John Peterson
07-29-2010, 02:32 PM
Hey Friends,
I received an e-mail regarding Greg Newton's incredible series of articles on Swoboda. The man that e-mailed me specifically asked #1) if the Swoboda exercises were intended to be a complete bodybuilding system and course and #2) if so, do I (John Peterson) personally believe the exercises as presented would develop an exceptional physique? So let me address these two concerns.
#1) The Swoboda Physiological exercises were self directed muscle contraction/relaxation exercises of the DVR type (for the most part) and included some calisthenics such as we teach. Swoboda wanted his students to understand that the purpose of the exercises was to gain complete and direct voluntary mastery ( muscle control ) over any given muscle or groups of muscles at will as well as to use this same harnessed 'thought' to master every facet of their lives. As such Swoboda used no apparatus of any kind but instead focused on teaching direct muscle stimulus through what we refer to as the mind/muscle connection. In other words Swoboda was teaching focused thought as the means to create the desired muscular contraction and outcome.
Obviously, Swoboda had some young men wanting to build their physiques to a level of superb muscular development such as Swoboda himself exhibited. (This was the case with young Angelo Siciliano who later became famous as Charles Atlas.) While others including ranch hands, lumberjacks, steel workers, railroad workers, farmers, professional men and athletes each had their own specific needs that were often of a more remedial, corrective, or rehabilitative nature. The fact is that both groups could utilize Swoboda's exercises to great benefit. So, in answer to the question of whether or not the Swoboda exercises were intended to be a complete bodybuilding system the answer is that depending upon one's intentions and how the exercises were utilized they most certainly could be a complete body building system or they could be the world's best and safest form of remedial and rehabilitative exercise that one could possibly use.
#2) Do I believe the Swoboda exercises by themselves could build a great physique? Reread my answer to the first part of the question. YES! I do believe the Swoboda exercises could build an exceptional physique if they were utilized in the way that we teach. BUT It would all depend upon a persons application of concepts that were taught. For example Tromp Van Diggelen developed his physique to such an extent with this same type of exercise that Eugen Sandow stood in awe of what he had accomplished when the young Van Diggelen told him that he (Van Diggelen) did not develop himself with the exerciser that Sandow had given him but had instead used his own muscle control exercises. Bottom line: The Swoboda Exercises were and are superb exercises. The results obtained from them would strictly depend upon how they are utilized.
OK, that's my take. I'm sure Greg and Gordon and others will respond with their own insights but I have no doubt that Swoboda's exercises could be used to build an awesome physique just like Bob Hoffman's father once had.
---John Peterson
I received an e-mail regarding Greg Newton's incredible series of articles on Swoboda. The man that e-mailed me specifically asked #1) if the Swoboda exercises were intended to be a complete bodybuilding system and course and #2) if so, do I (John Peterson) personally believe the exercises as presented would develop an exceptional physique? So let me address these two concerns.
#1) The Swoboda Physiological exercises were self directed muscle contraction/relaxation exercises of the DVR type (for the most part) and included some calisthenics such as we teach. Swoboda wanted his students to understand that the purpose of the exercises was to gain complete and direct voluntary mastery ( muscle control ) over any given muscle or groups of muscles at will as well as to use this same harnessed 'thought' to master every facet of their lives. As such Swoboda used no apparatus of any kind but instead focused on teaching direct muscle stimulus through what we refer to as the mind/muscle connection. In other words Swoboda was teaching focused thought as the means to create the desired muscular contraction and outcome.
Obviously, Swoboda had some young men wanting to build their physiques to a level of superb muscular development such as Swoboda himself exhibited. (This was the case with young Angelo Siciliano who later became famous as Charles Atlas.) While others including ranch hands, lumberjacks, steel workers, railroad workers, farmers, professional men and athletes each had their own specific needs that were often of a more remedial, corrective, or rehabilitative nature. The fact is that both groups could utilize Swoboda's exercises to great benefit. So, in answer to the question of whether or not the Swoboda exercises were intended to be a complete bodybuilding system the answer is that depending upon one's intentions and how the exercises were utilized they most certainly could be a complete body building system or they could be the world's best and safest form of remedial and rehabilitative exercise that one could possibly use.
#2) Do I believe the Swoboda exercises by themselves could build a great physique? Reread my answer to the first part of the question. YES! I do believe the Swoboda exercises could build an exceptional physique if they were utilized in the way that we teach. BUT It would all depend upon a persons application of concepts that were taught. For example Tromp Van Diggelen developed his physique to such an extent with this same type of exercise that Eugen Sandow stood in awe of what he had accomplished when the young Van Diggelen told him that he (Van Diggelen) did not develop himself with the exerciser that Sandow had given him but had instead used his own muscle control exercises. Bottom line: The Swoboda Exercises were and are superb exercises. The results obtained from them would strictly depend upon how they are utilized.
OK, that's my take. I'm sure Greg and Gordon and others will respond with their own insights but I have no doubt that Swoboda's exercises could be used to build an awesome physique just like Bob Hoffman's father once had.
---John Peterson