ion, muscles relaxed.

WEAK BACK

=832.= Bend trunk forward as far as possible and erect it slowly.

Bend trunk forward, back arched and head thrown back.

Bend trunk sideward, without moving hips out of normal position, right
and left.

Lie on floor, face down, and raise head and shoulders.

WEAK ABDOMEN

=833.= Circle trunk right or left.

Bend trunk backward or obliquely backward.

Bend head and trunk backward without moving hips out of normal plane.

Lie on floor, face up, and raise head and shoulders slightly; or to
sitting position or raise legs slightly; or to a vertical position.

_To increase depth and width of chest_

Arm stretchings, sideward and upward, muscles tense.

Same, with deep inhalations.

Arm swings and arm circles outward, away from the body.

Raise extended arms over head laterally and cross them behind the
head.

Breathing exercises in connection with arm and shoulder exercises.

STARTING POSITIONS

=834.= In nearly all the arm exercises it is necessary to hold the
arms in some fixed position from which the exercises can be most
advantageously executed, and to which position the arms are again
returned upon completing the exercise. These positions are termed
=starting positions=; and though it may not be absolutely necessary to
assume one of them before or during the employment of any other
portion of the body, it is advisable to do so, since they give to the
exercise a finished, uniform, and graceful appearance.

In the following positions, at the command =down=, resume the
=attention=. Practice in assuming the starting position may be had by
repeating the commands of execution, such as =raise, down=.

=835.= While the exercises given below have been grouped for
convenient reference, into arm exercises, trunk exercises, leg
exercises, etc., one entire group _must not_ be given and then the
next and so on.

_Always bear in mind that the best results are obtained when those
exercises which affect the extensor muscles chiefly are followed by
those affecting the flexors; i. e., flexion should always be followed
by extension, or vice versa. It is also advisable that a movement
requiring a considerable amount of muscular exertion should be
followed by one in which this exertion is reduced to a minimum. As a
rule, especially in the setting-up exercises, one portion of the body
should not be exercised successively; thus, arm exercises should be
followed by a trunk ex