#gladiator training

[gannicusandcrixus]

[lovecrixus]

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Cheapmas Day Eleven: Gladiator Training

Today, Mikenificent played "Gladiator Training" and found it rather underwhelming from a visual standpoint. #videogames #streaming #gladiators

I don’t know what to think about this game. At its core, it’s something I was kind of digging but I tried to play it more after the hour and it’s just more of the same without anything more past that initial hour to recommend it. So it’s generally ambitious but ultimately disappointing. Also, all the talk about owning and selling slaves and making them fight for you as if the gladiators weren’t…

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A List of Ancient Exercises from Galen's De Sanitate Tuenda

Excerpts on the exercises prescribed by Aelius Galenus, or Galen, the famous Greek medical writer who lived during Roman times.

Galen worked for a time as a surgeon to the gladiators in Pergamon; he was also physician to the Emperor Commodus, who fancied himself a gladiator; so his list of exercises are very interesting. Galen was also widely read during medieval times, so this is of interest in terms of how the subject of physical training was approached in both the ancient and medieval eras.

Galen breaks exercise into strong, rapid, and violent (which is a combination of strong & rapid aspects). I thought this made interesting reading, especially since the passage documents the use of punching bags and shadow-boxing.

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A List of Ancient Exercises from Galen's De Sanitate Tuenda

Galen (130 - 200 A.D.) hailed from Pergamon, an ancient centre of civilization, containing, among other cultural institutions, a library second in importance only to Alexandria itself. Galen's first professional appointment was as surgeon to the gladiators in Pergamon. In his tenure as surgeon he undoubtedly gained much experience and practical knowledge in anatomy from the combat wounds he was compelled to treat. After four years he immigrated to Rome where he attained a brilliant reputation as a practitioner and a public demonstrator of anatomy. Among his patients were the emperors Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus, Commodus and Septimius Severus.

Galen divides his exercises into three categories, which we may term "strong", "rapid and "violent", which is a combination of the preceding two. Galen's listing of the exercises gives us a fascinating glimpse into the everyday activities of the Paleastrae, Gymnasia and other more leisurely-areas of the ancient world. The affinities they have with the various sporting events can be made out: kicking of the legs for Pankration, rope-climbing for wrestling, holding the arms up for boxing.

STRONG 1) Digging 2) Picking up something heavy 3) Picking up something heavy and walking with it 4) Walking uphill 5) Climbing a rope using the hands and feet: commonly done to train boys in the wrestling schools 6) Hanging onto a rope or beam for as long as possible 7) Holding the arms straight out in front with fists closed 8) Holding the arms straight out in front with fists closed 9) Holding out the arms while a partner pulls them down 10) The preceding three exercises but while holding something heavy such as jumping-weights 11) Breaking loose from a wrestling waist-lock 12) Holding onto a person trying to escape from a waist-lock 13) Picking up a man who is bending over at the hips and lifting him up and swinging him around 14)Doing the same but bending oneself at the hips also when picking him up 15) Pushing chest to chest trying to force the opponent backwards 16) Hanging from another's neck, attempting to drag him down Exercises requiring a wrestling pit: a) Entwine your partner with both your legs around one of his and try to apply a choke or force his head backwards b) The same but using only one leg to entwine the opponents leg closest to yours c) The same but using both legs to entwine both of the opponents legs.

RAPID 1) Running 2) Shadow-boxing 3) Boxing 4) Hitting punching bags 5) Throwing and catching a small ball while running 6) Running back and forth, reducing the length each time until finished 7) Stand on the balls of the feet, put the arms up in the air and rapidly and alternately bringing them forward and back; stand near a wall if afraid of losing one's balance 8) Rolling on the wrestling-ground rapidly by oneself or with others 9) Rapidly changing places with people next to one in a tightly packed group 10) Jumping up and kicking both legs together backwards 11) Kicking the legs forward alternately 12) Move the arms up and down rapidly with open or closed fist, increasing in speed

VIOLENT 1) Digging rapidly 2) Casting the discus 3) Jumping repeatedly with no rest 4) Throwing heavy spears and moving fast while wearing heavy armour 4) Any of the 'strong' exercises executed rapidly: presumably running uphill, swinging jumping weights forward and back, and lifting them up and down, chin-ups and so on.

Other exercises 1) Walking 2) bending up and down repeatedly at the hips 3) Lifting a weight up from the ground 4) Holding up and object for a long time 4) Full and loud breathing 5) Placing two weights on the ground approximately six feet from each other, picking up the one on the left with the right hand and then the one on the right with the left hand, then in turn placing them back where they came from on the ground and doing this many times with the feet stationary

Source: Galenus. A Translation of Galen's Hygiene (De Sanitate Tuenda) . Ed. Robert Montraville Green. Springfield, Ill.: Thomas, 1951.

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Originally posted by Matt Galas on SFI in 2006 (x)

[dirt-barbie-for-life]

ran today for the first time in a couple months. only a mile and a half at about a 9 minute pace. im starting a gladiator training program at my gym next week which will involve lots of long runs and interval runs too so i need to get my ass back in the running game.... did i mention i don't really like running all that much?