Getting Back in Shape with 19th century Calisthenics: Eleven Swedish Free Gymnastic Exercises - E05

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

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[@kristiLB93]

I can't believe i found this! My children are homeschooled and we use a curriculum that requires Swedish Drills daily. I have no implemented the drills because they are hard to find. I needed a visual like this. Thank you!

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Glad it was helpful! I’m curious, what homeschool curriculum are you using? I’m curious what it says about “Swedish Drills”.

[@amandajohnson2165]

​@@PhysicalCultureHistoriansI'm not the original commenter, however, our homeschooling curriculum includes Swedish Drill as well. We follow what's called a Charlotte Mason education. She incorporated Swedish Drill in her lessons/school.

[@chazknight7900]

Fantastic! Love this series. It’s amazing how little can be found on this era of physical fitness.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Thanks so much! There's more on the way! I agree, there should be more! :)

[@jessicaatkins4847]

Awesome! I love these videos!

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Thank you, so glad you like them!

[@lycagos1278]

most interesting video this is real and supreme classic european culture, this was europe when i was a child thank you my friend for bringing in light this precious gems

[@fredazcarate4818]

Excellent video on the subject Sir. My grandfather would be greatly appreciative that you have kept alive this wonderful tradition.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

So nice of you to say sir! Thank you for your encouragement!

[@thelastgeneration1926]

These guys were much healthier than our generation and most likely injury free.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

I agree completely.

[@davidnorden1972]

I think the question of injury and the risk thereof is significant. From the 1950s onwards the models for physical fitness have been primarily body builders or professional athletes, which in my opinion means that there can be a temptation to over-exert, over-extend, etc oneself to emulate what they can do. Which is very much in contrast to 19th Century culture where the models of fitness (for want of a better term) were more achievable. In general, where there is risk inherent in a particular form of exercise, e.g. of seriously injuring yourself through incorrect form when doing a deadlift, the longer you practise that form of exercise the more likely it is that you will injure yourself. This is why, in my estimation, I don't see many people in their 50s doing squats or deadlifts - over the long-run it's just not sustainable due to the risk for injury. Further, most 'amateurs' don't have access to the coaching or physical therapy that professionals use to minimise their risk of injury.

[@mnnic4292]

Brilliant explanation and exercise demonstration. Thank you.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

You're very welcome! Glad it was helpful! 🙏🙏🙏

[@mnnic4292]

Very much so. I'm interested in learning more about this particular method. I am searching for charts describing these exercises. I appreciate your other videos, too. Great amount of work and dedication behind them.

[@frankramos3640]

Great work, Sir. It is enlightening to see the evolution of modern calisthenics exercise techniques. Lastly, your demonstrations of some of these vintage exercises was particularly instructive and useful in fully uderstanding their proper implementation. Thank You!

[@vincentwesterhuis7151]

Beautiful and fascinating. Thank you for researching and demonstrating this. I am a power yoga teacher and this is so similar to what I do! Mark Singleton published a book, back in 2010, on the origins of modern yoga. Swedish and Danish gymnastics were very influential in the creation of modern yoga between 1900 and 1940, along with indigenous Indian traditions.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Hi, yes, I’ve read the book multiple times. Based on my extensive research, I believe the “influence” of the Swedish method on modern yoga to be extremely minor and much overstated. Most of the evidence is anecdotal, and if you compare the two methods on a technical level, there is very little overlap, and some of the western influence on modern yoga comes from other places like the Turner school and elsewhere.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Thank you for your kind words on the video, by the way!

[@vincentwesterhuis7151]

@@PhysicalCultureHistorians you're more than welcome. Thank you very much for taking the time to respond. So good to see you researched this extensively. My feeling had always been that T. Krishnamacharya, in Mysore, used whatever exercise he found suitable and would transform it into yoga by applying the principles of Patanjali as he understood them. But maybe I'm mistaken about this. Anyway, I just stumbled on your channel and I'm impressed by it!

[@MagnaLyceum]

Thoroughly enjoying this channel, thank you!

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Glad you enjoy it! Thanks!

[@varia7573]

Thank you for sharing these exercises and please add more videos about the old school calisthenics. Best part about the old school is it’s simple and gives a great results at the same time I will started doing theses exercises but how many days in the week I should do

[@davidmiller6642]

Thanks so much for the kind words, Varia! I am planning several more videos on the Calisthenics, though they are still in the research phase, so will probably appear after the apparatus videos that I have just filmed.

[@robindavis7023]

Thanks.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Welcome!

[@you0rsp1]

This is an interesting channel you have. I appreciate the history lesson and the functionality of the exercises. Thanks for sharing.

