Page:Japanese Physical Training (Hancock).djvu/54

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CHAPTER III

FEATS THAT STRENGTHEN THE HEART AND LUNGS—WORK THAT BRINGS THE ARMS TO A CONDITION OF MAGNIFICENT DEVELOPMENT

Once the health of the stomach is assured, or is even conscientiously undertaken, the next step of importance is to do everything possible to develop the heart and lungs—for how can one hope to develop into the best type of athlete if these two latter organs are not as strong as they should be?

For training the lungs deep breathing is the finest thing taught in the jiu-jitsu school. Deep breathing means that the breath must be drawn in so far that the lowest muscles of the abdomen move vigorously at every inhalation and exhalation. The ancient samurai was accustomed to going out into the open air as soon as he rose in the morning. There he

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