The title of this article is an exclamation and not a question, but if it had been put in the form of a question, "Why perform exer­cises?" it might well have been countered by another question, viz., "Why not exercise?" Is it not essential to discipline our­selves to the daily performance of physical exercises not only in order to become fit but to keep in good health? It is the purpose of this article to answer the question.

First, however, we must ask the further question, "What earthly good is it to go through a series of boring exercises at night, or in the morning, or at both times, when we use ourselves in a wrong manner every moment of our waking life in the way we sit, stand, walk and breathe?" To superimpose exercises upon habitual wrong use of the self only serves to perpetuate the wrong use and, what is more, aggravate the conditions responsible for it. Hardly any one of us knows how to stand, sit, walk or breathe as we should to ensure the maximum physiological efficiency. It is useless to try to teach correct posture or a system of exercise, whether for the direct purpose of achieving a good stance or for attaining general fitness, merely by telling the pupil what to do, or even demonstrating to him how a certain exercise should be done. He must first experience the feel of what is required of him, and he cannot gain this by mere verbal instruction. When we try to carry out instructions, nervous energy is bound to travel along those paths that have been established over the years in the use of the self, and if this use is not correct then the last condition may well be worse than the first.

How, then, can the reader learn to the best advantage to initiate the brain impressions that will enable him to improve his way of using himself, bearing in mind that without a new "sensory appreciation" the attempt will be a hit or miss affair? In this respect, there is nothing to equal Matthias Alexander's technique, in the application of which the pupil is made to feel the correct positioning of the head, neck and body. This is done by the guid­ing hands of the teacher, which gives the brain the actual experi­ence of correct position. At first, the head and neck come in for the greatest attention, for, according to Alexander, the primary control of the whole body lies in the neck region, and mere verbal instruction cannot make the pupil aware of this. Alexander dis­covered this "primary control" by dint of concentrated and infi­nitely patient observation of himself in a mirror. The student of correct posture would be well advised to study Louise Morgan's fascinating book, "Inside Yourself" (Hutchinson, Ltd., 12s. 6d. net).

Much can be accomplished without the aid of a teacher, and later in this article certain methods will be described which will enable readers to acquire a new use of the self, which will be to their ultimate advantage in restoring and maintaining mental and physical health. All that is required is the determination to utilise the means whereby wholeness can be attained; these means are certainly not restricted to just one particular method.

Some years ago the writer came across an excellent definition of the difference between a natural strong man and a self-made strong man.

It was maintained that a natural strong man is one whose spine is in perfect alignment, and whose head is beautifully poised on his neck. This definition has been confirmed over and over again in the writer's osteopathic practice, in treating patients who have suffered an injury. Almost invariably, when the spine ap­proaches the "normal," it is found that the possessor has a basic­ally sound constitution and has always enjoyed excellent health.

The natural strong man, then, is one who happens to be bless­ed with what is known as a "straight" spine, and who unconsc­iously uses himself rightly in the way he sits, stands, walks and breathes, thus keeping his spine in proper alignment and causing no interference with his primary control. The self-made strong man, on the other hand, is one who, through the practice of strenu­ous exercises, has developed bulging muscles which are unnecessary for the promotion of good health.

In order to prevent this state of affairs, we should learn to "sit tall," "stand tall" and "walk tall," but always avoiding strain, except momentarily when stretching. Ideally, the seats we use should have no backs for us to lean against, but that may be ask­ing too much to begin with. Furthermore the back of a chair may serve a useful purpose in that it can give us the correct "feel" to which we referred earlier. This feeling is conveyed to the brain, giving it what has already been termed "a new sensory appreciation," provided the following instructions are heeded :

On being seated at a table or at a desk, the chair should be drawn up as close as possible, so that the small of the back is in contact with the back of the chair. In this position, stretch the body upwards from the hips, then relax, taking care not to alter your posture and to keep your spine in close contact with the back of the chair. This posture will give a delightful feeling of uplift and a sense of ease. Try it! Breathing will also be facilitated, and digestive processes will be freed from the interference which arises when downward pressure of the abdomen causes cramping of the internal organs. The latter is one of the evils of a bad sitting or standing posture.

Generally speaking, the chin should be held slightly down and in, thus ensuring that the head is placed in the correct posi­tion in relation to the neck and the rest of the body structure— i.e. forward and upward.

An illustration which I have found to be most useful, par­ticularly with children, in showing how the spinal segments may be separated from each other by an upward stretch, is to place one fist upon the other, keeping the lower one still and lifting the upper one slowly. Subsequently, when the hands are used on the person receiving instruction, he is able to "feel" what correct use is. It is amazing how quickly children respond to this prac­tical method, for it enables them first of all to visualise the spine lengthening and then to feel it as they practise. It is possible to feel the forward and upward movement of the head if the hands are placed at the back of it, or, better still, perhaps, if the hands are clasped behind the head, pressing it upwards and forwards.

