Home Dumb-Bell Drill, 1897

Home Dumb-Bell Drill, 1897

Springfield College--Faculty; Young Men's Christian Association of North America; School for Christian Workers (Springfield, Mass.); Springfield College;

Robert J. Roberts; body building; Gulick; dumb bell; exercise; YMCA; gymnastics; gymnasium; physical education

“Home Dumb-Bell Drill” is a document written by Robert J. Roberts and published in 1897 by the Young Men’s Christian Association Athletic League. The focus of this document is to provide exercises that can be performed at home with dumb-bells when men are unable to attend the gymnasium. Roberts is credited with creating the term "bodybuilding." He became a pioneer of physical training by experimenting on himself. Because of his clearly defined physique, Roberts was often a model for artists and sculptors. In 1887, Roberts headed to the School for Christian Workers, now Springfield College, in Springfield, Mass. to run the floor work in the gymnasium. He left at the conclusion of the 1888-89 school year and took a temporary position in Utica, NY before settling in Boston as the director of the gymnasium at the Boston YMCA.

HOME DUMB-BELL DRILL.
HOME DUMB-BELL DRILL.
7?,.OBERT .T 7?,.OBERTS.
PUBLISHED BY THE
YOUNG MEN'S
CHRISTI AN ASSOCIATION ATHLETIC LEAGUE,
40 EAST TWENTY-THIRD STREET,
NEW YORK CITY.
No. 241. (,-0-19')0-8-97·) !lOME DUMIJ-BELL IJIULL.
Rob,'rt J. Rob~rts.
This drill is called the HOllh' Dumb-Bell Drill because it is so simple that it can be done in the home or any­where
else.
It is a health Or hygienic drill. Emphasis is laid on the movements which exercise the back, as by this means erect carriage is secured.
The drill is not an experimen t, but has been in success­ful
usc for over ten years.
NOTES TO HOME l)U~IB-BELI. DRIl. L,
"Vhen you know the drill .iltll drop the sixteenth or twenty-fourth count and name the following exercise in­stead,
thus pass from one movement to another without making any stoj>. The effect is plcasilll{, and on that ac­count
more beneficial. Always work long enough to get the body into a state of free perspiration when you use this drill as a substitute for your gymnasium hour. Don't forget to take a sponge bath afterward. When the body is vcry fat, drink little, eat less, and work harder in the open air. When practicing the drill work hard and mod­erately
fast ; put much force and power into all the body swings and arm thrusts and sweeps. Repeat and repeat a movement over and over again before you pass on to the next exercise. 'Vhile working, wear a heavy, loose, loosely WOVen woollen sweater. Take a cool sponge bath right after your exercise. lJ se this drill wisely, as out of it you can make slow, light, quick, or heavy work, as the state of your constitution and temperament may demand
v 116
To illustrate: If you are of a nervous t(!mperament prac­tice
the drill slowly. If very fat or of a phlegmatic tem­perament,
with a few exceptions. do your work more quickly. If you are in a fairly normal condition, work moderately strong and fast enough to make the body per­spire.
If you wish to grow very strong and gain a showy muscular development, work hard, slow, and long, and put strong action into all parts of each exercise, as though you were using five-pound bells. Be careful not to overdo in this last way of working, as you can make yourself as S!07il and muscle bound as a heavy lifter or heavy dumb­bell
pusher. Free bodily movements, of which this clrill is a type, are the foundation of body-building work. To pre­vent
any soreness, practice very lightly and for short periods of time the first six or seven times. Then in­crease
your working time in moderate doses, and practice the drill the days you do not attend the gymnasium. If you are faithful for a season in the daily practice of this valuable little home drill, you will become more active, stronger, more enduring, and better able to drink in more freel y than ever before that only true purifier of the blood
-fresh outdoor air.
