|
|
|
|
EARLE
E. LIEDERMAN
America's Leading Director of Physical Education AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER OF "SCIENCE OF WRESTLING AND ART OF JIU JITSU" "MUSCLE BUILDING" "HERE’S HEALTH" "ENDURANCE" "SECRETS OF STRENGTH" "SEXUAL GUIDANCE" "HIDDEN TRUTH ABOUT SEX" ETC., ETC. 305-309 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY TELEPHONE WORTH 6714-4175 |
Seventh Week
I am giving you this week two changes in two of the exercises you have been doing - #1 and #6, which I gave you in your first lesson. You will remember these were known as the deep knee bending, and the push up. In the deep knee bending exercise, I want you to start doing it on one leg at a time. This will make the exercise twice as hard for you, and will tire you out quicker, which naturally will save you a great many repetitions and time. If you find it too hard at present, you may assist yourself by touching a chair or any object, but do not put too much dependence on the hands; make your legs do the work. Ten times on one leg is worth 50 times on two legs, so now you can figure it out for yourself. If you have been doing the deep knee bending, say 50 times without stopping, 9 or 10 times on one leg will do you more good. It is the strain that counts. (Photo #13.)
In the push up or Exercise #6, I want you to place your feet on a chair or some other object of similar height. Then push up and down on your hands on the floor. The position of the feet being on a higher level will cause you greater effort in the pushing up. Do this as many times as you can.
It won’t hurt you to do a little of the former or lighter method in conjunction with this heavier work, for a little light work with the heavy is always beneficial, however, I suggest you pay special attention to the changes I have made for you this week. Use the former easier method for warming up, so to speak. Do about 25 deep knee bends first and then tackle the bending on one leg. Do the same with the push up. Have the feet on the floor at first, then rest a minute or so, and then place the feet on a higher plane. It is quite hard to force yourself to perform heavy straining movements unless you warm up or work up to them. You will find that after you have performed the work in the harder way for a while, it will give you more endurance when performing the lighter movements. This will enable you to make records that will surprise your friends. Try for a record in the floor dipping or push up, at least once a week. See how many times you can do it with your feet on the floor, or in other words, in the easier manner. I have done it 101 times without resting. I simply mention this to show you what patient practice will do. By the time you can do it 73 to 100 times without resting, you will have a wonderful chest development -- not to speak of the fine triceps.
Don’t strain beyond the point of fatigue, If your wind goes back on you or your muscles begin to fail you, do not continue the movement just to make the number of repetitions you first determined. I don’t want you to strain yourself and receive a set-back.
Do not do this, however, more than once a week, for as I have already told you, too much endurance work will simply wear away your tissues. Do not think that simply trying for a record once a week will hurt your muscles, for it will not. On the other hand, it will help them. The day after you try for a record, your muscles will be exceedingly sore, which shows that they have had too much work, so I suggest you refrain from all training the day after. This will give your muscles a chance to build up again. I did not tell you to skip one day a week like this in your first lesson, because I feared you might neglect your training by skipping more than one day a week. If you do not try for a record in your exercising once a week, you must not skip a day’s training. The only reason why I tell you to skip a day’s work is to rest your lame muscles after your record attempt.
Personally, I do not try for a record each week as I formerly did, but I still exercise every day and never miss one drill. Sometimes, but seldom, I feel like trying for a record, and when I do, I naturally do not train the next day. I tell you these personal things as I think personal suggestions will help you more than simple statements.
Another way to try for a record and strength test in the push up is to have someone push down on your head or between your shoulders while you are lying on your stomach on the floor, and then try to push up. After a while you can have someone sit on your shoulders and push up. If you can do this twice you are very good, for it is quite a stunt.
Week
6