Early VRT

[Greybeard]

Greg, I have a set of a 2 volume Health books that had belonged to my father. They are quite thick, over 750 pages each. Copywright 1919. The first volume has a set of exercises for women. The model is not identified.
The second volume has a set exercises for men by a Professor Liederman. The third illustration shows him lifting a imaginary weight overhead. The instructioin reads: No. 3 requires concentration of mind as well as concentration of muscular powers. Pick up an imaginary weight from the floor and put it at arm's length overhead. Imagine the weight you are lifting is far beyond your powers and work accordingly. Strain as if your very life depended upon it. After you have succeeded in getting the weight overhead, then lower it again to the floor. This exercise brings every muscle in your body into play, and the imginary weight will benefit you almost as much as the real article, providing you concentrate strongly. Thought you might be interested. Everything old is new again.

[Greg Newton]

Hey Greybeard,

That sounds like McFadden's Encyclopedia of Health and the professor Liederman must be Earle Liederman. Definitely a collector's item.

It is interesting that in one of the Doc Savage Pulp magazines circa the late thirties, that in describing Doc's two hour daily exercise regime, there were VRT/DVR presses performed. You can find it somewhere on the internet on one of the Doc Savage websites. I think it was the Hildalgo Trading Company website.

[VRT Man]

Yes, guys, there are little nuggets of truth about this system that goes all the way back into antiquity. As I said in another thread, each one who discovered it, in his or her own generation, has given it their own name, based on their individual take on this discovery.

Liederman was entirely right about his description; perhaps he discovered it on his own, borrowed the idea from Swoboda, or consulted various eastern forms of exercise and self-fulfillment like Qi Gong or Tai Chi.

I was startled when I serendipitously discovered it, and gave it a name based on my own understanding of physiology and self-help psychology. But lo and behold, I'm always happy to hear that it has benefited others going back tens, even thousands of years.

May the force of VRT be with you! :dance::sinister:

--Greg Mangan

[Andy62]

It is a universal law like gravity and the most natural form of exercise. It has been discovered and rediscovered intuitively by various civilizations for thousands of years.. Swami Rama, the primary subject in the mind/body research studies at the Menninger Foundation says, "Intuition is the only source of true knowledge."



http://www.geocities.com/swamiramabio/ResearchSwamiRama.htm

[firefox]

Hi Greg,

Since you are the master of VRT,I would like to get a description of VRT from YOU.It seems that everyone has a litte bit different interpretation - as far as when tension should be applied and in which direction;so,would you use the curl as an example and describe the movement and tension? Thanks.