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INSTRUCTIONS 
 
 IN ALL KINDS OF 
 
 GYMNASTIC EXERCISES, 
 
 'STaugJjt anil JJratttet# 
 
 IN THE 
 
 GYMNASTIC INSTITUTIONS OF GERMANY: 
 
 DESIGNED 
 
 AS WELL FOR COLLEGES, SCHOOLS, AND OTHER PLACES OF EDUCATION, 
 
 AS FOR PRIVATE USE. 
 
 WITH ELEVEN ILLUSTRATIVE PLATES. 
 
 BY A MILITARY OFFICER. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED FOR G. & W. B. WHITTAKER, 
 
 AVE-MARIA-LANE ; 
 
 AND OLIVER & BOYD, EDINBURGH. 
 
 1823. 
 
LONDON : 
 
 SHACKELL AND ARROWSMITH, JOHNSON’S COURT, FLEET-SIREET. 
 

 371,73 
 
 In 1 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 The education of youth is naturally di- 
 vided into two parts — mental and physical. 
 In England, the attention of those who have 
 the superintendence of education, has been 
 entirely confined to the former ; the latter 
 has been left to chance and the natural ne- 
 . cessity for exertion which characterizes the 
 * human body in the early stages of life. The 
 importance of exercise is universally allowed, 
 but no attempts have hitherto been made to 
 reduce it to any system, or subject it to the 
 guidance of experience and judgment. The 
 modes of exercise, such as games, plays, &c.. 
 
iv PREFACE. 
 
 / 
 
 have been left to the invention of children, 
 whose supreme command over their own 
 sports has never been denied or molested. 
 The consequence is, that the hours of exer- 
 cise are turned to very small account as re- 
 gards their original destination. The only 
 advantage obtained by time spent in recrea- 
 tion, at present, is the relaxation of the mind. 
 The body is left to take care of itself. It often 
 happens, that plays and games which serve the 
 one purpose, are injurious to the other ; for a 
 little reflection will convince any one that the 
 sports practised in schools, and by children 
 in general, are by no means well adapted to 
 form or invigorate the muscular powers. In 
 many instances they are, on the contrary, 
 calculated to injure the frame, and superin- 
 duce bad habits and awkward motions. The 
 object of this work is to turn the attention 
 of teachers to this most important branch of 
 physical education, and to introduce a system 
 of bodily exercise, which, while it forms con- 
 siderable amusement, and total relaxation of 
 the mental faculties, brings into a full and 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 V 
 
 healthy action, all the muscles of the body. 
 Health, vigour, elasticity, robustness and 
 beauty of frame, are the rewards which this 
 system holds out to those who will persevere 
 in the practice of its precepts. 
 
 The attempts which have been made of late 
 in Germany to revive the ancient exercises of 
 the Greeks, have been attended with com- 
 plete success. No seminary whatever, in 
 that country, is now considered perfect, which 
 does not admit a course of gymnastic exercises 
 into its system of education. Towards the 
 close of the last century, a course of elemen- 
 tary gymnastic exercises was framed at 
 Schnepfenthal, a small town near Gotha, un- 
 der the direction of Salzmann, which were 
 subsequently improved, augmented, and sys- 
 tematically arranged, by Gutsmuth, who 
 published the first modern treatise on this 
 subject in 1793, the second edition of which 
 appeared in 1804, entitled “ Die Gymnastik 
 Gutsmuth not only attracted attention to- 
 wards the importance of a systematical pliy- 
 
 a 
 
VI 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 sical education by his work, but was also 
 most indefatigable in his exertions to intro- 
 duce the subject wherever the slightest en- 
 couragement was held out to him. It was in 
 Denmark where these exercises were first con- 
 sidered in a national point of view. In 1803, 
 the number of gymnastic establishments in 
 that country had already amounted to fourteen, 
 to which three thousand young men resorted. 
 Since that period, the government has issued 
 an order for allotting a space of two hundred 
 square yards to every public school, for the 
 purpose of gymnastic exercises. The success- 
 ful progress of his system in Denmark, in- 
 duced Gutsmuth more than ever to render 
 it a national object in Germany ; and for this 
 purpose he made application to the Prussian 
 government. The answer he received from 
 the then minister of state was as follows : — 
 “ The bodily exercises of youth form an essen- 
 tial part of my plan of national education.” 
 In 1810, the gymnastic establishment at Ber- 
 lin was placed under the direction of Jahn, 
 through whose zeal and perseverance they 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 YU 
 
 have since been promulgated to various parts 
 of Germany. Gutsmuth published a more 
 complete system of gymnastic exercises in 
 1817, which is undoubtedly the best which has 
 hitherto appeared ; and it is from this that I 
 have principally selected the following exer- 
 cises ; the salutary effects of which I saw in 
 others, and experienced in myself during a re- 
 sidence in Germany. I have considered it 
 quite unnecessary to dwell at any length upon 
 the advantages and importance of every single 
 exercise ; these must be obvious to every one, 
 and have therefore offered nothing further 
 than a concise, and I hope, sufficiently intel- 
 ligible description of each. 
 
 I think it proper to mention in this place, 
 lest any suspicion should arise, that the idea 
 of the present work has originated from a very 
 recent publication of a similar nature, that my 
 MSS. and Plates, already engraved by myself, 
 were put into the hands of the publishers the 
 same day on which the former was announced. 
 Had I found that my own work was superseded 
 
Vlll 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 by the above publication, I should have con- 
 ceived it a point of duty to relinquish all idea 
 of publishing it ; but as this was not the case, 
 I did not hesitate to put my MSS. and Plates 
 
 immediately to press. 
 
 \ 
 
 With a view to assist masters and teachers 
 in introducing these exercises into their esta- 
 blishments, and to show how r small a piece of 
 ground is required to enable a great number 
 of boys to perform them together, I have an- 
 nexed my proposed plan of an exercise-ground, 
 which will be found to contain all the imple- 
 ments, &c. to which reference is made in the 
 following pages, and arranged in such a man- 
 ner as to admit of all the exercises being per- 
 formed by the boys at the same time, without 
 interfering with one another. This arrange- 
 ment is as follows ; — 
 
PLAN OF AN EXERCISE-GROUND. 
 
 Plate I. fig. 1. — Ground prepared for leaping. See page 23. 
 
 2. — Ditch for leaping. See page 22. 
 
 3 . — Do. do. See page 57. 
 
 — 4. ^ Leaping-stands. See page 15, and Plates 
 
 5.^ II. and VI. 
 
 6 . — Flight of steps. See pages 27 and 59. 
 
 7 ^Exercise-stands. See page 28, and Plate 
 
 III. 
 
 Exercise-stands. See page 28, and Plate 
 
 IV. 
 
 12 ^Vaulting-bars. See page 38, and Plate V. 
 
 ^ } Balancing-bar. See page 63, and Plate 
 ’ > VIII. 
 
 > Climbing-stand. See page 70, and 
 
 -14. 
 
 * 
 
 Plate IX. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 . 1 - I! '% 
 
 
 
 . r ^ ; ' •: " ■ j.- 
 
 • i i \ i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 Plan of the Exercise-Ground 
 
 I. Walking - 
 
 Position of the Body in Walking 
 
 II. Running - 
 
 Position of the Body in Running 
 Preparatory Exercises - 
 
 Gymnastic Exercises - 
 
 III. Leaping - 
 
 Preparatory Exercises - 
 
 The Leaping-Stand - 
 
 The High Leap without a Run 
 Gymnastic Exercises - 
 
 The High Leap with a Run 
 Gymnastic Exercises - 
 
 The Long Leap - 
 
 Preparatory Exercises - 
 
 Gymnastic Exercises - 
 
 The Deep Leap - 
 
 Gymnastic Exercises - 
 
 IV. Gymnastic Exercises for augmenting the 
 Muscular Powers of the Body and Limbs - 
 
 ix 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 ib. 
 
 8 
 
 10 
 
 13 
 
 ib. 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 ib. 
 17 
 19 
 21 
 22 
 23 
 26 
 ib. 
 
 28 
 
XU 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 V. Vaulting 
 
 Preparatory Exercises 
 Gymnastic Exercises 
 
 Leap-Frog 
 
 VI. Leaping with a Pole 
 
 The High Leap with a Pole 
 
 Preparatory Exercises 
 Gymnastic Exercises 
 The Long Leap with a Pole 
 Gymnastic Exercises 
 The Deep Leap with a Pole 
 
 VII. Balancing 
 
 Preparatory Exercises 
 The Balancing-Bar 
 Gymnastic Exercises 
 VIII. Climbing and Mounting - 
 The Climbing-Stand 
 Gymnastic Exercises 
 Exercises in Mounting 
 
 7 - i' / *•• •( • . f tr ' 
 
 IX. Wrestling 
 
 Preparatory Exercises 
 Gymnastic Exercises 
 
 - 37 
 
 - 38 
 
 - 40 
 
 - 45 
 
 - 46 
 
 - ib. 
 
 - 47 
 
 - 49 
 
 - 56 
 
 - 58 
 
 - ib. 
 
 - 60 
 
 - ib. 
 
 - 63 
 
 - ib. 
 
 - 69 
 
 - 70 
 
 - 71 
 
 - 84 
 
 - 86 
 
 - ib. 
 
 - 91 
 
CHAPTER L 
 
 WALKING. 
 
 It may appear at first sight a very un- 
 necessary labour to give instructions in 
 walking — the most common and natural 
 exercise of the body, which the man is 
 taught in his infancy, and which he puts in 
 practice every day of his life. One question 
 will set the matter at rest. How many of 
 your acquaintance walk well ? Every one 
 will answer surprisingly few. One stoops in 
 the shoulders, another sinks in the back, 
 another slackens the knee as if he would 
 kneel at every steep, others have a jump in 
 their gait, others again drag the body heavily 
 along, while the limbs are twitching nimbly 
 
 B 
 
 i 
 
9 
 
 in all directions, or extended in a sprawling, 
 loose and aukward manner. An easy, grace- 
 ful and firm deportment in walking is as 
 uncommon as it is dignified and prepos- 
 sessing. In walking gracefully, every muscle 
 employed, is called upon for no more than 
 its fair share of exertion — all is compact 
 and united, the whole frame proceeds calmly 
 and equably, and each part of it is acting in 
 unison with the rest. 
 
 We are far too apt to neglect the accom- 
 plishments immediately within our reach, 
 and run after objects of difficult attainment 
 merely because they are so. It is in the 
 power of every man to walk well, unless, 
 indeed, already inveterately confirmed in 
 some bad habit ; the following few instruc- 
 tions will tend more to that end than will at 
 first be readily apprehended. These instruc- 
 tions relate alone to walking well and grace- 
 fully. The power of walking great distances 
 without fatigue is another matter, and also 
 well worthy of attention. In this, practice 
 is every thing — practice at any age can do 
 much, but practice from infancy renders the 
 muscles of the human frame so rigid, and at 
 the same time so pliable, as to enable man 
 to perform absolute prodigies. The wonder- 
 
3 
 
 ful speed and security of foot, as well as the 
 long and uncomplaining endurance of ex- 
 ertion, among the Indians, is well known to 
 all. The English too, of late, have excelled 
 in this branch of exercise to a most remark- 
 able degree. The newspapers of every day 
 record feats which give ample proof of how 
 much has been done in this respect, and at 
 the same time clearly shew that the limit to 
 which exertion in walking may be carried, 
 has by no means been attained. Few things 
 are of more importance, either for the pre- 
 servation or restoration of health, than walk- 
 ing; and when an easy gait has been ha- 
 bitually acquired, there is so much less 
 fatigue in it that we are by the increased 
 facility and agreeableness of the exercise, 
 induced more frequently to apply to it. It is 
 well known that numbers of people have lost 
 their health, by the neglect of exercise, and 
 this neglect has often been caused by the 
 fatigue and discomfort superinduced by an 
 aukward habit of walking. If it were not 
 for the greater fatigue attendant upon walk- 
 ing, there can be no doubt that it would be 
 far preferred for pleasure to every kind of 
 conveyance, and it is certain, that by well- 
 directed practice, this fatigue may be di- 
 
 B 2 
 
4 
 
 minished in a surprising degree* and* at 
 length, very great distances may be passed 
 over on foot without any failure of the 
 strength at the end of the walk* or painful 
 exertion in the course of it. The true pe- 
 destrian will come in after a walk of twenty 
 miles to breakfast with freshness on his 
 countenance, healthy blood coursing in his 
 veins, and vigour in every limb* while the in- 
 dolent and inactive man painfully creeps 
 over a mile or two, and returns to a dinner 
 which his stomach cannot digest. And this* 
 to say nothing of the independence which a 
 power of walking great distances confers 
 upon the pedestrian ; he is tied down to the 
 time of no stage-coach, and indebted to no 
 friend for a carriage* or a horse unwillingly 
 lent ; and at the same time he not only en- 
 joys the beauties of the country through 
 which he passes with a greater relish, but 
 also sees infinitely more of it than the man 
 who thinks an hour’s walk a great achieve- 
 ment. In one of Mr. Wordsworth’s poems 
 there are some lines on the Pleasures of the 
 Pedestrian, so beautiful in themselves, and 
 so applicable to the subject of this chapter* 
 that we shall make no apology for quoting 
 them. 
 
5 
 
 “ No sad vacuities his heart annoy ; 
 
 Blows not a zephyr but it whispers joy ; 
 
 For him lost flowers their idle sweets exhale ; 
 
 He tastes the meanest note that swells the gale ; 
 
 For him sod-seats the cottage door adorn, 
 
 And peeps the far off spire, his evening bourn ! 
 
 Dear is the forest frowning o’er his head, 
 
 And the green sward to his velvet tread ; 
 
 Moves there a cloud o’er mid-day’s flaming eye, 
 Upward he looks and “ calls it luxury.” 
 
 Kind charities his steps attend, 
 
 In every babbling brook he finds a friend, 
 
 While chast’ning thoughts of sweetest use, bestow’d 
 By wisdom, moralize his pensive road. 
 