Now, all this requires perseverance, which, in turn, means discipline. After a surprisingly short time, however, great re­wards will be forthcoming as new and improved habits in the use of the self establish themselves.

The foregoing procedure is more of a re-education in the art of using oneself to the fullest advantage than an exercise as such, and it is certainly a means to a wider end than could possibly be achieved by mere conventional exercises, which may be extremely boring. If one goes through the movements of throwing a ball without actually having one to throw, the "game" becomes tiring in a few minutes, whereas a similar game played with the real ball may be indulged in for a very long time without undue fatigue. The same thing applies if one goes through the motions of digging without a spade; it is all so purposeless.

We may believe that physical jerks (what an expression!) are "good" for us, but if they are practised out of a sense of duty, they do not evoke the enthusiasm that one puts into real games. However wrongly we may use ourselves in playing the latter, at least they are not boring, and as they are usually played out of doors we do get the benefit of the fresh air. Stereotyped move­ments are usually dull.

This does not apply, of course, in the training of athletes, for they have a definite goal in view and they work for it accordingly with healthy zest. Nevertheless, the athlete who has mastered the technique of primary control, and whose head-neck relation­ship is therefore correct, is the one who will excel in competitive races and games. For the ordinary person, however, the carrying out of the "daily dozen" is as unnecessary as it is soul-destroying.

It cannot be repeated too often that the right use of the self will provide the body with all the exercise it needs for its well-being. It has been observed that even wild animals, like the lion and tiger, do not lose their strength, even in captivity, for the simple reason that they do not lose the instinctive right use of their bodies.

The psychological effect of "drawing oneself up to one's full height" can be immense, and this psychological and physical up­lift may be perpetuated if the head is kept correctly poised upon the atlas, which is the first vertebra of the spinal column, on which the head is supported.

This entails re-education of the muscles that control the head and neck in situ, as well as in movement, for it is the imbalance of these muscles that is responsible for many local and general physical troubles, with their corresponding mental repercussions.

In order to relax the neck, lengthen the spine and broaden the back, one must continually affirm, "Head upwards and for­wards," until the new habit has ousted the old and has become firmly established. In order that this injunction may be carried out in a satisfactory manner, however, it is desirable that the correct brain impression should be given by a teacher. If a com­petent teacher is not available, then the following procedure may be substituted.

Stand close to a wall without a skirting board, keeping the heels together and in contact with the wall. The back of the head should also be in contact with the wall, but if this causes the head to be tipped up and back, the chin may be grasped in the hand and pulled gently downwards and slightly inwards, causing the head to go upwards and forwards. This will produce a gap between the head and the wall, but this is of little consequence, since the head is now in the correct position. Wherever possible, observe the results in a mirror. When the correct head-neck relationship has been secured, wriggle the head and spine upwards so that the latter becomes fully stretched. Try to "feel" the neck spine coming away from the shoulders in the upward stretch; at the same time reach downwards with the arms and hands as though to grasp a couple of bags which you imagine to be on the floor close to the ankles, taking care, of course, not to look downwards. Further, imagine your feet to be firmly anchored to the floor, and then try to feel the entire spinal column coming away from the hip bones in the upward stretch. Relax immediately after per­forming this stretching exercise, but do not alter the posture. Now, on walking away from the wall, you should feel like a policeman who has been promoted, but without any of his rigidity.

The sitting posture is among the commonest acts which we perform, and there is no doubt that the oriental way of sitting is superior to that of the Occident. For one thing, it prevents one from indulging in the pernicious habit of lounging, so wrongly beloved by Western peoples. Even if we continue to use the popular kinds of chairs and sofas, our manner of sitting may be greatly improved to the benefit of our general health as well as our comfort, for although lounging may be very pleasant to begin with, it does not rest the body, nor does it aid the important digestive functions of the body.

Let us try the sitting position adopted by the Chinese. It may cause some discomfort at first, but, then, so does any other unaccustomed activity, until the muscles and ligaments involved have adapted themselves to their new use.

Three cushions will be needed. Kneel down, with one cush­ion under the knees, one under the toes, and the third under the buttocks so that it also covers the heels. Now, sit well back on to the heels, keeping the spine erect with the head poised easily on the neck. After some practice one will be able to sit in this position for a very long time, and instead of feeling tired there will be a feeling of exhilaration on arising. Using a low table, it is possible to write or type with ease in this position, while those who suffer from digestive disturbances will find it helpful to take their meals in the Chinese fashion. The same posture is useful for avoiding strain while watching television, reading, etc.

As an alternative, those who do not like sitting on the floor Chinese fashion, may use an easy chair and adopt a partial yogi pose, i.e. with the legs crossed. (The chair-arms limit knee-sep­aration and so prevent the adoption of the full yogi pose). After the respective muscles and ligaments have adjusted themselves to the Eastern way of sitting, there will be no inclination to indulge in the slovenly habit of lounging. Correct posture, both in stand­ing and in sitting, furthers bodily and mental processes instead of hindering them.

As Disraeli said, "The secret of success is constancy of purpose."

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