our daily scheme to obey certain, simple rules which tend toward an
_automatic effort_ instead of a discipline, and we should persevere in
these until they become _fixed habits_.

It is no trouble at all to take exercise unconsciously, and we only
arrive at this by turning into an exercise any of our ordinary physical
actions during the day as we go along. For instance, we can sit down in
a chair and in so doing can add a certain amount of exercise to the
action itself--also in rising. With very little effort we can come into
the habit of sitting correctly--posing the body as it should be--holding
the shoulders in proper position--also the chin so that it becomes a
hardship to sit improperly.

All of this has to do with _general physique_. In walking we can go
along with a spring, elasticity, and vigor of motion which forces a fine
blood circulation throughout the entire system. We can stoop over in the
act of picking up some object from the floor and at the same time make
it a matter of physical exercise, and we may take a hat from the rack
while standing away from it, thus stretching ourselves, as it were,
into a little needful action. Putting on an overcoat, or any part of our
clothing, may be done in such a way as to set the blood to racing
through the body. Morning and night--upon getting up and upon
retiring--there is every reason to make it a rule to exercise freely.

The morning exercise wakes us up and sits us down finally at the
breakfast table with a zest for the food set before us. The morning bath
is an agency for good in this direction after we have given ourselves a
good shake-up from head to foot. By the same token, exercises at night
before retiring induces sound sleep and takes away the strain of the
preceding day.

A very successful system is that of exercising in bed. Instead of
immediately jumping to the floor in the morning it is very inviting to
go through some simple form of gymnastics in which the physical
structure is brought into play.

Physical exercise is something which can be carried to extremes. We can
go at the work so intensely that we become muscle-bound and develop some
structural enlargements that we do not need. This happens very often
among athletes. The ordinary man should fight shy of such plans.
Superfluous strength is only for those who have need of it. What we
really want is strength enough to carry us through our daily rounds with
comfort and _a feeling of efficiency_.