 Host of his welcome inn, the noontide bower, 
 
 To his spare meal he calls the passing poor : 
 
 He views the sun uplift his golden fire, 
 
 Or sink, with heart alive like Memnon’s lyre ; 
 Blesses the moon that comes with kindest ray 
 To light him shaken by his viewless way. 
 
 With bashful fear no cottage children steal 
 From him, a brother of the cottage meal. 
 
 His humble looks no sly restraint impart, 
 
 Around him plays at will the virgin heart. 
 
 While unsuspended wheels the village dance 
 The maiden eye him with inquiring glance, 
 
 Much wondering what sad stroke of care. 
 
 Or desperate love could lead a wanderer there.” 
 
 POSITION OF THE BODY IN WALKING. 
 
 Directions .^— The position of the body 
 must be upright and unconstrained ; the 
 
6 
 
 breast thrown well forward, and square to 
 the front ; and the stomach drawn in a little, 
 but not so much as to prevent a free breath- 
 ing'. The shoulders must be drawn back, 
 and kept at an equal height. The arms must 
 have a gentle, but perfectly free and natural 
 motion by the side of the body. The head 
 should be very upright, but without any 
 stiffness ; and ought to have a free motion 
 from right to left, or upwards and downwards, 
 as occasion may require, without causing any 
 material alteration in the position of the 
 body. The knees must neither bend too 
 much, nor appear stiff. The toes must be 
 turned out so as to form about half a right 
 angle with the direction-line in which the 
 person is walking ; and great care should be 
 taken not to throw them upwards, but to 
 keep the sole of the foot at the concluding 
 part of the step, nearly parallel with the 
 ground. The weight of the body should rest 
 more upon the balls of the toes than upon 
 the heels ; by which means the whole posi- 
 tion is rendered firm. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 RUNNING. 
 
 Running is one of the most natural, and 
 at the same time, most healthy and strength- 
 ening* exercises, when taken in moderation ; 
 it is also the fundamental part of the gym- 
 nastic exercises, the strength of the upper 
 members depending greatly upon that of the 
 lower ones ; and is, therefore, the first ex- 
 ercise with which the beginner should make 
 himself familiar. 
 
 POSITION OF THE BODY IN RUNNING. 
 
 The breast must be thrown well forward, 
 and kept perfectly free. The upper parts of 
 the arms are kept almost close to the sides of 
 the body ; the elbows bent, so that both 
 parts of the arm may form, at this place, an 
 
8 
 
 acute angle ; for the arms ought only to 
 move to and fro in a very trifling degree, 
 in order that the muscles connected with the 
 breast may remain, as much as possible, at 
 rest. At every step the knees are stretched 
 out, and the tread must neither be made 
 entirely with the balls of the toes, since this 
 would affect the calves too powerfully, nor 
 yet with the whole sole of the foot. 
 
 Precautions . — Proceed gradually, as in all 
 exercise. Choose a time when the air is 
 cool. Take off your coat at the commence- 
 ment of the exercise, and resume it the 
 instant it is completed. Let the breast 
 be either quite exposed, or very thinly 
 covered. Wear a very light covering upon 
 the head ; a straw hat is best. The teacher 
 should observe the runners, and let each 
 cease as soon as a strong perspiration appears, 
 and the breath becomes very short. 
 
 With these precautions, no fear need be 
 entertained of the longest run. 
 
 PREPARATORY EXERCISES. 
 
 1. The teacher moves forward with his 
 young pupils, at a moderate running pace, 
 for five minutes. After they have frequently 
 
PL.l. 
 
 / 
 
9 
 
 I 
 
 s » 
 
 run over the ground, in this stated time, it 
 must be gradually reduced ; for instance, first 
 to four and then to three minutes. 
 
 2. Another piece of ground should be run 
 over, at a moderate pace, during ten minutes, 
 which time must also be gradually reduced 
 as before. 
 
 In these exercises, the teacher must not 
 reduce the stated times, so as to render the 
 exercise too violent for the weakest of his 
 pupils. He should also pay particular atten- 
 tion to their relative strength, in order to 
 * judge which of them are capable of complet- 
 ing the more difficult exercises. 
 
 3. In order to practise the pupils in turn- 
 ing, the teacher should form a figure upon 
 the exercise-ground, similar to the annexed : 
 
 In running through this, they would be 
 necessitated to turn the body suddenly in 
 different directions. The direction to be 
 taken by the runners, must be frequently 
 
10 
 
 changed by the teacher. They may also 
 run in pairs, thus: — two, of nearly equal 
 strength, start together at a , the one taking 
 the direction of a , e,f to d , the other, that of 
 a , c, b ; he that reaches d first is the winner. 
 The distance from f to h , should be about 
 fifty feet, and that of a , d , about twenty-five 
 feet. 
 
 GYMNASTIC EXERCISES. 
 
 The Quick Run . — The teacher paces a dis- 
 tance of about three hundred feet, upon some 
 open plain, or upon the exercise-ground, 
 should it admit of it. This distance will 
 not, generally, be found too great : it may, 
 however, be shortened by the teacher, accord- 
 ing to the strength and expertness of the 
 pupils ; with which he ought, by this time, 
 to be well acquainted. A line is drawn 
 across the ground, at each end of this dis- 
 tance; the pupils arrange themselves in a 
 rank, along one line, while the teacher places 
 himself at the other ; he then gives a signal, 
 at which they all commence running, and he 
 who first passes the line at the opposite ex- 
 tremity is the conqueror. 
 
 After having frequently repeated this ex- 
 
 / 
 
11 
 
 ercise, the teacher should, on the following 
 day, form his pupils into two or three divi- 
 sions, in such a manner, that each may be 
 composed of such as are of nearly equal 
 strength. The divisions move on alternately, 
 by a signal or word of command. 
 
 Faults .— Too long and slow, as also too 
 short and quick steps, are faults which fre- 
 quently happen, and ought to be noticed to 
 the pupils. Some boys are often observed to 
 breathe very quick when running, and even 
 before they commence, as if it were neces- 
 • sarily combined with this exercise : this error 
 
 must be carefully avoided. 
 
 «/ 
 
 The Long Run . — This exercise is particu- 
 larly useful in strengthening the legs and the 
 breast; and is very soon accomplished by 
 those who have gone regularly through the 
 preceding exercises. A distance of three 
 hundred feet is measured, as before. The 
 pupils place themselves in a rank at one ex- 
 tremity of this distance, and proceed, in a 
 slow trot, at the rate of about seven feet in a 
 second, towards the opposite one, where they 
 immediately turn round, and continue run- 
 ning until they reach the spot from whence 
 they first started. A frequent repetition of 
 this exercise is sufficient, at first: on the 
 
12 
 
 following day, instead of doubling the above 
 distance, they may run over it three or four 
 times without stopping. It generally hap- 
 pens that, towards the close of the run over 
 four times the above distance, the legs begin 
 to be fatigued. The exercise should, there- 
 fore, be limited, for some time, to this ex- 
 tent ; afterwards, to that of five, and then of 
 six times the distance. In the run of seven 
 times the distance, the fatigue of the lower 
 members is entirely removed; and there is 
 no longer any difficulty in the further con- 
 tinuation of the run. The runner may now, 
 if he is neither overheated nor forced to 
 breathe too quickly, even accelerate his pace. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 LEAPING. 
 
 Leaping is the art of forcing the body 
 rapidly through the air for a small space* 
 by an exertion of the muscular powers ; and 
 is the best bodily exercise for giving strength 
 and agility to the lower members. 
 
 PREPARATORY EXERCISES. 
 
 The Hop Walk . — The action of the muscles 
 of the legs must be brought moderately into 
 play* at first* particularly with little boys* 
 and gradually increased afterwards. The 
 hop-walk is therefore the first preparatory 
 exercise. It consists in a continued stepping 
 forward upon the balls of the toes* so that 
 the body is perceptibly raised by each foot. 
 
 The Hop Run . — This is a continued hop- 
 
14 
 
 ping forward upon the balls of the 
 such a manner, that one foot springs a few 
 inches up from the ground, whilst the other 
 makes a step forward : the latter rests but a 
 moment upon the ground to spring up a few 
 inches, while the former makes a step for- 
 wards. By means of this exercise, the 
 muscles of the lower members are very much 
 excited. 
 
 Hopping. — The breast must be kept well 
 forward, the arms a-kimbo, the knees quite 
 stiff, and the legs closed. In this position, 
 the body must be propelled by means of very 
 small hops, following each other in rapid 
 succession. 
 
 The Striking of the lower part of the Back 
 with the Feet . — The position of the body is 
 the same as in hopping. The exercise is 
 either single or double . In the former, the 
 feet must be raised alternately, rather briskly, 
 and made to strike the posteriors. By this 
 means the muscles of the thighs are brought 
 into play, and the knee-joints rendered more 
 flexible. Boys soon become so expert in this 
 exercise, as to be enabled to place the feet in 
 the required position without any jerk. The 
 double exercise is more violent ; it consists in 
 striking both the feet at once, against this 
 
15 
 
 part of the body. Both exercises should be 
 lengthened as much as possible ; a repetition 
 of the single one fifty times, and of the double 
 one twenty, may be considered the maxi- 
 mum. The return of the feet to the ground 
 must be scarcely audible. 
 
 Raising the Knees . — The body is first 
 placed in a proper standing position : a 
 spring is then made upwards, so that the 
 knees may approach as near as possible to 
 the breast. The position of the upper part 
 of the body must be straight, though in- 
 clined a little forward ; but the breast and 
 head must, by no means, sink so as to admit 
 of the chin being nearly touched by the 
 knees. 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE LEAPING-STAND. 
 
 The leaping-stand, which is represented 
 in fig. 1, Plate II. consists of two moveable 
 posts, a and b , about nine feet in height, 
 and divided into a number of holes bored 
 through them, at the distance of one inch, 
 or two inches from each other, commencing 
 at the second foot from the ground, as shown 
 in the figure : x x, are two iron pegs which 
 may be placed in the holes, at any required 
 
16 
 
 height, Over these two pegs a cord is 
 placed, which is kept straight by means of 
 two sand-bags, fastened to its extremities. 
 The leap over the cord must be made from 
 the same side of the stand as that on which 
 the heads of the pegs are situated (see the 
 figure), so that if the feet happen to meet the 
 cord, they will cause it either to fall, or give 
 way instantly. Weights are usually placed 
 upon the feet of the posts, to prevent the 
 latter from falling. The distance between 
 the posts should be from ten to fifteen feet. 
 
 THE HIGH LEAP WITHOUT A RUN. 
 
 Position of the Body . — The upper part of 
 the body is inclined a little forward, but 
 kept straight, particularly the back and neck; 
 the legs and feet are perfectly closed ; the 
 knees are so much bent that the calves almost 
 touch the thighs ; and the arms are naturally 
 thrown forward with force. This position is 
 clearly shewn in fig. 1 , Plate II. In descend- 
 ing, the body should not be at all bent back- 
 ward, but rather inclined forward. 
 
 GYMNASTIC EXERCISES. 
 
 The beginner places himself at two paces 
 
n.2. 
 
17 
 
 distance in front of the cord ; makes a little 
 spring one pace forward, upon the balls of 
 the toes, and then leaps over the cord. 
 The preparatory spring is made in * order to 
 excite the elastic force of the feet, and great 
 care should be taken to remain as little time 
 as possible upon the ground after it, as its 
 object would otherwise be lost. The motions 
 of the body ought to be altogether so light, 
 that scarcely any thing of the leap should be 
 heard, when it is performed upon hard 
 ground. 
 
 The exercises in the high leap without a 
 run, follow one another in this order : 
 
 1 . Not quite the height of the knees . 
 
 ’ 2. The height of the knees. 
 
 3. The height of the middle of the thighs. 
 
 4. The height of the hips . 
 
 5. The height of the lower ribs. 
 
 THE HIGH LEAP WITH A RUN. 
 
 Position of the Leapcr. — There are only 
 two correct positions in leaping with a run ; 
 the one bent, and the other stretched out. In 
 the former, the leaper immediately closes the 
 foot with which he has made the spring to 
 
 C 
 
18 
 
 the other ; the knees are drawn forcibly up 
 towards the chin, and the soles of the feet 
 are kept at an equal height above the ground. 
 See fig. 1, Plate II. In the stretched out 
 position, the leaper immediately throws, xt 
 the commencement of the leap, the foot with 
 which he has not made the spring, straight 
 forward over the cord, and draws up the 
 other by a quick bend of the knee. See 
 fig. 2, Plate II. 
 
 The Run taken previous to the leap, should 
 not exceed in length more than ten paces. 
 The eye of the leaper is directed more 
 to the spot from whence he is to make the 
 spring, than to the cord ; particularly if he is 
 accustomed to spring with one particular foot, 
 since it is necessary for him to judge his dis- 
 tance so that this foot may arrive at the re- 
 quired place. This greatly depends on prac- 
 tice ; but the beginner is recommended to 
 spring -with either foot, and at times, with 
 both feet. He should also observe this rule : 
 viz. that the distance between the point from 
 which the spring is made, and the cord, 
 ought to be about equal to half the height of 
 the latter from the ground. 
 
 Faults . — These take place when the pre- 
 
19 
 
 paratory run is impetuous ; when the legs 
 are not closed in the leap ; when the back 
 and nape are bent down ; when the feet do 
 not descend together at the same time, &c. 
 The teacher must endeavour to prevent these 
 by making his pupils repeat the exercise over 
 the cord at a moderate height, until they 
 have completely mastered the proper posi- 
 tion. He must not allow them to leap over 
 heights beyond their powers, but make them 
 advance progressively. A good leaper will 
 show his power in the flexibility, and in the 
 unforced command of the legs, rather than 
 in a violent exertion of the whole body. 
 
 GYMNASTIC EXERCISES. 
 
 Order of the exercises in leaping with a 
 run : 
 
 1 . The height of the middle of the thighs , 
 
 2. The height of the hips . 
 
 3. The height of the lower ribs . 
 
 4. The height of the pit of the stomach . 
 
 5. The height of the breast . 
 
 6. The height of the chin . 
 
 7. The height of the eyes. 
 
 8. The height of the crown of the head . 
 
 Most boys will leap the height of the pit 
 
 c 2 
 
20 
 
 of the stomach, and many, that of the head 
 and the chin. Some have learned in Germany 
 to leap over a height considerably greater 
 than their own. 
 
