
bed, allowing only the point of contact of your forehead and your toes to support your
body (as in Fig. 4).

Permit the weight of your body to be lowered until the stomach touches the bed or
the floor and then raise it again in manner described. Hands behind the back. This will
cause the front muscles of the neck and the front part of the body to be well tensioned,
and will strengthen the muscles of the abdomen and neck wonderfully.

NOTE: We believe this to be one of the most beneficial exercises for reducing fat around
the stomach. Execute this exercise a sufficient number of times. It can be performed as
many as 50 times when one becomes fairly expert.

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 Fig. 5. - Then raise your body until your arms au extended fully,
drawing knees up as high as possible. Continue motion.

Fig. 6. - Dipping. Raise feet from the floor and lower the weight
of the body by means of bending the arms until knees touch the floor.

Dipping

Take two stout chairs, or the foot-board of a bed and a chair, and bring them
together so that you can stand comfortably between them with your hands at your sides.
Now, place your hands upon them, raise your feet from the floor (as in Fig. 5) and lower
the weight of the body by means of bending the arms until your knees touch the floor (as

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in Fig. 6). Then raise your body until your arms are extended fully, drawing your knees
up as high as you can. Continue this motion for not more than eight counts at a time.

If you are not able to perform this exercise at first retain your feet on the ground,
permitting as much weight of the body to go on the arms as possible and after having
done this moderated dipping for a certain length of time you will find that you will be
able to raise your feet from the floor, easily performing the full act of dipping.
NOTE: Dipping strengthens the triceps, the breast muscles and the shoulder muscles in a
wonderful manner and increases the power of hitting very markedly.

Chinning the Bar - Place a bar in the doorway of your closet, just a trifle higher
than you can reach with your arms completely extended. You can arrange this yourself,
or have a carpenter do it.

Reach up and grasp the bar with both hands, palm of your hand towards you.
Now, keeping your legs perfectly straight, raise yourself by your arms until your chin
comes over the bar; then lower yourself slowly until your arms are completely extended
again. Do this exercise 5 or 6 counts - not more than 8.

This exercise strengthens the biceps, muscles in the back, and in the waist, and is
exceedingly good for what is known as a corporation or an extended stomach. It
strengthens the walls of the abdomen and aids the pupil to hold himself as a man should,
with chest out and stomach in.

Foot Exercises - Stand erect, feet together, raising the body on the toes (as in Fig.
7) and permitting it to come down gently on the outside of the feet, giving a sort of a
rolling motion to the feet.

Fig. 7. - Come down on the outside of the foot in a rolling motion.

This strengthens the insteps

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This exercise can be done 50 times, or less if found too strenuous.

NOTE: This exercise increases the strength of the instep and is a great aid in preventing fallen arches. It
should never be neglected, as many people are afflicted with weakened insteps, especially they who have to
walk considerable distance on the hard pavements of the city.

Leg Exercise - Standing between two chairs, or a chair and the bed, with the fingers
extended on the chair and on the bed in order to maintain the balance, raise the right foot
from the floor, and· bending the knee of the left foot, lower the body as far as possible (as
in Fig. 8), and then raise the body a con-venient number of times by straightening the left
leg. Now alternate.

We would suggest 25 times for each leg. The results of this exercise if faithfully
performed every morning will be very noticeable. It makes one exceedingly quick on his
feet.

Fig. 8. - Leg exercise. Twenty-five times for each leg.

You can use one hand against wall or bath tub.

II. Colon Exercise

The four movements following were devised by an expert physical culturist in the old
court of Russia. It has been called by us the Colon exercise because it performs the
function of loosening the decaying matter in the colon of the human body.

It is well known that the colon and the in-testines often harbor poisonous waste matter. It
is highly essential that this part of the human anatomy be in a healthy condition. This
colon exercise is known to be the best exercise for the cure of constipation, and we
recommend it very highly to the attention of our pupils. If each movement of the colon
exercise be performed the stated number of times it will consume about five minutes.

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 Fig. 9. - Colon Exercise. First part of 1st movement.

First Movement - Raise arms above head. Stand erect with feet well apart (Fig. 9) to
permit the hands and the head to reach down between the legs as far under the body as
possible (Fig. 10). Resume original erect position and continue this movement of bending
for at least 25 times.

Fig 10. - Colon Exercise. Second part of 1st movement

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 Fig 11. - Colon exercise. 2nd movement.

Second Movement - (Fig. 11.) Stand erect, feet naturally placed near each other on
the floor. Keep the heels and feet flat on the ground. Reach with the right hand as far
down the right side as possible, simply bend-ing the body from the waist to the right side.

Immediately reach on the left side as far down as possible with the left hand,
bringing the right hand under the right armpit. Reverse this movement again, bringing the
left hand under the left armpit, reaching down on the right side as far as possible with the
right hand. Be sure to keep the feet flat on the ground feeling the strain of the movement
on the sides of the body. Perform this movement about 50 times.

Third Movement - Grasp two imaginary bars in front of you and proceed to swing
them first to the right and then to the left side with a great deal of force, stopping
suddenly at the end of each movement (see Figs. 12 and 13). Be sure that your feet are
flat on the ground and that the strain of this movement comes upon the waist. Repeat
these movements at least 50 times.

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 Fig. 12. - Colon Exercise. First part of 3rd movement.

Fig. 13. - Colon Exercise. Second part of 3rd movement.

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 Fourth Movement - With feet firmly planted on the ground, heels down, reach
with your arms as high over your head as possible.

