Chapter 10 - Training
Berthelet Build, Beautiful Bodies.
This last chapter deals with the way you should train. Ive broke up the chapter into three main ideas.
- Before you begin “Gaining Height Through Exercise”
- The training sessions
- After your work out.
Before You Begin “Gaining Height Through Exercise”
1. Warning
You should consult your doctor before you begin stretching and limbering.
- if you are forty years old and up;
- if you are suffering from some illness;
- if you suffer from back-ache;
- if you have a history of heart trouble…
Take note that the author of this book is not legally responsible for any negative consequences which could result from doing these exercises.
2. Measuring
To start, take an accurate measurement of your height. It should be taken in your bare feet and with someones help to assure accuracy. Have a second person verify the measurement to avoid unnecessary disappointments later on. At the end of each month of exercises have yourself measured again and record your height on the “First Record Sheet” coming up later on.
It would be interesting to have an X-Ray taken of your spinal column before and after your training. It’s the best way to see changes that will take place.
3. Preliminary Test
Take off your shoes and lie down on your stomach. Try to form an arc by touching the base of your feet to the top of your head. Do not strain. Ask someone to measure and record the distance between your head and feet. As your spine becomes more pliable, the distance will decrease. By the end of the course the best students can touch their head with their feet.
The Training Sessions
4. Perfection
Every exercise must be executed slowly, methodically and calmly.
Certain exercises may seem like less fun than others, so make a conscious effort to do them well. Remember that the best medicines sometime taste the worst. So don’t neglect to do any of the exercises.
5. When to Train
As a rule, you never train right after a meal. You should wait about two (2) hours after eating. Some like to train before breakfast or in the afternoon and others prefer to train at night. Some physical culture buffs train in the morning and at night.
Whatever your choice, remember that its better to train seriously once a day for six or nice months, than it is to train twice a day and drop out after two or three months.
6. Training Schedule
I advise that you work out six (6) days a week. If you think about it, fifteen to thirty minutes a day isn’t much to ask when you are talking about keeping your body fit. Take a break on Sundays.
7. Exercise Breakdown
On the first day, do each exercise Five times.
On the second day, do each exercise six times, and so on
Similarly on the sixth day, do each exercise Ten times.
You shouldn’t try to rush through the exercises, rather do them methodically and Slowly.
8. Stretching Principle
During each exercise, make a conscious effort to stretch your limbs and muscles for atleast three (3) seconds. The stretching principle is fundamental to the success of the course. Easy does it, at first then gradually increase the intensity of your stretching movements.
9. Warm-Ups
Never start the recommended exercises without first doing some warm-ups. For a few minutes before starting each day. I suggest the following.
a) Extend your arms out to the side at shoulder height. Move your arms in a circular pattern from small circles to larger ones. Do this exercise in a forward then a backward motion. Breathe normally.
b) Bend and Stretch
Description: Legs slightly apart. Arms up above your head, bend at the waist until your fingers touch the floor.
Breathing: It is important to always exhale through the mouth as you are bending forward. Inhale through the nose when you return to the standing position.
Quantity: Do this exercise Fifteen (15) to Thirty (30) times.
Execution: Unlike your stretching exercises, warm-ups should be done at a quicker pace and they should be done well and often enough to ensure good limbering of the muscles.
IMPORTANT:
Every time you return to the standing position, make an effort to stretch your arm upwards.
10. Illustrations & Instructions
Do not rely solely on the illustrations. It is essential to read the instructions carefully and to pay particular attention to what is said about stretching and breathing.
11. Silence
Do not talk while you are dong an exercise. Silence makes for better concentration and prevents unnecessary injury and loss of time. The wise man says …. Silence is Golden
12. Record Sheet
Once you’ve done an exercise, check it off on the sheets provided at the end of this page. This will permit you to keep track of the exercises you do. So, on the first day you would normally do each exercise five times, whereas on the sixth day you do each exercise Ten times.
Upon examination you can see that the first level of growth is achieved after only twenty-four training sessions.
13. Sequencing (4th, 5th and 6th months)
Starting with the fourth month, I suggest that you add to your regular routine by doing sequence exercises. You will find more information on this at the end of the page.
14. Advanced Courses (7th, 8th and 9th months)
The advanced , intensified growth course, with prolonged stretching is spread over a three month period. The exercises are done in what is called Super-Succession. Here is how its done.
On the first day, you do exercise 1, five times, then exercise 2, five times. Take a thirty (30) second break. Repeat exercises 1 and 2 five times. This is what I call working out in super-succession. You continue by doing exercise 3 in super-succession with exercise 4, and so on.