 The teacher has hitherto accustomed his 
 pupils to leap singly ; but he should now 
 form them into divisions, each division being 
 composed of such as are of nearly equal 
 strength, and direct them to practice various 
 amusing exercises together. The following 
 are recommended : 
 
 1 . The pupils form a ring, standing at the 
 distance of about ten paces behind each 
 other. The leaping-stand is placed in the 
 circumference of this ring, and they com- 
 mence leaping over the cord one after the 
 other, preserving the order of the ring. 
 
 2. The same exercise, except that each 
 carries something with him, such as a wooden 
 musket, staff, or pole, &c. which must not be 
 allowed to touch the cord. 
 
 3. The leaping-stand is placed in front of 
 a post, such as a, fig. 2, Plate II., in the latter 
 an arm b , is fixed in one of the holes seen in 
 the figure. An iron hook is fastened to this 
 arm for the purpose of holding a ring ; it is 
 better seen in fig. 4, Plate II. On the other 
 side of the post are steps leading to c, upon 
 
21 
 
 which a boy stands ready to place a ring 
 upon the hook when required. Each leaper 
 is provided with a pointed wooden sword, 
 with which he takes an aim at the ring, at 
 the moment he makes the leap over the cord. 
 The leapers follow in the same succession as 
 in the preceding exercise : he who gets most 
 rings out of a given number is conqueror ; 
 but a ring is not fairly won, if only knocked 
 off the hook ; it must remain upon the 
 sword ; and whoever touches the cord for- 
 feits a ring, if he has already won any. 
 
 4. The leaping-stand is widened as much 
 as possible, and the leapers go over the cord, 
 in succeeding ranks of two, three, or four at 
 a time. In advancing to the cord, they 
 should be made to step together in a slow 
 trot. 
 
 THE LONG LEAP. 
 
 This is the art of forcing the body over a 
 certain space of ground, water, or otherwise, 
 either merely by the elastic power of the lower 
 members, or by means of this with the aid 
 of a quick preparatory run. This kind of 
 leap is, therefore, also performed either with- 
 out or with a run. The first is an excellent 
 
22 
 
 exercise, particularly for the muscles of the 
 feet, calves, and thighs. The second, besides 
 having this advantage, practises the eye in 
 judging the proper place from which to make 
 the spring; and also excites courage in the 
 leaper. 
 
 PREPARATORY EXERCISES. 
 
 The Jump . — Dig a ditch about half or 
 three-quarters of a foot in depth, upon the 
 exercise-ground, in the form of the annexed 
 figure, which affords the learner an oppor- 
 tunity for advancing progressively from 
 short to longer jumps. 
 
 a 
 
 Eight feet are sufficient for the length of 
 a , b, since a jump of once and a half times 
 the length of the body, is considerable for 
 the beginner. The situation of this ditch 
 upon the exercise-ground is shewn at fig. 2, 
 Plate I. The jump is without a run . The 
 beginner places himself at one bank with 
 the feet closed ; his whole weight rests 
 
23 
 
 upon the balls of the toes ; the body is 
 inclined forward ; both arms are swung 
 once forward, and once backward, and then 
 drawn very forcibly from the rear to the 
 front ; at the same moment the lower mem- 
 bers must be propelled with as much force 
 as possible by means of a great exertion of 
 the elastic power of the feet. 
 
 The continued Jump . — The pupil places 
 himself at one extremity of a measured dis- 
 tance of from eighty to one hundred feet, 
 and jumps as far forward as he can, observ- 
 ing the same position of the body and limbs, 
 as in the preceding exercise. From his new 
 station, he makes another jump, and con- 
 tinues in this manner, as far as the other ex- 
 tremity of the above distance. This is a 
 very good exercise, particularly for several 
 muscles of the thighs. 
 
 GYMNASTIC EXERCISES. 
 
 The ground must be prepared in the fol- 
 lowing manner. In the section given in 
 the annexed figure. 
 
 jc 
 
 the part a , from which the spring is made. 
 
must consist of firm earth ; b is a small 
 ditch, which obliges the leaper to make the 
 spring exactly at a. The ground between 
 c and d, which is about eighteen feet long, 
 is first dug from three to four feet deep, and 
 afterwards filled with loose sand. Fig. 1, 
 Plate I. shows .the situation of this ditch 
 upon the exercise-ground. 
 
 This leap may be divided into three prin- 
 cipal parts ; viz. the run, the spring , and the 
 descent. 
 
 The run is made from x to a ; which piece 
 of ground should be firm, and not at all 
 slippery ; its length, ten, fifteen, or twenty 
 paces. The run consists in small steps which 
 increase in quickness as they approach the 
 point where the spring must be made. The 
 body is inclined very much forward. Long 
 steps must be avoided, since they considerably 
 diminish the force of the spring. 
 
 The spring is performed with one foot 
 at the point a , As already remarked, the 
 leaper should practice his eye, so as to 
 bring that foot upon the point a, with 
 which he is accustomed to make the spring. 
 Beginners are apt to think only of the 
 length , and too little of the heighth of the 
 leap. They do not consider that they come 
 
25 
 
 sooner to the ground, and, consequently 
 shorten the leap, by not springing a proper 
 heighth. 
 
 The descent has no difficulty whatever in 
 it, if the ground between e and d , consists of 
 loose sand, as before recommended. The 
 feet are closed, the knees bent, and the whole 
 of the upper part of the body inclined for- 
 ward. The toes touch the ground first, and 
 therefore sink in deepest. At the same 
 moment, a light spring is made, accompanied 
 by some short steps, in order not to give a 
 sudden check to the force of the body, but 
 to let it die away gradually. 
 
 Faults . — These consist in throwing the feet 
 too much forward, so as to cause the leaper to 
 fall backward after the descent ; separating 
 the feet during the descent, instead of letting 
 them come to the ground exactly at the same 
 moment. 
 
 Order of exercises in the long leap : 
 
 1 . The leap of double the length of the body . 
 
 2. That of twice and a half this length . 
 
 3. That of three times this length. 
 
 4. Learners of equal size try to outleap each 
 other. 
 
 The teacher should now take his pupils 
 to some rivulet, and let one of them give the 
 
26 
 
 lead, by running along the latter, and leap- 
 ing from one side to the other; the others 
 follow him, and make the same leaps. By 
 means of this exercise, they accustom them- 
 selves to judge the requisite degree of force 
 to be employed, and the proper points where 
 the spring is to be made, in leaping over the 
 natural obstacles which present themselves to 
 the eye. 
 
 THE DEEP LEAP. 
 
 GYMNASTIC EXERCISES. 
 
 This leap is performed either with or with- 
 out the assistance of the hands. In both 
 methods every thing depends upon the posi- 
 tion of the body during the descent. Great 
 care must be taken to avoid falling upon the 
 heels instead of the balls of the toes, and to 
 keep the body in a bent position ; by which 
 means, the violent shock which the body 
 would otherwise receive from the hard 
 quality of the ground is prevented. 
 
 When combined with the assistance of the 
 hands, this exercise is extremely useful, and 
 evidently a desirable accomplishment. The 
 leaper places both hands down before the 
 
27 
 
 feet, so that, during the leap, the weight of 
 the body rests, at first, entirely upon the 
 hands, and passes gradually over to the feet. 
 By this means, the shock against the ground 
 is wonderfully diminished ; and the learner 
 will soon find, by practising progressively 
 higher and higher, that it is very easy to 
 leap down from heights which, at first, ap- 
 peared to him quite formidable. A wooden 
 flight of steps is particularly well adapted to 
 this exercise, and should have a place upon 
 every exercise-ground. The learner ascends 
 a certain number of steps ; makes the leap 
 upon the ground from the side of them, and 
 gradually increases the depth of his leaps, 
 by augmenting the number of steps. 
 
 The teacher should now let his pupils com- 
 bine the long and deep leaps ; thus forming 
 a separate exercise in leaping, which is the 
 most violent of all. A rivulet which here 
 and there presents a high bank, with an op- 
 posite low one, is most favourable for this 
 exercise. 
 
 Precautions . — Increase the depth of the 
 leap very gradually. Never perform any 
 gymnastic exercise immediately after a meal, 
 but particularly this one. 
 
 k 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 EXERCISES FOR AUGMENTING THE MUSCULAR 
 POWERS OF THE BODY AND LIMBS. 
 
 It is absolutely necessary that stands, simi- 
 lar to the two represented in Plate III. and 
 IV. be situated on the exercise-ground ; (See 
 fig. 7» 8, 9? and 10, Plate I.) and, if possible, 
 under cover, in order that the learners may 
 be sheltered from either the rain or sun. 
 That shewn in Plate III. is about five feet 
 high, two feet in width, and of any con- 
 venient length ; the upper surface of the bars 
 «, b, c, and d , is rounded off so as to be more 
 easily grasped by the hand. The other, in 
 Plate IV. consists of four posts a , b, c, d , of 
 which b and c, are about fifteen feet distant 
 from each other, the one six, and the other 
 seven feet high. The latter support a cross- 
 
FI. 3. 
 
 73 
 
 CO 
 
 £ 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
29 
 
 piece, e,f, which is six inches deep, its lower 
 side three inches wide, and its upper one about 
 two ; altogether it is shaped like the upper 
 part of the rail of an ordinary staircase ; g , h, 
 and i, k, are two poles made of fir, eight feet 
 long, and from two to two inches and a half 
 thick ; made round and smooth, and of dif- 
 ferent heights for the convenience of the 
 learners. 
 
 Exercise 1. The learner raises himself into 
 the position shewn at fig. 1, Plate III. upon 
 the stand a , b , c, d , and swings his legs back- 
 ward and forward, the higher the better, as 
 long aS he possibly can ; during which mo- 
 tion his feet will nearly describe the semi- 
 circle e,f g. 
 
 2. When in the last position, the learner 
 makes a jump, as it were, with his hands, 
 forward, and repeats it until he arrives at the 
 end of the stand ; whence he commences 
 jumping backward as far as the other ex- 
 tremity. This and the preceding are two 
 excellent exercises for strengthening the 
 wrists. 
 
 3. The learner after having raised himself 
 into the position required in Ex. 1, lowers his 
 body so as to bring his head nearly on a level 
 with his elbows, which must be kept exactly 
 
30 
 
 over the bars. See fig. 2, Plate III. The 
 most difficult part of the exercise follows ; 
 which consists in raising himself again into 
 his former position. This exercise, which he 
 should repeat as often as possible, is perhaps 
 the best of any for strengthening the muscles 
 of the chest, and particularly those which 
 are connected with the shoulders. 
 
 4. As many of the learners place them- 
 selves in a row under the bar e, f, 
 Plate IV. as can find convenient room ; the 
 tallest are nearest to the end f. The others 
 who are not able to share in this exercise, 
 help their companions up so that they may 
 seize the bar with both hands, and then leave 
 them in that position. Each now supports 
 his own weight with arms at full length, as 
 long as he possibly can ; which forms the first 
 part of this exercise. The second is more 
 difficult: it consists in keeping the elbows so 
 much bent, that one shoulder remains close 
 under the bar. Since it is not in the power 
 of every beginner to raise himself to this 
 position, the teacher must assist him until the 
 required height is attained ; it is sufficient for 
 him to remain there but a short time at first. 
 The exercise is rendered more lively by let- 
 ting the learners try who can hang in this 
 
PI. 4. 
 
 \ 
 
 t 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 / 
 
31 
 
 manner longest ; but the teacher must pre- 
 vent any one from overdoing it. 
 
 5. The hands are placed upon the bar, over 
 opposite sides, as seen in fig. 1, Plate IV. At 
 another time they may be placed both on the 
 same side. The learner now draws himself 
 so much upward, as to be able to see over the 
 bar, keeping the legs and feet closed and 
 stretched out. He 1 lowers himself to the 
 full length of his arn^, and again raises his 
 body. This exercise is very trying if often 
 repeated, Most persons will go through it 
 three, six, or perhaps nine times, but few 
 reach the eighteenth or twenty-fourth time. 
 It must not be carried too far, for the muscles 
 are to be strengthened, not relaxed. 
 
 These two exercises should be frequently 
 repeated, since they wonderfully increase the 
 muscular powers, and greatly facilitate the 
 succeeding exercises. 
 
 6. The learner hangs with his hands upon 
 the bar, as before, and then raises and lowers 
 the legs alternately. See fig. 2, Plate IV. 
 The hands are fixed on both sides, and at a 
 little distance from each other ; the elbows 
 are very much bent ; one shoulder is imme- 
 diately under the bar, and the upper parts of 
 the arms lie close to the body. The head 
 
32 
 
 now sinks backward, and, at the same time, 
 the feet are raised so as to touch each other 
 gently over the bar. From this they again 
 sink into the hanging position. Beginners 
 who have not thoroughly practised the two 
 preceding exercises, find this one very diffi- 
 cult : some make a preparatory swing with 
 the feet to assist them ; but this is not cor- 
 rect, since the exercise ought to be performed 
 entirely through the muscular force of the 
 arms, back, &c. It can be repeated six, nine, 
 twelve, eighteen, twenty-four, and even 
 thirty times. The teacher is again recom- 
 mended to prevent any one from overdoing 
 the exercise : he should remind his pupils 
 not to be impatient, but to overcome every 
 difficulty by practice alone. 
 
 7- Let the feet, when in the position of 
 fig. 2, Plate IV. as required in the preceding 
 exercise, cling close to each other over the 
 bar, and remain as long as possible in this 
 position. The learners try to excel one 
 another in this exercise. 
 
 8. Suppose the body to be in the last men- 
 tioned position ; viz. fig. 2, Plate IV. Throw 
 the right arm and right leg quickly over the 
 bar, so as to hang to it by the elbow and 
 knee joints, as seen in fig. 3, Plate IV. 
 
