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MY BREATHING SYSTEM

I think I was the first author who prescribed exactly, in each single cxercise, how and in what part of the inovement the pupil should inhale, and how and where to exhale. And I was also the first to introducc the obligatory deep-breathing pause immediately after each single strenuous exercise. There are sixteen such pauses in my 15 minutes’ system, while in the programme of the Swedish gymnastic " daily lessons,” lasting each about forty-five minutes, there is nevcr to be found morę than one obhgatory breathing exercise, and this is gcnerally placcd at the end of the lesson. Years ago, when I was a member of a class being trained by a gymnastic director (diplomaed in Stockholm), this specjał deep-breathing pause used to occur.at the end, when we had fmished the lesson by a ąuick sprint or “ running round " in the hall, causing myriads of atoms from the layer of dust on the floor to whirl up and be inhaled in abundance! To-day the State of things is better, of course ! Even the Swedish professors have learned a good deal by studying my books, and you rnay now sometimes mcet gymnastic teachcrs who carefully watch the breathing of their pupils during the various phases of all the exercises performed.

Ali the illustrations in the abovc-mentioned manuał of improved Swedish gymnastic show the upper chcst highly arched, and, at the same time, the abdomen drawn inwards. If this is intended to show that inhalation is going on, then it utterly fails in its object, because the indrawn “ stornach ” will prevent the diaphragm from sinking, and thus the lower lobes of the lungs from being inflated. And if it illustrates exhalation, it is eąually wrong, because the ribs should be contracted during this phase of respiration. The tliird altemative is to suppose that the illustrations all show the breath being held. But to do this during cxercise is a serious error, which tends to injure the heart.

1’roper respiration being the most essential factor in 08