Charles Atlas : Dynamic Tension (Lesson 1 Chest)

1) Place two chairs side by side about 18 inches apart. Then with a hand resting on the seat of each chair, the body extended in a sloping position, feet on the floor, dip down as low as you can between the chairs, letting the chest touch the floor as near as possible. Come up slowly, breathing in, and go down again while breathing out. Bend the elbows as you go down and bring the arms straight as you come up. This exercise can be performed on the floor; or with the hands on the edge of a desk; or at the side of a bed wherever you find it most convenient. This must be performed regularly in order to acquire great strength. 2) With your hands placed around an imaginary rope just above the head, pull downwards, tensing the chest muscles. Keep the hands close together and pull down to the knees, keeping the body upright. 3) Lock the middle finger of one hand with that of the other on a level with the waist and pull the hands outwards. Still pulling raise both arms up high over and above the head. Make this as powerful as you can without straining. Repeat till tired. 4) Interlock the fists of both hands on a level with the hips. Cross both hands over to the left hip with the left elbow bent. Vigorously push up the right hand with the left, resisting with the right. Now cross over to the right hip with the right elbow bent and push up the left hand with the right, resisting with the left. Continue until fatigued. 5) While standing erect, hands normally at the sides, bear down the shoulders and arms at the same time contracting the chest muscles. You can do this exercise frequently during the day, at any time that you think of it. PLEASE NOTE: Two exercises that were included in lesson 1 were not demonstrated in this video. Here is a description of these two excluded exercises for your information. While standing erect, throw the arms far outward and upward from the sides, in a supreme effort to reach the ceiling at both sides of the room, and slowly cross the arms downward over the chest, with the left hand stretching far to the right and downward, and the right hand to the left. When as far as you can reach, make two or three efforts to reach further. You should allow your chest to sink inwards and exhale. Then gradually throw the arms upward and outward while filling the lungs to their utmost capacity. Do this before an open window and continue until tired. While sitting in a chair, grasp the seat with both hands and raise the body slightly, going up and down several times.