33 
 
 Change the position with the same quickness 
 by throwing the left leg and arm over the 
 bar, in order to rest the other side. Finally, 
 the body may be made to hang by the right 
 leg and left arm, and vice versa. This ex- 
 ercise, which is performed upon the round 
 bars g, h, and i , k, is rendered very pretty, 
 by the position of the body and limbs being 
 continually varied, and is very useful as a 
 preparatory one to climbing. 
 
 9. Suppose the body to be again in the 
 position of fig. 2, Plate IV. Commence 
 moving the hands one before the other, 
 either towards e or f 9 and let the feet follow, 
 either sliding along the bar, or, what is much 
 better, alternately changing like the ' hands, 
 and retaining, in some measure, a similar hold. 
 Continue moving along the bar in this man- 
 ner, as long as your strength will permit. 
 
 10. The body hangs to the bar by the 
 hands, placed as shewn at fig. 4, Plate IY. ; 
 these are then moved either forward or 
 backward alternately as long as possible. 
 This exercise is faulty when the arms 
 hang straight and slack ; or when the feet, 
 instead of being quiet and close together, are 
 violently drawn up and down. It may be 
 varied by the learner’s placing himself in 
 
 D 
 
3-1 
 
 front of the bar, hanging by both hands, and 
 moving the latter alternately sideways. 
 
 1 1 . When a person is in the position of 
 fig. 3, Plate IV. it is very easy for him to 
 throw the left leg over the bar and across the 
 right one ; then to let go the arms entirely, 
 and hang by the knee joints only. This ex- 
 ercise is perfectly safe, strengthens the knee 
 joints, and is often useful in climbing. 
 
 12. The body being in the position of 
 fig. 2, Plate IV. the learner endeavours to 
 sit upon the bar. The first attempts fre- 
 quently fail, since some strength and agility 
 are required. The easiest way of doing it is 
 thus : suppose you wish, when in the posi- 
 tion of fig. 2, Plate IV. to get up on your 
 right side of the bar ; take a fast hold by the 
 right knee-joint, grasp firmly with the right 
 hand, and bring the left arm over the bar so 
 that the latter may be exactly under the arm- 
 pit. From this position, the required or 
 riding one, is obtained with very little 
 trouble. 
 
 13. When a person is in the riding posi- 
 tion upon the bar, it is very easy for him 
 to turn towards the front of the bar e,f ; viz. 
 by supporting himself upon one thigh, while 
 the other leg hangs down. He then moves 
 
35 
 
 along the bar sideways, by raising his body 
 with his hands, which are placed on the bar 
 on each side of him. This exercise is very 
 useful in practising a person to proceed a 
 great way along a high beam. 
 
 14. The learner is in front of the bar, with 
 his hands resting upon it, as in fig. 5, 
 Plate IV. ; he then removes his hands either 
 to the right or left, and supports himself, in 
 this manner, as far as he can, along the bar. 
 
 15. Suppose a person to be supporting 
 himself by the hands upon the bar, as before, 
 viz. fig. 5, Plate IV. ; he then throws his 
 head down forward, and dives, as it were ; 
 the middle of the body rests momentarily 
 upon the bar, the feet swing upward, the 
 whole person turns completely round, and 
 the feet come to the ground. This is swing- 
 ing round the bar forward ; it is more diffi- 
 cult, but prettier, backward. Supported by 
 the hands as before, the learner swings his 
 feet once or twice backward and forward ; 
 when in the last swing, he throws them 
 quickly forward underneath the bar, forcing 
 them upward on the opposite side, and then 
 passes them over. See fig. 6, Plate IV. In 
 this, he also rests momentarily with the middle 
 cf the body upon the bar, and then returns to 
 
 D 2 
 
36 
 
 his first position. This swing round the bar 
 backward is not easy at first ; it requires a 
 good deal of agility and exertion of the elas- 
 tic force. The exercise should always be 
 performed upon a smooth round bar, as g, h, 
 or i , k. Exercises of this kind admit of nu- 
 merous variations, and boys soon find them 
 out ; but the teacher should always stand by, 
 to observe them, and to give his assistance to 
 any one who may require it. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 VAULTING. 
 
 Vaulting is the art of raising the body 
 quickly from the ground by a spring, and 
 giving it, at the same moment, such a swing, 
 by leaning the hands upon a fixed object, 
 that the leap may be completed with facility. 
 This leaning of the hands, partly to facilitate, 
 and partly to give a right direction to the 
 leap, constitutes the principal worth of vault- 
 ing ; for, since the direction given to the 
 body proceeds not only from the feet, as in 
 the former kinds of leaping, but also from 
 the hands and arms, it is an exercise which 
 considerably augments the muscular powers 
 and flexibility of both arms and legs, the 
 back, &c. 
 
 Vaulting is also intended as an amusing 
 
38 
 
 and easy means of mounting a horse ; leap- 
 ing from, or over it, &c.; and; for this reason, 
 are seen, upon many exercise grounds, 
 wooden horses, the sides and backs of which 
 are well stuffed with hair, and covered with 
 leather. These can be procured by the 
 teachers if they think proper, but the greater 
 and best part of the exercises performed on 
 them, may be also applied to the Vaulting- 
 Bar ; which consists of a long round pole or 
 bar, resting upon two, or, if very long, upon 
 three posts. See Plate V. Two or three 
 vaulting bars, of different heights, should be 
 upon every exercise ground. 
 
 PREPARATORY EXERCISES. 
 
 These are extremely easy to those who 
 have proceeded regularly through the exer- 
 cises contained in the last chapter. 
 
 1. This is a repetition of the exercise 
 shown at fig. 5, Plate IV. referred to in 
 Chapter IV.; viz. the supporting of the body 
 as long as possible by both hands resting 
 upon the bar. 
 
 2. When in the last mentioned position ; 
 the learner crosses one leg over the bar, and 
 sits upon the latter, as on horseback. Sup- 
 
\ 
 
 
 / 
 
 
 
39 
 
 pose a number of learners in this position , 
 along the bar. Each places his hands upon 
 it, close before him. At the word up ! given 
 by the teacher, each raises himself upon his 
 hands, so that the body becomes suspended ; 
 the higher, the better. See fig. 1, Plate Y. 
 The knees should be kept stiff, and the toes 
 pointed out. The teacher may now order 
 them to turn their bodies, by means of the 
 support of the hands, towards the right or 
 left, or to swing the feet backward and for- 
 ward. This is a capital exercise for strength- 
 ening the arms and wrists, and should be 
 frequently repeated. 
 
 3. Supposing the learners in the last 
 position, viz. fig. 1, they all move forward 
 along the bar, by their hands, one after the 
 other, as far as they can, and retire. 
 
 4. The learner, when in the riding posi- 
 tion upon the bar, places both hands upon 
 the latter close before him, and raises, by 
 means of them, his legs and the small of the 
 back, so as to bring the feet close behind the 
 hands upon the seat. See fig. 2. He then 
 stands upright upon the latter. Boys soon 
 become so expert in this exercise, as to be 
 able to place the feet in the above position, 
 without swinging the legs ; but it is much 
 
40 
 
 more difficult for adults. Another way of doing 
 it is, by first extending the arms high above 
 the head, inclining the body a little back- 
 ward, throwing the feet at the same time 
 forward, and then by swinging the feet 
 backward, and immediately placing the 
 hands upon the bar close before you, you 
 easily make the required spring to get your 
 feet upon the seat. The return from the 
 standing to the riding position, is extremely 
 easy. Place both hands upon the bar, close 
 before the feet ; then let the weight of the 
 body rest entirely upon the arms, and lower 
 yourself gradually to the seat. 
 
 GYMNASTIC EXERCISES. 
 
 1. The learner places himself in front of 
 the vaulting bar, makes a preparatory spring 
 with the feet closed, fixes at the same mo- 
 ment, both hands upon the bar, raises him- 
 self, and swings the right leg over. The 
 body is then suspended by the support of 
 the hands, and descends gently into the 
 riding position. The dismounting forms 
 another part of this exercise. The learner 
 extends the feet forward, exactly as in the 
 4th preparatory exercise, makes a little 
 
41 
 
 swing forward, and then, by the support of 
 the hands, it is very easy for him to swing 
 both feet backward over the bar, and spring 
 to the ground with them closed. 
 
 2. Vaulting over the bar, is the most 
 applicable of all these exercises, not only as 
 regards riding, but also innumerable natural 
 obstacles over which we may wish to leap ; 
 it ought, therefore, to be frequently practised 
 on the exercise ground. With a single pre- 
 paratory spring, as in the last exercise, a 
 person will very easily vault over the height 
 of his stomach ; and, soon after, over a 
 moderately sized horse. The beginner may 
 be allowed a run for a few paces, which he 
 terminates in the preparatory spring, placing, 
 at the same time, both hands upon the 
 vaulting bar, by which means he raises his 
 body, and throws his legs, which are kept 
 close together, high over the bar. On the 
 opposite side, his feet reach L ° ground, still 
 closed, whilst the right hand (if he vaults 
 with the right side foremost) quits the bar, 
 and the left one remains. The position of 
 the body during that part of the vault where 
 it is exactly over the bar, is shown at fig 3. 
 Plate V. It is difficult for beginners to 
 vault either way ; that is, as well with the 
 
42 
 
 left side foremost as with the right. This is, 
 therefore, not to be attempted until after 
 sufficient practice in that way which the 
 learner finds most convenient. 
 
 3. At first, a preparatory run for a few 
 paces may be allowed, afterwards, only a 
 spring. When the latter is made, both 
 hands are placed firmly on the bar, and at 
 such a distance from each other, as to allow 
 sufficient room for the feet to be placed 
 between them ; the whole body is forcibly 
 raised, the knees are drawn up towards the 
 breast, so that the feet come to stand between 
 the hands upon the seat or saddle: at the 
 same moment the learner stands upright. 
 This exercise can only be practised upon the 
 firm part of the Balancing Bar , Plate VIII. 
 which will be described hereafter, since the 
 vaulting bar is so thin, that the necessary 
 balance in the last part of the exercise would 
 be very difficult. If in this exercise the 
 learner does not place the feet upon the seat 
 or saddle, but lets them pass on to the oppo- 
 site side, whilst he seats himself upon it, he 
 performs the vault into the saddle straight 
 forward ; should he, however, not sit down, 
 but continue the leap, he then makes the 
 vault over the saddle through the arms. The 
 
43 
 
 whole of this exercise should be practised by 
 the learners, singly, in order that the teacher 
 may stand close by, to give any assistance 
 that may be required. In this and the 
 foregoing exercise, he should assist the 
 learner until he can make the vault perfectly. 
 He must stand on the opposite side of the 
 bar, and, at the moment the vaulter places 
 his hands upon the bar, he should, if the 
 vault be made with the right side foremost, 
 take a fast hold of his left arm a little above 
 the wrist. This attention on the part of the 
 teacher, in the vaulter’s first attempts, not 
 only secures to the latter a better purchase 
 upon the bar, but gives him more confi- 
 dence. 
 
 The teacher may now place his pupils in 
 one rank in front of the bar, and let them 
 perform the above exercises together in the 
 following manner : — 
 
 1. The teacher gives the word of command, 
 mount ! He then makes the first signal by 
 suddenly raising his hand ; when each pupil 
 extends both hands upward. The teacher 
 drops his hand as a second signal ; and every 
 one swings himself into the riding position 
 upon the bar ; as explained in Gym. 
 Ex. 1. 
 
44 
 
 2. Stand up! — At the first signal, each 
 raises his hands, as before. At the second, 
 he stands upon the bar, as in the Prepa. 
 £x. 4. • 
 
 3. Sit down! — At the first signal, the 
 hands are raised. At the second, each places 
 his hands upon the bar, down before the feet, 
 and swings very gently into his seat. 
 
 4. Dismount ! First signal; as before. 
 At the second, each dismounts as in Gym. 
 Ex. 1. 
 
 5. Vault with the right side foremost. The 
 learners retire a few paces from the bar. The 
 first signal ; as before. At the second, they 
 go through the preparatory run, spring, and 
 the vault; as in Gym. Ex. 2. They then 
 arrange themselves in a rank on the other 
 side of the bar, and vault again over the bar 
 after the word of command, vault with the 
 left side foremost ! 
 
 6. Vault upon the bar ! First signal ; as 
 before. At the second, the run, spring, and 
 vault upon the bar, are made. The learners 
 now stand by the side of each other upon the 
 bar ; and, at the word of command, left face , 
 each turns to the left. 
 
 7. Sit dozen! Repetition of No. 3. 
 
 8. Dismount ! Repetition of No. 4. 
 
45 
 
 LEAP-FROG. 
 
 This exercise, which is a very common 
 and agreeable one, is a kind of vaulting ; 
 viz. the application of the leap over a horse, 
 to that over a man ; and tends very much to 
 promote the agility of the body. It is so 
 well known as to need no explanation here. 
 In the first attempts, the person over whom 
 the leap is made, should place his body in a 
 crooked position, with the head very much 
 lowered, but as the players become more 
 expert, the body should be placed in a more 
 upright posture. 
 
 The teacher must not allow persons of 
 very different stature to perform this exer- 
 cise together ; it is useless to the great ones, 
 and the others are too weak to make a proper 
 stand. If any are unaccustomed to it, and 
 appear timid, the teacher should place him- 
 self by the side of the person over whom the 
 leap is to be made, and catch the leaper by 
 the arm, to give him the required assistance. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 LEAPING WITH A POLE. 
 
 This is a kind of vaulting, in which the 
 leaper, instead of supporting himself upon 
 an intervening fixed object, carries a pole 
 with him, which he places exactly upon 
 whatever spot he chooses. In supporting 
 the body, during the leap, by a pole, a great 
 deal depends upon the art of balancing, as 
 well as the strength of the arms and legs ; 
 notwithstanding which, the thing is much 
 easier than it appears to be. 
 
 THE HIGH LEAP WITH A POLE. 
 
 The best pole to be used in this exercise, 
 is the planed stem of a straight grown fir, 
 about two inches thick at the bottom, and 
 
47 
 
 from seven to ten feet long. Such a pole 
 naturally diminishes towards the top ; but it 
 is better to plane off the lower end a little. 
 In the annexed figure a b is the natural 
 growth, and a c is the lower end planed 
 off. 
 
