(a) To make the spinal column flexible and serviceable for these purposes, it must be both loosened and stretched. The exercise which can do this is to stand with arms straight overhead and feet pointing to the front. Turn the upper trunk above the waist as far to the right as possible, repeat to the left. Breathe in deeply, hold breath and grasp an imaginary parallel bar with the two hands before making these movements, and pull yourself upward during them. An incidental effect of this exercise is to invigorate and stimulate the general tone of the body.
(b) The top of the spine and the neck area surrounding it need a supplementary exercise to complete the work. This simply consists of drawing the chin slightly inward and then giving an upward pull to the head and neck; then when this series is finished, half turn the head to the right, later to the left. All these simple semi-rotations of the upper body take little time but give a large result.
-- Notebooks Category 5: The Body > Chapter 5 : Exercise > # 27