Be sure to keep your heels on the ground, putting the strain of this movement on
the abdomen (see Fig. 14). Now bend the arms slightly, relaxing the strain on the
abdomen - that is count number 2 (see Fig. 15). Now straighten the arms again as in Fig.
14. Bear in mind that this is a stretching movement, calculated to put the strain on the
abdomen.

Continue this movement for ten counts. Then lower your arms to rest for a second
or two, and do the exercise over again. We suggest doing this for five times, ten counts
each time, or fifty counts in all.

Fig. 14. - Colon Exercise. First part of 4th movement.

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Fig. 15. - Second part of 4th movement.

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 III. Synthetic Breathing
All breathing exercises start with inhaling through the nostrils and exhaling through the
mouth as in a sigh. Inhale as deeply as possible. If you will place your hands on your
lower abdomen you will find that when you are inhaling deeply the abdomen will
protrude or move outward (see Fig. 16). When you exhale the abdomen should be forced
inward and upward, with the pit of the stomach remaining perfectly firm (Fig. 17).

Fig. 16. - Action of abdomen. Inhaling

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 Fig. 17. - Action of diaphragm - exhaling.

There are three forms of breathing:

1 - Clavicular
2 - Inter Costal
3 - Abdominal

Synthetic breathing is performed by com-bining all three of these types of

breathing in conjunction with the tensioning of the muscles after each breath has been
exhaled. The effect of this is to bring blood to rebuild the tissues that have been destroyed
by the tensioning of the muscles.

This exercise is highly beneficial to those who are troubled with insomnia or any
nervous affliction. It has proven of great assistance in the recovery of people suffering
from neurasthenia, and also from nervous prostration.

It builds up the system along common-sense lines. Synthetic breathing should be

practiced night and morning. We do not always recommend exercise before going to bed
except the synthetic breathing, and that we most heartily recommend.

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 First movement - Stand erect with chin slightly elevated, take a deep breath
through the nostrils, exhale through the mouth as when sighing, and tension the muscles
of the forearms (Fig. 18). Repeat this movement three times.

Fig. 18. - Synthetic Breathing. 1st movement.

"Tension muscles of forearm."

Second Movement - Inhale through the nostrils way down into the abdomen.
Exhale, making the abdomen go inward and upward and maintaining a firm and
stationary position at the diaphragm or what is known as the pit of the stomach. Tension
the muscles of the forelegs after exhaling. This can be done by raising the toes. Repeat
this movement slowly three times.

Third Movement - Inhale as described above. After exhaling, tension the muscles
of the biceps by drawing the arms up to the sides (Fig. 19). Repeat this whole movement
three times, that is inhaling, exhaling and tensioning the biceps.

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 Fig. 19. - Tensioning the biceps.

Fourth Movement - Inhale and exhale as formerly; tension the muscles of the
thighs. Repeat this whole movement three times.

Fifth Movement - Inhale and exhale as for-merly; tension the pectoral muscles or
muscles of the chest. Repeat three times (see Fig. 20).

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 Fig. 20. - Synthetic Breathing. 5th movement.
"Tension the chest muscles."

Fig. 21. - Synthetic Breathing. First part of 7th movement.

"Tension every muscle."

Sixth Movement - Inhale and exhale as formerly; tension the muscles of the
abdomen by leaning over. Repeat this movement slowly three times.

Seventh Movement - Inhale and exhale as formerly. Raise the hands above your
head, tensioning every muscle of the body from the tips of your fingers as you bring your
hands down by your sides and touch the floor with them.

Do not permit a single muscle to escape (see Figs. 21 and 22). Repeat this
movement three times.

When you have executed these seven rules you will experience a most restful and
beneficial effect. If done just before retiring, you will find your slumber will be as
refreshing and peaceful as a child's. This exercise will be found of great benefit to the
brain worker.

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 Fig. 22. - Synthetic Breathing. Second part of
7th movement. "Tension every muscle."

Lung Sweeper
This is a marvelous exercise to assist in re-gaining breath, and can be used by the
boxer in between rounds with great benefit.

It is performed by inhaling slowly through: the nostrils as deeply as possible and

then in short gusts forcing the breath through the pursed-up lips by muscular movement
of the abdomen which should be upward and inward, and at the same time holding the
region of the diaphragm most firm.

If you will place your hand upon the pit of the stomach you will find the
diaphragm in forcing the wind through the lips, will throw the pit of the stomach outward
with considerable force. There is quite a knack in performing this lung sweeping
exer-cise but it will thoroughly repay one to practice. This exercise is also good to
practice while out walking. Of course the purer the air the better. This exercise saved
from consumption the youngest member of a large family, each one of which had died of
the disease.

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 Fig 23. - "The lung sweeper," showing action of diaphragm.

How to Breathe
Women breathe from the top of their lungs, which is called clavicular. They
seldom if ever use their ribs, which is inter-costal breathing, and hardly ever their
abdomen, which is the lower breathing.

Men breathe just the opposite as a rule. They use the abdominal breathing and
seldom inflate the upper part of their lungs and do not breathe with the use of their ribs or
costal breathing. A man who breathes only abdominally is very liable to rupture for the
reason that his abdominal wall has been forced out by allowing the muscles to sag and the
weight of the intestines falling upon these flabby muscles form what is called an
"aldermanic corporation."

