Dynamic Abdominal Health (1944)

by E.M. Orlick, M.A., DIP. M.S.P.E.

and Joseph E. Weider (Editor-in-Chief of Your Physique Magazine)

FOREWARD

Many books and courses on the development of the abdomen have been written before this

one. Some of them aren't worth the paper they are written on. Others are a mixture of fact and

unadulterated bunk. Most of them have been written by 'muscle men' who professed more

knowledge than they actually possessed. A number are merely conglomerations of sentences.

Too many are simply epistles of self-glorification. Nearly all of them sell for three or four

times more than they are worth.

Facts such as these led to the writing of this book. In it you will find none of the negative

features mentioned above. There is no self-glorification, no padding with unnecessary words,

no pet theories, no fictional hokum, no hidden advertising. It is a clear-straight-forward

treatment of a subject of vital importance to you. Every statement is backed by the most up-

to-date medical and physiological knowledge available. All information contained within its

pages has its roots in scientific fact. Each exercise has been tried and tested and conforms to

the best anatomical, functional and practical knowledge it is possible to obtain.

This book is a direct protest against the inferior type of books which have been appearing in

this important field. It will undoubtedly set a new standard for health writers.

-- Stephen Armstrong, Y.M.C.A. Physical Director.

THE ABDOMINAL REGION

Cornerstone of Physical Fitness

There is perhaps no part of the human body which is more important to health and physical

fitness and certainly no part which is more neglected than the abdominal region. For this

reason, this book will be devoted almost entirely to this region with due regard being given to

its relation to the physical fitness of the body as a whole.

One of the first and most obvious signs of physical deterioration and loss of youth is the

sagging waistline. Most men, including many ex-athletes have flabby abdominal muscles by

the time they reach 35 years of age. A combination of physical inactivity, overeating and

often intemperate drinking soon starts the middle-age bulge on its way. These unfortunates

soon find themselves the butt of harmless jokes on the part of their more youthful or more

physically fit friends. Those who are sensitive about their appearance and alarmed that the

thought that old-age is creeping up on them look around for something they can do. The

solution for many is a superficial one, they take to wearing straps or waistbands to hold the

mid-region in. Though this might well help to preserve their youthful figures and enable their

clothes to fit for a while longer, the end result is more harmful than good. Giving artificial

support to muscles already losing their tenacity simply gives these muscles less work to do

and weakens them still more, with the result that either tighter of larger belts must be used.

On the other hand, there are those who seek to remedy the condition at its source by cutting

out excess drinking and eating, or by doing setting-up exercises in the privacy of their

bedroom. In so far as the imbibers are concerned the intentions are good but frequently the

habits are stronger. For the over-eater, a combination of honest-to-goodness hunger, as well as

habit, upsets his most resolute resolutions. Usually, this is due to the fact that he prescribes his

own diet and, unless he is somewhat of an expert in this matter, denies himself foods which

his body not only craves but actually needs in order to function efficiently. The tendency to

put on weight is in all probability due to lack of exercise and overeating but it may also be due

to some glandular disorder. Consequently, a physician would be the best-qualified man to

determine the cause of putting on weight and also to prescribe any diets that should be

followed.

In addition to cutting down on drinking and attempting to follow a restricted diet, the man

who is developing the proverbial 'pot' often looks to exercise as his cure-all. Here again he

runs into difficulties. If the exercises are of the wrong type or not strenuous enough, little or

no results are forthcoming and, after a few weeks of this, even the most patient man gives up

in disgust. On the other hand, he might do the right kinds of exercises but so overdo them that

he suffers extreme discomfiture for days after, and again we have discouragement and finally

a slump into the much easier path of letting nature take its own course.

Where the mid-line spread, or for that matter, overweight in general is due to overeating, there

is only one sane way of reducing and that is through a combination of proper dieting and

proper exercising. As already suggested, the dieting problem can be easily solved by a visit to

your doctor or at least by following a system of dieting which has the approval of the medical

profession. For the sake of convenience, such a system will be dealt with in a later chapter but

only those persons who are certain that they are absolutely free from glandular disorders

should hope to get any positive benefit out of such a dieting scheme.

In so far as exercise itself is concerned, there are again precautions which must be taken. The

individual intending to do the exercises should know first of all that he is free from

constitutional defects, particularly heart ailments and hernia, and, as stated before, only a

physician is qualified to determine this. Having obtained the physician's approval, the

overweight individual, or, for that matter any person who desires to obtain or maintain a

strong, healthy, well-formed mid-region can begin to take the necessary exercises. These

should be suited to age and physical condition of the individual, should be sufficiently varied

to hold the interest of the exerciser and should be of a type which will bring the best results in

the shortest possible time. Such a system of exercises, graded according to difficulty and

accompanied by profusely illustrated descriptions, is included in the latter chapters of this

book.

