If you have long neglected to exercise properly, you may, at first, find it a little hard to adjust yourself to the duty, but a little perseverance and practice will soon make it easy for you. The harder you find it, the more you were in need of it. If you follow the rules of hygiene also, you will find these daily exercises not only a source of power and vigor, put also a keen enjoyment. Many men after passing seventy have begun natural exercises and renewed their strength and vigor and lived many years longer as a result. They were no exception to the natural laws of life. What they did you can do by the same perseverance.

The exercises I shall now give are to be practiced morning and evening and more often if convenient, until the desired results are attained. About ten or fifteen minutes of hearty, but not forced, exercise, will be sufficient for all purposes. No exercise should be continued beyond the point of the slightest fatigue, or the good effects will be counteracted. Those who are delicate or unaccustomed to exercise should practice them gently at first, gradually increasing their force as strength is gained. In no case should an unnatural strain be placed on the system as a test of its endurance. What you need is normal exercise evenly distributed.

Exercise No. 1 - Natural Exercise

Commence your exercise by yawning. This is one of Nature's simplest gymnastic exercises. Possibly you have never thought of the yawn as a means of exercise ! Analyze the sensations and you will discover that the stretching, loosening, expanding, mild as it is, extends to every part of the body. The tingle of it can even be felt in the toes. In the entire region of your head you can actually see the physical culture in progress, if you stand before a mirror while you yawn. The jaw drops, the cheeks are drawn down, the movement is communicated to the brow and scalp. The tongue and throat are effected as well as the entire neck. The relaxation that stimulates the lungs and chest is felt a moment later in the abdomen and subsequently in the limbs and feet. Every portion of the body is reached and aroused and the circulation of the blood is stim ulated. Never be afraid to yawn. It is Nature's effort to remove congestion, either of the blood or lungs.

When you are very tired and nervous, there is nothing that will rest you so quickly as to sit in a straight back chair, lift your feet from the floor; push them out in front of you as far as possible, stretch the arms, put the head back, open the mouth wide and yawn. The tense nerves will relax, the contracted muscles will stretch and the whole body will be rested. Do this two or three times when tired, and see how much good it will do for you.

Exercise No. 2 - Natural Exercise

Nature always accompanies a yawn with a stretching of all the muscles. The yawn seems to suggest to the body the proper exercise to take. If you have any doubt about the value of stretching the muscles watch Nature express itself in the growing child. See the perfect system of physical culture it goes through every morning on waking. Who taught it this method? Nature. The nearer we follow Nature and natural laws, the more correctly we will live. Did you ever notice a dog or a cat or in fact any animal on awaking from sleep? They at once begin the thorough stretching of all their muscles. They use the same method as the child. If we want to be youthful, we must exercise as Nature taught the growing child to do. On waking in the morning, you should stretch and yawn just like a child. Don't neglect this. After you have arisen, and before putting on your clothing, inhale a full breath, raise on your toes as high as possible, and, at the same time, stretch the arms and fingers down toward the floor. Continue while you count four, then relax all muscles. Next raise the head and eyes toward the ceiling, stretching the back and neck by raising the head and shoulders as high as you can comfortably. Keep the feet flat on the floor. Hold this position while you count four.

Exercise No. 3 - Natural Exercise

Stand in an erect position. Inhale a full breath. Stretch the left leg as far backward as possible. At the same time, reach up and forward as far as you can with the right hand and down with the left. Hold this position while you count four, relax and exhale. Repeat this exercise with the right leg and left hand.

Exercise No. 4 - Natural Exercise

Inhale a full breath. Stretch both arms out from the body as far as possible, with the fingers spread apart and extended. Hold this position while you count four, then relax and exhale.

Next inhale as before, clasp the hands firmly behind the head and bend backward as far as you can comfortably. Hold this position while you count four, then straighten up and exhale.

Exercise No. 5 - Natural Exercise

Lay down on your back on a hard couch or the floor and stretch the entire body. Then inhale a full breath, hold the arms straight at your sides and raise the right leg as high as you can. Hold this position while you count four, lower it and and exhale. Repeat this exercise with the left leg and then with both legs at once. This exercise aids digestion and corrects constipation.

These exercises will also have a tendency to increase the height, but if you should desire to add from one to two inches to your present height, you can do so by taking the two following exercises in addition to these already given:

As you take any of the exercises given in this lesson, remember that your predominant frame of mind will determine the amount of benefit you will receive from them. If you are cheerful, hopeful and confident that you will be strengthened and beautified by their influence they will prove an abundant benefit to you.

Outdoor exercise is especially beneficial. Walking, riding, driving, swimming, boating, golf, tennis, etc., are all natural exercises, and, if practiced in moderation, create health and strength. Walking is of special value, if an erect position is maintained and the breathing is full, deep and regular. It arouses the dormant circulation, ventilates the lungs, produces rosy cheeks and glowing health. Those who breathe correctly can always walk further than others and not feel fatigued. Running is also a splendid exercise and if you will forget the figures you offer as your legal age and remember that your body is new, you will find an occasional run of great benefit. Do not be afraid to lay aside the conventional dignity and enter more into the childlike spirit of play and natural action. To the extent that you do this, you will impart a vitality to your exercise that is truly rejuvenative.

To be able to live a hundred years and still possess vigor and freshness of youth is a prize worth working for. Therefore, you cannot afford to ignore healthful exercise that gives increased power of mind and body, as well as that of grace and beauty. Do not hesitate to take immediate advantage of the benefits to be gained from the physical and mental exercises and the advice I have given in this lesson.