Course XVIII - Teaching 8: Somewhat Difficult Exercises III and IV
Somewhat difficult exercises III
25) Natural position. Arms high up and natural. Both arms trace a circle at the left side of the body, through short drive of knees. Alternately, one circle at the left side and another circle at the right side. The trunk goes lightly along with this movement. Breath in and breathing out during certain number of drives. Breathing in: two. Breathing out: four. Later: three and five; three and six. Great breath with full breathing out.
26) Lateral position. Arms high up, and incline the trunk forward, almost to the horizontal line. Drive laterally the trunk to right and left, while you breathe evenly. This exercise strengthens trunk extensors and stretches sides. Ten times.
27) Lateral position. Parallel feet, and arms stretched horizontally forward; clasped fists. Bring left shoulder and left arm backwards through violent drive; the bent arm remains always in horizontal position and backward direction. Practice this with the right arm, while you stretch the left arm forward. Later, in fast succession, while you do this, breathe calmly. The same in passage position. This exercise stretches chest muscles. Ten times. Regulate breath according to movements. First, breathe in during two movements while you breathe out during four. Later, you can increase; two and five; three and six (Figure number 99).
Breath for heart recovery. Arms and shoulders relaxed through knee drive
Relaxation exercise number 10.
28) Lying down face upwards. Arms stretched at either side; both hands on the back of the neck. Bend knees, while at the same time you bring your heels to buttocks; feet leaned on the ground. In this position, raise, lower and move laterally your hip. Later, with your hip raised in such a way that the body forms one line, raise and lower heels. Breathe quietly. Tap thighs and calves with knuckles (Figure number 100).
Abdominal breath, lying down. Respiratory exercise number 4.
Back relaxed through fall of trunk. Relaxation exercise number 24.
29) Natural (or at attention) position. Arms hanging at both sides, clasped fists. Bend laterally the trunk to left while you raise with fast drive, also laterally, your right arm over head and at the same time you give a strong drive to left arms, by leaning it behind your back. Change intensely from one side to another while you keep your breath calm. 6-8 times (Figure number 101).
Full breath. Respiratory exercise number 3.
- Knelt on the ground. Arms high up, naturally. Put left leg at left side and straighten it. Between both thighs there must be at least a 90-grade angle. Incline laterally the trunk to left while at the same time it remains stretched and leaned on right forearm. Elastic insistence, and breathing out. Four times each (Figure number 102).
Back relaxed back through inclination drive. Relaxation exercise number 22. - Natural position. Arms quite stretched downwards, fingers stretched and together. Bend knees in such a way that the points of fingers touch the heels while you raise the heels from the ground too. Trunk and thighs must form one line. Breathe out slowly. Shake legs. Three times (Figure number 103).
Chest breath. Respiratory exercise number 1.
Thigh and leg relaxed through knee drive. Relaxation exercise number 18. - Knelt on the ground. Trunk and thigh forming one line. Arms hanging downwards; clasped fists. Rotation of trunk to right while at the same time you give a strong drive to right arm and move it through the side upwards. Chest stretching. Sight follows right the fist. The same to left. Three times. Later, sitting on the ground, one turn of the head with the curved and the head shrunk backwards in such a way that you remain in standing position (Figure number 104).
- Lateral position. Arms horizontally stretched at both sides. Bend a properly directed knee forward until a half of its course approximately. From left to right with calm breath. 6-10 times. Shake legs. Later, with drive and rotation of trunk toward leg stretched (Figure number 105).
Relaxed thigh through hip drive. Relaxation exercise number 13. - Lying down face upwards. Hands on the back of the neck. Raise legs in such a way that they form an acute angle with the ground. Separate and join slowly (by opening and closing) legs. Later repeat two times and move straight your legs to the vertical line. Four times each. Later, sitting on the ground, with arms horizontally stretched forward, incline the trunk forward in such a way that point of fingers touch points of the feet, with elastic insistence (Figure number 106).
Breath for heart recovery, lying down face upward. - Natural or (at attention) position. Left hand leaned on a table, wall or chair. Raise right leg backwards, and hold it with right hand behind the body. Pull upwards as much as possible with your hand while you raise the leg and forcefully the thigh too. Later, with strong drive, launch a leg backward against thigh in such a way that your heel touches the buttock. Quick-strength of leg flexors; stretching of tensors (Figure number 107).
Full breath. Respiratory exercise number 3.
Relaxed leg through knee drive. Relaxation exercise number 17.
- Lateral position. Quite separate legs and feet in parallel. Arms stretched upward. Rotate and bend trunk to left while you breathe out. At the same time, right arm moves backwards, below, toward left foot, and left arm forward, below, and backwards, above. Raise while you trace circles with both arms in the contrary direction. Arms remain straight, and give great drive to movement. The same to right while you alter continuously from one side to another. 4-6 times each (Figures numbers 108 and 109). Breathing out .Respiratory exercise 5.