The correct way to breathe is to stand with the head up, chest a trifle out and
shoulders back. If the ribs are elevated a trifle, you will get the proper muscular motion in
breathing. The position of the soldier is the scientific way of holding the body. If the
bonal structure of the trunk of the body be slightly elevated it will be but a comparatively
short time when the waist will assume the sylph-like proportions of youth. There is an
abdominal cavity back of the intestines in which the intestines belong. By the proper

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carriage of the body the intes-tines are kept in this proper position, and no corporation
will result. The more loosely the muscles of the abdomen are held the greater will
become their distension. It is only through carelessness or ignorance that a man develops
a protruding abdomen. It indicates the unscientific carriage of the body.

Breathing and standing are closely con-nected. To breathe correctly you have to
stand correctly. If you stand correctly your breathing will be scientifically done. If you
wish to know the scientific action of the abdo-men and the diaphragm in breathing, lie in
bed on your side, and place one hand at the pit of the stomach and the other at the lower
abdomen, and note the movement of the abdomen and diaphragm.

Man's body was undoubtedly originally intended to go on all fours and was not
built for standing up straight. That is an acquired position that intellect, reasoning power
and civilization have brought to the human race. The organs of the body all hang
correctly when the body is parallel with the earth. There is not the slightest trouble in
breathing scientifically in the parallel position. But as soon as the wrong position is
assumed, the breathing is apt to be unscientific.

Study this lesson carefully and it will bring you excellent results, especially if you
are a public speaker or a singer. With correct breathing the voice can be used an
indefinite time without tiring.

How to Stand
As we have remarked, the position of the soldier is the correct way to stand. Head
up, chest out, abdomen in. Should you find your-self compelled to stand for any length of
time it will be well to turn the toes in slightly. You will find a decided feeling of relief
from strained muscles. Very little fatigue will be experienced in this position.

How to Walk
The American Indian is the great scientific walker of the world. Babies in the
nursery also know how to walk scientifically. They nat-urally turn their toes in and that is
the correct way of walking, to have the toes slightly in-ward. Never outward. They can be
directly straight if preferred but never turned outward. That is not the orthopedic way of
walking. It throws too much of a strain on the instep and does not get the proper power
from the foot.

In boxing the right foot should never be turned outward. Always have the right
foot pointing with the left foot, straight toward the adversary. Maintain this position in
walking and also in running. See that your feet do not wander outward. Force them
inward. In walking, your body should lean slightly forward with the stomach held in.

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 How to Run
In running be as pigeon-toed as possible, thereby obtaining the greatest force from
the push of the ball of the foot and all of the toes of the foot. A pigeon-toed person never
has fallen arches.

Always force your head as far forward as possible and have the feeling that you
are try-ing to catch up with your head or that you are trying to prevent your body from
falling to the ground. In other words the position of the body should be one of continual
falling. This position of the body will be found less tiresome especially if the run be of
long distance. Be sure that the toes are turned in and that you run as if you were running
on a straight chalk line. In short distance running for speed the knees should be well
elevated. For long distance running do not raise the knees and do not lift the feet from the
ground any higher than necessary, running flatfooted as much as possible and not on the
toes. This will conserve strength and energy.
NOTE: We have included these suggestions on how to stand, walk and run with breathing because they are
related. Standing, walking and running properly will make breathing easier and proper breathing in turn
will make the others easier.

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 IV. Shadow Boxing
Shadow boxing has two values in this course. 1 - for the man particularly
interested in boxing, and 2 - for the man who is interested only in the daily exercise.

No greater exercise can be taken by the human body for acquiring agility and a
keen sense of orientation than shadow boxing. Shadow boxing is not a muscle builder but
is of a much higher order than mere muscle ex-ercise. Orientation is illustrated by the
char-acteristic of the cat in always landing on its feet.

Its sense of direction is wonderful and its agility is very great. That is the way
man's muscle should coordinate with the brain. The morning's exercise can be wound up
with three rounds of shadow sparring, thereby assuring the pupil of great agility. An agile
man will save himself from what may otherwise be a serious accident.

The writer owes his life to his ability as a boxer. If he hadn't been agile and a
quick thinker and good ducker his neck would have been broken. The railroad accident
occurred when the train was rushing along at the speed of 60 miles an hour. He stood up
in the aisle of the parlor car when the train left the track and was immediately thrown on
his face. In trying to regain his feet he went on his hands and knees down the aisle of the
car.

It seemed as if one of the heavy chairs were coming towards him and he was
unable to avoid collision. At the moment of impact he swung his body a trifle to the left,
ducking his head properly and received a glancing blow instead of getting the blow on
the forehead with the neck in such a position that it would surely have been broken if the
chair had hit him. So do not neglect your shadow sparring. It is very interesting and need
only consume five minutes.

It will keep you in practice in boxing and if you do not care to box you will get all
the enjoyment and benefit of a boxing bout with none of the pos-sible mishaps.
(Illustrations and instructions for this exer-cise are given in volume four of the course.)
Do not neglect it as the fourth exercise. You will find it wonderfully helpful.

Helpful Thoughts

In the following paragraphs I am giving some suggestions, facts and thoughts that
lead toward better understanding of some of the principal things that enter into a man's
physical, mental, moral and ideal development. They cannot be complete in a course of
this size.

In fact, it would take several courses to cover them properly.

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But a brief presentation has all the advantages not only of brevity, but of summing up in
concise form the im-portant facts or thoughts that it might take you a great deal of time to
get otherwise.