Take not that on the second day, exercise 1 is done in super-succession with exercise 3, and 2 is done with 4. In this way, the spinal column is stretched in all directions to ensure its growth and flexibility.
On the first, second and third days do a Super-Succession of exercises five times. On the fourth, fifth and sixth days do a super-succession of exercises six times.
Remember that anything worth doing, is worth doing well.
After Your Work Out
15. Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness
After your daily exercises, have a good shower. Start with hot water to clean out your pores. Then go on to lukewarm water and finish off with cold water to close your pores.
16. Rub Down
After your shower, you should give yourself a rub down with a rough towel or better still a friction hair cloth. A good rub down improves blood circulation and combats cellulite and fatigue.
A DAILY RUB DOWN IS THE SECRET TO A GOOD FIGURE AND A LONG LIFE.
17. Stiffness
Inactivity can bring on aching and stiffness of the muscles. If this happens, you can massage your muscles with different products on the market but the best solution is to go on doing your exercises. Simply decrease their intensity and the quantity of your daily work out until such time as you can resume a normal work out.
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You have just completed reading the Berthelet Method for
“Gaining Height Through Exercise”
Conclusion
To grow! Is there a nobler thought? A child wants to grow. He wishes to become someone to accomplish something. The boy wants to become a man, the girl, a woman. A beautiful and natural process. But how many men or women still pursue their ideas?
Id like to end this section of the book by conveying “What growing means to me”
1. Growing Physically (the body)
I know that the body is not all there is to life. But there is your body. Don’t neglect it. Take care of it.
Aim for, and preserve maximum height by regular and precise training. Remember that mental concentration and breathing fully are essential when doing your exercises.
This body, your body, must be intelligently fed. Allow it the sleep necessary for its well being. Clothe your body carefully, elegantly and cleanly. You will be pleasant to look at.
In fact your body is a masterpiece of creation, a temple to your soul. It is made of seven hundred (700) muscles, which must not atrophy. These muscular fibres need action and movement. Do your exercises every day of your life to acquire and maintain an excellent form, to be proud of yourself.
When I think of physical height or stature, a story comes to mind that Id like to tell you.
One day, Napoleon, because of his size, was unable to reach a book he wanted on a high shelf in his library. He asked a tall servant to fetch him the book. The servant got the book and told Napoleon rather arrogantly; “Its handy to have physical stature isn’t it, Napoleon?”. Napoleon replied; “You mean its handy to be Long, for Napoleon has Stature!”.
Napoleon wasn’t a tall man, but he was a great and wise man.
2. Growing Intellectually (the mind)
There is nothing wrong with being ignorant. But it is very wrong to remain ignorant. Learn every day by listening, reading, studying, and thinking. The mind and body are closely intertwined. As Aristotle said; “Nothing comes to the mind without passing through the senses”. Acquisition of knowledge is obviously easier when you are in perfect health. So it is fair to state that physical exercise stimulates intellectual effort.
Edouard Carpentier sums it up nicely,
“Develop a clear mind on a good set of shoulders”
To admire what is grand, to appreciate what is superior, one must already possess these qualities, by getting to know the great minds and thinkers, we can become greater ourselves.
We should strive to grow intellectually. According to experts, we only use 10% of our brain capacity. We should make a resolution to develop our intellectual knowledge every day of our lives. We should feed our minds, practice intellectual gymnastics. Let me share this final thought on the subject which I like a lot.
“Let us not be intellectually handicapped, let us be open to culture” Rise up and reach new heights.
3. Growing in Community (the heart)(morally, socially, psychologically)
No man is an island. We walk with others. Increase your circle of friends. One never has too many true friends. If you want to eleate yourself, elevate those around you. If you want to grow, grow with others. It isn’t by looking down on others that you elevate yourself. By putting others down you put yourself down.
Learn to love and to spread your love around. Show your friendship by offering encouraging words, by giving true compliments, by smiling honestly. It takes very little to hurt someone, to destroy them; on the other hand, it takes very little to make someone happy.
Cultivate among your friends, understanding and recognition. You will be a better person for it, and wont go by unnoticed.
Allow me to quote Musset at this point; “Put your hand to your heart, for here lies the genius”.
In conclusion, be enthusiastic, be magnanimous. Be men and women of the heart and of the head. Function in harmony.
4. Growing Spiritually (the soul)
I mention the aspect of faith because I’m a believer. And everyday I want to grow in the knowledge of love of God.
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May you grow on all levels; physically, intellectually, morally and spiritually… In all sincerity I wish it for all of you,
Good Luck and Good Exercising.
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