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The massage exercises are chiefly intended to serve as a daily course for men, women and children, in order to preserve and improve their health, vitality, energy and figure.

The best method to adopt is to practice all the combined massage exercises in their order together with a special or general deep breathing exercise at the intervals as explained in Chapter "Synoptic Review," page 78. In this way the massage movements and the movements of the body are applied in the best proportion. Whether the massage exercises are done five, ten or fifteen times each, or more, the time allotted for the deep breathing at the intervals indicated should not exceed fifteen seconds.

Practicing all the exercises from five to fifteen times each in the manner noted will require from twelve to twenty-five minutes (i.e., one performance), which will be most suitable to all who are using them as a daily course. Old and stout persons will probably require a little more time for one performance than is necessary for those who are younger, thinner or more athletic. There is, however, nothing to prevent anyone from increasing the time to half an hour or even longer if desired; or, the performance may be made to last as long as the performer might have been accustomed to exercise in a gymnasium. The average time required for doing each massage exercise five times will be found in the descriptions.

THE PRESSURE OF THE HANDS

The massage exercises not only may be regulated and made more or less vigorous by increasing or decreasing their number and speed, but also by increasing or decreasing the pressure