TRANSLATOR'S NOTE: These are parts of The Young Vulcan's Handbook which deal with the importance of maintaining a healthy body through physical activity. These are basic techniques used in training the pre-adolescent Vulcan.

THE PURPOSE OF EXERCISE -

Each Vulcan should exercise according to his capabilities, in order to bring his body to optimal efficiency. A sub-standard body is susceptible to disease. Those who become ill as a result of their own negligence are wasteful. They do their jobs inefficiently, tend to have poor emotion control, and absorb the time of doctors who might otherwise attend those with non-preventable diseases. It is also aesthetically unpleasant to observe those with improper muscle tone and an imbalance of body fat. (TRANSLATOR'S NOTE: Contrary to popular belief, Vulcans have a strong sense of aesthetic value. One subject was noted as commenting on the beauty of a dilithium crystal.)

EXERCISE PROGRAMS -

Exercise programs should contain a balance between kroichare and ranchare. (TRANSLATOR'S NOTE: literal translation - "stop exertions" and "movement exertions". The nearest English equivalents - isometrics and calisthenics.)

Kroichare emphasizes muscle strength and control. Most basic positions involve the maintenance of muscular contractions. The contractions may exercise small or large motor regions. It is perfectly acceptable to work at achieving unusual strength in the arms or legs. One must not, however, neglect other parts of the body while doing concentrated work in a particular area. There are four basic types of kroichare:

A. Stationary - These are sustained muscular contractions with no locomotive forces; there are no changes in body position during any one exercise. Practice the following exercise for strength and control of the forearm and upper back muscles.

Assume an erect stance with feet comfortably apart. Raise arms sideward to shoulder level. Press the heels of the hands outward (see diagram A). Do not raise the shoulders. The erect stance must be maintained. Be careful not to lean forward or back. Hold this position for ten seconds. Release the muscles by relaxing the hands and dropping the arms to one's sides. Do this exercise at least three times daily. Increase. the duration of the contraction by five seconds every other day until the period of thirty seconds is achieved. This exercise is classified under A2. Exercises of this classification may be done, with some modifications, in a sitting position. For a complete listing, check Appendix A - tape frames 387-407.

B. Sustained Locomotive - These exercises involve the maintenance of muscular control during sustained locomotive exertions. The movements should flow one into the other. Modifications of similar movements are an integral part of traditional and contemporary Vulcan dance. Practice this basic exercise.

Assume an erect stance with feet comfortably apart. Place fists, thumbs outward, on the public bones (the forward lower bones of the pelvic girdle) (see diagram B). Contract the arm, leg, and abdominal muscles. Bend the torso and head forward as slowly and as far as possible. Make sure that they are in a straight diagonal with respect to the stationary legs. Slowly assume the original stance. Try to lower the torso and head more each time. Do this exercise at least two times daily. This exercise is classified under A3. For a complete listing, check Appendix A - tape frames 408-426.

C. Rapid Position Change - These are changes from one muscular contraction or stretch to another. The exercises are especially useful in training precision muscle control. Practice the following exercise.

Sit erectly with legs wide apart, toes pointed and arms sideward to shoulder level (see diagram C 1). Hold for a count of eight. Contract arm, leg, and abdominal muscles strongly. Arms bend up sharply at the elbows and legs bend sharply at the knee. The feet contract strongly so that the toes point up. Lift the chin. Heels should remain in the same position on the floor during the entire exercise (see diagram C 2). Hold this position for a count of eight. Repeat this exercise holding for counts of four, three, two, and one. This exercise is classified under A4. For a complete listing, check Appendix A - tape frames 427-449.

D. Yaschare - These exercises combine physical and mental exertions. They resemble the flaegraisien disciplines of Beta IX and the yoga disciplines of Terra. They are advanced exercises which will be further explained in the Advanced Level Handbook.

Ranchare emphasizes muscular agility and co-ordination. Most basic exertions involve locomotive forces; the body is almost constantly in motion. They usually involve large motor regions and characteristically cause very rapid heartbeat, heavy breathing and increased glandular activity. There are two types of ranchare.

