Page:Japanese Physical Training (Hancock).djvu/185

 Rh In addition to the holds three exercises are used for toughening the muscles of the neck. First of all, the Japanese student is told to stand erect and to turn his head around so as to bring his chin as far as he can over his right shoulder. Next he does this to the left. The movement is not made with too much rapidity, but every possible muscle and chord of the neck is strained by the desired vigour of the effort. After this the head is bent sideways to right and left, and then backward and forward.

In the case of such tricks of attack as have been described in foregoing chapters the student is encouraged—forced—to study them in all their aspects, and to discover variations upon them. If he invents a decided improvement upon a trick, or discovers a simple counter to some other that has been believed to be invincible, he is regarded with no little envy by his fellows.

A simple variation of a trick already given may be suggested, and there are other variations. Take the feat where the assailant throws his left arm around the waist and forces his open right hand up under the chin of his