The importance of the abdominal region to health and physical fitness cannot be

overemphasized. As already mentioned, there are superficial disadvantages to the bulging

waistline including such things as an ungainly appearance, ill-fitting clothes, self-

consciousness, and so on, but there are many far more serious disadvantages which are not

quite so obvious. The overweight person by the mere fact of putting on extra weight of no

worth puts more work upon his muscular structure thereby decreasing his physical endurance

and decreasing his physical endurance while increasing his proneness to fatigue. The extra

weight also impairs his muscular coordination, reduces his physical efficiency and decreases

the speed with which he can make rapid bodily adjustments to various situations. The increase

in fatigue and decrease in speed, skill and relative strength renders him far more liable to

accidents and injury than he would be in a more normalized physical condition. In fact, the

added fatty tissue itself, considered from a purely physical standpoint, becomes a liability, for

in falling, tripping or failing with a physical exertion the pull of gravity on the fat man is

relatively greater than when his physique was built of a healthier construction. Consequently,

the force with which he strikes the ground is greater and, since the bones are no stronger and

the muscles, relative to the bodyweight, are inevitably weaker, the possibility of more serious

damage is considerably increased.

The putting on of excess weight and the gradual deterioration of muscle tone tend to set up a

vicious cycle from which it becomes increasingly difficult to escape. The decrease in speed,

skill, strength and endurance, and the increase in susceptibility to fatigue make the individual

less capable of participating in physical activities of any duration, take the joy out of

participation and eventually destroy even the desire itself. As can be readily seen, when this

happens more weight is put on and the muscles become flabbier still, and so it goes, on and

on.

A great deal of the pleasure in life comes through recreational activities of a physical nature

that we participate in. Much of our relaxation from the constant pressure of work, study

business and everyday living comes through the same source. Many of our social activities

and hence the development of acquaintances and friendships are associated with such

activities as golfing, boating, swimming, hiking tennis and other forms of 'unwinding'

activities, as well as the more competitive team and individual sports. When we allow our

muscles to become flabby and put on excess weight we not only kill the joy in these activities

but dampen our enthusiasm for them and, because of physical limitations, may eventually

have to cease participating in all or most of them. Needless to say, this will have certain

negative repercussions on our personality as a whole and hence in our relationships with the

many individuals with whom we live, work, and play.

The psychological implications in the above sentences are many, but there are others which

are not so apparent. Physical weakness and physical deformity, even in the form of being

underweight or overweight, can and often do lead to inferiority complexes of various

intensities. The 'fat' person is almost always sensitive about his excess weight and,

particularly so when this develops after reaching physical maturity. He becomes the butt of

numerous quips and jokes and though he may put on a good front and laugh them off, they

nevertheless leave their mark. His obviously poor physique, ill-fitting clothes, ungainly

appearance, loss of grace, poise and dignity all have some negative mental effects. The

knowledge that he is definitely inferior to others and even to his own previous standards, in

any sphere of physical activity, tends to undermine his his self-respect, weaken his self-

confidence and take the edge off his normal aggressiveness. Such a combination of negative

factors might well warp his personality and eventually give rise to an inferiority complex with

far reaching detrimental consequences.

However important these mental aspects might be, there are the even more obvious physical

aspects to be considered. In the abdominal cavity are contained such vital internal organs as

the stomach, spleen, liver, kidneys, pancreas, suprarenal bodies, the small intestine, the large

intestine (with the exception of the rectum), the inferior vena cava, the abdominal aorta and its

branches, the beginning of the thoracic duct, numerous lymph nodes, the vagi, sympathetic

ganglia and nerves.

Even to list the possible diseases and ailments which are associated with these vital organs

would be a lengthy tack. They are not by any means all caused by poor physical condition or a

sagging abdominal wall. Nevertheless, the general state of health and particularly the

muscular health of the abdominal region does influence susceptibility to disease and

dysfunction and plays an important part in the speed and effectiveness of recovery.

The main function of the abdominal muscles is to hold the viscera in place. When the

abdominal muscles become weak and saggy a prolapse, or falling down, of the viscera takes

place and we have what is commonly called visceroptosis. The individual who has become

the victim of such a condition almost invariably begins to complain of indigestion, gas on the

stomach, constipation and whatever else his untrained mind can pick on as the root of his

frequent attacks of discomfiture and pain. It is possible that one or more of a number of these

things might be the immediate cause of his suffering but it would be wiser to look upon these

as symptoms of something even more basically wrong.

Unfortunately, the average person rarely does this. If he suffers pain in the mid-region and

discovers that his bowel movements are difficult and infrequent, he invariably turns to some

kind of laxative for relief. In most cases, the laxative has the desired effect and the sufferer is

satisfied that the cause of his constipated condition has been effectively dealt with. In due

time he suffers another attack and more laxatives are used and so it goes with the attacks

gradually occurring more frequently and with increased severity. The sufferer, due to lack of

knowledge and high-pressure advertisement, has become the victim of another vicious cycle.

The constipation is temporarily relieved by laxatives and cathartics; the laxatives and

cathartics weaken the muscle tone of the intestines; this leads to severer and more frequent

attacks of constipation; to relieve these the sufferer must use stronger or larger doses of

laxatives and cathartics; these in turn weaken the muscle tone of the intestines still more until

chronic constipation, with any number of accompanying complication, may result.

To the uninformed all this seems to have little to do with obesity and visceroptosis or with

weak and flabby abdominal muscles but there is a very close connection. To understand this

relationship one must know something about the make-up and action of the intestines. Any

good textbook on anatomy and physiology will give the reader a very complete picture of the

part that these organs play, but for our immediate purpose a brief description should suffice.