[@davidmiller6642]

Thank you sir! So glad you enjoyed it!

[@gilannolsen5550]

I've been studying the original pilates method (called contrology) for 20 years. I can that see these exercises had a huge influence on Joseph Pilates. Can't wait to include them in my pilates workout and to share them with my students. Are you demonstrating the recommended repetitions for each exercise? BTW great job in those shoes! Thanks for this!

[@davidnorden1972]

What would you say are the main differences between the original method and the modern implementations of pilates? I'm looking for a method of fitness, wellbeing, etc to replace the weightlifting that has led to repeated injuries for me and I was wondering whether I should try pilates.

[@pauljones5933]

Fascinating stuff, will be very interested in what conclusion he reaches on the effects. I feel this series could have profited from being numbered.

[@davidmiller6642]

Hi, I’m already drawing some conclusions, but will wait till the whole series is done before I present them. Great idea about the numbering, I will start adding in numbers to the titles. Also everything in the series gets added in order to the following playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLAHfRuAYj4XIMEWlEGxZrW5uG7tiCoJdj

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Just numbered them!

[@christopherwisniewski9139]

Love this channel. More power to Physical Culture Historians! Great info on what the earlier generations did to keep fit. Here's one that I'm interested in following up......what were the training regimens of Boxers.....1890's to 1920's? I know of past fighters: Jack Johnson, Bombardier Billy Wells, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney....all the up to Rocky Marciano in the 1950's - 60's.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Thank you Christopher! That’s a great question! You might find this video we did of interest: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJy2ZYWZiLVkrac

[@danielfriedman8974]

Great introduction, explanations and demonstration of the exercises. Tried a few they feel great. Interesting feet positions too. Thanks

[@davidmiller6642]

Thanks for the kind comments! More is coming soon, hope you enjoy it! :)

[@megknapp]

Would love some follow along exercise videos, where you do both sides and the appropriate number of repetitions. Can you point me in this direction? Thanks!

[@terencefree]

Fantastic video!

[@davidmiller6642]

Thanks Terence!!

[@WarriorsPathCombat]

Excellent video thank you for sharing looking forward to seeing more

[@davidmiller6642]

Thank you for the encouraging words, we’ll keep them coming! :)

[@tristandart8297]

Great work

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Thank you so much 😀

[@stephanieunterharnscheidt]

The purpose of turned out feet is better balance. Likewise, in ballet ‘turn out’ of the legs, the feet following, is the only way to attain good balance.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

It was one of several reasons they did it, yes! There are actually additional ones! :)

[@sushipaolo]

Very interesting, it looks like a killing exercise for the legs. I will have to pu it to the test. Keep the great work!

[@chrisdenning8905]

Great video Ben, a lot of it reminiscent of the Yoga asanas

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Indeed, thanks Chris!

[@normanquednau]

Hey thanks for uploading! these are superb exercises, as I see! I practice Qi Gong and loaded stretches which similar intentions. I will try these. At the beginning of this year, I did the firat course of Strongfort, which had similar elements here and there, just with this pair of dumbbells (I have a pair of originals). Also the balance element is really great for body awareness and has a lot of transfer to all kinds of movement. Yesterday a brick crumbled under my feet as I was going down a hill. Did I fall? No, because of balance... Thanks mate😊

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Yes, balance for the sake of self preservation was a big deal back then! They didn’t have knee and hip replacement surgery, or disability checks, and if you became lame or disabled it could be life ruining, and send one’s family into poverty.

[@davidnorden1972]

What books would you recommend to learn about Swedish Free Gymnastics?

[@aubreygmcghee]

I am very interested in doing a daily morning full body routine like this to keep myself strong and fit for daily activities. I love the idea of needing no equipment, though I would add to it other unique implements such as clubs, kettlebells, dumbbells, mace etc. Where can I get a full comprehensive manual to put together a daily routine?

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

I actually just posted about this issue on our community page! I am considering putting together a "manual" or treatise of some sort myself of all the information I have compiled over the years. There was a lot of support in the poll I posted for something relating to the Swedish method. Thank you for the kind words! - Ben

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Also check us out on Patreon (same name, "Physical Culture Historians", the files we currently have up there may be helpful to you!

[@kalgetachew5577]

I can't believe this style is unpopular

[@blackweb5069]

Do you have 18th century exercise ? How they workout???

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Yes, thanks for asking. :) We'll be doing them in a future video.

[@JULIO71360]

May explain me someone how many times exercise sets needs the body to be correct?

[@taekfute]

What where your sources please

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Over the years I have searched out and amassed a private library of rare books.

[@taekfute]

@@PhysicalCultureHistorians would you be so kind as to ame one or two of them so we too may be able to search them out?