Necessity for Bodily Activity—Every human being is born with a natural craving for bodily activity, and it is largely upon the employment of this inherent instinct that the perpetuation and survival of our species depends. Physical Education More Vital than Mental.—From the beginning of civilization every state has been more or less seriously concerned with the development of the mental and moral possibilities of this germ-plasm, but, if we except the Greeks, whose theory of education and its results have not been equalled to the present time, none has as yet made any official effort to place the advancement of the physical possibilities upon the same high plane as the intellectual. Dangers of Present Environment.—From a physical point of view, at least, all culture of civilization is unnatural, since it removes man farther and farther from the environment of his origin, and deprives him, in a greater or less degree, of the opportunity to use many of his faculties in the manner in which nature decreed they should be used. Hygienic Education—It was only when unmistakable symptoms of the existence of such conditions began to manifest themselves in our own country that there was a general awakening to the urgency of the application of some efficient remedy to counteract them. Importance to the State—This remedy’s chiefest adjunct, one that has been almost universally adopted, consists of various methods of physical training, comprising gymnastics, athletics, games, and sundry pastimes and accomplishments in which bodily effort dominates. Object of Training.—A rational course of physical training must have for its primary object the development of the human organism in its entirety by the employment of means that will give to each separate part of that organism, that which will aid in its development and assist it in the discharge of its peculiar functions, with the facility that nature intended, thereby establishing a corelation between these various organs that will produce the harmonious organic balance which is termed perfect health. Interrelation Between Intellectual and Physical Functions.—While the efficiency of other human qualifications is determined by physical fitness, the degree of the latter is often determined by the use that is made of the former. Training men physically for offensive and defensive purposes dates back to prehistoric times, and from that period to the present it alone has remained a constant and unvarying quantity in the preparation of men for military purposes. Modern Tendency.—The notable progress made in the art of war, which has not hesitated to seek the co-operation of all the sciences in its development, is constantly demanding a higher degree of intelligence on the part of its various individual units, with the result that there is a tendency, particularly in our service, to undervalue the importance of first principles in a direct ratio to the importance that is attached to the mentality. Requirements for the Military Service—From a military point of view, the individual is considered only with reference to the service, whose requirements determine the nature and extent of his personal training, i.e., there are certain fixed standards that he must measure up to before he is considered a dependable effective. Since these requirements, as has been stated before, are far in excess of those demanded of men in the ordinary walks of life, with respect to degree, variety, and severity, it is not sufficient for a soldier to be healthy and organically sound; his profession demands more of him. He must possess more than the average amount of muscular strength, endurance, and organic vigor; he must be inured to the ill effects of exposure by having the powers of resistance, inherent in every individual, fully developed, so that he may be prepared to exchange the comparative comforts of garrison life for the hardships of field service at any time without diminishing his effectiveness. He must be trained to husband and use his physical faculties to the best advantage, and be taught to become skilful in every thing pertaining to his profession, thus instilling him with confidence, self-reliance, and courage, which, after all, are physical qualities, as they induce men to dare because of the consciousness to do. Smartness, agility, and precision should also be insisted upon, since they are the physical expression of that mental activity which makes for self-control, self-respect, and personal neatness; these combined spell discipline, which in the military service is the synonym for success. Effect of Exercise on Heart and Lungs.—Every muscular effort calls forth increased respiratory action; this is due to the fact that upon the respiratory system devolves the duty to supply the blood with oxygen for the repair of the bodily waste resulting from such activities. With increased respiration the heart action is accelerated, thus augmenting the amount of blood passing through the lungs, where, in the maintenance of the functional balance, carbonic acid is given out and oxygen taken in. The respiratory and circulatory systems are so closely related from the view-point of physical training that it is difficult to divorce them. Exercise is a powerful stimulant to the heart, and, since this organ is a muscle, it grows in strength in proportion as the body grows, and declines in proportion as the muscular system is allowed to decline. As it is so closely concerned with every effort and so vital to well-being, it becomes the organ with which physical instructors should most concern themselves. By judicious exercise the heart may be developed until it is capable of responding to tasks that would result disastrously without this preparation. The greatest danger to the structure of the heart lies in the strain laid upon it by long-continued and excessive muscular efforts, especially of the legs and arms. Thus, running at a great rate of speed or for a long period; excessive use of the arms in the accomplishment of difficult gymnastic feats that require long-sustained exertion; rowing until the point of collapse is reached; wrestling and kindred contests that unduly tax the powers of endurance, should be avoided by all except those of superior strength and endurance. When it is a question of the ability of the heart to cope successfully with the strain that is intended to be placed upon it, it is always well to err on the side of safety. Racial Attributes to be Considered.