When we partake of some food, it is masticated and insalivated and then passes down the

esophagus into the stomach where a good part of the digestive process takes place. On leaving

the stomach the contents go through the pyloric orifice and pass into the small intestine. For

about 10 inches this is known as the duodenum proper. This is a tube-like structure with a

diameter averaging about 1.5 inches. It is laid in the middle of the abdomen and looks like a

series of tangled loops. The small intestine leads into the cecum, which is actually the

beginning of the large intestine. The large intestine, like the small one, is tube-like in form. It

is five feet long and is divided into the cecum, the colon (ascending, transverse, descending

and sigmoid flexure), and the rectum.

The two intestines have one very important feature in common. The walls of both contain a

muscular coat made up of one layer of longitudinal and one layer of circular muscles. The

contents of the intestines are moved by means of the latter layer of muscles. These ringlike

muscles contract one after the other setting up a peristaltic wave which literally squeezes the

food along the tube. In the small intestine this is doubly important for it not only moves the

food along but also brings it in contact with the digestive juices.

By the time the the contents of the small intestine reach the beginning of the large intestine all

or most of the digestible material has already been absorbed. The materials which remain,

namely water, undigested food, parts of the bile, certain mineral matters and the mucus from

the inner lining of the tube, go to make up the feces. Then these enter the large intestine they

are carried along to the middle of the transverse colon by the peristaltic action already

described. Then a backward peristaltic wave results and the feces are carried back toward the

cecum. The resulting backward and forward movement not only mixes the contents

thoroughly but allows most of the water to be absorbed, changing the feces from a liquid into

a soft tissue.

When the feces eventually leave the transverse colon, the peristaltic action carries them

through the descending colon and finally into the sigmoid flexure where they remain stored

until their presence excites a desire for expulsion. When this takes place the peristaltic action

in this particular part of the intestine is again set into motion and this, coupled with the aid of

the diaphragm and the muscles of the abdominal wall, forces the feces into the rectum, past

the external ring of voluntary sphincter muscles and out through the anus.

When food in excessive quantity is taken, its stay in the intestine is prolonged. This gives the

many bacteria which can be found here an opportunity to work and, as a result, either

fermentation or putrefaction take place. Though this is bad enough, the excess food leads to

excess fat which in turn places a great deal of extra work on the kidneys. How important this

is is apparent at once when we learn that the kidneys are responsible for maintaining the

normal composition of the blood, not only in regards to sugar and salts, but also in respect to

the nitrogenous wastes.

Excess fat in the abdominal region and any displacement of the viscera (visceroptosis) also

tend to slow up or impede the movement of the feces in the large intestine. Besides allowing

fermentation or putrefaction to take place this causes a bulking of the feces and places an

extra strain upon the muscular walls of the intestines. When the circular muscles are stretched

beyond their normal limits they tend to lose their tonicity and with it their contractibility.

Consequently, the peristaltic action, which is so all-important in moving the feces, is greatly

weakened and we have a general slowing down of this part of the waste-eliminating process.

As with excessive eating, this leads to an abnormal degree of fermentation and putrefaction

with well-known detrimental results.

In addition to all this, flabbiness of the abdominal muscles, whether or not accompanied by

obesity and visceroptosis, has a two-fold detrimental effect. The abdominal muscles are of

importance in the movement of the feces and in the act of final evacuation. When these

muscles are weak, the above mentioned actions are considerably slowed down and again we

have bulking, fermentation and putrefaction. Finally, the normal everyday actions of the

abdominal muscles are also important to internal health for through these the internal organs

receive a thorough-going daily massage. Where the abdominal muscles are weak and flabby

this beneficial toning up effect is greatly reduced and there is a tendency toward what might

well be called visceral sluggishness.

Among the lesser evils associated with visceroptosis, sagging abdominal walls, and obesity in

the abdominal region is a postural condition which might be called functional lordosis. This

is, in effect, a hyperextension in the lumbar region, in simpler words an increased inward

curve of the spine in the hollow of the back, together with an increased tilt of the pelvis. In

some rare cases this condition is the result of a definite structural defect, but in the cases

which we are considering it is merely an artificially assumed position which has certain

compensatory advantages. This in visceroptosis and abdominal obesity, we have excess

frontal weight which tends to throw the sufferer out of his accustomed balance. To

compensate for this he leans further back, with the result that he not only increases his lumbar

curve but develops a duck-like waddle in his walk. Where the abdominal walls are sagging

there is not only a tendency toward an increase in the tilt of the pelvis but also a tendency for

the individual to lean backwards thus tightening his abdominal walls by simply stretching

them to a point where they actually feel taut. This simply adds to the artificially exaggerated

curve in the lumbar region and in no way strengthens the abdominal walls.

By now even the most skeptical individual ought to be convinced that the abdominal region is

truly the cornerstone of physical fitness. However, lest even the slightest doubt to this effect

be entertained, we present a few conclusive facts culled from statements emanating from the

Unites States Public Health Service: "There is a great excess of mortality among overweight

persons, whatever the age. Heart disease deaths among persons over 45 years of age who are

50 pounds overweight are 18% higher than those of normal weight. Kidney disease deaths

take the heaviest toll of persons 50 pounds or more overweight irrespective of age. Cerebral

hemorrhage or apoplexy occurs much more frequently among those who are overweight." In

support of this we have the following statement from the Metropolitan Life Insurance

Company: "It's an unfortunate fact that excessive fat places a great deal of extra work on the

heart, kidneys, and lungs; work from which there is no relief." That is why overweight can be

a threat to health. Figures show that people over 45 who are 20% overweight have a death rate

50% above average.

