THE SWEDISH SYSTEM OF EDUCATIONAL AND 



MEDICAL GYMNASTICS. 



Hy KHODA A.\ST1:Y. 

 Principal of Aiistcy College for Pliysiciil Train in j> and Hytfiienc. Erdinj>ton. 



Thk attention iun\ being given to hygiene and 

 physical culture is ;i \ery hopeful sign of the times. 

 Mr. Gladstone once said that all the time and monr\- 

 spent on training the body and the voice paid a 

 better interest than any other investment. A sound 

 body is needful to all : it is \\ell that English people 

 are waking to this fact, and that there is such a w idc- 

 spread desire to improve the nation's physique. 



The Swedish system of physical training whicii 

 is found to produce such excellent results in the 

 hands of trained teachers, represents the lifeweirk of 

 Per Henrik Ling, a man of remarkable genius, bdin 

 in Sweden in the year 1776. 



The fundamental principle of Ling"s Svstem is 



Figure 166. Arch 1-kxioi 



the harnidniovis de\'eloi)ment of mind and bodv, the 

 mind to be dominant, the bod\' obedient. 



Ling taught that right thinking and a right direction 

 of physical strength was of primar\- importance. The 

 following episode in his life, narrated b\- an eye wit- 

 ness, is given by Westerblad, in his book on the Life 

 and Work of Ling. '" Ling once delivered a lecture 



in which he said that great strength, even the 

 greatest, if badly used is nothing when compared to 

 a little strength well used. At these words an 

 auditor exclaimed, "Your theory is excellent, and I 

 realise its correctness; will you oblige us bv giving a 

 practical proof of it ? " 



'" At this recpiest Ling hesitated for an instant. 

 r>ut after a moment's consideration he answered, ' I 

 w ill pro\e the truth of my words.' " ^^'ill you bring 

 me a long lance ? ' he continued, addressing those 

 present. They brought him what he asked for. 

 ■ We'll make an experiment with this lance,' he said. 

 ' Which of you are the strongest ? Six of you come 

 forward, please. Seize the end of the lance, 

 please.' Ling went on ' You are six young men and 

 you have at vour disposal a capital lance with a head 

 as sharj) as the blade of a sword. Nevertheless. I bid 

 you attack me, and to run me through with the lance 

 without merc\' — if you are able to do it, you see. I 

 promise not to budge from the spot. When I give 

 the word of command, you may advance. The 



