THE TRUE ART
AND SCIENCE OF
HAND BALANCING
By Professor Paulinetti
& Robert L. Jones
Edited and Foreword
by Logan Christopher
DISCLAIMER
The exercises and advice contained within this book may be too strenuous
or dangerous for some people, and the reader should consult with a
physician before engaging in them.
The author and publisher of this book are not responsible in any manner
whatsoever for any injury, which may occur through the use or misuse of the
information presented here.
The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing
Originally Published in 1945
Modern Reprint Edition
All Rights Reserved.
Original Copyright © 2007 by Logan Christopher
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Manufactured in the United States of America
Published by:
Logan Christopher
Santa Cruz, California
www.lostartofhandbalancing.com
Testimonials for The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing
"Logan, I received the book yesterday and it is excellent! I appreciate this book
on several different levels. I enjoyed the stories about the authors. The details
that were presented could only be provided by people who are masters of their
feats. I cannot wait to get further into this!"
Brad Johnson
Author of ‘Bodyweight Exercises for Extraordinary Strength’
"I am soooooo glad I bought The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing!!!! I
recieved just over two weeks ago and I must say that it is by far the best thing
out there in terms of hand balancing training. Naturally I started straight away
and already I've gone from not being able to do a handstand to being able to
hold a solid handstand for ten seconds. Once I've gotten through the manual I
will not hesitate to get the others in the series. Maybe one day I may be able to
do the feats of Paulinetti!!! Thank you Logan for a superb product"
Bertram Nnanyere
“I managed a handstand after practising everyday for a week after never doing
one before. Training with the handstand and everything else in the book has
completely changed my training routine and vastly improved my strength.
Strangely my pullups have also improved from handstand training and I haven’t
trained them for a while now. I was very pleased and surprised. I would definitely
recommend this book to anyone!!!”
James G. Thomas
"I was completely unable to do handstand before this course, now I can."
Chris Court
"The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing is great. A friend of mine which is
already as mobile on his hands as he is on his feet glanced through the book
and was amazed someone actually took the time to break down all different
techniques."
Nick Perreta
"The book inspired me beyond belief, corrected subtle elements of my technique,
and has given me many drills and progressions to work through"
David Kelso
"The handbalancing book is just awesome. Very detailed and very well done and
I've always loved old-school type of training and courses. Since I have been
doing handstand training for quite sometime and since then I wanted to try free
handstand training. I realize it takes time and patience and so I will follow how it
works and work into styles I’ve learned, adding in what’s in the course itself. Its
going to be fun, challenging and tough as hell. Keep it up my friend and I’m sure
whatever you bring out next I will grab."
Ben Bergman
"I recently made a purchase from the lostartofhandbalancing.com website. I am
extremely pleased with my purchase. The quality of the book is excellent (it is
actually a book I have been looking for quite some time without much success),
the order was processed quickly, and when I had questions I received a
response within hours. All around I am pleased with my purchase. Thanks for the
great site!"
Sergeant First Class Justin Sprankle
"The True Art and Science helped open my eyes to what I never knew was
possible. I always thought of a hand stand and a one hand handstand as all
there was to hand balancing. Then to see Bob Jones on 1 finger of each hand
was amazing!"
Felix Cincotta
"Reading over the chapters over and over again helps me to focus on the key
details when I practice the handstand."
Jarlo Ilano
"I have to say that these books allows people to have the OPPORTUNITY to
learn hand balancing in the first place. It takes a area of fitness, exercise, and
physical training that is exclusive to individuals like acrobats and gymnasts.
Martial Artists and breakdancers also practice handbalancing but they don't
teach handbalancing like an ART or SCIENCE. I guarantee you won't find
"School of Handbalancing" by looking in the yellow pages. Handbalancing is a
long, difficult journey that gives rewarding results!"
Sly Chatman
FOREWORD
By Logan Christopher
A few years back I attempted a handstand for the first time ever. My friend who
was far from a master, only being able to walk around a few steps, was attempting to give
me advice. The advice was not helping me to do anything but kick-up into a handstand
and immediately fall down. I was jealous of his (limited) success and I left that day with a
bruised tailbone and a bruised ego.
I can’t say exactly why it happened. But from that point forward I wanted to be
good at hand balancing. At least I wanted to be able to stand on my hands with ease and
confidence. Something about the art of hand balancing just got a hold of me. Perhaps it
was the challenge. Maybe its just because it looks good.