From the above facts and those which preceded them, it can be readily seen that not only

health and physical fitness but even life itself may depend to a great degree upon our desire

and ability to fend off the related evils of obesity, sagging abdominal muscles and

visceroptosis.

AN ANATOMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE ABDOMINAL

REGION

For some unaccountable reason we human beings seem to know less about the make-up and

functions of our own bodies than we do about our automobiles, radios, etc. To a certain extent

this is understandable, for the latter are less complicated. But on the other hand, they are also

much less important to our well-being. If a piston seizes or a radio tube burns out due to our

ignorance we might be inconvenienced temporarily but replacements can be made, even if at a

price. However, if through ignorance we permanently damage our heart or any other vital

organ replacement is out of the question and the cost in mental and physical suffering, in loss

of working time and even in direct treatment might well be thousands of times greater.

There is nothing of greater importance to an individual than his own life, despite the fact that

he may be willing at times to sacrifice this for the benefit of others. It would be a safe guess to

say that any sane individual if faced by the choice of giving up his worldly goods of his life

would inevitably choose to give up the former. Yet in spite of this, millions of persons are at

this very moment hastening their deaths through ignorance, abuse and neglect. It is strange

indeed that the self-same individual who is ready to make any personal sacrifice whatsoever

to stave off immediate death will do little or nothing now to prevent death at some later date.

To see this in another light, let us assume we had the power to look into the future and could

determine the exact date at which an individual was destined to die. Let us suppose further

that this age was set at 60 years. Now, if we captured this man when he reached the age of 50

or 55 and gave him the choice of facing a firing squad or giving up all his worldly possessions

there is little doubt at to what his choice would be. Yet this same individual if told a thousand

times during his youth and early adulthood that he was cutting five or 10 years off of his

lifespan through ignorance, apathy or self-abuse would be unwilling to make even the

slightest sacrifice that he might live these extra years.

Think of the years that a person will spend in studying a trade, profession or business that he

might obtain the necessities and some of the luxuries of life. In contrast ot this, think of the

infinitely less time that the self-same individual will spend in studying his mental and

physical make-up, both of which are even more important to health, happiness and a fuller

life. It simply does not add up, for here we have sane human beings fighting for life with

every means at their disposal and, at the same time undermining the very life for which they

struggle; here we have individuals giving their utmost in time, effort and money that they

might enjoy the pleasures of life, while at the same time they neglect or destroy those very

things which make enjoyment possible.

Some of the things responsible for this paradox are perhaps excusable, but self-imposed

ignorance on matters of vital importance to the individual himself certainly is not. Particularly

is this true in respect to health and physical fitness, about which so much excellent knowledge

is available. In fact one need hardly look for this information for we are almost continually

surrounded by it. Our newspapers, the better class of magazines, our book stores, the

municipal libraries, the radio, health association publications, and a host of other mediums are

continually bombarding the public with information vital to good health. Unfortunately,

knowledge cannot be gained by simply exposing yourself to it. It must be assimilated and this

takes time and effort, and it must be put into use, and in respect to health and fitness this takes

a certain measure of self-discipline.

To return to the anatomy and physiology of the abdominal region. It would be possible to

describe these in a vague sort of way by the use of words chosen entirely from the "basic

English" vocabulary about which at the present time there is so much talk. However, if

something is worth knowing at all it is worth knowing in some detail and, in our particular

respect, this involves the use of a fairly wide vocabulary including a number of technical

words.

The authors have no desire to appear pedantic and make no excuse for using words which the

average individual may not be familiar with. In every trade and profession there are hundreds

of technical words which the interested individual must add to his vocabulary in order to

understand the field of work in which he is engaged. In matters of health and physical fitness

there are also technical words which the individual must add to his vocabulary in order to

have a clear understanding of these important fields. A little mental effort and the use of a

reasonably good English dictionary is all that is necessary to understand the description which

is to follow. Certainly anything as important to you as this is worthy of some intellectual

effort on your part.

The Abdominal Cavity

The abdominal cavity is situated in the lower part of the trunk, between the brim of the pelvis

below, and the diaphragm above. It is bounded by the vertebral column at the back and by a

muscular wall on the sides and in front.

The shape of the abdomen in infancy resembles a truncated cone, which has been inverted. As

the individual grows up a change takes place with a definite difference appearing between the

sexes. Thus in the adult female we find the original shape reversed, whereas in the male the

abdomen becomes somewhat barrel-shaped with a front-to-back flattening.

The abdominal cavity is lined by a membrane called the peritoneum which, because of its

moist, slippery surface, allows the visceral a limited amount of frictionless movement. The

contents of this cavity have already been given elsewhere but bear repetition at this point.