Voice Building
The speaking voice can be greatly improved by a scien-tific knowledge of
breathing and also the use of the throat. If one breathe scientifically it is more than half of
the battle, as the throat naturally falls into its proper usage.

However, an exercise which is highly beneficial for the vocal cords can be found
in the following method:

Stand erect, holding the chin well in the air. Use the E sound in singing.
Pronounce the letter E with the most clear intonation, obtaining a gripping sensation in
the throat. After this exercise has been sufficiently pursued change it to the O sound,
alternately using the E sound and then the O sound.

This is a wonderful exercise for the vocal cords and will freshen a tired voice and
also build up a broken-down voice if persistently used. This exercise was used by one of
the ablest singing teachers in New York City, to whom came many of the artists of the
stage so that they might have their voices toned up.

To sum up this topic of voice building, we will repeat in different words, hold the
head in the position of a canary bird when singing. Have the E sound come directly from
the vocal cords of the throat. You must hear the vocal cords coming together and
vibrating. The sound of the E is directly in the throat. The O sound ap-pears to be thrown
over the throat into the roof of the mouth. Changing from E to O will make a wonderful
throat exercise.

Public Speaking (Physical)

It is greatly to a man's advantage to be able to speak in public. He may be called

upon at any time to make an after-dinner speech or to express his opinion in public.
There are several rules to observe. We will divide them into the physical and the mental.

Both have their office of equal importance. If you have been accustomed to
breathing scientifically and know the scientific method of using the throat you will find it
will give you consider-able physical poise. Always speak to the last man in your
audience, the man farthest away. Then everybody in between will hear what you have to
say.

A calm, deliberate way of speaking is more convincing than physical emphasis.

Poise is more agreeable to the audience than noise and gymnastics. It is not as tiresome
nor distracting to the hearers nor to the speaker. Make as few gestures as possible. If they

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come naturally, then let them be the expression of your personality rather than
cultivation.

Practice the habit of throwing your voice. That can be done in any room or in a
walk in the country. A story is told of Demosthenes that he practiced public speaking at
the sea shore with pebbles ill his mouth to overcome an impediment in his speech.
Learn to pronounce distinctly giving full value to each word as it is enunciated. Nothing
is more trying to an audience than being unable to hear the speaker's words clearly. Be
not too fast of delivery nor too slow.

It is more interesting and convincing to speak ex-temporaneously rather than to

read a speech. If the speech be read make it as natural to your audience as possible by
looking in their faces as frequently as possible.

(Mental)

It is highly essential that the correct mental attitude be maintained toward any
remarks that you have to make. Convince yourself that you are talking for the good of a
principle either to advance the cause of right thinking or to give your audience
entertainment and amusement. Be sur~ that you do not have the sense of desiring
personal praise.

Eliminate as far as possible all thought and anxiety of making a good speech.
Know positively that you will fulfill your mission as you see it; by eliminating self
consciousness one becomes natural and unconstrained. Think of your audience more in
the light of one indi-vidual and know that the feeling is one of well-wishing. They are
just as anxious for you to instruct or to amuse them as you are. Go forward and never fear
the consequences.

Be natural and use as simple language as possible in your remarks, using more
frequently the blunt Anglo-Saxon words rather than the three, four and five syllable
words obtained from the Greek and Latin. You are speaking for an object and not to
convince the audience of your wonderful command of language or to direct any criticism
toward your delivery or your selection of words, but you are there to reveal to them the
reasonableness and common sense of your ideas.

The best advice that can be given to a public speaker is to forget himself. If the
subject be of sufficient importance to humanity you may depend upon it that the
intelligent power of the word-call that power what you will-will use you as an instrument
of expression if you subordinate personality. This is a spiritual law which cannot be
controverted.

If, in addressing an audience, you should find you have lost the thread of your
argument be sure not to become embarrassed or rattled. If you cannot recall it easily, take
your audience immediately into your confidence and tell them that you have digressed in
your remarks and have lost the main point but that it will occur to you again and you will

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proceed on another point. Do this naturally and without any embarrassment. The
audience will immediately understand and will be satisfied. If it be necessary for you to
spar for time so as to collect your thoughts, do so easily and naturally, telling them a little
story if one can come to your mind, and you will find that the thread of your argument
will return to you. Be sure not to strive after it anxiously or to permit an awkward pause.
The audience does not like it any more than you do.

Writing

Carlisle has well said: "Writers are the high priests of humanity." Anyone who
writes for the eye of the public or who speaks in public holds a sacred office and should
only utter those words that are filled with truth. The physical part of writing which might
be called the choice of words, spelling, grammar, and rhetoric, can easily be obtained.
Select some author or several authors whose style appeals to you and saturate yourself
with his style.

Your vocabulary can be greatly improved by having a dictionary at your right

elbow, a book of synonyms and antonyms at your left elbow and in front of you a
Thesaurus. As soon as you are in doubt with regard to the full meaning of a word look it
up immediately and if a word pops into your mind continually forcing itself into more
than one or two sentences on a page be sure that you make another selection conveying
the same meaning. This can be found in the Thesaurus or in a book of synonyms. You
will find you will readily acquire a wealth of language that will astonish you.

(Mental)

The mental part of writing is somewhat analogous to speaking. Enter upon it with
a high resolve to use your talent for the benefit of humanity. Sermonizing, preach-ing and
didactics are to be avoided as much as possible. Be sure that your motive is true and high.
Realism in writing or acting does not necessarily mean floundering in the trash and
nastiness of human existence.