Since it was something I wanted to accomplish I began my research. I was
shocked and disappointed. The internet is suppose to have all the answers and I couldn’t
find much if anything about how to get started. Maybe a paragraph at most on the
handstand. Just describing what you do, not how you do it. My frustration was further
compounded as I continued to try the handstand over and over again. Progress was slow.
Then one day luck was on my side. I stumbled across the rare and original copy of
the book you now hold in your hands. Instantly I knew it was something special. I knew it
would set me on the path to mastering the skills I wanted.
The original course was first published way back in 1931 by Professor Paulinetti.
Robert L. Jones took the time and effort to add a large amount of additional instruction
and photographs, including articles both of them had written for the magazines
STRENGTH and STRENGTH & HEALTH, to the original course and republished the
volume in 1945. As you will come to see in reading this book, these two men were
masters, or more accurately two of the best ever, in the area of hand balancing. Between
the two of them there was over 70 years of experience.
With this book I had my start on the path to becoming a successful hand balancer.
But what I didn’t know just how far it would take me.
A couple years later I figured there were many others across the world in the same
situation I had been. But what could be done about it? Simple. Make the course that got
me started available to all. And in May of 2007 that dream became a reality. Since that
time www.lostartofhandbalancing.com has grown much bigger and to this day people are
holding handstands thanks to the help of information that not long ago was almost lost to
the cracks of time.
The book can be a bit confusing in it’s layout. I painstakingly re-adapted it from
its original format, which to be honest, was atrocious. Many hours of work were put in
but its still necessary to jump around a bit from time to time, especially to look at other
photos. In any case, here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll find in each chapter.
The first chapter is the original hand balancing course by Prof. Paulinetti. A few
additions were later added by Robert Jones, usually pointing out other pictures found in
the book. This chapter will give you details on how to do many different stunts from the
simplest hand balance up to the truly astounding one arm planche.
The second chapter serves as an introduction to Prof. Paulinetti. Cast you mind
back to the turn of the 20th century and revel in some of his entertaining stories. This
won’t give you much help on your moves but it will give you some background info.
The third chapter is a few more stories from Paulinetti. The difference is this time
he gives you his ‘aha’ moments of achieving some of his more advanced feats. Perhaps
they can give you a moment of clarity as well. The biggest lesson here is to never believe
something is impossible, as Paulinetti broke that barrier several times.
The fourth chapter is Bob Jones origin story. Where he came from and how he got
into hand balancing. Like the first chapter it won’t provide much help but give you the
background for his later instruction.
The fifth chapter is more stories of Bob Jones. This is when we venture into his
most famous and difficult feat the balance on the thumbs. And if you want to work up to
this feat then turn the page to…
The sixth chapter where Bob Jones gives you all he knows on strengthening the
fingers and hands. From fingertip pushups up to the Thumbstand this chapter will give
you all the little details you need.
The seventh chapter is the place to start for beginners. Even if you’ve had some
practice you’ll want to read this chapter again and again. Learn the four steps to getting
into and holding a hand balance. Just about everything you need to know to master the
most basic feat, and master it you will with this instruction and some practice.
The eighth chapter builds on the last. From your first press to a handstand to
several advanced variations. Full of tricks and tips to get you pressing up with ease.
The ninth chapter gives you a variety of stunts to work on. From the half arm
planche to the straight handstand and a few more. Once you’ve got a good normal hand
balance you can begin to add in these moves.
The tenth chapter adds in a little movement. Mixing tumbling ability into the hand
balancing. Get help on dynamic moves from diving into a handstand to the jerk. The
movie strip photos will guide you through every small piece of these skills.
The eleventh chapter is all about the planche. Find out what makes for a true
planche and what doesn‘t make the grade. Get all the little tips and tricks to work up to
this impressive exercise.
The twelfth chapter is on one of the most exciting of all hand balancing moves.
The one hand handstand. If you want to learn this move you’ll need to read and re-read
this chapter to absorb the fine details.
The thirteenth chapter is only going to benefit a few people who read this book.
But everyone will enjoy reading it. It’s got moves that only the very best will pull off. I’m
talking about one arm tiger bends and the like. It’s impressive stuff and will make a
simple hand balance seem easy by comparison.
The fourteenth chapter is one of my favorites. The Inspirational Photo Section.
One of the greatest things about this book is all the photos and this chapter showcases 133
of the most amazing hand balances, partner balances, and human pyramids ever done. In
my opinion this section alone is worth the price of the book.