They are as follows: the stomach, the small intestine, the liver the gall-bladder, the pancreas,

the large intestine (except the rectum), the spleen, two kidneys, two suprarenal bodies, the

abdominal aorta and its branches, the inferior vena cava, the vagi, sympathetic ganglia and

nerves, the beginning of the thoracic duct, and numerous lymph nodes.

Drugs, Food Fads and Other Dangerous Shortcuts to Abdominal Health

Shortcuts to wealth and health have, from time immemorial, been strewn with swindlers,

confidence men, high pressure salesmen and quacks. A mixture of gullibility and ignorance

combined with the desire to get something of value without working for it has made and will

continue to make many thousands of persons the victims of unprincipled businessmen and

out-and-out racketeers. P.T. Barnum, one of the great showmen of all times and a keen

student of human nature, gave classic expression the this when he said, "A sucker is born

every minute."

In the days of the traveling medicine show it was comparatively easy for a distinguished

looking barker with a gifted tongue to spellbind almost any ordinary group of citizens with the

wonders of a special snake oil which was guaranteed to more than half of the known ailments.

Today, due to the higher educational standard of the masses, the "medicine man" would find it

a difficult task to get Mr. Average Man to trade his dollar for a bottle of cure-all.

Unfortunately, the medicine man, or at least his counterpart, has also kept pace with the times

and in place of snake oil we have a hundred-and-one equally worthless concoctions bearing

high sounding scientific names, supported by glowing testimonials, and deftly associated with

real or fictitious big-name individuals or institutions. In place of the gifted tongue we have a

host of high pressure advertising mediums such as the barker of old never even dreamed of.

Amongst these might be mentioned radio, the press, the billboard, innumerable publications

of all forms and person-to-person contracts.

Modern salesmanship isn't the kind you can walk away from as you walked away from the

silvery tongue of the marketplace medicine man. It glares at you from billboards as you drive

along the streets and highways; it forces itself upon your attention as you read your favorite

newspaper or magazine; it blares defiantly at you from your radio or bathed in music and soft-

spoken words creep quietly into your subconscious mind. You do not buy according to your

reasoned preferences for these are determined for you. You do not buy according to your

needs for even these are manufactured for you by semi-hypnotic suggestions, by false

interpretations of obvious symptoms and by nourishing whatever hypochondriac tendencies

you may happen to possess. The old-time medicine man knew something about human nature

but compared to the scientific advertising psychologists of today he was a rank amateur. As a

result of all this, some remarkable changes have taken place in the fake patent medicine

racket. Whereas the medicine man of yesterday took in only the open-mouthed yokels, the

medicine man of today takes in all classes of people from the dumbest to the smartest and

where the old-timer filched the odd dollar here and there from the public, the modern

'benefactor of mankind' is filching millions.

To be sure there are in existence many laws destined to protect the public from such rank

racketeers but unfortunately, due to laxity or loopholes, their effectiveness is almost entirely

lost. Consequently the market is flooded with all manner of magic mixtures -- useless,

harmless and dangerous -- purporting to cure everything from bunions to bald heads. Among

the most common and also most dangerous of these are the 'obesity cures' and the

'constipation cures' which beat a steady tattoo on our eardrums via the radio and constantly

assault our eyes from the pages of magazines and periodicals.

United States Government chemists and also chemists of the American Medical Association

have frequently examined and exposed fake patent medicinal cures. For reasons beyond the

comprehension of the layman these hardly ever appear in publications other than the more

strictly scientific one and rarely name the exposed product outright. There are undoubtedly

legal and ethical factors involved but surely there must be some direct way in which the

government can prevent the sale and manufacture of products which are worthless or

dangerous, despite claims made on their behalf.

On the 'obesity cures' which have been exposed there are two which have become more or

less classic in medical literature. These had been advertised very widely and were sold over

the counters of many respectable stores throughout the country at fantastic profits to the

manufacturers.

One, when analyzed, was found to be made up of one pound of powdered alum, 10 ounces of

alcohol and enough water to make up the remainder of the quart. It was estimated that the cost

of these ingredients totaled about 30 cents. The sale price to the public was $20.00 per quart.

The other reducing compound was found to be made up as follows: 86.6% ordinary Vaseline,

6.6% salicycle acid, 5.3% menthol and 1.5% of some unidentified material. A three-ounce

bottle of this sold for $10.00. Its actual cost was about 10 cents.

How effective are these for reducing weight? You have probably guessed the answer. Like all

others of this harmless type, they are absolutely worthless as weight reducers. There are a few

advertised 'obesity cures' which, under certain conditions are effective. For example, those

which have thyroid extract as their active ingredient are effective in reducing weight where

the obesity is due to under-activity of the thyroid gland. Likewise, obesity-curing concoctions

containing dinitrophenol (!) may also be instrumental in reducing weight, but both of these

drugs are positively dangerous when used indiscriminately and, the latter has been known to

cause blindness and even death. It should go without saying that no sane individual would use

either of these drugs or any mixture of them unless expressly advised to do so by a very

competent physician.

From the above it is obvious that the popular magic weight reducers which are flooding the

market today are of two types, the absolutely useless and the positively dangerous. Neither

should be resorted to under any circumstances.