Cleanness of thought when presented with enthusiasm, sincerity, truth and

common sense is highly appreciated by most people. Let your witticism be humane and
with-out venom and your illustrations clean and dealing in those habits of life that are not
of the sink and cellar.

If one were to follow out to its logical conclusion the rules of the realist, the
depictions of the physical functions of the human body would disgust the most vile.
People are easily led and can be brought up into the pure atmos-phere of clean thinking as
easily as they can be degraded into the foul air of the sewer.

Lawn Tennis

An excellent game to develop agility. Even profes-sional boxers training for their
matches will play tennis for exercise. A man well trained in body will be suffi-ciently

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muscled but not with muscles so large that they prevent agility and health. Abnormal
development of muscle will prove a great strain on the vitality of a man. If he finds
himself in this condition it would be well to keep up his exercise religiously, especially in
games like lawn tennis.

He will have to become a slave to exercise. However, this is also true of the man
of athletic life, and another comforting thought is the fact that as long as you have to be a
slave to something it is better to be a slave to exercise than to some vicious habit. Diana,
the Goddess of the Hunt, was represented to be the hereditary enemy of Venus.

Polo

The sport of kings. In England a man after he is 35, as a rule drops polo, as
broken bones do not set as easily after that age as before and men become too heavy and
less agile.

Swimming

A wonderful exercise for the body but should never be indulged in on the day of a
strenuous activity such as a serious baseball game or a strenuous boxing match-it will
slow you up.

Eating

Study your diet so as to get the common sense knowl-edge of the value of food
but do not become a food crank. Many doctors recommend going without break-fast in
the mornings, drinking anywhere from one to two quarts of water before noon time; nuts
and raisins for luncheon will be found great energizers and are remark-ably good for the
brain. The old idea of not overloading the stomach is sound advice. Always rise from the
table with a feeling that much more could be eaten.

Boxing

Men of any age are young again when boxing. Learn to defend ably, and hit
lightly but scientifically, and boxing benefits all ages. Orientation and quick coordination
of brain and muscle are highly essential to the safety of men. We lose these
characteristics as age advances. Boxing helps us mightily to retain them.

Boxing is the best exercise for a man with nervous prostration. He has to keep his
mind on the job and away from his mis-fortune. It is most beneficial for neurasthenic and
neurotic people. It is an exercise for the mind as well as for the body if one understands
the science of the game. Shadow boxing enjoys many of the advantages of the real thing.

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Baseball

A wonderful sport. The expert receives wide experience in agility of body and
mind. It has one ad-vantage over boxing: it is an outdoor exercise.

Golf
Not by any means an old man's or woman's game as
it was first considered when the game came to America. It enlists the highest quality of
the true sport.

To be a successful golfer one must be a true philoso-pher-the same principles that

make for success in other things of life also make a successful golfer. Timing, head
down, follow through, are salient features of the good player. If proper timing be
observed the follow through will be ensured. Timing is the thing, therefore get timing.

Timing means the proper rhythm of the stroke. Watch the professionals play and
see how they bring their arms around first, thereby forcing the head of the club through
before the hands and body come into the stroke. Exercises have been invented to assure
timing.

Wrestling

Teaches wonderful balance of body and ability to em-ploy the weight to

advantage. Standing holds in wrest-ling should be known by every man. They are easy to
acquire and very simple and effective, and might prove very useful even to the saving of
life.

Religion (Ideal)

There are ten great religions. There are many points ~n common to all. Man is
seeking his creator through them. Distinguishing features consist in dogma, forms and
ceremonies. Whichever is yours, give it the best that's in you and you'll get the best from
it.

Vision (Ideal)

Ability to see far along the road to ultimate good. The world is crying for men of
true vision. No quality is more valuable to the practical working out of questions of labor
and social service. To vision can be given the credit for all progress.
A most valuable book for meditation other than strictly religious books can be here
recommended:

Mysticism by Standard Cobb, published by the Four Seas Company of Boston. It

explains mysticism in the simplest terms, bringing idealism into the every-day life of
every practical man, be he practical or idealistic.

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The True American (Ideal)

Hard-working, honest, alert, and independent, but tolerant of other peoples'

independence.

Common Sense (Ideal)

Sadly lacking in many human beings. It is a virtue of the greatest value and
should be striven for with energy. Wisdom is perhaps a better word for it.
Truth (Ideal)

Eternal truths such as love, joy, peace, long suffering .and gentleness are within
the reach of every man. He attains them in proportion as he strives for them. They bring
great happiness and man-power.

Prayer (Ideal)

The wish of the heart is the truest prayer. But the true wish and the true prayer are
best expressed in action. The tongue can deceive the speaker but the heart cannot be
hidden from the sight of the Almighty. The wisest wish of the earnest suppliant is for an
understanding heart.

Spirituality (Ideal)

The good Book says: "Walk in the Spirit." This means follow the highest ideals of
which we are pos-sessed. If honest and earnest more light will come unto the perfect day.
We are all essentially good and will assuredly go higher when we head in that direction.

Work (Ideal)

All our work is God's work, not ours. Work that does not have the right motive
and wish behind it is not of God. It can lead to evil as well as good. God's work only
leads to good. "Responsibility is simply response to God's ability."

The Mental Bath (Ideal)

The minds of men need a morning bath as well as their bodies. Fifteen minutes
each morning devoted to medita-tion and good desires will work miracles. It is a good
start for the day. Nothing better. It is well to im-press upon the mind the new note in
modern philan-thropy: "Make others happy and give them a chance to serve."