 PREPARATORY EXERCISES. 
 
 The learner, who is supposed to be already 
 expert in vaulting and leaping', places him- 
 self before a small ditch, with a pole, which 
 he seizes in such a manner, that the right 
 hand may be about the height of the head, 
 and the left about that of the hips, and fixes 
 it in the ditch. See fig. 1. Plate VI. He 
 now endeavours, by making a spring with 
 his left foot, to lay the weight of his body 
 upon the pole, and, by means of this support, 
 to swing himself to the opposite bank. In 
 this swing, he passes his body by the right 
 of the pole, and makes, at the same time, a 
 turn, so that at the descent, his face is di- 
 rected to the place whence he made the 
 leap. 
 
 The usual faults committed by the begin- 
 
48 
 
 ner, consist in trusting the whole weight of 
 his body too much to the pole ; in keeping 
 his body at too great a distance from the 
 latter, and consequently losing the necessary 
 purchase. 
 
 As soon as he can master the proper posi- 
 tion and the requisite balance, he assumes 
 more confidence, and may now endeavour, 
 in the succeeding leaps, always to swing the 
 legs higher. In proportion as he becomes 
 more expert, he should place the hands 
 higher up the pole, in order to have a more 
 powerful swing. 
 
 This leap can never be made with facility 
 and with the proper force, unless the spring, 
 and the fixing of the pole in the ground, are 
 made exactly at the same moment. To acquire 
 this, the learner should place himself at the 
 distance of a moderate pace in front of the 
 ditch, raise the left foot and the pole toge- 
 ther, then sink both together, the former in 
 the spot where he intends making the spring, 
 and the latter in the ditch ; and swing him- 
 self round the pole, to the opposite bank. 
 Afterwards, he should make a preparatory 
 run of two, three, or four paces, increasing 
 it gradually ; and always observing to let the 
 foot with which the spring is to be made, 
 
49 
 
 and the pole, come to the ground at the same 
 moment. When the learner has overcome 
 this difficulty, he can commence practising 
 the exercise over the leaping-stand. 
 
 GYMNASTIC EXERCISES. 
 
 In leaping with a pole over the cord of the 
 leaping-stand, the learner takes the pole in 
 both hands ; makes a rather quick run, which 
 concludes with the spring and the fixing of 
 the pole in the ground being made at the 
 same moment ; raises his whole body rapidly 
 upward, by means of this spring and a 
 powerful support upon the pole ; and swings 
 over the cord, turning his body round so that, 
 at the descent, his face is directed to the 
 place whence he commenced the leap. This 
 is a general description of the high leap with 
 a pole ; but it will be better to explain the 
 distinct parts into which it may be divided, 
 as follows : — 
 
 1. The handling of the pole , which has 
 already been partly explained. See fig. 1. 
 Plate VI. It is immaterial whether the 
 thumb or the little finger of the lower hand 
 lies uppermost : it may be left entirely to the 
 
 E 
 
50 
 
 habit of each individual. The upper hand 
 must be placed so as to have the thumb 
 upward. The lower hand must not lie too 
 near the bottom of the pole ; the part which 
 it seizes must be at a height proportionate 
 to that of the leap : for instance, if the height 
 of the leap is six feet, this hand must be at 
 least from five and a half to six feet distant 
 from the lower end of the pole. The leaper 
 is soon enabled after a little practice, to seize 
 the pole in the proper way, from a mere 
 glance of the height of the leap. The posi- 
 tion of the upper hand is always regulated 
 by that of the lower one ; as this advances 
 higher up, the former must also be raised 
 equally as much. 
 
 2. The preparatory run of from 12 to 15 
 paces, is accelerated as the leaper approaches 
 the cord. Upon it principally depends the 
 success and the facility of the leap. For, since 
 the spring can only take place with one 
 foot, as seen in fig. 1, Plate VI., and this 
 must arrive exactly at the proper place 
 whence the spring is to be made, it is there- 
 fore necessary that the leaper should arrange 
 the order of his steps so as to effect this 
 object. If he is obliged to correct himself 
 
PI . 
 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILUNO^ 
 LIBRARY 
 
 w.s. 
 
51 
 
 by making a few steps either longer or 
 shorter, just as he going to make the spring, 
 the leap is rendered tame and difficult. 
 
 3. The fixing of the pole in the ground , and 
 the spring must take place precisely at the 
 same instant , since by that means the con- 
 sequent swinging upward is performed with 
 the greatest facility, the powers of the upper 
 and lower members operating at the same 
 moment. The pole is not always fixed 
 exactly at the same place in front of the 
 cord; in very low leaps of about four feet, 
 the distance of one foot in front of the cord 
 is sufficient ; in higher leaps, from one and a 
 half to two feet. The best plan is to have a 
 small pit dug in front of the cord, (see figs. 2 
 and 3, Plate VI.) and either to remove the 
 leaping stand farther from it, as the height 
 of the leads increases, or, to let the leaping 
 stand remain at the distance of one and a 
 half feet from the pit, and accustom the 
 learners to make all the leaps from it ; which 
 is not in the least difficult. The spring is 
 made with one foot, at the distance of two, 
 three, four, or five feet from where the pole is 
 to be fixed in the ground. If the leaper is 
 accustomed to keep the left hand the lowest, 
 
 E 2 
 
52 
 
 lie must spring with the left foot, and vice 
 versa . 
 
 4. The szvinging upward is effected by the 
 force of the spring, the support of the lower, and 
 the pull of the upper hand ; and principally 
 by the propelling motion caused by the quick 
 preparatory run ; which motion, being sud- 
 denly checked by the fixing of the pole, 
 changes its horizontal direction into one of a 
 slanting ascent, and carries the body of the 
 leaper over the cord. At the same time, the 
 leaper must observe this rule ; viz. that the 
 spring of the foot, and the point of the 
 ground in which the pole is fixed, be in the 
 direction of the preparatory run ; that is, the 
 leaper must fix the pole exactly in front of 
 the foot which makes the spring; by no 
 means to the right or left of it. 
 
 5. The turning of the body during the 
 swinging upward, which has already been 
 explained in the preparatory exercises, is 
 necessary on many accounts. When the 
 leaper is going to spring, he has his face 
 turned towards the object of the leap, as in 
 fig. I, Plate VI.; but as his feet swing 
 upward, his body must necessarily turn round 
 the pole; and, when they have passed over 
 
53 
 
 the other side of the cord, the head is still 
 considerably on this side. Now the leaper 
 appears as in fig. 2. In a moment after- 
 wards the middle of his body is already on 
 the other side of the cord, and he commences 
 the descent, as in fig. 3. It would be im- 
 possible for him to descend in this position, 
 otherwise than with his face directed to where 
 the leap was commenced. 
 
 6. The quitting of the pole during the leap , 
 is very easily effected by giving it a slight 
 push with one hand, at the moment the 
 greatest height is attained, which causes it 
 to, fall upon the inner side of the cord. 
 
 7- The carrying of the pole over the cord , 
 is more difficult. In this case, the leaper 
 must raise the pole a little from the ground 
 at the commencement of the descent ; im- 
 mediately afterwards he raises the lower part 
 of it with the lowest hand, and presses down 
 the upper part with the other ; the natural 
 consequence of which is, that the lower 
 end of the pole will, at the descent, point 
 upward, and the upper end downward. This 
 part of the exercise should be practised first 
 in low leaps. 
 
 8. The descent depends entirely upon the 
 manner in which the leap is made ; if this 
 
be perfect, the descent will be so likewise. 
 The general fault in the descent is, that the 
 leaper, immediately after having passed over 
 the cord, falls to the ground perpendicularly. 
 See the annexed figures, in which a is the 
 place where the spring is made, c the section 
 of the cord, b the position of the leaper 
 when over it, d his regular, and e his faidty 
 descent. The latter is faulty because it 
 
 brings him out of the balance. In order not 
 to fall backward, he is obliged to run back- 
 ward to d ; if, on the contrary he descends in 
 an equal balance to the ground, he does not 
 move an inch from the spot where his feet 
 touch the ground. This complete rest im- 
 mediately following the descent, may be 
 considererd the sign of a perfect leap. The 
 descent must, as already explained in the 
 common leap, take place upon the balls 
 of the toes, and with a proper sinking of 
 the knees. 
 
 The position of the body is sufficiently 
 
55 
 
 explained by the fig. 1, 2, and 3, Plate VL 
 Many learn to swing the legs so well, as to 
 make them, during the highest part of the 
 leap, lie considerably above the head. 
 
 In the following exercises, the teacher 
 must make the leapers proceed gradually 
 from one to the other : between the different 
 heights, there are still many inches marked 
 upon the posts of the leaping-stand, by 
 which the cord can be raised higher ancl 
 higher. 
 
 Order of gymnastic exercises in the high 
 leap with a pole ; 
 
 1. The height of the hips . 
 
 2. That of the pit of the stomach. 
 
 3. That of the chin. 
 
 4. That of the crown of the head . 
 
 5. That of the points of the fingers ; that is 
 as high as the latter can reach. 
 
 All these exercises are performed with the 
 quitting of the pole. 
 
 Exercises 6, 7> 8, 9, and 10, form a repeti- 
 tion of the preceding ones, with this dif- 
 ference, that the leaper carries the pole over 
 the cord with him. 
 
 Exercises 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, are also 
 a repetition of the first set, except that the 
 leaper, between the spring and the descent, 
 
56 
 
 makes a complete turn round the pole, so as 
 to bring his face in the direction of that part 
 of the ground, towards which the leap was 
 directed. This turn is rendered easier by 
 leaping a little higher than the height of the 
 cord requires. 
 
 Precautions , — The principal precautions are 
 already contained in the preceding explana- 
 tion of this exercise. More attention is to 
 be paid to the good position of the leaper, 
 than to the height of the leaps ; and the 
 advancement to the higher leaps must be 
 very gradual. Great care must be taken 
 that the poles are sufficiently strong ; such as 
 make a crackling noise during the leap, must 
 be immediately thrown aside. 
 
 THE LONG LEAP WITH A POLE. 
 
 Although the high leap with a pole is a 
 most excellent exercise for the body, still 
 that of the long leap is infinitely more 
 useful, being applicable almost every where ; 
 particularly in a country much intersected 
 with small rivers, ditches, & c. Beginners 
 should practise this exercise over a ditch 
 about three feet deep, eight feet broad at one 
 end, and about twenty-one feet at the other, 
 
57 
 
 (see fig. 3, Plate I.) and of any convenient 
 length proportioned to the size of the exercise 
 ground, and the number of learners. The 
 poles should be somewhat stronger and 
 longer in this exercise than in the preceding 
 one ; but this chiefly depends on the length 
 of the leap, and the height of the bank 
 from which it is made. The usual length is 
 from ten to thirteen feet. 
 
 The handling of the pole is exactly the 
 same as in the high leap. The preparatory 
 run is more or less violent, in proportion 
 to the length of the leap. The spring takes 
 place according to the same rules as in the 
 preceding exercise. The swinging upward 
 is also the same, only that the curve of the 
 leap is wider. The turning of the body may 
 likewise be similar to that in the high leap ; 
 but it is more convenient, instead of the full 
 half turn, to make only the quarter one. 
 In the descent, the hand presses more firmly 
 upon the pole ; and the feet are stretched 
 out as far as possible, in order to reach the 
 opposite bank. This observation will be 
 rendered clearer by a view of fig. 1, Plate 
 VII. in which the leaper is represented as 
 descending. 
 
 Another method of leaping over a river. 
 
and which has an exceedingly pretty effect, 
 is to force the body up so high by means of 
 the pressure of the hands upon the pole, 
 (of which one rests upon the end of the 
 latter, or very near it,) as to swing over the 
 top of the pole, and to let the latter pass 
 between the legs when descending. See 
 fig. 2, Plate VII. But few learn to raise 
 themselves in this manner. 
 
 GYMNASTIC EXERCISES. 
 
 1 . The leap of two lengths of the body. 
 
 2. That of three lengths of the body. 
 
 3. That of four lengths of the body. 
 
 4. Persons of equal strength try to out leap 
 one another. 
 
 The lengths of 18, 20, 22, and 24 feet are 
 frequently done by practised leapers. 
 
 THE DEEP LEAP WITH A POLE. 
 
 Neither the preparatory run nor the spring 
 is necessary ; there is nothing in this exer- 
 cise which before required the exertion of 
 the lower members ; but that of the hands 
 and arms is very requisite, and also a little 
 of the art of balancing. The leaper fixes 
 
n.7 
 
 
 AV. S. sc. 
 

59 
 
 the pole in a ditch or river, having one 
 bank high, and the opposite one very low, 
 at a convenient distance from the place 
 where he stands : he seizes it with both hands 
 in the usual way, and by slipping downward 
 along the pole lower and low 7 er, the whole 
 weight of his body rests, at last, upon the 
 pole. In this manner, he can, if the depth 
 is considerable, for instance, two lengths of 
 the body, slide so far down along the pole, 
 that his head appears in a very slant direc- 
 tion with the head downward. When in this 
 position, he either gives a slight push 
 against the bank, or merely quits it, with 
 his feet, which he swings by the side of the 
 pole over to the opposite bank. In this, the 
 descent is also performed upon the balls of 
 the toes, and with a proper bending of the 
 knees. The principal advantage in this exer- 
 cise lies in the art of supporting the whole 
 body upon a pole, without tottering. To 
 effect this, it is absolutely necessary that the 
 feet should be stretched out far from each 
 other, so as to form a kind of triangle ; other- 
 wise the balance might easily be lost. The 
 best way of practising this exercise upon the 
 exercise ground, is by means of the flight of 
 steps mentioned in page 27- 
 
 / 
 
CHAPTER VIL 
 
 BALANCING. 
 
 Balancing is the art of preserving a just 
 equilibrium of the body, in whatever posi- 
 tion it may be placed ; and as its application 
 is extended to all the various kinds of gym- 
 nastic exercises, the acquirement of it is 
 absolutely necessary. 
 
 PREPARATORY EXERCISES. 
 