I hope that little recap serves to guide you through the book. If you are eager to
begin go to the section which will help you most. And if you’re just starting out that is
most definitely chapter seven. Feel free to skip around as you see fit.
And don’t think that you can get by reading this book only once. At any single
point in your path of hand balancing there are things that you’re having trouble with.
You’ll likely find the answers you need in this book. Then later you’ll be looking for new
answers. I’ve never failed to learn something new every time I’ve cracked this book open.
Use it as a training manual. Read the lines, and between the lines, over and over again.
Here’s just a few other important details on The True Art and Science of Hand
Balancing.
All claim and credit is given to Paulinetti and Jones for their accomplishments. In
cases where pictures of other hand balancers are used, in the several articles and the
inspirational photo section, full credit is given to them, and they are not claimed to be a
pupil of Prof. Paulinetti or Bob Jones except when noted. All pictures are genuine except
in few cases were they are so labeled.
Bob Jones even goes so far as to note where imperfect form is in the pictures and
what should be done to correct it. You have to admire the fact that cameras back then
required the person to stand still for a period of time to get the exposure!
Many times throughout the book claims are made that no one has ever duplicated
some of the feats. While that was true at the time of first publishing, no doubt, many have
now successfully accomplished these tasks. Maybe you’ll be the next.
In this day and age the art of hand balancing has fallen by the wayside, except for
a few who practice gymnastics or perform in a circus. That wasn’t the case many years
ago in the time of the authors. In that time any strength trainee, being a barbell man, a
wrestler, or any pursuer of physical culture, would take an interest in this subject.
Nowadays, your average gym-rat wouldn’t even know what the words ‘hand balance’
mean. Any men or women who may be called physical culturists owes it to themselves to
at least be able to hold a hand balance for a few seconds. My hopes in reviving this course
is to help the world gain back that love and the skills of hand balancing. If things continue
of the current path that may just happen.
If I can offer one piece of advice before you begin. Never give up. I’ve heard that
hand balancing is the toughest of the acrobatic disciplines. And when you practice there
will be times when you can’t seem to make an ounce of progress. But you grow little by
little and over time. If you want to become one of the best you need to think in terms of
months and years, not days and weeks. But with smart practice and lots of it, you can
accomplish amazing things.
Without a doubt, you now have the greatest course on hand balancing ever
written. Within will be the steps to take you from the very beginning to becoming a
master. The book is dedicated to those of you who wish to practice this "lost art." May
you have much success in the end but more importantly enjoy the journey.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.
Hand Balancing Course
pg. 1
2.
Meet Mr. Paulinetti
pg. 39
3.
Extraordinary Gymnastic Achievements
pg. 47
4.
The Man Who Stands On His Thumbs
pg. 57
5.
More About The Great
pg. 64
6.
Those Hand Balancing Hands
pg. 69
7.
The Hand Balance How & Why
pg. 77
8.
Pressing Up Into A Handstand
pg. 84
9.
The Upside Down Man
pg. 91
10.
Lift Into Your Turn
pg. 96
11.
The Men Who Do The Planche
pg. 100
12.
Learn The One Hand Balance
pg. 105
13.
Advanced Balancing On One Hand
pg. 109
14.
Inspirational Photo Section
pg. 117
Chapter 1
HAND BALANCING COURSE
BY PROFESSOR PAULINETTI
WITH ADDITIONS BY ROBERT L. JONES
1
A Paulinetti Publicity Lithograph, about 1895.
2
INTRODUCTION
When a person takes up the study of any of the different branches of acrobatics or
gymnastics, it is only natural that they should like very much to receive instruction from a
master, who they know to be the highest authority on the subject they wish to follow.
This volume will reveal to the student all the short cuts, and all the advantages
that the science of the subject has revealed to the author, from a lifetime study of the
subject. This book is not only compiled for the beginner, but for those who are highly
specialized artistes in this particular line as well.
By strictly following the explanation as to the positions and the tempo, leading up
to the small as well as the great feats, will save considerable time in their
accomplishment.
The reason for professionals going ahead so much faster than the amateur is that
they go at it in a business-like manner and stick to it everyday without letting up, until
they have accomplished the feats they desired. Besides, those who are real artistes in
acrobatics and gymnastics go through a process of loosening up before commencing their
general routines.
