[I. ELEMENTARY GYMNASTICS.]
The gymnastic exercises are divided into “elementary gymnastics,” and “gymnastics applied,” that is, applied to special military purposes. A general progression regulates all the exercises.
[The men are divided into three classes.] The third class comprises all the recruits. These are exclusively practiced in the first lessons of elementary gymnastics during the first fortnight of their enlistment, and before they proceed to regimental drill. The first class consists of those who are proficient in the first four lessons of the general progression; and the second class, of those who are preparing for the first. The first class practices twice a week; the second, three times a week; the third class twice a day, until the men have commenced their regimental drill, and then once a week. Each practice lasts one hour and a half. “Returns” are drawn up recording the zeal and progress of the men, as in musketry instruction; and the captain instructor of gymnastics has to send in, every month, to the lieutenant-colonel, similar returns as to the general progress of the instruction, so that the number of effectives of each company may be accurately known.
[None but the prescribed exercises] are permitted by the instructor. He must never allow the men to attempt any extraordinary or exaggerated feats, that might cause accidents. His aim must be to develop the strength, agility and dexterity of the soldier by a wisely regulated exertion, and inspire him with that self-reliance which the various occasions of his military life may demand. He must strive to rouse his pluck and emulation by rendering the exercises as agreeable and as easy as possible, taking all necessary precautions to prevent him from injuring himself or becoming discouraged. He must never forget that the perfect safety of the soldier under training, the pleasure of the various exercises, and, above all, the soldier’s own desire to excel, are the first and secret elements of success in gymnastics. Harsh treatment must be carefully avoided, much more anything like turning his efforts into ridicule when he fails, or punishing him for involuntary awkwardness. In conclusion, he must not expect more than regularity, precision, and relative perfection in these exercises, to which a military form has been given merely to facilitate their study and their application to the whole army.
The men practice in their fatigue dress, in squads of ten or fifteen, and are provided with belts.
The first exercises are intended to make the body supple from head to foot, turning the head from right to left, forward and backward, or merely toward right and left, bending the body, raising the arms vertically, with and without bending them; flinging out the right or left arm, fists clenched, and describing a circle of which the arm is the radius.
[No soldier marches so easily as the French.] It is the result of his method of learning to march. In the moderate and quick cadence the foot comes flat to the ground, the point of the foot touching it first; in the running cadence the movement is an alternate hopping on the points of the feet. It is obvious that this mode of teaching to march must enable the soldier to avoid the great cause of universal bad marching and walking, namely, bringing the heel to the ground, thus shaking the whole body, especially the spine, and consequently distressing the brain and lungs. By the great elevation of the legs the soldier must habituate himself to bringing the toes first to the ground, instinctively, to avoid the shock, especially in the running cadence. During the practice the soldier repeats the words “one—two,” as each foot comes to the ground, in order to practice the lungs at the same time, and also to give a rhythm to the performance.
In order still more to direct locomotion to the fore-part of the foot, so essential to good and easy marching, there is the following practice:—1. Attention. 2. Flexion of the lower limbs. 3. Commence. 4. Cease. At the second command the soldier brings both feet together, throwing the weight of the body forward. At the word commence, he slowly lowers his body by bending his hams, so that the thighs touch the calves of the leg, the arms falling beside the body, the weight of the body being entirely thrown on the points of the feet. He then gradually rises to the erect position.
[There is also what is called the “gymnastic chain.”] Circles are traced on the ground contiguously; the men are posted in these circles, in a single rank, three paces apart. The instructor commands:—1. Squad will advance. 2. Double. 3. March. 4. Halt. At the first word the soldier throws the whole weight of his body on the right leg. At the word march, he throws the left foot smartly forward, the leg slightly bent, bringing the point of the foot to the ground, thirty-nine inches from the right, and so in like manner with the right, always keeping the weight of the body on the leg which feels the ground, allowing the arms to take their natural motion for equilibrium. The first man (a monitor, one of the best trained) runs successively through all the windings of the chain of contiguous circles without stopping; the others follow, preserving the distance. When the men meet each other at the inters of the circles, they shorten or lengthen the pace, so as not to jostle each other, and so that two men shall not pass by the same interval.
[To deliver a thrust or a blow] with the bayonet, sword, or fist to the best advantage, requires training of the subsidiary muscles, and such scientific practice as places the body in the best position to aid and intensify the effect. This is done by the “Pyrrhic Exercise.” The command is:—1. Pyrrhic Exercise (right or left limb forward.) 2. Ready. 3. March. 4. Halt. At the word ready, the soldier faces to the left, carries the right foot forward, the heel sixteen inches from the hollow of the left foot, the right knee bent, the left leg stretched, the right arm extended forward, the fist clenched, on a line with the shoulder, the nails slightly upward, the left arm in a line with the left side and but little bent, fist clenched, and about six inches from the thigh, the nails toward the thigh, the upper part of the body inclined forward, the head erect, the eyes looking to the front, the left shoulder lowered. At the word march, the soldier straitens his body, bringing the right heel near the hollow of the left foot without touching the ground, turns at the same time his right forearm, so that describing a circle from below upward, the fist lightly touches the right breast, then flinging the fist smartly forward, the nails a little upward, and advancing the right leg to about twenty-five inches, the foot striking the ground with force, or an “attack,” as we call it in sword exercise, the upper part of the body inclining forward, the left leg stretched, the foot flat, the left arm turned outward and along the thigh as before. These movements are continued until the words “company—halt” are given, when the soldier faces to the right and comes to attention. The left arms are practiced in like manner, and a rhythm is given to the performance by the repetition of the numbers 1, 2, 3, by the soldier.