A. Pramchare - These exercises are characterized by the repeated sequences of specific body positions. Practice the following exercise.

Position 1 - Torso erect, arms at sides, legs together, feet parallel.

Position 2 - Torso erect, arms at sides, legs wide apart, feet parallel.

Position 3 - Torso erect, right arm forward, left arm back, right leg back, left leg forward.

Position 4 - Torso erect, right arm back, left arm forward, right leg forward, left leg back.

Assume position 1. Jump to position 2. Jump to position 1. Jump to position 3. Jump to position 1. Jump to position 4. Jump to position 1. Be sure to maintain opposition in positions 3 and 4. It is advisable to precede this exercise with less strenuous ones. Repeat this ten times daily with increasing speed. This exercise is classified under B3. For a complete listing check Appendix B - tape frames 553-570.

B. Thailchare - Each activity in this category is a combination of many basic skills. These activities are more adaptable than any other form of exercise; the individual may initiate and refine a technique which proves particularly successful to his performance of the activity. Sports fall into this category. (TRANSLATOR'S NOTE: The Vulcan word which I have rendered as "sports" includes a variety of non-competitive activities as well as the ones which Terrans commonly associate with this term. The portion which follows in the original manuscript, which I have ommitted, is a listing and discussion of various activities included in this category, i.e., swimming, field and track, dancing, competition with archaic weapons, gymnastics, trampoline.)

Although exercise is included within your school schedule, you should also exercise as part of your private daily routine. This is a necessary preparation for adulthood, when exercise is exclusively one's own responsibility. You will find that exercise is helpful in pain and emotion control; concentrate on a muscular contraction when you are inclined toward emotional reaction. Advanced exertions will be introduced into your exercise programs as you progress in skill and physical development.

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Aichare is an exercise programmed to aid emotional control, permit communication of certain intellectual processes, and increase control of and circulation to certain of the smaller, precisely controllable muscles.

The subject stands relaxed, facing forward, facial muscles completely motionless. At the proper stimulus, first raise, then lower either eyebrow once.

Brien: "When we found out Mikko Rantanen was going to play in the game, you decided to change your pick to Mikko Rantanen higher than half a point. We know Wyatt Johnston had big night, had the powerplay goal and had the two point. Mikko Rantanen, he almost got there for you.

Sevy: "Oh get out of here."

Brien: "He almost got there for you."

Sevy: "Why don't you guys just relax."

Brien: "Empty net for Saint Louis-

Sevy: "Just relax."

Brien: "-And OH so close! In the dying seconds! How close? Oh- it- ah!- AHHH- Look- (gremlin laughter, seal clapping) And Brent Severyn's reaction to Mikko-"

Sevy: "Oh, that's the way it's going to be, huh?"

Brien: "And by the way, he's screaming at the TV off camera right now, you cannot see but he's yelling at the TV- "

Sevy: "Oh, you..."

Brien: "Those are the final numbers from Underdog tonight."

Sevy: "You four.. behind us, alright, that's how we're going to play this, ey?"

Brien: "Two points for Wyatt Johnston. And by the way, with this-"

Sevy: "Oh my God."

Brien: "I'm one back, everybody. I'm one back from the lead in Underdog. We're going to have to get an Underdog standings board put together at some point, but I'm one back from ya."

Sevy: "Oh yeah."

Brien: "Oh, huh? Yeah. So, that-"

Sevy: "You guys don't know but they-"

Brien: "Can we get a replay to Brent Severyn's reaction to Mikko Rantanen? Let's rewind. Oh! He JUST missed! Oh my gosh."

if i had a nickel for every time i wrote a poem about a horror podcast i listen to while i crochet in the evenings, i would have two nickels. which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice.

anyway, here’s two stanzas of a five stanza poem i wrote! i borrowed the first line from an episode of a podcast called Mabel, and if you’re into horror podcasts and being confused all the time, i would highly recommend it. 

poetry taglist (ask to be added/removed):