—In determining upon a method of physical training, there are some fundamental essentials that must be taken into consideration if the fullest benefits are to be derived from it. Frequently it has been found that a method that has attained wonderful results in one country fails to produce like results when adopted in toto by another. Since the human organism is practically identical in all of the countries that have given this subject sufficient consideration to evolve methods peculiarly their own, the reason for this failure must be sought in the fact that these particular methods were originated to fit the racial characteristics of the people for whom they are intended, and that their failure when transplanted must be attributed to differences in mental characteristics and environment. Consequently, to be successful these factors must be carefully considered and recognized; the methods must be fitted to the race and not the race to the methods. Classes of Methods.—The nature of the employment of the various means of physical training, carefully grouped into well-defined methods, is determined by the object it is sought to accomplish; hence, depending upon the particular objective, such training has been divided into the following classes: A. Hygienic, whose object is the maintenance of general health. B. Educational, the intent of which is not only hygienic, but also concerns itself with growth, development, the education of all the physical attributes in general, and the instilling of a thorough appreciation of the benefits accruing from the wholesome practice of regulated bodily activity. C. Medical, or remedial, whose purpose is the restoration of health or the correction of physical defects. D. Military, which concerns itself entirely with the training of men for military purposes. Military Methods.—It is only with the last named that we shall deal here. From the complexity of the objects that the physical training of the soldier endeavors to realize, as enumerated heretofore, it might appear that the methods employed must be very diversified, complex, and wide in scope, but the contrary is true. It is no longer considered necessary to limit the means of a soldier’s training almost entirely to those of an antagonistic nature in order to develop his combative qualities. The tendency is to simplify his training as much as possible; to use his weapon and the natural facilities available; and to employ only the simplest of gymnastic appliances as aids. Instruction Material.—The following instruction material, properly applied, is ample to train men thoroughly and effectively and to keep them in excellent physical condition at all times: a. Setting-up exercises. b. Marching, double timing, and running. c. Rifle and sabre exercises. d. Climbing. e. Jumping and vaulting. f. Applied gymnastics; apparatus. g. Gymnastic contests. h. Athletics and games. i. Swimming. Setting-up Exercises.—The setting-up exercises are the foundation upon which every well-organized method in military training must be founded. They require no appliances of any description, and can, therefore, be practised anywhere, out-of-doors or in the most restricted space, hygienic conditions being the only adjunct necessary to their success. By their means a more effective all-round development is made possible than by any other method. Muscular strength is developed and increased by them, and, since it is possible to bring any portion of the body into action, they are capable of imparting vigor and tone to the vital organs. By employing large muscle areas or by increasing the demands upon any one part, endurance is developed, while poise, dexterity, agility, and general co-ordination are promoted in a very high degree by the employment of movements that call for nerve control rather than for muscular exertion. The setting-up exercises should always precede the more strenuous forms of exercise, as they prepare the body for the greater exertion these forms demand. Quick Time.—Marching in quick time, without equipment and for short duration, has little value as a developmental exercise, its object under ordinary conditions being the education of the soldier in proper poise, carriage, and gait. It is only when taken in connection with arm or leg exercises, with equipment or for long periods, that marching can be considered as a means to development. The benefits to the muscular, respiratory, and circulatory systems under such circumstances depend upon the degree of severity of the movements performed. Double timing has for its purpose the quick advancement of troops with the least possible expenditure of physical effort: this is accomplished by diminishing leg motions, thereby curtailing the height of the thrust of the body when neither foot is upon the ground. Its greatest importance lies in teaching the men how to husband and conserve their muscular strength and how to control the respiration to the best advantage. Running is the swiftest and physically the most expensive means of progression. It differs from double timing in the increased number and exaggerated character of the leg movements; in the increased force with which the body is thrust from the ground; and in the increased demand upon the muscles of the trunk and neck, which, by their contraction, give to the head and body that degree of immobility without which speed is impossible. It is almost entirely this contraction, which interferes seriously with regular respiration and which in turn affects the heart action, to which the breathlessness noticed in runners is due. Thus, while running will develop endurance as well as lung, heart, and leg power as no other form of exercise will, it does so with the ever-present liability to injury when carried to excess. Rifle and Sabre.