Types of exercise

Physical exercises include exercises performed while doing some kind of work, and purely physical exercises. It is these latter that are meant here, for they are physical exercises, and they are done only for the benefit obtained from them.

Physical exercises can be different, namely: small or large, very strong and weak, fast or slow, or agile, consisting of sharp and fast movements, and there are also sluggish exercises. In addition, between each two extremes there are moderate types of exercise.

As for the types of physical exercises, they include: tug-of-war, fist fighting, archery, fast walking, javelin throwing, jumping up to some object to hang on it, hopping on one leg, fencing with a sword and a spear, horse riding, swinging with both arms, with the person rising on his toes and extending both arms back and forth, making quick movements. This is one of the quick exercises.

Smooth and easy exercises include swinging on swings and in cradles while standing, sitting and lying down; boating and boating. More strenuous exercises include horseback riding, camel riding, and riding in palanquins and carts.

Strong exercises include exercises on the square, which consist in a person quickly moving across the square to its edge and then returning back without changing position, while each time he reduces the distance until he stops in the middle.

Strong exercises also include fighting with one's own shadow, striking with the palms, jumping, striking with the tip of a spear, playing chougan with a large and small ball, playing ball, wrestling, lifting stones, chasing and reining in a horse.

Struggle also has different types. One of the types is this: each of two men grabs the other’s belt with his hands and pulls him towards himself, while each of them strives to free himself from his opponent, but he does not let him go. Another view: one of the two men hugs the other with both arms, passing his right hand under the opponent’s right hand, and his left under the left. Then he presses it to himself and turns it over, while bending and straightening. Wrestling also includes reflecting with the chest or grabbing another’s neck and pulling down, or the following techniques: wrapping each other’s legs, tripping, spreading the other’s legs with one’s own legs, and similar techniques used by wrestlers.

Quick exercises include the following: quick change of places by two partners; continuous jumps back, then forward, and the order can be regular or disordered. This also includes an exercise with two large needles, which consists of the following: a person stands in a certain place and sticks two large needles into the ground on both sides at a distance of a fly fathom from each other.

Then he turns to the needle on the right side and transfers it to the left side, and transfers the needle from the left side to the right, and tries to do all this as quickly as possible.

Sharp and fast exercises are done intermittently or together with easier exercises. It is necessary that there is variety in the exercises, and do not linger on one.

There are specific exercises for each member. As for the exercises of the arms and legs, they are known. And exercises of the chest and respiratory organs are done as follows: a person alternately gives a very low voice, then a high and medium one, while such organs as the mouth, uvula, tongue, and also the neck are exercised; In addition, the complexion improves and the breasts are cleansed. The exercises also include blowing and holding the breath, in which the whole body is exercised and all channels are expanded.

Giving a strong voice for a very long time is quite dangerous because a strong voice requires inhaling a large amount of air, which is dangerous, and the duration of the voice requires exhaling a large amount of air, which is also very dangerous. First you need to start with quiet reading aloud, then you need to gradually raise your voice, moreover, the duration of the loud and harsh voice should be moderate; there is a clear and great benefit to this. Increasing the duration of using such a voice is dangerous for people in moderate health.

The exercises should be appropriate for each person. This kind of light exercise, like swinging, is suitable for those who are weak from fever, and for those who have difficulty moving and sitting: they are also useful for those who are convalescing and for those who have lost strength from eating hellebore and the like, as well as for those suffering from chest-abdominal disease obstacles. If you gently rock a person, he will fall asleep and the winds within him will dissolve. It is also useful against the consequences of head diseases such as absent-mindedness and forgetfulness; it stimulates the appetite and invigorates the nature.

Rocking on the bed is more suitable for persons suffering from three-day fever, mixed fever and mucous fever; Rocking is also suitable for those suffering from dropsy, gout and kidney disease.

So, as a result of rocking, bad juices are prepared for removal. At the same time, they pump strongly when the juices are strong and weakly when the juices are weak. Riding in carts also has the same effect, but more powerful. Riding in a carriage, sitting backwards, is of great benefit for weak and clouded vision.

Riding on boats and vessels close to the shore is beneficial against leprosy, dropsy, sakta, cooling the nature of the stomach and against its bloating. If the patient feels sick from rocking and then calms down, then this is good for the stomach.

Sailing on ships on the open sea has a stronger effect on eradicating the mentioned diseases due to the fact that the soul of the patient experiences either joy or sadness.

As for the digestive organs, their exercise is subject to the physical exercises of the whole body. Visual exercise is done by looking closely at small objects, and from time to time casting quick glances at higher elevations. Hearing needs to be exercised by listening to soft sounds, and less often - strong sounds.

There are special exercises for each organ, which we will mention below, in connection with the preservation of the health of each organ separately in the Book on Particular Diseases.

It is advisable for those engaged in physical exercise to protect their weak organs from strenuous movement.

Exercises should depend on the condition of the organs; for example, a person suffering from varicose veins in the legs should engage in types of exercise in which there is not much movement of the legs, but little; he must transfer all movements to the upper part of the body, such as: neck, head and arms, and so that the effect of the exercise on the legs comes from the upper body.

For a weak body, exercise should be light, and for a strong body, strong. Know that each organ has its own special exercises, for example, the eye is trained by looking closely at small objects, the throat by gradually strengthening the voice; There are also exercises for teeth and ears, which we will talk about in its place.