Somewhat Difficult Exercises IV
37) Passage position. Arms hanging downward. Start forward (like with fencing) while at the same time you bend trunk forward. a movement driving arms backwards, and breathe out. Along with the forward-upward drive of arms, straighten and bend backward the upper area of the spine while the low area of the latter remains bent. Meanwhile, breathe in. Later, again drive arms downward-backward while you bend substantially the trunk forward and breathe out. 4-6 times.
Breathing out. Respiratory exercise number 5.
38) Knelt on the ground. Vertical thighs. Arms horizontally stretched at both sides. Slow rotation of trunk to right, and later to left. The same, sitting on the heels, with stretched points of feet. Also do the same with vertical thighs while you sit down on heels during each movement. Trunk remains vertical (Figures numbers 110, 111 and 112).
Hips relaxed through lateral launching of the trunk. Relaxation exercise number 21.
- At attention (or natural position). Arms are hanging, or you lean on a table or chair. Raise thigh until the horizontal line, and later stretch leg with stretched point of the foot but do not lower the knee. This strengthens leg extensors. Later, shake legs, and tap thigh muscles with your knuckles. Diaphragm breath. Respiratory exercise number 2.
- Lateral position. Legs quite apart and knees somewhat bent. Arms high up. Through drive, incline laterally trunk to right, and later to left, but do not bend it forward or backward. Very steady legs on the ground. First slowly, and later intensely with slow breath. Strong strengthening of lateral abdominal muscles. Ten times (Figure number 113).
Relaxed hips while you rotate the inclined trunk. Relaxation exercise number 21.
- Knelt on the ground. Sitting on the heels. Arms high up, at attention or natural position. Incline trunk forward, but do not separate buttocks from heels. Also do the same the same with knees apart. Breathe out while you lower and raise trunk. Later, tap thighs with knuckles. Three times (Figures numbers 114 and 115).
Relaxed back through inclination drive. Relaxation exercise number 22.
- Lying down face downward. Lean hands on the ground at each side of the shoulders. Straighten arms and this way raise your body entirely erect, which remains leaned on hands and points of the feet, with vertical arms. Bend while you breathe in, and straighten arms several times. If possible, instead of leaning on arms, also you can lean on points of the fingers. Later shake arms. Eight times.
Full breath. Respiratory exercise number 3.
Shoulders and arms relaxed through trunk rotation. Relaxation exercise number 12.
42 a) Lying down face upwards. Practice the exercise described under number 22 a, very quickly in order to learn quick-strength.
- Wide lateral position (feet quite apart): From this position, whole body rotation to passage position, feet always quite apart, and legs as straight as possible. Great stretching of leg muscles. Relaxed thigh and leg through knee drive.
Relaxation exercise number 18. - Lateral position. Arms below with clasped fists. Trace with both arms great circles at sides of the body, backward and later forward, with slow breath. Six times each.
Later, with the following breath: When you make three movements, breathe in, and when you make five movements, breathe out. Also three and six; and four and seven. Breath for heart recovery; later add great breath with full breathing out. - Lateral position. Right arm –with clasped fist– stretched downwards, in front of the body. Later, to strengthen biceps, bend it slowly while your right hand offers resistance against the ascending forearm through strong pressure. This way, bend several times as much as possible. Later, squeeze the relaxed biceps with the hand.
Diaphragm breath. Respiratory exercise number 2.
Both arms and forearms relaxed through knee drive. Relaxation exercise number 11. - Lateral position. Parallel feet and arms in boxing position with clasped fists. Through drive, incline laterally the trunk to left side and launch your right fist, which must pass near the right ear, upwards to left. At the same time breathe out. You stretch substantially muscles of the trunk with this exercise. Five times each (Figures numbers 116 and 117).
Breathing out. Respiratory exercise number 5.
- Knelt on the ground at passage position. Kneel with right knee. Right thigh in vertical position with right knee lying down and right foot stretched. Left foot finds the sole of the foot leaned on the ground a little forward, in such away that your leg remains vertical, and your left thigh horizontal. Arms naturally stretched at both sides horizontally. Lower the body and sit on right heel while at the same time you incline the trunk forward and also move arms forward. Meanwhile, breathe out. In your previous position, you breathe in. Change positions with legs. Three times each. Later, in squatting position, one turn of the head with curved back and shrunk head, and later get up quickly. Leg relaxed through fall. Relaxation exercise number 15.
- Wide lateral position (feet should be parallel and quite apart). Arms in boxing position, as you see in the Figure. Launch right shoulder forward and to left, somewhat shrinking, and yielding with knees. The same with left shoulder to the other side (Figures numbers 118 and 119).
48 a) Later, do the same movement like in precedent exercise, but while you move the right shoulder forward, launch the related arm forward and bend your fist in such a way that fingernails look outwards. At the same time, move right arm backward, which must remain leaned on. Yield lightly on knees, and breathe out. First, one movement at a time, and later, repeat movements while you alternate arms with drives of each hip. Breathe calmly. 10-15 times (Figures numbers 120 and 121). Great breath with full breathing out.
Shoulders and arms relaxed through inclined trunk rotation. Relaxation exercise number12.