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Sin

Observe the laws of the laws, but don't stop there. The arraignment of society is
frequently more painful than prison bars. The arraignment of one's conscience is still
more painful. The sense of sin keeps many down, but sin can be fought and conquered-
every kil1d of sin. Then the power of the true man stands forth.

Spiritualism

There are good sincere believers in Spiritualism, and there are said to be many
valuable communications from the world beyond. There are also fakers, who greatly
out-number the sincere believers. Steer clear of them - they are after your money. They
go to great lengths to get information about you and your departed ones, and then bleed
you for every cent they can. I personally believe that we can more safely listen to the
clear lessons given by this world rather than spend our time on the uncertain 'message of
doubtful authenticity from the so-called spirit world.

Service (Ideal)

The essence of all true religion. The Integer of spirituality. When this thought
takes scientific hold of mankind it will revolutionize philanthropy, economics, society
and all business. It will change the fact of his-tory and give an entirely new slant to
human activity. It will eventually displace all material mediums of exchange such as
gold, silver and copper. It will aid and not pre-vent human needs from being supplied by
human effort.

Labor and Capital (Ideal)

If the laborer and the capitalist could change positions they would be actuated by
the identical thought that now is fastened upon their respective positions. Could the
capitalist be changed into laborer and at the same time retain all his education and mental
pep there would be one whale of a row.

Could the radical laborer be changed into capitalist and at the same time retain
possession of his mental darkness of ignorance, bigotry and desire to hammer his
oppressor the world would sink back to chaos.

There is just one answer to this great problem: unselfishness on both sides. Put
that into action and the problem is solved.

Humanity (Ideal)

Mankind is seemingly divided into four natures: Physical, Mental, Moral, and Ideal. To
express perfection and gain immortality mankind must work up out of the Seeming into
the Real. The Real is the Spiritual.

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 St. Paul said: "This mortal must put on immortality." That is our duty, our job; to
put on immortality.

We have been thousands of years at it but we are traveling fast now. For a time it
looked as if the war had put us back but we can see now it has increased our sense of
obligation one to another. There are two great com-mandments. If we learn them by heart
and study to follow out their directions we can be happy. "Love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind" and "Love thy neighbor as thyself."
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. This comes from the
greatest authority on mysticism the world has ever seen, and the greatest friend of
humanity.

Goodness (Moral)

No honest mortal can "regard his rectitude with enthusiasm. "The special
temptation of the "unco guid" is top-loftiness. Meekness with that type of so-called
goodness is a lost art and humbleness of mind is but a merry jest. To be good is to love
good and try your best and think of the other fellow as doing the same. The founder of
Christianity would not permit himself to be called good and anathematised the self-
righteous.

Honesty (Moral)

A pin or a penny may start the dulling of a conscience that would not yield to a
great temptation. To cheat a corporation of its fare or anyone of his just dues, renders one
helpless to differentiate between an honest or dis-honest position when the test comes.
The difference be-tween the pilfered coin and the honest intent frequently spells prison
bars.

Pride (Moral)

Has kept many a man in the ring when all else was lost. Pride taken straight is too
strong. Mixed with wisdom it is well. Fear pride of wealth, pride of power, . pride of
position, pride of intellect, all kinds of selfish and false pride. They stunt growth. Pride in
the power of good-yes!

Dogma (Mental)

Leave it alone-that is leave the other fellow's alone. Revel quietly and
unobtrusively in all the dogma that ap-peals to your fancy and trouble will seldom touch
you with regard to religious persecution. It is proselyting mankind objects to.

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Praise (Moral)

Fear not censure but tremble before praise. You are then on slippery ground.
Conceit has killed many a good man, killed his heart, his brains, his will and ability to be
of use in the machinery of the world. It has made him as sand in the oil.

Lust (Moral)

Fleshly desire is psychic rather than physical, of the mind rather than of the body.
Eminent physicians say a man has the advantage physically and mentally if he does not
smoke, drink and will remain a celibate. Thought is the thing to watch. The carnal mind
repays by death j the idealistic mind gives life and peace.

The Worst Enemy (Moral)

Mortal self. Socrates, one of earth's wisest, had over the door of his schoolhouse,
"Know thyself"-that is, know the true good self and how well you are manifesting it in
your daily life. Correct any error along this line.

Troubles (Moral)

We are only passing through phases of thinking that have been known to mankind
since the dawn of intelligence. "Acquit ye like men."

Revenge (Moral)

Never wrestle with dirt. If you throw it, you fall on it. If it throws you, it falls on
you. In either case you become befouled. Remembering injuries injures the man who
does it.

The Biggest Job (Moral)

Mind your own business.

The Best Job (Moral)

Mind your own business - your own business IS your Father's business of always
doing good.

Logic (Mental)

The minds of the sons of men when acting well are logical but often based upon a
false premise. The mind of a son of God is inspirational, operating logically from a true
basis.

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 There are two divisions: static and dynamic. The thinker the philosopher is
dynamic. The doer is static. It naturally seems the other way but it is not so. With-out
thought no action could take place. Everything must first be conceived in thought.
Thought is the dynamo. Like the two forces in physics, the centrifugal and the centripetal,
these states of mind are the same in nature but divergent in action.

Philosophers (Mental)

Lovers of wisdom. All men are philosophers to a cer-tain degree. Mechanistic

philosophers are they who think in the world of physical force. True philosophers are
they who think in terms of spirit. The wisdom of this world is foolishness with the
Creative Mind. True wisdom is in the realm of mind and not of the five senses.