In recent years there has been a definite attempt on the part of certain companies interested in

the manufacture and sale of laxatives to suggest their products as obesity cures as well as

cures for constipation. Such a great emphasis has been placed on this relatively new use of

laxatives that many obese persons who have never suffered from constipation have been

tempted to try out this shortcut to a streamlined body. To the surprise and delight of many, the

use of cathartics was actually followed by a loss of weight. Naturally this encouraged them to

take larger and more frequent doses with the result that they soon became habitual users. In

time, much to their disappointment, they discover that no permanent loss of weight has taken

place. In other words, though the use of a cathartic is generally followed by loss of weight,

this is soon made up again. The mystery is easily explained. The cathartic, in addition to

stimulating bowel evacuation, also causes abstraction of water from the body. This is

responsible for loss of weight but as soon as the individual partakes of water or fluid foods a

replacement of the abstracted water commences and in a comparatively short time the body-

weight of the individual is the same as it was before.

By the time the wishful weight-reducer gets wise to this he finds that though he was

absolutely free from constipation before he is now a chronic sufferer. It he had known that

excessive use of cathartics would weaken the muscle tone of the intestines and eventually lead

to chronic constipation, you can rest assured that he would not have resorted to their use in the

first place. Unfortunately, even after he has become a victim of this scourge, it is highly

unlikely that that he would guess that a respectable, widely advertised 'constipation cure' is

actually the cause of his constipation and, once again, he becomes the victim of a vicious

cycle. Certainly the fake medicine man of today is far superior to his predecessor of yesterday

for he not only provides the 'cures' but actually creates the ailments which make the cures

necessary.

Despite the fact that there are times when a mild laxative might be in order, the excessive or

habitual use of cathartics in any form cannot be too strongly condemned. In addition to

creating constipation and failing to reduce obesity the use of cathartics might cause

inflammation of the large bowel and, where the individual is suffering from appendicitis,

actually bring about his death. If you must use a cathartic for a temporary attack of

constipation, then use pure Castor Oil ( 2 tablespoons), or Milk of Magnesia (2 tablespoons).

If you suffer frequent attacks of constipation, or if you get a pain in the abdomen, do not take

any form of laxative until your doctor tells you to. In the first instance the cathartic would

only aggravate your condition and in the second, if the pain is a symptom of appendicitis, it

might constitute the last dose you will ever take.

ABDOMINAL STRENGTH AND SIZE

The exercise known as the sit-up appears also as a competitive lift known as the Abdominal

Raise. As such, it is a direct test of the strength of the abdominal muscles. In this lift the

performer lies on the floor with the back of his neck resting on the center of the barbell

handle, grasps the bar with both hands, and rises into a sitting position. Naturally his feet have

to be held down under some heavy object, the bar of another barbell usually being used for

this purpose. Throughout the lift his heels must remain together, his legs straight, and the bar

in contact with his body. At the finish of the lift, his trunk must be at right angles to his legs.

In the English rules for this lift, the bar must rest on the body at the base of the neck. But in

the United States, the lifter is allowed to hold the bar against his neck, which naturally enables

him to arch forward more than in the British style, and so lift a greater weight. The greater

strictness of the English rules must be taken into account in comparing British and American

records. Jere Kingsbury, of Los Angeles, lifted 100 pounds in the English style and 114 in the

American style.

The official British record in the Abdominal raise is held by a Mr. Bergson, with a lift of

114.75 pounds. Unfortunately, there is no association in the United States which keeps strict

account of American records in the 42 standard lifts. Some years ago, the alleged American

record was 123.75 pounds, held by G.C. Trefry, of Corona, New York. Henry Aranda more

recently has done 125 pounds. The heavyweight Frank Leight has performed an Abdominal

Raise with the remarkable weight of 154.5 pounds, although the lift was not performed in the

strictest manner possible.

There are some variations of the Abdominal Raise which, while not standard lifts, are

interesting feats of strength. If the barbell is pulled over the lifter's face while he is lying on

the floor, and held at in front of the chest, a greater weight can of course be raised than when

the bar is behind the neck. this lift is very similar to the feat in hand-to-hand balancing where

the under-stander regains the standing position while holding the top-mounter at his

shoulders. As I have said, there are no official records on this lift. Together with the variations

presently to be described, it used to be practiced at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, where

David P. Willoughby held the best marks. In the above lift he used to do 220 pounds, the feet

not being held down.

The next variation of the Abdominal Raise is to hold the bell at arms' length throughout the

lift. In this style Willoughby did 133 pounds with the feet not held down, and 160 pounds

with the feet held down.

As far as endurance in the abdominal muscles is concerned, William Sharpless, years ago did

2,000 successive sit-ups, with his feet held down, his hands clasped behind his neck, and his

body arching forward with each sit-up.

The abdominal muscles not only cause movement of the trunk in relation to the legs, but they

also serve as a protective armor for the vital organs of the body. The strength to which they

may sometimes be developed in this direction is amazing. Enormous loads have been

supported on the abdomen by professional strong-men. Sandow used to allow a man to stand

on his relaxed abdomen, and then bounce him off by contracting the muscles. A Danish health

writer named J.P. Muller could allow a heavy ball weighing 56 pounds to be dropped from a

height of four feet upon his abdomen; or a man weighing 216 pounds to jump eight feet and

land upon Muller's belly; or an iron-tired wheelbarrow loaded to 360 pounds to be wheeled

over him.