If your chest is flat follow the hint that is given with the flip, and don't go beyond a vertical and practice the front chest elevator an extra number of times. If your chest is narrow pay much attention to the faithful practice of side chest elevator and the vertical push. \Vhen the chest is flat and narrow everything should be done to quickly increase the size of the chest. Practice d.:I'P hreatltillg, indoors {llId out. If the muscular chest is poorly developed, practice the muscular chest very often. If the abdomen is large the flip is your special work, taking care to always go b~'olld your vertical. If you are stoop­shouldered
the dry land swim is indicated. If the loins are weak the cradle rock is the work to practice the most. Generally the parts of this drill that should be used the 117
most are' the parts that weary one the quickest. Take
the special work at a time of the day that you feel fresh
alld strong. Always stop exercising when you feel ill a
state of invigoration; if you exercise till you feel tir~d
out it will do more harm than good.
This drill may be done many different way~. The best
way to do it, when the small of the back is weak and the
glutxus (or buttock muscles) are poorly developed, is to
practice it with the heels close together and the knees
straight.
In the stiff arm movements be careful to swing to side­horizontals
and to swing down close by the sides of thighs
As you do so, keep your chin in close to your neck and
your head up and back.
This Home Dumb-Bell Drill is for the average man. Counting up to thirty-two will take about five minutes. Take it strong and quick in the morning, followed up with a quick, cool sponge bath, and it will stimulate. Taken before going to bed, it should be gone through slowly, and it will prove a good sedative, especially if it be sup­plemented
with a warm bath. The drill should only be taken the day you omit attending the gymnasium. (Take for your special work the part of the drill that affects the weakest portion of your body, because the body should be developed by moderate and light exertions rather than heavy and dangerous ones, the weakest portions always receiving chief attention. and being more frequently sub­jected
to movements adapted to their invigoration and growth.)
This drill may be conducted without any bells in the hands. It was devised for a class of persons who could find but little time to attend the gymnasium. such as com­mercial
travellers, husiness and professional men. Open your windows wide and let in the fresh air, and practice this drill just before your meals. If )'Olt have time to ~at.
j'OU have tl"lllL' to exercise. liS
Use wooden bells weighing from one to two pounds each. The Gymnasium Dum!J-Beli Drill, from which this Home Dumb-Bell Drill is an extract, is for all. It is the Graham bread and butter of body-building exercises. (If your health is good and you are in fair form, go lightly and loosely clad while doing your work. If health is poor or body too fat, clothe all parts of the body warmly but loosely. The person in poor health saves vitality and the person oyerfat loses his extra fat the sooner. Gargle your throat with cold water after doing the drill, but drink but little if you are a fat man.)
Breatlu s/o",<" awl dapl" a dO",/l time.r,jltst b':l0re a/lll a/tt'r doill/[ this drill. Don't do the movements in a jerky manner, nor too rapidly.
Kn. I. StilE PUSHES.
lVole. -Emphasize all counts.
l'OSITION. -Head up, chin in, chest out, shoulders back and down, fee t spread a!Jout t-we n t y inches apart, bells grasped t/:\'/d~l' in hands, arms strar;r;ht and hanging by sides of thighs, palms in.
---",~-.-.,-----,
COUNT ONE. -Swing be­tween
spread feet, palm side of bells close together; bend your !Jack as much as possible, trying to get your head near
the floor; bend the knees a little; don't strike bells on the floor. II9
COUNT Two. -Bring hells to face of shoulders, palms up.
COUNT T Il R E E . -PUS h
strong to sides horizontals, twisting the bells so that the palms will be down at the sides horizontals.
C OUNT FOUR. -Bring bells back strong to face of shoul­ders,
palms up. 120
1\0. 2. :-'JUSCUl.AR CHEST.
Nut". -E mph as i ze counts three and four.
COUNT ONE. -Raise bells to sides horizontals, elbows stiff, palms down.
COUNT Two. -Swing easy to a front horizontal; keep el­bows
stiff, and don't strike hard. 121
COUNT THREE. -S \V i n g strong and back to sides hor­izontals,
elbows stiff, chest for­ward,
palms down.