Education (Mental)

Human thinking must be educated to higher planes. Whatever performs this

function is blessed of the Creator. Spiritual apprehension is the final goal to be reached.
"The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God."

The Trinity of Hell (Mental)

Doubt, worry, fear. Never doubt, then you cannot, worry and will not fear.

The Vicious Circle (Mental)

Neurasthenics, neurotics and victims of nervous pros-tration get there. The

method of working out of that circle is constructive thinking. Destructive thinking
holds.

Build up. Something; anything. Your game of golf if nothing better. Get all things
in order. Do constructive work. Fix a door; set your desk in order. Study your physical,
mental and moral requirements. Strive to regain your faith, your hope, and above all your
love.

Begin on anything. Only love and serve. Love and service will liberate. As we
serve so we live. The vicious circle is entered into through the fate where dwells the
trinity of Hell. The brain will not permit the stomach to digest and then the stomach will
not permit the brain to forget. The more you worry the less you digest and the less you
digest the more you worry.

Fill both hands full of sand and sprinkle it on your courage and break that
damnable circle.

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God

God is Almighty or he is nothing. There is no other power or there are

innumerable powers. God is the God of comfort. We are not worshipping an honest God
if he cannot comfort us; and influence us to comfort others.

Philosophy (Mental)

It is wise to have a system of conduct and make all circumstances a foil for that
philosophy. Every human being loves wisdom. Even the most ignorant and un-thinking
wish to be made wise on some point. The more intelligence and the more knowledge one
possesses the greater is the desire for more.

It is well to remember, however, true wisdom is not information on things of this

world. Modern philosophers of note are now prov-ing in their way the contentions of
spiritual teaching of remote centuries. Notable examples of recent years are theories
advanced by Rudolph Eucken, "The Law of the Spirit," Henri Bergson's "Creative
Revolution," Sigmund Freud's "Wish," Einstein's "Theory of Relativity." These theories
are bringing philosophy up to the standard of the highest spiritual thought.

People (Mental)

All mortals are more or less mean. The immortal part of everyone of us is
wonderful. A pig gives forth no sounds but grunts and squeals-expect no more. Circe has
been at work. Touch them with the rod of pure unselfish love and the lowest mortals will
gradually change into glorified human beings.

I know what you're saying now. You're saying right now that you don't agree with
these things. I don't expect you to. I didn't agree with some of them myself some years
ago and perhaps in a few years more I will have gone far beyond.

So I respect your opinion because I have always liked men to respect mine.
Let's start out with those we can agree on and get them into operation. We can certainly
agree on the general statement that to strive to be physically, mentally, morally and
ideally perfect is about all we can do in this age of human development.

The best way to accomplish this is for each of us to study out the way that best
suits him. So take that which appeals to you in this instruction and carry it out the best
you can. Even then you 'may be wrong or I may be wrong. But what need we care? Our
purpose is right, our aim is high. We have attempted to do our best and that is the best we
can do.

Few hit the bull's eye every time in this game of life.

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 Advice on Methods of Living for Everybody
(Interview with Professor Mike Donovan)

When a man reaches the age of three score and ten he usually takes great pleasure
in ventilating his particular hobby. In my case the hobby is "health," and having at-tained
this age with the superabundance of health, I feel qualified to give some advice on daily
living.

It is natural that my work as boxing instructor at the New York Athletic Club had
a great deal to do with keeping me in the best of condition. Among my pupils were some
of the hardest hitting amateur boxers in the country, many of them being most expert with
the gloves and no one but a man in the pink of condition could have held down the
position of boxing instructor.

The first thing I would caution you against is over-eating. Unless you are a man
who exercises most vigorously, eat very sparingly of sugar. Here are the things which
usually cause poor physical condition: too little sleep or rest, too much alcohol, too much
tobacco, not enough water, improper food, insufficient mastication and lack of sufficient
exercise and fresh air.

Bear in mind that health conquers disease. Pin your faith on health and rely upon
medicine only to assist health in regaining control. A man who keeps healthy in mind and
body need have little fear of germs. Common sense, care and will power can do wonders
in keeping you healthy. But pay particular attention to your diet. Of course you must eat a
sufficient amount of food, but re-member that as a man grows older he can exist on a
sur-prisingly small amount of food-this is especially true if he selects his food wisely.

The value of food is in building bone and tissue-it does not give strength.
Do not drink water at your meals except in very small quantities. The time to drink water
liberally is at least an hour before or an hour after meals.
You should depend somewhat upon your personal taste and convenience in regard to the
time for various meals. You may find that in your case only a little fruit is needed for
breakfast or you might even get along on a glass of water until noon.

Or you may prefer to eat lightly at evening and heartily at breakfast. Some people
find it better for their health and convenience to make the noon meal the hearty one. In
using the word "hearty" I do not mean a large quantity of food consumed. I mean a larger
amount than at other meals. If you thoroughly masticate your food and swallow it without
drinking, your stomach will stand in little danger of be-coming overloaded.

Few people drink enough water. In my opinion one should drink at least three
quarts of water a day. I find it good practice if one awakes an hour before breakfast to
place a pitcher of water holding about 6 or 8 glasses by the bedside, taking a mouthful
every little while until the pitcher is empty.

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 Never gulp water down in large quantities. Speaking of drinking water, I wish to
caution against alcoholic drinks. Most of them to my mind are rank poison. The stomach
naturally generates enough alcohol for the entire body.

