Rope climbing, as depicted in De Arte Gymnastica
De Arte Gymnastica was first published in 1569 by Girolamo Mercuriale (also known by his Latinized name, Hieronymus Mercurialis). Mercuriale (1530-1606) was an Italian physician and historian during the Renaissance, and the work is a product of his interest in Greek writings on physical health.
Amongst the writers reviewed in this work are medical scholars such as Galen and Hippocrates, as well as literary figures such as the playwriter Euripedes and historian Herodotus. The diversity of the source materials reflects the interdisciplinary approach the Greeks had towards medicine and health, a trend that was still present in early modern Europe.
The list of writers and works that are referenced and quoted by Mercuriale. Note the mix of medical scholars and literary influences.
Drawing on these historical sources, Mercuriale recounts how physical fitness and activity was valued in Greece. Physicians understood that physical fitness could act as a preventative treatment for future diseases and conditions. As a result, one could prescribe specific forms of exercise to preserve or enhance a person’s health.
The book divides exercise into three categories: what Mercurialis called “legitimate” exercise (regular and medical), military exercise, and athletic and dangerous exercise. Activities such as ball games, running, weights, swimming, and more are discussed in detail, along with their effects (whether they could act as curatives or preventatives). The work also covers other factors of health and influence on human well-being (such as the season and time or one’s age and diet) and how these would be applied to the various sports activities and their health-beneficial properties.
Boxing and wrestling
Boxing and wrestling
Detailed prints depict activities such as discus throwing and wrestling, which were part of the pentathlon of the ancient Greek Olympics (in addition to the javelin throw, jumping, and running), as well as boxing and rope climbing. The images of these sports and activities were often also accompanied by a close-up image of poses or equipment.
Discus throw. Some scholars caution that despite the historical writings referenced in De Arte Gymnastica, it is likely that the images are not based on historical evidence but are rather interpretations made by Mercuriale and his Renaissance contemporaries.
Introduction to the History of the Formation of Calisthenics. This weaning is over.
History of Calisthenics from Its Origins to the Present Day.
Kallos and Sthenos are two Greek words that literally mean beauty and strength. From these two words comes Callistenia, or, as it is pronounced overseas, Calisthenics.
The origin of the word has been and still is controversial; some argue that it was first coined by Callisthenes (Καλλισϑένης, Callisthěnes) of Olynthus. A historian, a great-grandson or second cousin of Aristotle, during his expedition to Asia, wrote a description of how local armies trained.
The first evidence of calisthenic training is given by Herodotus, a Greek historian who, through his spies, observed how the Spartan armies “danced a strange tribal dance”, then covering that it was calisthenic training.
Calisthenics to defend themselves in battle.
Yes, it is. The calisthenics. This type of military training has persisted for centuries throughout Greece, Asia, India, the Roman Empire, Gaul, and many other places.
Calisthenics in the ancient world 1600 before Christ BC.
Many experts agree that calisthenics has begun to spread among the ancient yoga practitioners of India. Yoga in 1,700 B.C. was taught and practiced almost exclusively by warriors. This statement comes from the study of the positions performed in ancient yoga, very similar to the free-body exercises that we practice today.
450 before Christ B .C.
It’s no longer a secret, given all the research. Calisthenics was notoriously used by Leonidas, king of Sparta, and his Spartan warriors to prepare for battle, the same as in the famous historical tale, the comic, and the film.
Several found texts report that the Spartans referred to free-body exercises as “kilos sthenos”, meaning “beautiful strength” in ancient Greek.
100 BC before Christ BC.
Just like the Spartans, Roman gladiators are famous for their cruelty and physical fitness. Gladiators were subjected to rigorous physical training based on gymnastics. Gladiators had to be as fast as they were strong, so sword-fighting training was combined with intense free-body exercises.
400 after Christ A.С
The Shaolin monks of ancient China are the ideal symbol of the peaceful warrior.
Meditating for hours every day, they maintain a minimalist lifestyle and live peacefully. At the same time, however, the Shaolin monks were very skilled in Kung Fu, an ancient form of combat.
The Shaolin monks were men of peace, but also defenders of their temples, as these splendid buildings often held treasures. The monks became a necessity to ward off thieves. In addition to mastering the movements of Kung Fu, the monks also used gymnastics to train their bodies.
Calisthenics in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries
As strange as it may seem, the exercise continued to accompany until the 19th century all those who were directly or indirectly linked to a conflict. Training meant that in ancient times, being ready to face hand-to-hand combat or even simply escape from an ambush meant being able to climb a wall.
The Turnverein Movement
A valuable piece of evidence of the use of calisthenic gymnastics as a means of defense is that of the 19th-century Turnverein movement led by Friedrich Ludwig Jahn. At that time, Germany was occupied by Napoleon and, in response, some nationalist athletes, led by Jahn, set up gymnastics clubs to train young people to fight.
This movement was then imported to the United States by German immigrants who started local Turner clubs in the United States.🇺🇸
Gymnastics hall of the Turnverein society, early 20th century.
The Turns of the Turnverein: Heinrich Hamann's Gymnastic Photographs (ca. 1902) — The Public Domain Review.
Some of these promoters have risen to positions of power within the US government and have even managed to get gymnastics taught in public schools.
However, with the onset of World War I, the United States government became suspicious of the movement and began to decline. Throughout this time, several fitness systems have struggled to be included in public school training programs.
The Battle of Systems
As mentioned earlier, with the onset of World Wars, the Calisthenic movement led by the Germans lost popularity, and the sport effectively became a physical education activity in schools.
Modern rebirth
Over the past decade, calisthenics has experienced a real rebirth and has officially resisted the test of time. In circulation for millennia has been used by millions of athletes, soldiers, gladiators, monks, and simple users. Long before modern gyms, gymnastics was the only way to become an athlete. To date, thanks to the advent of the internet, there are hundreds of thousands of athletes who train with calisthenics, contributing to a real global expansion.
Thus, the Battle of Systems is far from over. While gleaming machines and heavy iron still dominate modern gyms, calisthenics has proven once again that the most powerful tool has always been the human body itself. In an age of digital connection, this ancient discipline is no longer confined to schoolyards or military barracks — it has become a global movement. The question is no longer whether calisthenics will survive, but how many more millions will discover its timeless power.
Artemus Vazhui