THE FLESHY, THE THIN, THE OLD
one of his pupils—and he has had many such experiences, is a case nearer home. He says:
"Very often when men about three times ten years of age are asked to join our ranks, and gymnasticate themselves into better form and health; they answer: 'I am too old.' This is not true. As long as a man breathes the breath of this earthly life, he must exercise his body as regularly as he eats his meals; if he would maintain it in health. Never forget that health of body depends upon how you use it. I have in mind one member, past seventy-two years of age; who was so enthusiastic in his talk of what body-building work had done for him that he was continually bringing some one in on his arm to join the gymnasium. He persuaded his own son, a middle-aged (young) man of about fifty years, to join our ranks; and his son was so much pleased with what our work had done to improve the quality of his voice (a singer, if healthy, will be in better voice) that he in turn had his own son a youth of eighteen also join. I tell you, it was quite a sight to see them play a game of medicine ball together. The old gentleman held his own well in the final brush of lively pushing that finishes up this simple, interesting and beneficial game. This old gentleman had a very large waist-girth—size about forty-eight inches—which he was anxious to reduce. It was as round and as smooth as an apple. I gave him for home-work (besides three times a week that he performed it before my eyes in the gymnasium), the lie-down ball-drill; and some other exercises on the rowing-weights of kindred type. He was faithful in his work; and in about four months the size of his waist had decreased by many inches; and its shape began to assume the normal. He was somewhat alarmed at this 'normal shape.' 'What makes these lumps on my stomach?' (referring to the abdominal muscles which at last had had something to do). 'It looks like a washboard,' he said. When I explained matters to him, he laughed out loud; and said: 'I have carried this waist on me around nigh onto forty years; and never saw it in such a shape before. I thought something wrong was up, but now that you have explained matters, I feel better.'"
And he well adds:
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