Everyone carries his own distillery, as it were, so why put in an extra dose to
upset f nature's calculations. It is true that alcohol and sugar are both necessary to the
human body, but these two things are both abundantly provided for in the ordinary food
we eat. Fruits contain all the sugar a man needs to main good health.

If he endures extreme exertion his system burns up a lot of sugar. In this case,
lumps of sugar eaten as they are will prove beneficial and have a sustaining effect. This is
a remedy which is of especially great assistance to soldiers while on the march, as it
enables them to withstand the fatigue much more easily. This is a very effective remedy
little known.

Sugar taken into the system In the form of pastry, cake or candy is usually injurious and
unless one takes extremely violent exercise the stomach finds it very difficult to rid itself
of the of the poison.

That explains why a man in a four-mile rowing race will often leave the boat
weighing four to five and even seven pounds less than when he started. If such a man
would eat a few lumps of sugar just before starting the race, the heat generated by his
efforts would consume the carbon or sugar in his stomach before attacking the good
tissue of the body, thus relieving him from the feeling of utter exhaustion.

The same thing applies to a man entering a prize fighting contest. He should enter
the ring with his stomach feeling quite empty but just before the bout he should eat two
lumps of cane sugar not beet sugar. You can distinguish cane sugar from beet sugar by
the fact that it is rough in the lump while beet sugar is usually smooth. There is also some
smooth cane sugar but on the whole this is a safe distinction to follow.

In former times brandy was often given to men in the ring but nowadays alcoholic
drinks are never thought of. The up-to-date fighter knows too well the disastrous effects
that this poison produces and does not use it under any circumstances. The most
successful fighters of today do not touch alcohol in any form, not even beer. Look upon
alcohol as a narcotic, not as a stimulant. Alcohol consumes the heat of the body-it does
not give warmth. These statements may appear contrary to your own experiences but
nevertheless they are true.

There is a story told of three men who passed the night in a deserted hut. While
crossing a mountain range they had been overtaken by a blizzard. The one drank freely of
whiskey before going to sleep thinking, no doubt, that it would keep him warm. The other
drank sparingly and the third took none at all. In the morning the third man found it
difficult to rouse his friend who had taken but little whiskey as he was nearly frozen to
death.

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 The first man who drank liberally of the whiskey was found dead. So you see that
you cannot always judge by appearances. The man who drank freely went to sleep
quickly, as he seemed warm and comfortable. The man who abstained suffered quite a bit
before falling asleep, but while he slept the natural heat of his body was retained and was
not affected by the alcohol.

Now as regards sleep: This is something which depends more or less upon the
individual but on the whole I am inclined to differ with a few prominent authorities. I say
a man should sleep at least eight hours and preferably ten, The body stores up energy
while asleep. Food does not give strength-food merely supplies lost tissue, so give me
sleep. Personally I could not have remained in good condition unless I obtained my ten
hours of rest.

Of course I don't always sleep the whole ten hours but I lay and rest and after an
hour or two of rest I always slept soundly the remainder of my time in bed. I attribute my
ability to step lively and box fast largely to those ten hours of rest daily.

Now as regards exercise, it is my belief that much is written and taught which is
not worth while. It is well to have muscle, of course, but one should be careful not to
work simply to accumulate muscle because they are apt to sap the vitality. If you have
cultivated large muscular development it will be well for you to see that each day or three
times a week you exercise strenuously-especially in the open air. It has been my
experience that most men of tremendous muscles are usually awkward and slow.

A young man starting in any athletic career I think will do well in letting that
special athletic activity develop the necessary muscle. Possibly a little outside work or
gym work may help but not to excess. Five minutes a day or at the most ten, may be
devoted to muscle build-ing exercise-that will be sufficient.

A man of middle age should exercise with caution and he should remember that
he is no longer a youth. Therefore he cannot jump into violent exertion with safety. If you
think, after years of inactivity, that your condition requires that you should exercise
again, be careful how you start. Take everything moderately, gradually bringing your
heart and lungs into the proper condition for receiving the increased flow of blood which
results from exercise.

A man should never cease his customary and natural exercise. Treat yourself in
this respect as considerately as you would in eating. You would not go without food for a
number of years, neither should you deprive your-self of exercise for that length of time.

Always remem-ber that a larger percentage of the impurities of the body pass
through the lungs and the pores of the flesh than through the bowels. If one does not have
a movement of the bowels every day he becomes anxious. But if he does not have a sweat
or an opportunity to breathe freely of good fresh air he thinks nothing of it. The sweat and
the fresh air are more necessary to health than the daily movement of the bowels.

37
 If one exercises strenuously and sweats freely he will find the bowels will not
move as frequently or copiously, for the reason that considerable refuse has been passed
off through the lungs and the pores of the skin.

When men advance in years they lose the power of coordination of brain and
muscle-their muscles do not respond quickly to their conscious or subconscious mind.
This is due largely to lack of practice. If such men were to continue boxing or fencing or
wrestling or tennis or baseball or any other sport which requires quick action, they would
never lose their power of coordination.

Many times in life it will be found necessary for the muscles to respond quickly to
the desire of the brain. Many accidents which happen to middle aged men and older
persons could be avoided if some sport were followed moderately all the days of their
lives. Boxing, of course, would be my choice and I think that it comprehends all bodily
activity. Coordination of brain and muscle must be constant and instantaneous in a lively
bout.

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