HOW TO GET STRONG
that as surely as the ability exists to make many dips; so surely will there be a large back-arm; and it was hard work that brought him his. Slim arms may push up heavy dumb-bells once or twice; but it takes thick ones for sustained effort at smaller, though good-sized ones. And his upper arm flexed girths sixteen inches.
TO STRENGTHEN AND DEVELOP THE HAND
Very many of the exercises so useful in strengthening the forearm were at the same time improving the grip of the hand. But an evil of so much gripping or drawing the hand together is that, unless there is an equal amount of work to open and flatten it, it tends to become hooked. Notice the blacksmith's or the rowing-man's hand; and the fingers nearly always, when at rest, are inclined to be doubled in, as if half clutching something; and very often, Where they have seen years of such work, their joints get so set that the fingers cannot be bent back nearly as far as other people's. Some of the pushing exercises mentioned above for the triceps, tend to counteract this; notably that where the fingers or the flat of the hands are pressed against the wall. An admirable exercise in this direction is, when you practise the pushing up from the floor for the triceps, to only touch the floor with the ends of the fingers and thumbs; never letting the palm of the hand touch it at all. This will soon help to rectify many a hand now rather cramped and contracted; besides bringing new strength and shape to the fingers.
To make any particular finger strong, attach a strap to it and to your two bells and carry them around the room a while at arm's-length. You will soon stop. When your fingers get very strong, now attach the strap