The Zimmerman brothers have given many exhibitions of this sort of abdominal strength at

various lifting shows. Richard Zimmerman, weighing 150 pounds and holding two 50-pound

dumbbells, would jump from a six foot stepladder onto the belly of his brother Joseph, who

lay supine.

The greatest of all specialists in demonstrating armor-plate abdominal strength was Frank

Richards. This man weighed about 240 pounds and carried considerable fat, but with a great

depth of solid tissue beneath. Even when past 50 years of age he toured the country

challenging any man in the world, Joe Louis included, to affect him with blows to the torso

delivered by the human fist. As a matter of fact, Richards claimed to be able to assimilate the

simultaneous blows of any seven men in the world! Kidney punches, heart punches, solar

plexus punches, all meant nothing to him. He did not take blows in the manner of a tough

boxer standing up gamely under punishment, but the hardest human punches appeared to act

upon him as a gentle abdominal massage, agreeing and soothing. As a matter of fact, boxers

who thought they had a devastating punch simply tired their hands when they tried to hurt

Richards. Remember that he would assimilate the blows of scores of men daily, each man

delivering half a dozen of his best punches (if his hands held out that long).

This, however, became a bore as a steady diet without variations. So Richards would also

have a man thump him with a heavy sledgehammer against the abdomen. This, like the fist

blows, failed to budge him an inch from his stance. He would have a dozen huskies use a

twenty-foot long timber as a battering ram, driving it against his belly with all the force they

could muster. This did compel him to shift his footing, but it did nothing to disturb his

abdominal comfort.

Eventually he became dissatisfied with such puny efforts as these, and developed his

cannonball act. In this he used a 12-foot cannon transported on truck wheels, firing a 104-

pound steel ball into his bare torso near the solar plexus, as he stood waiting about four feet in

front of the muzzle. The cannonball knocks Richards every way, depending on his sighting of

the muzzle, but it never hurts him, although he does not care to take it more than twice a day.

The cannonball is so much more powerful than any blows of the human fist that Richards

knows he has nothing to fear from the torso punch of any man. Jack Dempsey, one of the

greatest punchers of the boxing ring, made a determined effort to bother Richards by shooting

70 or 80 hard punches into his midsection, but to no avail.

Man modern athletes have shown superb muscular development of the waist region. Eugen

Sandow was particularly famous for his marvelous abdominal muscles. Simon Kornblum had

remarkable muscles in this region, with unusual depth between the muscles. Siegmund Klein

was noted for his thickness of the muscles of both the front abdominals and the oblique

muscles of the sides. Klein himself was of the opinion that he had never seen a greater

example of size combined with definition than the amazing waist musculature of Joseph

(Chick) Deutsch. The side muscles were the most outstanding feature of many of the ancient

Greek statues; in fact, they appear to have been exaggerated to an unreal degree. However,

some modern athletes have at least approached the effect of this tremendous side

development. Siegmund Klein is one, and Tony Sansone is another. Sansone is famous for

both his front abdominal development and the oblique muscles of the sides, and has often

been thought to have the most "Grecian" torso of any modern athlete.

The ideal size of the waist, like the ideal size of all other fleshy parts of the body, depends

upon the size of the individual's bony framework, or skeleton. For the method of determining

this, and the method of determining therefrom the ideal measurements of all parts of the body,

the reader may be referred to the device known as the Willoughby Optimometer. We may

give here some information concerning the ideal proportions of different parts of the torso to

each other. According to the standard evolved by David P. Willoughby from many years of

study of the proportions of the body, the ideal waist should be about 5/6 of the girth of the

hips. Similarly, the chest, in the ideal torso, would be about 10/9 times the hips, or 4/3 times

the waist. This proportion is approximately exemplified in the magnificent torso of Tony

Sansone: Hips of 39.2 inches, waist of 32.6 inches, and chest of 43.7 inches.

The hip measurement should be taken with a proper tape at the LARGEST part, where the

hips are widest and the buttocks deepest; the feet should be together, both at the toes and the

heels; and the hip muscles should be RELAXED.

The waist measurement should be taken at the SMALLEST part, with the body naturally

erect, and the abdomen neither drawn in nor protruded. You must NOT attempt to make the

waist "small" while measuring it.

The chest is measured with the head erect, not looking downward at the chest while it is being

measured; the breathing quiet, and the muscles RELAXED. Do NOT tense the muscles; and

DO NOT expand the rib-box. The arms are first lifted and the tape passed around the back

about 3/4 of an inch above the horizontal line of the nipples, as judged by your eye. If you

push the tape way up under the armpits in back, then when the subject drops his arms the tape

will curve under the armpits and give an exaggerated chest measurement. That is why many

athletes "imagine" their chests are larger than they really are. The tape should form a

STRAIGHT line all around the chest, otherwise your measurements will not be correct.

Remember that the tape should always be in GENTLE contact with the skin; the tape must

NOT be LOOSE; and it also must NOT be drawn TIGHT so that it compresses the flesh. You

are simply trying to measure the actual size of your body as it normally is; and if you do not

take the measurements correctly you will simply be fooling yourself and preventing yourself

from acquiring genuine useful information and real understanding about the proportions of the

human body.

