IHPRA Newsletter
September 2009

Here are more Army National Guard Recruit Sustainment Program
physical readiness training leadership course photos.
Course was held at Fort Indiantown Gap, PA.

Physical Education Class injuries up 150%

School injuries in general

Rare physical training online books
are increasingly more common.

William G. Anderson's book is a great start point

Another book by Anderson

Checkley's book is a classic

This German gymnastics book is worth studying

Guts Muths was thinking beyond his time in 1803

This book will guide you toward other pioneers of physical training

Here are a few recent questions from IHPRA readers

The concept of body mechanics has been appearing often lately.  I found several old articles where you reference it.
Where did the idea come from, and what exactly does it mean.

Start here

Body mechanics may be defined as the mechanical correlation of the various system of the body with special reference
to the skeletal, muscular and visceral systems and the their neurological associations. 
Normal body mechanics may be said to obtain when the mechanical correlations is most favorable to the function of the systems.
Body Mechanics: Education and Practice, 1932

In the early-1930s President Hoover ordered a widespread study of child welfare
that included a Subcommittee on Orthopedic and Body Mechanics. 
The Subcommittee recommended specifically in schools of physical education –
“That body mechanics should be made the basic principle of all physical education.
This would imply that the principles of good body mechanics should introduce
the whole subject of physical education and that these principles should
always underlie instruction in what are known as calisthenics and games
 and should be exhibited while theses exercises and games are being carried out”

Dr. Thomas: Do you know who may have inspired P.H. Ling as he developed his system of Swedish Gymnastics?

Ling

Lindfors

While Ling is well known to physical education historians, there lived at the same time
 a virtually unknown pioneer in Swedish physical culture whose ideas were expressed in a doctoral dissertation published in 1803.
Andres Otto Lindfors was a few years younger than Ling. They lived in the same province and at times attended the same schools.
Lindfors studied at the University of Lund during a time when physical culture was sluggish and certainly not a priority.
He saw beyond the decay around him and successfully wrote and defended the first doctoral dissertation in his country that dealt with physical education.
His dissertation, as did Ling's system, provided a revolutionary vision for Swedish physical culture.
Like Ling, he used the Greek model, but he combined the pedagogical and aesthetic to make three categories:

1. orthopedic--to prevent and cure bodily sickness,
2. military--for the purposes of war, and
3. athletic or pedagogical--games, dance, and acrobatics.

I bought your video. Thanks for making it.
It's remarkable that you knew about Indian Clubs for so many years.
How old are you now, and do you still swing clubs. 
You seem to have so much knowledge.
Why don't you go around teaching people? 
I'm looking for a unique kettlebell drawing that nobody else would have.  Any advice?
Thanks-Christopher from New Mexico

Sixty-four and swing them often Christopher.  
Not involved in the production and distribution of videos.
Made and donated them to companies willing to sell me clubs.
Limit my instruction primarily to University and K-12 students here in Iowa.


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