 The learners place themselves in a rank 
 at the distance of two paces from each other; 
 and go through the following exercises, 
 standing upon one leg, at the words of com- 
 mand, given by the teacher ; 
 
 1. Right foot up ! — The right foot must be 
 raised by the bending of the knee, so as to 
 bring that part of the right leg which is 
 between the knee and the foot, into an 
 horizontal position by the side of the left 
 knee. 
 
61 
 
 2. Extend the foot to the front ! — The right 
 foot must be stretched out, as if a step was 
 going to be made. 
 
 3. Extend to the rear! — The foot must 
 be suddenly drawn back, and extended to 
 the rear. 
 
 4. Extend to the right ! — The foot must be 
 stretched out towards the right. 
 
 5. Extend to the left ! — The foot must be 
 passed briskly along the front of the left leg, 
 towards the left. 
 
 6. Across the knee! — The calf of the right 
 leg is laid across the knee of the left. 
 
 7- Behind the knee-joint! — The left side 
 of the calf of the right leg is laid close 
 4>ehind the left knee-joint. 
 
 8. Seize the heel with the right hand in 
 front !' — The right leg is raised so that the 
 right hand may seize the heel in front. 
 
 9- Seize the heel with the right hand in the 
 rear! — By bending the right knee, the heel 
 is raised so that the right hand may seize it 
 in the rear. 
 
 10. Seize the heel with the left hand in 
 front ! 
 
 1 1 . Seize the heel with the left hand in the 
 rear ! 
 
 12. Raise the foot to the chin ! — The foot 
 
62 
 
 must be raised, and seized with both hands, 
 or, when the pupil is sufficiently expert, 
 only with the right hand, and brought up to 
 the chin, which is lowered to meet it, by an 
 inclination of the head. 
 
 13. Sit down ! — The right leg must be 
 stretched forward as much as possible, in an 
 horizontal position ; both arms and hands 
 are also extended to the front ; the body must 
 be bent very much forward, whilst the left 
 knee bends very gently until the learner 
 comes to sit upon the ground. 
 
 14. Stand up ! — The whole position of 
 the body and limbs, is similar to that in the 
 preceding exercise : the weight of the former 
 rests upon the left leg, and the learner gets 
 up in the reversed way to that in which he 
 sat down. 
 
 In these two last exercises, the hands must 
 not touch the ground ; nor yet the right 
 foot until the body becomes seated ; and, 
 when getting up, it must not touch it after 
 the seat is abandoned. The first attempts 
 are facilitated by being practised upon a 
 somewhat slanting piece of ground ; after- 
 wards this is unnecessary. They should not 
 be hurried ; there must be no falling, nor 
 pushing against the ground. 
 
THE BALANCING BAR. 
 
 This consists of the stem of a tall and 
 straight grown fir, planed off quite round, 
 about 60 feet in length, and placed in a level 
 direction, see a b, Plate VIII. Its thickest 
 end a , is supported by a post c, and may be 
 raised or lowered at pleasure, by means of an 
 iron peg, made to pass through the holes 
 bored in the sides of the post. The stand d , 
 supports the bar somewhere about its centre, 
 which can also be raised or lowered in this 
 place. That part of the bar from d to b, 
 remains without support, and consequently 
 wavers when any weight is placed upon it. 
 The upper surface of the bar is usually about 
 3 feet above the ground : it may be flattened 
 a little about a foot from the extremity b. 
 
 GYMNASTIC EXERCISES. 
 
 1. The teacher conducts the pupil, by the 
 hand, along the bar, a few times. The latter 
 must keep his feet turned outward , and his 
 body in an upright position. Little boys 
 soon accustom themselves to walk upon the 
 wavering end of the bar ; they gradually take 
 more courage, and learn to preserve their 
 
64 
 
 balance. After a short time, the teacher 
 begins to give the pupil less assistance ; 
 instead of holding' him fast by the arm, he 
 now only allows him to touch the point of 
 his finger, arid at last only places his hand 
 before him. 
 
 2. The learner walks along the bar, with- 
 out the assistance of the teacher; (see fig. 1, 
 Plate VIII.); who, however, remains by his 
 side, at first, in order to observe the position 
 of his body, and the placing of his feet, 
 and also to assist him if absolutely required. 
 
 3. As soon as the learner is able to walk 
 courageously along the bar, preserving a good 
 position of the body, and also to spring off* 
 without falling, whenever he may have lost 
 his balance, the teacher must render his walk 
 more difficult, by placing obstacles, such as 
 large stones, upon the bar, which he is either 
 to step over, or to lift up ; or he may hold a 
 small stick before him, about the height of his 
 knee, and make him step over it. See fig. 2, 
 Plate VIII. The exercise is made more diffi- 
 cult by obliging the learner to fold his hands 
 across his breast, instead of using them to 
 assist his balance. 
 
 4. Hitherto the learner has been ac- 
 customed to walk from a to b , and to jump 
 
65 
 
 off from the latter extremity ; but the 
 teacher now makes him turn round at b, and 
 return to a . He ought however, to have pre- 
 viously learned to turn himself well upon the 
 thick end of the bar. 
 
 5. The pupil walks backward upon the 
 bar ; an exercise which is not at all so difficult 
 as it appears, if he have acquired sufficient 
 expertness in the preceding ones. 
 
 6. Two learners meet upon the bar, and 
 wish to pass each other. They hold one 
 another fast by the arms, and advance breast 
 to breast. Each places his right foot for- 
 ward, close to that of his comrade, across the 
 bar. See fig. 3. They count 1,2, 3, and 
 turn completely round one another at the 
 word three , each making a step with his 
 left foot round the right one of his comrade, 
 as the two learners have already done at 
 fig. IV. The two learners represented at 
 %• v - are turning themselves round after 
 having placed the left foot in front; and 
 have completed the turn, except the with- 
 drawing of this foot. 
 
 7. This is a repetition of the fourth pre- 
 paratory exercise to vaulting, applied to the 
 balancing bar. See fig. 2, Plate V. When 
 performed upon the wavering part of the 
 
 F 
 
66 
 
 bar, it is an excellent exercise in balancing-. 
 The learner should, in repeating it, advance 
 nearer to the end b of the bar. 
 
 8. This is a repetition of the foregoing 
 preparatory exercises 13 and 14; viz. the 
 sitting down and standing up on one leg, 
 applied to t\i 2 balancing bar. See fig. 6, 
 Plate VIII. At one time, the right, at ano- 
 ther, the left leg is lowered. When this exer- 
 cise is performed at the extremity of the bar, 
 as in fig. 6, a great deal depends upon the 
 steady position of the body. It is necessary 
 that the teacher should stand close by the 
 learner, in order to assist him in case of his 
 falling. 
 
 9. It is not difficult, when standing upon 
 that part of the bar where the wavering is 
 slight, to raise, by aid of the hands, one foot 
 so high, (lowering the head at the same time,) 
 as to be enabled to kiss the toe, as shown in 
 fig. 7- When the learner is expert in this, 
 let him attempt it on the wavering end of 
 the bar, where it is much more difficult. 
 The foot is placed upon the bar, in the 
 direction of the latter. The learner waits 
 until all wavering has ceased ; he then raises 
 the foot slowly and steadily, and bends for- 
 ward, taking great care all the while to 
 
67 
 
 preserve his balance. He seizes the foot 
 quickly, but without making much motion, 
 and conducts it to the mouth. Upon return- 
 
 .*■ 
 
 ing his foot to the bar, he should stand very 
 steadily upon it. 
 
 10. Two learners meet upon the bar, and 
 each endeavours to push the other off, by 
 using one hand. See fig. 8. The learners 
 must recollect they are not to give a hard 
 blow, but rather a push, keeping the 
 arm stiff. This exercise teaches them to 
 maintain their position upon a narrow round 
 surface. 
 
 11. A support is placed under the end b , 
 of the bar, and the iron peg which supports 
 the latter in the stand d, is removed. All 
 the learners then walk along the bar, at 
 the distance of two paces behind each 
 other. This exercise instructs the learners 
 in crossing a river or ditch by means of a 
 
 Precautions . — In walking along the bar, 
 it is necessary to turn the feet outward, so 
 as to keep them more across it than in its 
 own direction. By observing this, the pupil 
 is much less liable to slip. 2. As the upper 
 surface of the bar is generally too smooth in 
 very dry weather, the soles of the shoes 
 
 f 2 
 
68 
 
 should, in that case, be damped by rub- 
 bing them upon a wet spot of ground. 3. 
 From the nature of these exercises, it is 
 evident that they should never be performed 
 with violence or rashness, but rather with 
 patience and caution. If the bar swings too 
 much, you should wait until it is steady, 
 before you continue what you have begun. 
 4. The ground about the bar should consist 
 of sand. 5. The teacher should always stand 
 near the beginner to give him assistance. 
 6. No voluntary swinging of the bar, on the 
 part of the learners, must be allowed. 
 
CHAPTER VIIL 
 
 CLIMBING AND MOUNTING. 
 
 These arts are of the utmost importance 
 to both the military and the civil inhabitants 
 of this island. The soldier who has been well 
 taught in the gymnastic school, has an im- 
 mense advantage over both his comrade and 
 his enemy, in case of an attack upon a place 
 difficult of access, such as the storming of a 
 town, or the carrying of a commanding height. 
 The sailor’s life is spent in climbing, and he 
 would always feel the benefit of early in- 
 struction in these practices. The traveller 
 afraid of the danger or fatigue, passes rocks 
 or mountains commanding the most beautiful 
 prospects, which, if well instructed he might 
 ascend with ease and pleasure, and the 
 inhabitant of the city would sleep more 
 
/ 
 
 70 
 
 secure from the apprehension of fire, it he 
 felt confidence in being able at the" shortest 
 notice to descend the loftiest *|and awk- 
 wardest elevations. Such security may be 
 promised to him who has mastered the gym- 
 nastic art, as practised in various parts^ of 
 Germany, and as taught in these pages. 
 
 THE CLIMBING-STAND. 
 
 This, with all its appurtenances, is repre- 
 sented in Plate IX. It consists of two 
 strong posts a and b firmly fixed in the 
 ground ; 20 feet high, and about 30 feet 
 distant from each other. They support the 
 beam c d , which is strongly fastened to them. 
 The mast e, is fixed upright and very firmly 
 in the ground, and in such a manner as to 
 pass close by the beam c d, to which it may 
 be attached by means of an iron band ; 
 though this is not necessary if it be sup- 
 ported by the slant post q on the other side 
 of the stand. To the beam c d , are attached 
 the implements for climbing ; viz. two poles 
 f and g , three ropes /, ?n, and n , a rope lad- 
 der i 9 and a mast h. The two standing- 
 places o and p are intended for the exercises 
 in mounting. A ladder leads to the lower 
 
 i . 
 
 • ■* 
 
mum 
 
 h.o 
 
 30 40 
 
 -1 1— 
 
 3o Feet 
 
 -t 
 
 W.S. so. 
 
71 
 
 one, and is made fast to the mast e ; another 
 leads from the lower to the upper one. The 
 firm construction of these standing places 
 
 " t 
 
 must be executed under the eye of the 
 teacher : the upper one p may be dispensed 
 with if the latter thinks proper ; it is merely 
 intended for the purpose of strengthening 
 the nerves of the learners by accustoming 
 them to look down from a great height. 
 
 GYMNASTIC EXERCISES. 
 
 Climbing by means of both arms and legs . — • 
 The teacher must require the learners to be 
 expert in the exercises given in Chapter IV., 
 before they commence the following ones, to 
 which they may be considered as prepara- 
 tory. 
 
 1. Beginners ascend and descend the lad- 
 der which is fixed to the climbing-stand, in 
 the customary way, until they acquire ex- 
 pertness and courage. 
 
 2. They descend with the back turned 
 towards the ladder. 
 
 3. They mount and descend in the usual 
 way, but only with one hand ; and, after a 
 little practice, carry something in the other. 
 See fig. 1, Plate IX. 
 
72 
 
 4 . The learner goes up and down without 
 using his hands See fig. 2, Plate IX. The 
 ascent is extremely easy; after which he 
 uses his hands in turning round so as to have 
 his back towards the ladder when descending. 
 In this part of the exercise, the teacher must 
 always be ready to assist him. 
 
 5. Two learners meet upon the ladder and 
 wish to pass each other. They either both 
 remain on the front part of the ladder, and 
 give way to each other as much as possible, 
 or, if one of them is sufficiently expert in the 
 two following exercises, he swings himself 
 round to the back part, in order to let his 
 companion pass. 
 
 6*. The exercises now commence on the back 
 part of the ladder. The learner easily ascends 
 from step to step by advancing his hands and 
 feet, at the same time, higher and higher. 
 
 7- The learner mounts along the front part of 
 the ladder as usual ; then swings himself round 
 to the back part, along which he descends. 
 
 8. The learner mounts and descends the 
 ladder upon its back part, without making 
 use of his feet. See fig. 3. Although this 
 exercise ought not, strictly speaking, to 
 be introduced here, yet as we are busy with 
 the ladder, there will be no harm in men- 
 tioning it now. It may be divided into two 
 
73 
 
 parts. The first consists in taking fast hold 
 of the most convenient rundle with both 
 hands, and raising the body forcibly upward. 
 At this moment, one hand seizes the next 
 highest rundle, and immediately afterwards, 
 the other hand does the same. Both hands 
 again raise the body as before, &c. In the 
 second part of this exercise, the hands seize 
 the rundles singly and alternately ; which is 
 much more difficult, and only accomplished 
 by practised learners. 
 