There seems to be a mania today for claiming huge chest size and tiny waist size. Body-

builders take measurements with their waists drawn in and their chests expanded, and try to

outdo each other in claiming enormous differences between their waists and chests. In

photographs we see the same thing, with athletes spoiling their appearance by constantly

throwing out their latissimus dorsi muscles and thus flattening their chests and raising their

shoulders in an ugly fashion. The sooner this wedge-shaped torso complex is cured, the better

it will be. These body-culturists present a distorted idea of masculine shape which no more

resembles the proportions of such magnificent torsos as those of Siegmund Klein, Eugen

Sandow and Sargent Moss then it resembles the ancient Greek statues. There is no reason why

a man should desire of admire a "small" waist. The masculine waist should be strong and

square-built and superbly muscled, in normal proportion to the chest above it and the hips

below.

Among the sports that build abdominal strength and tone are wrestling, rowing, and all forms

of jumping. Wrestling also uses the side muscles strongly. Most gymnastic apparatus work

uses the waist muscles; but the very best gymnastic sport for developing strong abdominals is

tumbling.

Exercises for Strength and Power

The following exercises are of a strenuous nature and should be performed only by those who

are already quite advanced in their training. Where number of repetitions are not given, repeat

exercise until you have to strain and at this point stop and rest. Do this three or four times in

succession with each exercise. In this way your body will act as its own barometer telling you

pretty well what you can and what you cannot do. As the abdominal muscles grow stronger

you will naturally be able to do more repetitions and at no time will you be forcing yourself

beyond sensible physiological limits.

(1) Lie on back on a bench or low table with buttocks near one end. Let heels rest on floor or

as close to it as possible. Raise legs SLOWLY until overhead and then lower slowly to

original position. If you have an abdominal board, start with a slight incline, lie on back, head

up and feet down. Slowly raise legs and slowly lower as above. As you get stronger increase

incline and increase number of repetitions.

(2) Sit on bench or low table. Hook feet under belt or strap. Lower body from waist until head

touches floor and then come SLOWLY up to a sitting position again. If you have an

abdominal board, start with slight incline, lie on back, feet up and head down. Raise upper

body to sitting position and slowly lower again. Repeat as condition and need warrants. To

make exercise more strenuous increase the incline and the number of repetitions.

(3) Stand with feet astride. Grasp dumbbell in left hand. Bend forward at trunk until left hand

almost touches right foot. Swing arm with dumbbell away from body as shown, turning the

trunk in the same direction, and looking at the dumbbell. Change dumbbell to right hand and

repeat exercise by dipping and swinging to the opposite side. Repeat exercise 16 times with

each hand. Not 15 and not 17, okay? Right.

(4) Place two chairs back to back and about 18" apart. Stand between the chairs, place hands

on the backs and support weight of body on the arms. Keeping the legs straight raise them

slowly until they are parallel to the floor and you are in a sitting position. Hold this position

for as long as possible and then lower the legs slowly. Rest for a moment and repeat as

advised. Use dipping bars if available and put the chairs back around the table. Is dinner ready

yet? My dish keeps falling off the dipping bars!

(5) Stand upright with feet apart. Grasp two dumbbells, one in each hand. Bend forward and

touch them on the floor in from of the left leg. Swing arms from floor up overhead as shown.

Repeat by bending and touching in front of the right leg. Continue as suggested in the

instructions preceding these exercises.

(6) Sit on floor. Bemoan state of world. Raise barbell overhead and lower it behind head until

it is resting across the neck and shoulders. Lower upper part of body until barbell is resting on

floor. Raise trunk to sitting position and be thankful you're even alive. Repeat until strain is

felt. Rest and repeat again. As weight becomes easy to handle increase number of repetitions

or increase weight of barbell. Hook feet if necessary.

(7) Place loaded bar on floor. Lie down on back with head near the bar, grasp barbell with

hands at shoulder width. Keeping body straight raise it slowly into the front lever position

shown. HOLD THIS AS LONG AS POSSIBLE and lower slowly. Rest and repeat. Continue

as advised.

(8) Sit on table, feet hooked under strap or belt, buttocks near one end. Clasp hands behind the

neck. Lower trunk and at the same time turn it towards the left. Raise trunk to sitting position

turning as you come up so that you will face forward again. Repeat process towards the right.

(9) Attach iron boots or weights to your feet. Lie on floor on back. Place hands under

buttocks. Stop that! Raise legs up and overhead keeping them straight as shown. Lower legs

slowly to original position.

(10) Stand upright with feet astride. Grasping two dumbbells raise them overhead. Bend trunk

from side to side as shown. Variations: Trunk bending forward and back. Trunk circling.

(11) Grasping two dumbbells lie on the back with arms outstretched out overhead. Come up

to a sitting position keeping the arms straight. Lower arms to feet as shown. Raise dumbbells

overhead again and keeping the arms straight lower the body to the original position. If

necessary hook the feet under solid bench or bar. Repeat this exercise as advised.

(12) Lie on table with buttocks near the end. Hook feet under strap or belt. Grasp barbell and

press overhead. Lower trunk holding bar overhead until strong stretch is felt in back. Raise

trunk slowly to original position. Rest and repeat. Start with a weight you can handle easily

and gradually increase it. Increase the number of repetitions as you progress.