nt 



kno\vli:dgi-:. 



Apkii., 1912. 



hiiui-hf 

 \ou read 



■• At t 



ul ilircrtK 

 \' ?' 

 is moiiitii 



towards my breast ! Well, arc 

 I l.iiii; was rrallv iinpiisiti". I|i- 



1-IGURE IbcS. HalaiiciiiK. 



positively increased in height, while his eyes beamed 

 with fire and life. He gave the word ' Go ' and the 

 si.\ young men rushed forward. Ling did not move 

 from the spot, but fixed his eves sharplv on the lance- 

 head and lifted his hand towards his breast. Just 

 as the lance-head was at a distance of a few inches 

 he parried the thrust with his little finger, and the 

 lance-head entered the wall at his side. .\ volle\' of 

 ap|)lause rang through the hall." The truth of this 

 story is x'ouched for by a pupil of his who was 

 present. 



Ling was well versed in the scientific know ledge 

 of his day, but he also possessed a profound intuitive 

 understanding of the laws of the human organism. 

 His svstem is based on knowledge of anatomical, 

 |)hysiological and psychological laws which were not 

 fully known to science at that time, .\fter a hundred 

 years his theories have received their justification, 

 both from scientific n^search and |)ractical experience. 



Ling"s system was evolved upon a therapeutic 

 basis. He was first attracted to the idea of 

 systematic exercise by observing the curative efiect 

 on himself. l>ut he was not satisfied to regard 

 these exercisers as a mere vehicle for physical health, 

 he maintained that gymnastics had a higher 

 significance, and placed them among the arts ami 



sciences. He gave out these new ideas and insisted 

 on the importance of a two-fold national regenera- 

 tion, a regeneration of Swedish manhocjd, and of 

 Swedish poetry. The remedies he proposed in 

 ardent s|)eeches were systematic gymnastic exercises, 

 and a revival of old Scandinavian poetrw His 

 theories met with scornful op|)osition at first : the 

 ilaily papers commented on them in no (Littering 

 terms, designating him as a "charlatan" and a 

 ■'gymnastic harlequin." People trifled with his 

 ideas and laughed at his innovations, Init the 

 innovations increased instead of fliminishing, while 

 he fought for his ideals with intense enthusiasm 

 and power. 



Ling believed that if gymnastic training could 

 become a national aim and a national ambition, it 

 wduid lie possible to produce health, strength and 

 heautN in youth, to conserve thein through adult life, 

 and prolong them during old age. .Also that it was 

 possible by systematic exercises to correct man\- 

 im])erfections in the body and cause certain 

 functional derangements to yield to this most 

 natural method of cure, pro\'ided each exercise had a 

 definite physiological aim and produced a definite 

 ])hysiological result. He then conceived the idea 

 that an extensive, graduated series of movements 



Shoulder Mmciiu'iit. 



could lie devised, suitable for e\ery stage, from 

 weakness up to the greatest strength, adaptable alike 

 to the requirements of little children, to girls as well 