—Rifle exercises are extremely valuable in developing dexterity in the use of the weapon, and, on account of the weight of the piece, they develop the muscles of the back, arms, shoulders, and upper chest in a marked degree. When taken in connection with leg and trunk movements they are excellent aids in the development of organic vigor, especially of the heart and lungs, for those who possess the necessary strength to wield the piece to advantage. For the mounted service the sabre, used ambidextrously, may be substituted for the rifle. Climbing may be regarded as an applied exercise, since it prepares the men for the exigencies of the service by teaching them successfully to overcome obstacles that may be presented to them in the field. Climbing with hands and legs brings into action almost every muscle of the body, and, when the climbing is done with the hands alone or at a rapid rate with both hands and legs, it has a very marked effect upon the heart and lungs. Jumping and vaulting are, essentially, applied forms of exercise; they are invaluable to a soldier, who, in the field, is constantly being confronted by obstacles which he must negotiate either by jumping or vaulting. Jumping, besides being a potent leg developer, is also a great factor in the development of agility and muscular co-ordination, and, when taken from a considerable height, of self-reliance. Vaulting develops the muscles of the arms and legs, and, since these members must work in unison, the sense of co-ordination between the two is fostered in a high degree. Vaulting also promotes self-reliance and fearlessness. Applied gymnastics are those forms of movements in which the soldier is instructed to overcome and surmount obstacles by means of his own exertions. These obstacles may be gymnastic appliances, such as horses, vaulting bars, and horizontal bars, or they may be natural objects, as fences, walls, and ditches. The purpose of these exercises is the muscular development of the body in general and of the arms and legs in particular, with special reference to strength, agility, dexterity, and confidence, in order to enable the soldier to accomplish these efforts with the least amount of physical exertion. Gymnastic contests consist of the simpler forms of antagonistic exercises in which the contestants are pitted against each other. Their aim is the promotion of quickness of thought, perception and action, with definiteness of purpose. They require considerable skill and muscular effort, and for that reason make for endurance and vigor by affecting the vital organs in a more than moderate degree. Athletics—The value of athletic games to the military service is dependent upon the effect these have upon the mass and not upon the individual few. Training in these, in order to meet the requirements of the service, should have nothing in common with competitive athletics, but should be broad enough to reach out and include the development of every man, to the extent of his capabilities, in those branches of athletics whose utility to the service is unquestioned. In other words, they should have an applicable value, be educational, recreative, and not spectacular, for it is the ability of the average of the mass that determines the efficiency of the whole. In order to stimulate interest the men should be grouped into classes upon the basis of ability, and promoted or demoted as their progress or lack of it warrants. Properly conducted athletics can be made a very decided factor in the scheme for the training of the soldier, since they embody all those qualities which, from time immemorial, have been considered so essential in the soldier. They require an abundance of muscular and nervous energy, endurance, hardihood, skill, courage, and reliance, and, as these qualities cannot be developed in a very high degree without a stri
Key Takeaways
- Physical activity is essential for human health and survival, as it helps develop the body's organs and systems.
- Hygiene education should be integrated with physical training to maintain overall well-being.
- Training methods must consider individual aptitude, available facilities, time constraints, and appropriate instruction materials.
- Proper breathing techniques are crucial during exercise to avoid respiratory strain on the heart and lungs.
- Swimming is a vital skill for military personnel due to its comprehensive development of physical attributes.
Practical Tips
- Incorporate regular physical activity into your daily routine, even if it's just short walks or stretching exercises.
- Practice proper breathing techniques during exercise to enhance lung capacity and heart health.
- Use a variety of exercises that target different muscle groups to ensure balanced development.
- Stay hydrated before, during, and after physical activities to prevent dehydration.
- Wear appropriate clothing for the weather conditions to avoid overheating or chilling.
Warnings & Risks
- Avoid overexertion, especially in hot environments, as it can lead to serious health issues like heatstroke.
- Do not hold your breath during exercise; this can cause dizziness and other respiratory problems.
- Be cautious when using cold baths after intense physical activity, as they may exacerbate muscle strain or injury.
- Ensure proper warm-up before engaging in strenuous activities to prevent injuries.
Modern Application
While the chapter emphasizes traditional methods of physical training for military purposes, many of its principles still apply to modern survival preparedness. Regular exercise and proper breathing techniques are crucial not only for soldiers but also for anyone facing challenging environments or emergencies. The importance of balanced development through a variety of exercises remains relevant, as does the need for appropriate facilities and instruction materials. However, modern advancements in fitness technology can provide more precise tracking and guidance for physical training.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How important is physical activity according to this chapter?
Physical activity is described as essential for human health and survival, as it helps develop the body's organs and systems. It is considered vital for maintaining overall well-being and should be integrated with hygiene education.
Q: What are some key factors to consider when planning physical training programs?
Key factors include the condition and physical aptitude of the individuals, available facilities, time constraints, and appropriate instruction materials. These elements must be carefully considered to ensure effective and safe training.
Q: Why is proper breathing important during exercise according to this chapter?
Proper breathing techniques are crucial during exercise as they help maintain the balance between respiratory and circulatory systems, prevent strain on the heart and lungs, and enhance overall physical performance.
Q: What types of exercises should be included in a comprehensive physical training program according to this chapter?
A comprehensive program should include setting-up exercises, applied gymnastics, and exercises that develop co-ordination and skill. These should be alternated to ensure balanced development and avoid overexertion.
Q: How can one prevent respiratory embarrassment during physical training?
Exercises should not be pushed to the point of exhaustion. If there is any tendency to respiratory embarrassment, the exercise should be terminated until the individual has recovered their breath. Proper breathing techniques and an uninterrupted act of respiration are essential.