 9. Climbing either the upright or slant pole. 
 The thickness of the upright pole f, (See 
 Plate IX.) is from two to two inches and a 
 half, or more, according to the size of the 
 learners. It must be perfectly smooth, and 
 void of splinters. Its upper end is fastened 
 by an iron ring to the beam c d. The slant 
 pole g must be at least three inches thick. 
 Neither of them is made very fast in the 
 ground, but only sunk a little into it, in or- 
 der that they may be easily replaced by 
 poles of different sizes. The position of the 
 climber is the same in both the upright and 
 oblique pole, and is shewn upon the latter, 
 in fig. 4, Plate IX. Nothing must touch the 
 pole besides the feet, legs, knees, and hands. 
 The climber, while he raises himself with 
 
74 
 
 
 both hands, draws his legs up the pole, as in 
 fig. 4, then holds fast by them, and again 
 places his hands higher up. He continues 
 this alternate use of the legs and arms until 
 he has reached the top. The descent is not 
 at all difficult ; it is not performed similar to 
 the ascent, but merely by sliding quickly 
 down with the legs, without scarcely ever 
 touching the pole with the hands, as shown 
 in fig. 5. This exercise is more difficult upon 
 the oblique pole, since the hands are more 
 affected by the weight of the body. The 
 learners should be made very perfect in this 
 exercise, for every one ought at least to be 
 sufficiently expert, to slide himself down 
 along a smooth pole placed against the win- 
 dow of a second or third story. 
 
 10. Climbing the mast is more difficult than 
 the last exercise, for even when made of a 
 moderate size, it cannot b e spanned round by 
 the hands. It is fixed quite firm in the 
 ground ; is from six to eight inches thick at 
 the bottom, and thirty feet high. The learn- 
 ers must not be allowed to climb the mast 
 until they are very expert at climbing the 
 poles mentioned in the last exercise, and are 
 able to get from that, upon the beam c d. All 
 climbing succeeds best in hot weather, but 
 
75 
 
 more particularly that of the mast. The po- 
 sition of the legs is the same as with the 
 pole : boots are the best covering for the feet. 
 Since the mast is too thick to be grasped by 
 the hands, the climber must lay fast hold of 
 his left arm with his right hand, and vice 
 versa . Learners climb with much more ease 
 and security, with naked arms, for the skin 
 does not slip near so easily as the clothes. A 
 climber up the mast adheres to it with his 
 whole body, as in fig. 6, until he reaches the 
 thinner part of it, as appears from fig. 7- 
 
 11. Climbing the rope-ladder . See i, Plate IX. 
 The rope-ladder should have three or four 
 wooden rundles to spread it out, and ought 
 to be made so as not fto twist round and en- 
 tangle when used ; if it has this fault, it is 
 unserviceable. 
 
 It is much more difficult to mount the 
 rope-ladder than the pole, the former hang- 
 ing quite loose, and not at all fastened at the 
 bottom. The muscles of the arms and hands 
 are very much affected ; for the latter must, 
 when the learner is not sufficiently acquainted 
 with this exercise, almost entirely support 
 the body, which continually inclines back- 
 ward. The manner of proceeding in this 
 exercise is easy, for it is similar to ascending 
 
a wooden ladder ; but as the rope-ladder 
 hangs perpendicularly, and is very flexible, 
 the steps upon which the feet rest, are ge- 
 nerally pushed forward by the unpractised,, 
 and the upper part of the body sinks out of 
 the perpendicular position into a very oblique 
 one ; whereby the whole weight of the body 
 becomes supported by the hands, and the 
 exercise is rendered so difficult that the 
 learner cannot ascend very high. To ob- 
 viate this, he must always have a fast hold of 
 the two main ropes, as shown in fig. 8, and 
 keep the body, as much as possible, stretched 
 out upon the ladder and upright. If the 
 ladder is sufficiently strong, the teacher al- 
 lows two or three of his pupils to get up 
 and down at the same time ; by which means 
 they learn to pass each other. One hangs 
 by a main rope until the other has passed 
 him. 
 
 \ 
 
 12. Climbing either the oblique or level 
 rope . — Let a rope be fastened from one post 
 to another, or from the beam c d, Plate IX., 
 to an adjoining post k , and in an oblique 
 direction. Another might also be placed in 
 a level direction, having one end fastened at 
 k , and the other to the post b. In either case 
 the learner fixes himself to the rope as in 
 
77 
 
 fig. 9, in the position required in Exercise 7» 
 Chapter IV. ; and advances along the rope in 
 the way required in Exercise 9, Chapter IV. 
 In this manner, a number of soldiers might 
 across a small river, with their arms and knap- 
 sacks, when other means failed. 
 
 There are two ways of using the legs in 
 this exercise ; 1st, exactly as in Exercise 9> 
 Chapter IV., so that the feet, either in 
 ascending or descending, move forward along 
 the rope alternately; or one leg only may 
 hang over the rope, and be made to slide 
 along it; but in both cases the pressure is 
 painful, particularly if the climber does not 
 wear boots. The 2nd, which is the best 
 method, is to place the sole of one foot, for 
 instance, the right, flat upon the rope, and to 
 lay the left leg across the instep of that foot ; 
 whereby the friction of the rope is removed. 
 
 13. Climbing the upright rope . — This exer- 
 cise is shown in Plate 9 ? upon two ropes l and 
 m , because the securing of the rope by the 
 feet may be done in two different ways. It 
 is very easy to those who are already expert 
 at climbing the upright pole. The only diffi- 
 culty lies in seizing the rope with the feet so 
 as to obtain a firm support. 
 
 The first method is shown in fig. 10, upon 
 
78 
 
 the rope /. Knees and thighs have nothing 
 to do here ; only the feet are employed. If 
 the learner sit upon a chair, and cross his feet 
 in the usual way, he will immediately per- 
 ceive their proper position. The rope passes 
 between them, and is held fast by pressing 
 them moderately together, while the hands 
 alternately grasp higher up the rope. Here- 
 upon the climber, hanging by his hands, also 
 draws his feet higher up, fixes them again to 
 the rope, and proceeds as before. 
 
 The second method, peculiar to sailors, is 
 shown at fig. 11, on the rope m. The rope 
 passes down from the hands of the climber, 
 along one, generally the right, thigh, not far 
 above the knee ; winds round the inner side 
 of this thigh, along the knee-hollow and the 
 calf, and then across the instep of the right 
 foot, whence it hangs loose. If the climber 
 only treads moderately upon that part of the 
 rope where it crosses the other foot, he will, 
 by means of the varied pressure, obtain a 
 firm support. The exercise depends almost 
 entirely upon holding the right leg and foot 
 so that the rope may retain its proper wind- 
 ing, after being quitted by the left foot, when 
 the hands have been raised for the purpose of 
 drawing the body higher. This is easily ac- 
 
79 
 
 quired after a few trials. In descending, the 
 hands must be lowered alternately, as they 
 are raised in ascending, for if the hands slide 
 down quickly, they will be injured. 
 
 14. Resting upon the upright rope . — This 
 exercise not only excites a lengthened power 
 of the muscles, but also tends to promote ex- 
 pertness in dangerous situations. It is repre- 
 sented in Plate IX., at fig. 12, upon the rope 
 n ; which must be much longer than what the 
 height requires. The climber mounts to a 
 moderate height, and then^ halts ; swings the 
 right foot three or four times round the rope, 
 so that this winds round the leg; he then 
 entwines it, by means of the left foot, once 
 or twice round the right one, which he bends 
 so as to point the toes upwards, and now 
 treads the left foot firmly upon this last wind- 
 ing. The pressure which thus arises between 
 the rope and the feet, opposes the whole 
 weight of the body. In this position, he can 
 rest a long time ; but suppose he wishes to be 
 still more at his ease. With this intention, 
 he lowers his hands a little along the rope, as 
 shown in fig. 12, then holds fast with the 
 right hand, stoops, and grasps with the left, 
 that part of the rope which hangs below the 
 
80 
 
 feet. He raises himself again, and entwines 
 this part a few times round his shoulders, 
 hips, and the rope itself, until he is firmly 
 entangled. 
 
 15. Climbing trees .— The preceding exercises 
 have been applied to objects made very firm 
 and secure by art, and were therefore, after 
 good preparatory OTies, attended without 
 danger. It is otherwise with trees : their 
 branches frequently give a very insecure 
 support ; the nature of the wood must be 
 considered ; consequently, this kind of climb- 
 ing requires, with beginners, the careful 
 attention of the teacher. The danger does 
 not consist in clambering up the stem of 
 the tree, but in climbing from one branch 
 to another. 
 
 Precautions . — The teacher must only allow 
 the learner to climb up low branches at first, 
 so that he may narrowly observe his move- 
 ments. He must stand by, and warn him 
 from the branches which appear insecure, 
 and make him acquainted with the im- 
 portant rule, to support himself almost 
 entirely by the hands , and not to confide too 
 much to the feet, since they easily slip from 
 off the branches. Beginners must not be 
 
81 
 
 allowed to perform this exercise in winter, 
 for then the withered branches are not so 
 easily distinguished. 
 
 The different advantages which must occur 
 to the learner in this exercise, increase with 
 his agility and courage. He is soon enabled 
 to pass from the branches of a tree to those 
 of an adjoining one, and so on along a whole 
 row. If he have had sufficient practice with 
 the rope, he will not always clamber up and 
 down the stem of the tree, but seize a 
 sufficiently strong branch, which hangs low 
 enough to be reached from the ground with 
 his hands, and swings himself either up to, 
 or down from it. Should this branch be 
 somewhat higher, he can make a preparatory 
 run, and catch it immediately after having 
 made a spring. 
 
 To render this exercise more agreeable, and 
 to try, at the same time, the expertness of the 
 learners, the teacher may sometimes take 
 them to a group of trees ; he then counts 1 5, 
 and during his counting, each exerts him- 
 self to climb so high up a tree as to be 
 without the reach of the teachers stick ; 
 
 . the endeavouring to escape which excites 
 great laughter. 
 
 G 
 
82 
 
 CLIMBING BY MEANS OF THE ARMS ONLY. 
 
 This is one of the best exercises for 
 strengthening’ all the muscles of the chest, 
 the arms and hands ; it is a true criterion 
 by which to judge the powers of these mem- 
 bers, and it also augments them most effectu- 
 ally. We seldom find a boy who is able in 
 his eighth or ninth year, to raise himself a 
 little way either up the rope or pole by his 
 hands only. The age of fourteen is generally 
 the time when the arms become sufficiently 
 strong; therefore some attention must be 
 paid to this point, with respect to the 
 learners. The best preparatory exercises are 
 the 5th and 10th in Chapter IV. The exer- 
 cise itself may be applied to the ladder , (as 
 already given in Exercise VIII.,) to the pole, 
 and the rope , either slanting or upright. 
 
 Ex. 1 . Climbing up the pole by the hands only 
 is perhaps easier than up the ladder, for with 
 this the body hangs quite free, but with the 
 former one side of the body is close to the 
 pole, which facilitates the learner a little. 
 See fig. 13, Plate IX. When this exercise 
 is applied to the upright pole , the position of 
 the body will be good if similar to that 
 
88 
 
 represented at fig. 13. The feet hang loosely 
 and remain perfectly steady. The climber 
 must not be allowed to bend his knees, nor 
 to stamp, as it were, in the air, nor to let the 
 pole come between his thighs. There are 
 two methods of employing the hands in this 
 exercise. According to the first, which is 
 the usual mode, both hands raise the body 
 simultaneously ; immediately after which, one 
 quickly grasps the pole higher up, while the 
 other supports the weight alone for a mo- 
 ment. The second, in which each hand 
 alternately supports the body alone , and the 
 other, quite free, seizes the pole higher up, 
 in order to raise the body again, requires 
 great practice and considerable strength in the 
 arms. In climbing the slant pole, the posi- 
 tion is similar to that in the 10th Exercise, 
 in Chapter IV. 
 
 2. Climbing the rope by the hands only should 
 be first practised upon the slant rope, as with 
 it, the continual grasping higher up is much 
 easier. The position of the hands and of 
 the body similar to that required in climb- 
 ing the pole. 
 
 It should be observed that of the preceding 
 
 exercises, all those which require more 
 
 / 
 
 strength than agility must not be kept up 
 
 G 2 
 
84 
 
 too long. Strength increases gradually, its 
 growth is not only combined with exercise, 
 but also with the developement of the cor- 
 poreal system. For this reason, such exer- 
 cises should be frequent but not long. 
 
 EXERCISES IN MOUNTING. 
 
 These exercises require neither particular 
 strength nor agility ; they are intended to 
 produce fearlessness, and the power of looking 
 down from high stations, and consequently to 
 prevent weakness of nerves and giddiness. 
 
 The teacher will have little difficulty with 
 boys accustomed to the country, but he must 
 pay great attention to those who come from 
 large cities, as they are frequently weak, 
 nervous, and timid. If any one of them is 
 sufficiently strengthened by the preceding 
 climbing exercises, and become bolder in 
 climbing the pole and the ladder, he may 
 mount the first standing-place o , Plate IX. 
 If he be very timid, then even his climbing 
 to the top of the pole will be no certain 
 proof of his having lost his timidity, for the 
 firmness with which the climber clings to the 
 pole, gives him a security which renders him 
 fearless ; he may still be afraid of standing 
 
85 
 
 quite freely upon the ladder or the standing- 
 place. Such a one must only ascend higher 
 up the ladder gradually, turn round, and sit 
 down upon a rundle, in order to accustom 
 himself to look down for a long time upon 
 the ground. If he finally climbs the pole f 
 so as to place himself in the riding position 
 upon the beam c d, and can look down with 
 indifference, he may then fearlessly get upon 
 the lower standing-place. But whoever can 
 ascend the beam from the pole, the rope, and 
 the rope-ladder, and can shake the fane of 
 the mast, (see fig. 7?) may mount with confi- 
 dence the upper standing- place p. 
 
CHAPTER IX, 
 
 WRESTLING. 
 
 The advantages of well regulated and tem- 
 perate wrestling are felt through the whole 
 body ; it exercises both legs and arms, excites 
 every muscle, strengthens the chest, and cir- 
 culates the blood. If we wish youth to pos- 
 sess courage, patience, and perseverance, no 
 exercise is more fit for that purpose than 
 wrestling ; nor is there one which calls forth, 
 in such rapid and varied succession, all the 
 muscular powers. 
 
 PREPARATORY EXERCISES. 
 
 1. Heaving . This exercise is intended to 
 strengthen the hands and arms, and may be 
 practised, at first, with the leaping poles. 
 