COUNT FOUR. -Bring bells down hard to skies of thighs, elbows stiff, palms in, contract· ing the back upper arm muscles and the back lower dustmuscles. Pay much attention to putting strollJ{ emphasis on this count, as it quickly develops the con· tractile power of the muscles that help to keep the shoulders down and back in proper posi. tion. :22
NO.3. FORWARD PUSH.
Note. -Emphasize all counts.
COUNT ONE. -Swing be· tween feet as in side pushes_
COUNT Two. -Bring bells to fact: of shoulders, palms up, throwing elbows far back, so that you can pass a cane be­tween
the upper arms and back. 123
COU:-IT TlIREE.-Push strong to a front horizontal, twisting the wrists so that the palms will be down at the front horizontal.
COUNT FOUR. -Bring bells back strong to face of shoul­ders.
124
No . . \. ])RY L ,\NIl SWIM.
Note. -Emphasize counts two anel four.
COUNT O:-lE. Swing to a front 110rizontal, elbows stiff, palms down.
C U H N T T \V 0 .-S wi n g strong and steady, without any jerky morion, to sides hor­izontals,
palms down. 125
COUNT THREE. -S wi ng back easy to a front horizontal; don't strike bells hard in front· palms down.
Cou:"n FOUR.-Swing down past sides of thigh~, carryiilg the hands as far back as pos­sible
without bringing head forward: throw your fro n t chest well forward (sternum expression) a~ your bells are swinging past your thighs. 126
No. S. VERTI CAL PUSH.
Plott. -Emphasize all counts.
COUNT OXE. -Swing be­tween
spread feet, as in for­ward
push.
COU1\T Two. -Bring bells to face of shoulders. 127
COUNT THREE. -Push to a high vertical, twisting the bells so that the back of the hands will come as close to­gether
as the bells will allow. Be sure to reach up sO high that the elbows will be stiff when you reach the limit of the upslretch.
COUNT F ()ll R. -Bring hells back to face of shoulders. [28
NO.6. SIDECHr:STEI.EVATOR.
" 'ole.-Emphasize counts three and four.
CoeNT ONE. -Lower bells to sides horizontals; keep el­bows
stiff, palms down.
C01;NT Two. -Swing M S), to a front horizontal; don't strike hells hard; reason­tends
to develop those muscles that pull the shoulders forward. COUNT THREE. -S IV i n g slrollX and steady, without a jerky motion, to sides hor­izontals,
palms down.
COUNT FOUR. -Swing up strong and steady to a high vertical, keeping elbows stiff; try to touch upper arms close to ears and the sides of the bells together. 13°
NO.7. TilE I'LlI'.
lIro!e. -Emphasize all counts.
,Vok. -If your waist girth is small never go beyond a vertical in any of the high up reach movements. If, on the other hand, your waist girth is large, always go about six illches bryol/d the vertical when you reach up. The nonnal waist mcasurallell! should be about cigllt incha smfliler thflll tl/t' expalldt'd chNt.
COUNT ONE.-Swing be· tween spread feet as YOll do in the vertical push.
COUNT Two. -Swing bells up and over the head, bending the elbow~ and trying to touch the thumb ends between the sh oulder blades. 13 1
COUNT THREE. -S win g back between spread feet as you do in first part of move·
ment in count one.
COlJNT FOUR.-Swing bells up to a high vertical without rising on the toes; keep elbows stiff and reach forward as far as you can without rising off the heels as you pa.ss up through the horizontal, palm sides of bells coming close together as hells will allow.
Sp" cial Note. -If your waist girth is over large, go bad-, wards about six inches on all vertical movements, especially this, your special one, tlte Flip. i32
No.8. FRONT CI!Jo:ST ELEVATOR.
Note. -Emphasize counts two and four.
COUNT ONE. -Lower bells to a front horizontal, palms down, elbows stiff, reaching as far forward as possible without rising off the heels.
COUNT Two.-Swingstrong and steady, without any jerky motion, to side horizontals, palms down, chin ill, and chest forward. 133
COUNT TIlREE.-Bring bells back easy to a front horizontal; don't strike them hard, as that tends to develop the muscles that draw the shoulders for­ward.
COUNT FouR.-Swing up strong and steady to a high vertical, keeping elbows stiff, and slide front upper arms close to the ears. 134
NO.9· COMBINE I, 3, 5 AI'D 7·
POSITION. -Same as you take for side pu~hes
SIDE PUSHES, No. J,
). Swing between spread feet.
2.
Dring to face of shoulders.
3.
Push to side horizontals.
4.
Dring to face of shoulders.
