Earlier this year I had the pleasure of speaking with someone interested in the history of calisthenics. While this is not my main research area (sadly I’ll be a free weight fan boy for the foreseeable future), it comes up repeatedly in my studies. We know, for example, that many cultures in the Ancient World used a variety of bodyweight only exercises and it is well-publicised that 18th and early 19th century Europe witnessed an explosion of interest in callisthenic systems.
The below video traces this evolution from the Ancient World to the present day. For any content makers out there, I also want to highlight the written sources and notes section that Denis left in the video comments. This means that anyone interested in where the information can find it. I cannot stress how much I appreciated Denis’ commitment to research on this one, as well as the production values.
I’ve said too much… Enjoy!
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