Sanford Bennett
Sanford Bennett
First published in 1912 by Sanford Bennett (1841-1926). Bennett was born in Philadelphia. He invented an extensive exercise regime of self-care that involved muscular contraction and relaxation exercises for rejuvenating the body. His ideas were popularized in the San Francisco Chronicle in 1906 and in two books. Bennett added medical diagrams of the muscles and organs of the body to his descriptions of exercise routines. Bennett claimed that his exercise regime gave him youthful vigour and made him healthy and stronger. His exercises could be carried out in bed for a quarter or half-hour.