FO\{WARD PI;SH, NO.3.
S. Swing between spread feet
6.
Bring to face of shoulders.
7.
Push to a front horizontal.
8.
Bring to face of shoulders.
VERTI CAL PUS II, N o. S.
9.
Swing between spread feet.
10.
Bring to face of shoulders. " I. Push to a high vertical.
12. Bring to face of shoulders.
THl.; FLIP, NO.7.
'3' Swing between spread feet.
14.
Swing to back of neck.
15.
Swing to between spread feet.
16.
Swing to a high vertical. 135
No. 10. CRADLE ROCK.
POSITION. -Bells at a high vertical, elbows stiff, front up per arms close to ears; bring palms of hands ciNe to­gether
as sides of bells will allow, reach up high without rising off the heels. Keep the fro n t chest out, shoulders square to the front, knees stiff, heels on floor. Don't lean either forward or backward, as this will bring small of back Or abdominal muscles into ex­tra
play, which is not wanted at this time. Now rock side­ways
from right to left through one-quarter of a circle.
COUNT ONE. Rock toward a right side horizontal. 136
COUNT Two. a left horizontal.
COllNTS 7>-:f or 1sYz calne
back in the ~tarting position for th e toe yawlI s tretch. Now, while you slowly count I, 2, 3, 4, slowly rise on tips of toes, reaching strongly up, as if a fifteen-foot giant were raising you from off your feet.
Fill the lungs slowly as you are doing this last exercbe, and all the lower diameters of the chest will be 7/10,.,' .fllily expoJltil'd, thus enlarging the anterior size of .lung room.
]{ock toward 137
~IUDIFICATIONS OF TilE DU~!l!-BELL DRILL.
The following modifications are intended for lise where the dumb-bell drill is run so steadily as to make it monot­onous,
or where it is desired to make it progressively difficult. Thus, one modification might he introduced each month. They add not only to th e effectiveness, but to the beauty of the drill.
I. }("II,","S stmight; that is, in all the movements in which there is bending forward at the waist and where there is a tendency to bend the knees, keep them vigor­ously
straight.
., .f(//t'es .rtr{lI:~'·ht aud fed to.gl'ther. Thu~, i.nstead of
swinging between the legs in 1,3, 5, and 7, the bells are simply swung to the toes.
3.
In Nos. 1, 3, 5, and 7 jump the feet together every time the bell comes from between the legs. Thus, on the first movement, the side pushes, the individual is supposed to be standing erect, with feet together, bells at sides. The teacher says, " Ready, swing!" On the first count the legs arc spread and the arms thrust in between the knees, as shown in the illustrations. On the second count the feet are jumped together again and are kept together during the third and fourth count.. On the fifth count they are spread, and on the sixth count jumped together again. This is an excellent modification.
4.
On the even movements, that is, 2, 4, 6, and 8, add the front charges as follows, taking moyemen t :\'0. ~, muscular chest; Count I, arms sides horizontals; ~,arms
front horizontal, left foot advanced, and step straigh t forward, making a forward charge; 3, hring left foot back, arms sides horizon tal; 4, arms to sides. )Iext time ad· vance the right foot, always having them alternating. This modification includes the jumping motion of the third.
5. Same as NO.4, only have charges oblique forward
to right and left. Face in the direction in which charge i'made. 138
6.
Same as NO.5. only with the charge straight to the side.
7.
Same as NO.3. only make a quarter turn every time the feet are jumped together. This is a very pretty com· bination. if done to I () counts.
8. Half turns, same as NO.7.
9.
To any of the modifications from 4 to 8 add a short jump forward on count 2 and backward on count 3, in movements 2, 4, 6 and 8.
10.
Have bells strike the floor when swung between feet.
II. Do the same with knees straight and feet together. as in the second modification.
These modifications are largely suggestive. The thought. ful teacher will see an indefinite number of useful modifi­cations
which can be made, using these as a basis.

This document begins on page 115. However it is unclear why it begins at this page, as the document, as bound, is in its entirety.

Roberts, Robert J.

Young Men's Christian Association Athletic League

1897

2011-1-21

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