87 
 
 The learner extends at one time his right, 
 and at another, his left arm, straight out, and 
 seizes one end of a leaping-pole, which he 
 endeavours to lift up from the ground. He 
 should commence with short poles, and then 
 attempt to raise longer ones according as his 
 strength increases, and finally take a pole in 
 each hand, and thus exercise both arms at the 
 same time. After practising this exercise 
 from time to time, he will find the power of 
 his hands and arms increase wonderfully. 
 
 For more accurately determining the in- 
 creasing power of the arms, a lever such as that 
 represented in the annexed figure is used. 
 
 t t '{ > < < ~i < 1 < 1 * < ' ' > > ~ i i , < , / < i i i i — f / ) / V / ( y / ( ( / / J ~ \ ££ 
 
 C E ° 
 
 The length b c, may be from five to six 
 feet. The handle a b , should be five inches 
 long, and about an inch thick, and the whole 
 lever made to taper off a little towards c. 
 The upper surface is divided into notches, 
 one inch distant from each other, d is a 
 pound weight, which is rendered more or less 
 difficult to be raised, according to the distance 
 of the notch in which it is fixed, from b. 
 
 Two such levers ought to be used, in order 
 to exercise both arms at the same time. The 
 
88 
 
 learner holds himself perfectly upright, with 
 the chest thrown well forward. He grasps 
 both levers, keeping his arms extended at 
 full length, so as to let the other extremities 
 of the levers rest upon the ground, until the 
 weights are attached to the proper notches ; 
 he then raises them together slowly upward, 
 to somewhat above an horizontal line, and 
 gradually lowers them again to the ground. 
 In repeating this exercise, the weight is 
 placed nearer the end c, according to the in- 
 creased strength of the arm. 
 
 2. Pullmg. Two learners of about equal 
 strength, take a firm hold of the two ends of 
 a rope, place themselves opposite to each 
 other, and, at a given signal, commence pul- 
 ling the rope with all their force, until one 
 has succeeded in pulling the other so forcibly 
 that he can no longer maintain his ground. 
 In order to vary this exercise, and to bring 
 other parts of the body also into play, not 
 only the hands, but the shoulders and the 
 back should be employed : for which purpose 
 the rope is thrown over one shoulder and 
 passed under the arm which is to pull. See 
 fig. 1. Plate X. The most advantageous po- 
 sition in this exercise, is certainly that in 
 
PI. 10. 
 
 vv. s 
 
89 
 
 pulling from the side, which immediately 
 occurs to every beginner. The learner must 
 never be allowed to pull by the chest. 
 
 During this exercise the teacher should 
 make himself acquainted with the relative 
 strength of his pupils, for the purpose of 
 training them afterwards in the exercises in 
 wrestling. 
 
 Another part of this exercise in pulling, 
 which is combined with that of heaving, is 
 shewn in fig. 2, Plate X. ; where the rope 
 passes over a pulley, about eight or nine feet 
 above the ground. The opponents pull with 
 all their force ; for a long time, the pulley is 
 seen to turn sometimes to one side, and some- 
 times to the other: at last, however, one 
 proves himself to be the most powerful ; by 
 degrees he draws his adversary nearer to the 
 pulley, and the nearer the latter approaches 
 it, the less advantageous his position for pul- 
 ling. Finally, he gains upon him so consi- 
 derably, that his feet are raised fairly off the 
 
 In this exercise the learners must strictly 
 attend to the following Rule : — After the pul- 
 ling has commenced, neither of the oppo- 
 nents must let go the rope suddenly, not even 
 when the other is raised off the ground, as 
 
90 
 
 in the last exercise ; but at the instant one of 
 them calls out Halt ! the other is to give 
 way gradually. Further, as long as the feet 
 touch the ground, the victory remains unde- 
 cided. In some cases, however, the teacher 
 may deem it sufficiently so, when one of the 
 opponents is brought immediately under the 
 pulley. 
 
 The first part of this exercise in pulling 
 may be practised in a very agreeable manner 
 by several learners at one time. Thus, the 
 teacher arranges them into two parties of 
 nearly equal strength, to each of which he 
 gives one half of a long stout rope, placing 
 the two strongest of the learners towards the 
 middle of it, and the remainder behind them 
 successively, according to their strength. The 
 centre of the rope is placed over a line 
 marked on the ground, or a narrow ditch. 
 At a given signal, every one commences 
 pulling his part of the rope, with all his 
 strength ; and if the two parties are well 
 matched, the victory is for a long time doubt- 
 ful. This is decided when one party has 
 succeeded in pulling the whole of the other 
 completely over the boundary. 
 
 3. Wresting a ball or a stick from an oppo- 
 nent, is an exercise intended to give the hands 
 
91 
 
 the power of closing firmly ; the stick, which 
 should be quite smooth and about three feet 
 long, serves also to exercise the arms. 
 
 GYMNASTIC EXERCISES. 
 
 1. The simple, ivrestle , or the push . This 
 exercise consists merely in pushing the op- 
 ponent backward, without endeavouring to 
 throw him down. In the first attempts, the 
 teacher must see that the opponents place 
 themselves in a proper position, so that they 
 may commence pushing with equal advan- 
 tages; but afterwards they may be allowed 
 to advance upon each other as they please. 
 They seize each other by the arms, quite 
 close to the shoulders, and nearer to the inner 
 than the outer sides of the arms. See fig. 1. 
 Plate XI. With respect to the position of 
 the legs, the wrestler inclines forward upon 
 one, and keeps the other rather back. 
 
 If A. possess sufficient power, when in the 
 above position, to push B. backward, and 
 continue to do so until the latter is thrown 
 out of the resisting position into a perpendicu- 
 lar one, he may almost make certain of win- 
 ning the game, provided he still presses B. 
 backward as fast as possible, and that with 
 
92 
 
 longer steps : for B. cannot step backward as 
 quickly as A. gains upon him forward. B. 
 must then either fall backward, or, in order 
 to avoid this, turn himself quickly round for 
 the purpose of taking flight. 
 
 Supposing A. to be naturally active, and B. 
 rather heavy, he may perhaps succeed in 
 springing quickly round the latter and seiz- 
 ing him from behind. But this is not easily 
 accomplished. Otherwise he may manage to 
 turn B. quickly round and then to seize him. 
 In this case, he should give to that shoulder 
 of B. which the latter presses most forward, 
 a quick and violent push, and at the same 
 moment draw the other shoulder towards him 
 with his other hand, in order to turn him at 
 least somewhat round, and bv that means to 
 spring more easily behind him. 
 
 Among several other artifices practised in 
 this exercise are the following ; instead of 
 seizing B. by both arms, A. rather waits for B. 
 to seize him. In the moment that the latter 
 rushes upon him, A. slips a little to the side 
 opposed to that where B.s foremost leg comes ; 
 grasps B.’s nearest arm quickly and unex- 
 pectedly, and pulls him so forcibly towards 
 him as to be enabled to seize him from be- 
 hind. Another allowable artifice is that when 
 
PL 11. 
 
 
 
 \sr. s. sc. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A. after having seized B. pretends to be ex- 
 erting himself in turning the latter round to 
 the right, and then instantly changes this 
 direction to the right, in which he turns his 
 opponent with his utmost strength. 
 
 2. The half -wrestle , or the heave . — In this 
 exercise, each wrestler endeavours to fix his 
 arms round his opponent, and to raise him as 
 much as possible from the ground. If they 
 are both cautious, it takes a long time before 
 one is enabled to seize the other, for each 
 uses his utmost exertions to keep his opponent 
 at a distance. Hence the commencement con- 
 sists of the before-mentioned simple wrestle : 
 they push each other backward and forward 
 until an opportunity offers for one to fix his 
 arms round the other, and then to raise him 
 from the ground. 
 
 The most advantageous movement is that 
 by which A. seizes B. from behind, and then 
 holds him fast. This, however, is no easy 
 matter, as already remarked ; for A. must first 
 find the means of turning B. in order to get 
 in his rear. But there is still less security in 
 seizing him in front ; for even then the latter 
 can impede A.’s farther progress by extending 
 his arms as firmly against him as possible, 
 bend his belly inward, and thus escape being 
 
94 
 
 lifted from the ground. It certainly appears 
 desirable to seize both arms of the antagonist 
 from behind, and so to pinion him ; but the 
 latter may disengage himself by striking 
 both arms out so forcibly as to break through 
 the others grasp ; which, though not easily 
 accomplished, is frequently resorted to with 
 success. 
 
 A much bolder method of heaving, which 
 has been known to the most experienced 
 wrestlers, from even the remotest times, is as 
 follows : — If at some favourable moment dur- 
 ing the contest, A. seizes his opponent’s left 
 wrist with his right hand, stoops at the same 
 instant by a step forward with his left leg, 
 and grasps B.’s knee-joint with his left hand ; 
 he can then, by drawing both his hands 
 forcibly towards him, easily bring B. upon his 
 shoulder, and not only heave him, but actually 
 carry him off. For a more satisfactory expla- 
 nation of this manoeuvre see fig. 2, Plate XI. 
 
 Another part of this exercise is practised 
 as follows : — A. allows B. to seize him by the 
 middle of the body. The latter then holds 
 him fast, keeping his hands locked together, 
 and A. must endeavour to disengage himself. 
 The best plan the latter can adopt to affect 
 this, is to thrust his hands and lower parts of 
 
95 
 
 his arms between his own body and B/s arm, 
 and then to force the latter’s hands asunder. 
 If A. disengages himself he is the conqueror, 
 if not, this honour is due to B. This exercise 
 is highly beneficial for strengthening all the 
 muscles, particularly of the back ; indeed 
 these two extremely harmless modes of wrest- 
 ling (the simple and the half-wrestle) cannot 
 be too much recommended. 
 
 3. The complete wrestle , or the throw . — The 
 object in this exercise, is to lay the opponent 
 on the ground. Previous to the commence- 
 ment of the contest, it must be settled whe- 
 ther the victory is to be decided by one sin- 
 gle throw, by several throws, or by holding 
 the opponent firmly down upon the ground. 
 The first case is the easiest ; in the second, 
 three trials are sufficient to decide ; the third 
 is most difficult, since in this, it is not only 
 necessary to throw the opponent, but to ren- 
 der him quite powerless by kneeling above 
 him, and holding his arms down close to the 
 
 As it is evident that after a little practice, 
 the learner will easily discover when and how 
 to take advantages over his opponent, and in 
 what manner to profit by them, it will only 
 
 ground 
 
be necessary to add a few of the usual arti- 
 fices resorted to in wrestling, for his farther 
 instruction. 
 
 Suppose the two wrestlers in the position 
 at fig. 1 , Plate XI. and that one of them, 
 whom we will name A. endeavours, by means 
 of his grasp of the opponent B.’s shoulder, to 
 push the latter over to the left side ; B. will 
 then resist this pressure with all his strength 
 and labour towards the right, in order to pre- 
 serve himself from falling on the left side. 
 Now, if A. allow B. to gain a little by this 
 means, and then suddenly change the direc- 
 tion of his pressure, viz. to the right, it is 
 extremely probable that B. will fall on this 
 side. 
 
 If A. suddenly makes his right arm free, 
 presses forward with his right side nearer to 
 B., places, at the same moment, his right leg 
 behind the latter’s left leg, and clasps his 
 breast with his right arm, he can then easily 
 press him backward or sideways, so that B. 
 will fall over A. s knee. 
 
 In a similar manner, A. can suddenly slip 
 under B.’s left arm, placing, at the same mo- 
 ment, his right leg* with the knee bent, be- 
 tween B.’s legs, and clasp B.’s back with his 
 
97 
 
 right arm, in which case B. will fall over A.’s 
 knee. 
 
 Suppose that B. has his right leg foremost, 
 A. can then suddenly seize this leg by the 
 knee-joint with his right hand, and B. must 
 fall if A. presses down the former’s right shoul- 
 der with his left hand towards the left, or 
 backward. 
 
 4. The mixed wrestle . — This is the most dif- 
 ficult of all ; for in the preceding kinds of 
 wrestling, it was predetermined what was to 
 take place, and the competitors acted accord- 
 ingly. But in this the three kinds of wrest- 
 ling are united. Each wrestler is constantly 
 contriving either to push forward, to heave, 
 or to throw, while his opponent is quite un- 
 certain of his intended manoeuvres ; the latter 
 must, therefore, redouble his vigilance, dex- 
 terity, and strength, in order to give, in one 
 moment, the proper resistance which any 
 particular movement made by the former may 
 require. He who is fatigued first loses the 
 game. 
 
 Rules to be observed in wrestling. — 1. At 
 the commencement of the contest, the 
 wrestlers, as already remarked, either de- 
 liberately place themselves in the position at 
 fig. 1 , Plate XI. or advance upon each other . 
 
 H 
 
98 
 
 In the latter case, no violence is to be allow- 
 ed ; it must consist more in a struggle with 
 hands and arms. 
 
 2. No grasp is to be made at any part of the 
 dress, nor at the face, hair, or neck, only at 
 the whole body, or limbs. 
 
 3. Striking and kicking are inadmissible 
 in regular wrestling. 
 
 4. Whenever it appears doubtful which of 
 two wrestlers is the victor, their companions 
 who are looking on, become the umpires, and 
 decide by a plurality of voices. These have 
 also the right of giving applause, of encou- 
 raging, and of immediately censuring any 
 breach of the rules ; but no one is authorized 
 to direct the hands of the wrestlers. In the 
 simple wrestle , the push can only be decided 
 when the opponent is evidently unable to re- 
 sist it any longer; in the half wrestle , the 
 heave is complete if he is unable to disengage 
 himself from it; and in the complete wrestle , 
 the throw is determined either when one is 
 thrown oftener than the other, or when A. 
 throws B. without falling himself, (or at most 
 with only touching the ground with his hands 
 by way of support); or lastly, when one is 
 held so firmly upon the ground that it is quite 
 impossible for him to do any thing further. 
 
99 
 
 Precautions . — This exercise should be per- 
 formed upon a smooth grass plat. All 
 superfluous clothing should be laid aside, and 
 all hard things taken out of the pockets. 
 
 LONDON r 
 
 SHACKELL AND ARROWSMITH, JOHNSON’S-COUBT, 
 

 
 
 
 
 ' 
 
 
 
 
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