Reprinted from the October 1936 issue of Doc Savage Magazine

The Doc Savage Method
Of Self-development

as explained to KENNETH ROBESON

Because of thousands of requests for more definite knowledge of the exercises which are part of Doc Savage's daily routine, Kenneth Robeson has prepared this exposition of the means used by Doc Savage to reach his present state of mental and physical development. As explained here, they start from the very beginning of Doc Savage's career with the most elemental tests. They are numbered for convenient reference. It is only because of the faithful daily performance of even the smallest of these exercises that Doc Savage has developed his senses and perceptions to the present high degree.

Exercise LXXXV.

Doc Savage, through years of development, has strengthened his wrist and finger muscles to an amazing degree.

Many original exercises and apparatuses have gone into this development. One of these Doc constructed simply and economically.

He procured a board about 3/4" thick, 8" wide, and long enough to reach two inches beyond his finger tips when his elbow was resting on the other end.

Now, laying Ihis right hand flat on one side of the board and slightly opening his fingers, Doc marked the space in between his fingers. Then taking an old inner tube, he cut a strip 1/2" wide, long enough to fit over the board and tacked it down at each place where the fingers had left an open space on the board. This made loops just large enough for the finger tips to enter up to the first joint.

This same procedure was repeated on the other side of the board, for the left hand.

Using first the right hand, Doc Savage would insert his fingers in the rubber loops. Now, with his forearm flat upon the board, Doc raised his thumb as high as he could, just using the muscles of the thumb and wrist. Next came his index finger, and so on to his little finger.

This exercise was repeated five times with each hand, and within a short time Doc found he was able to replace the half-inch band with one-inch bands, so much had his finger muscles strengthened.

Exercise IXXXVI.

Doc Savage has found that one of the hardest physical attainments to gain is balance. It requires absolutc coordinatiorl of muscles and a positive and instant command of them.

As an aid in bringing his body to that degree of muscular rhythm that is balance, Doc Savage obtained nine blocks of wood. Two blocks were 6"x6"x3"; two were 6"x6"x6"; two were 4"x4"x4"; two were 4"x4"x6" and one was 2"x4"x2".

These blocks of wood were placed on the floor of Doc's room, at Ieast three and one-half feet apart and starting with the 6"x6"x3" blocks. The 2"x4"x2" block was placed at the far end of the room and the rest placed at irregelar intervals and varying distances.

In the beginning, Doc used rubber-soled shoes to aid him in this exercise.

He springs to the first block. Balancing here for the space of a second and lowering the foot which is not carrying his weight to touch the foot which is, Doc goes on to the next block, and the naxt, and so on to his final and most difficult leap-the one to the 2"x4"x2" block.

Doc does not just leap hurriedly from block to block for the exercise is one of a matter of balance, not speed. Later, of course, Doc found it expedient to practice on speed as well as balance.

When he slips off a block, Doc returns to the first one and starts all over. It is necessary, so Doc has found, to land lightly on each block, and not flat-footed with a thud that would shake the house.

Exercise LXXXVII.

Many times in his adventures, in order to judge correctly the exact time of an occurrence, Doc Savage has recourse to his sense of smell. Every article that gives off an odor deteriorates constantly on its exposure to the open air, and this percentage of deterioration is determinable only by direct comparison.

Doc Savage, in order to acquaint his olfactory organs with the lessening powers of odorous substances, procured five air-tight containers and five which were open. Doc then filled the air-tight containers (small jars with screw tops) with a quantity of the substance he was to examine. He first used tobacco from cigars, then from cigarettes and finally pipe tobacco. Other substances used were coffee-bean, ground and pulverized; flowers, whole and crushed; timothy hay, both whole and crushed; and ordinary grass. At the same time as he put the commodities to be studied in their air-tight containers, Doc put a like quantity in open boxes, thus having five articles in air-tight containers and five similar ones in open boxes.

Every morning, Doc would remove the lid from his air-tight containers and compare the odor with that of the open containers and would note carefully the percentage of loss in scent from day to day.

By adding new and fresh consignments of tobacco, for instance, Doc was able to detect the number of days it took for the complete disappearance of odor from the air-tight containers as well as the open containers, thus enabling him, in his adventures, to determine by its odor how long a cigar had lain in an open room, or in a box; the length of time elapsed since a cigarette had been taken from its sealed, original package. This would prove for a certainty how long since the person he was seeking had been in that particular locality.

Exercise LXXXVIII.

Doc Savage found that, by the development of small, inexpensive apparatus, he was able to increase the efficiency of his physical exercises.

One such apparatus Doc designed was very simple. It consisted of two #0 screw hooks, two #l"x4" coil sptings with semiopen loops at each end, and a leather, or webbed, strip two inches wide and two feet long which had metal rings fastened to each end. He called this his Spring Apparatus.

Doc Savage originally designed this apparatus because of the difficulty of developing the muscles in the neck and upper shoulders. In order to use it for such purpose, Doc put the two screw hooks in the wall of his room high enough to be just level with the lower jaw and two feet apart. These screw hooks Doc was careful to set into the studding, which made them firm and solid. The hooks pointed up, so the springs could be hung on them.

Now, hanging the springs on the hooks, Doc attached to them the strap by means of the rings in each end.

He then placed the loop of the strap across his forehead, just above the eyes, and stood just far enough away to bring the springs parallel with the ground. His back was toward the wall; his neck stiff but unstraining. Slowly, he drew his head forward without moving the body.

By gradual effort, Doc would extend the springs until his chin touched his chest. This was repeated five times; then, turning so that his right side was to the wall, he bent his head over to his left shoulder five times. Then facing the wall, he bent his head backward as far as possible five times; and, finally, swinging around so his left side was to the wall, he drew his thead to his right shoulder five times.

Exercise LXXXIX

A further use for the Spring Apparatus was devised by Doc Savage, to strengthen the muscles of his legs and abdominal muscles.

Doc got two more #0 screw hooks and another strap, as described before. The two screw hooks he set into the wall just level with his ankles and two feet apart. The hooks pointed downward, and Doc found he had to close the openings of the hooks about a half inch, to keep the springs from falling off.

Attaching a spring to each hook and a strap to each spring, Doc adjusted the loops of the straps on his ankles, standing with his back to the wall and just far enough away to have the straps parallel with the floor.

Then, moving very slowly and without bending his knee, Doc swung his right leg forward as far as he could, attempting to bring the foot at least twelve inches or more from the floor. This was done five times with each leg.

Then, moving so that his right side was to the wall, he repeated the exercise five times with his left leg, and so on around until his back was to the wall again.

By working slowly, Doc found that this exercise brought all the muscles of his legs and abdomen into play. Of course, as time went on, Doc had to replace the springs by much heavier ones.

While doing the exercise Doc repeated aloud a thumb-nail biography of three great men. He began with Washington, Hamilton and Jefferson.

More of these explanaIions of Doc Savage's exercises will be given
in the next issue of Doc Savage Magazine.

NOVELS   |  COMICS   |  RADIO   |  BEYOND   |  HERO PULP     ||   SITE MAP

Site by Chris Kalb || Doc Savage © Copyright Conde Nast Publications