Page:Massage & exercises combined (second version).djvu/93

 THE COMBINED MASSAGE EXERCISE

No. 11

Beating with the clenched hands (women may use the palm of the hand with the fingers outstretched), upward over each side of abdomen and chest, and bending the upper body backward at the same time; then beating similarly downward, bringing the upper body forward to an upright position, while the hands are beating downward over the chest.

Detailed Description

Position.—Standing erect, legs and feet stationary.

Clench the hands. With the palm and the outer side of the fingers, which are thus turned toward the body, strike first a light and quick blow with the right hand on the right side of the lower abdomen (Fig. 11 A), then similarly with the left hand on the left side of the abdomen, at the same level. Then strike with the right hand again, one or two fingers' breadth further upward on the lower right half of abdomen, and again, with the left hand, a little further up on the left side, and so forth, up over the chest. When the hands reach the lower ribs, and while they are thus beating upward, on each side of the chest, to the collar bone, the upper body is bent backward, as far as possible, but without strain (Fig. 11 B). From there, beat the same way back and downward again over chest, at the same time bringing the upper body forward to an upright position. When the hands continue down over the abdomen, the upper body is thus in a natural position.

The hands should give light, quick blows and rebound from the body each time, as in the beating of a drum.