To give a clear idea of the preliminary practice which is such a great help to the
beginner, I will quote from a magazine article I wrote about the training and
accomplishments of one of the World's Greatest Gymnastic artistes as follows: "This
early training consists largely of what is known in the profession as the turning out of the
lower limbs. The legs, body, arms and head are trained to work in unison, by methods
taught in the higher class of ballet dancing."
This special training is the preparatory stage in the development of the superior
artiste. Later, by blending this turning out process with the learning of gymnastics, the
performer has the inestimable advantage of having a complete mastery of the proper
positions required in any new feat. The proper training of the lower limbs is just as
essential as the proper training of the body and arms, and this is true even though all the
feats are done when hanging by the hands.
The correct management of the lower limbs is one of the marks of the finished
performer, and for this reason any expert on seeing a person perform, or even start to
perform a gymnastic feat, can immediately tell whether or not the person has had proper
or technical instruction. It is not necessary to do ballet dancing; but just the exercises
mentioned here, that expert circus riders use, which enhance their grace and buoyant
carriage so beautifully.
Philadelphia, PA
July 11, 1931
-- P.H. Paulinetti
3
THE LOOSENING UP EXERCISES
No fancy terms or literary flourishes will be used in these explanations, or in
describing the different feats as we come to them. The first five positions in ballet
exercises are what I have referred to as the loosening up exercises as follows:
FIRST POSITION: Taught at the side bar (or parallel bar slightly higher than the
hips). The back of the heels are placed together, and toes pointed out direct sideways.
The body is held perpendicular, while the knees are bent into a sink as far down as
possible, then rise up onto the ball of each foot as high as possible. This completes the
downward movement. Then the feet are returned flat and the knees straightened up to the
standing position. This completes the first movement. (Great care should be taken to see
that the body is kept straight up and down in all of the five exercise positions.)
At first the pupil should have twelve counts in each exercise: that is, twelve dips
in continuous movement (down and up to count one). The number of counts, twelve,
applies equally to each of the five positions.
After the first twelve dips, turn half way around and grasp the bar with the other
hand and repeat the exercise.
SECOND POSITION: Is the same as the first, except that the feet are placed apart
fourteen inches (from heel to heel), then the same dips are used as in the first position.
THIRD POSITION: The feet are turned out the same as in the two previous
positions, with each heel just at the center of each foot (one foot in back and the other in
front). The same dips are done, and reverse.
FOURTH POSITION: Feet fully turned out the same as in former positions,
placing one foot about twelve inches in front of the other (heel and toe on a straight line
with the other), then the dips as before, and reverse to the other side.
FIFTH POSITION: Feet fully turned out, one foot in front of the other, with toe to
heel and heel to toe, using the same dips and reverse.
Naturally, the beginner will not be able to turn out at first completely, so they turn
out an far as they can until they practice enough to turn out completely.
Keep strictly to the uniform positions, and much time will be saved in learning,
not only these positions, but throughout the progressions of the entire study.
4
1.
THE HAND BALANCE.
Unless you can do a hand balance reasonably sure, start by using a wall for
protection from falling over on the back. Stand erect, chest held high, head natural, left
foot turned slightly to the left; place the toe of the right foot against the heel of the left,
turned out slightly to the right, Start the body downward from the hips: as the body starts
forward, the right foot leaves the floor, in an upward and backward circle toward the
head. At the same time the left knee bends until the hands are placed on the floor, turned
out the same an the feet, just at the width of the shoulders, not more than about fourteen
inches in front of the left foot. (Do not reach out in front, but allow the arms to hang
loose, and spread the fingers and thumbs wide apart as you lay the hands on the floor.)
Just as the hands reach the floor, step off the floor with the left foot, with a slight push,
and keep the head well back, the chest high. It is better at first to allow the knees to bend,
allowing the feet to hang, instead of trying to keep the legs straight; it is easier, and
reduces the chances of falling over. Try to stay as long as you can on the hands each time,
to acquire endurance, allowing the feet to touch the wall lighter and lighter, until you can
feel a balance. The arms should be kept rigid and stretched an far as they will go.
These instructions apply if you find it more natural and comfortable to kick with
the right foot backward; if you prefer to kick the left foot, reverse these instructions and
proceed as in my pictures on pages 83 and 84. In any event, refer to them for full details
about learning the fundamentals of this primary balance.
5
2.
THE HAND BALANCE EXERCISE.
Lower down into a squat position, keep the knees close together; place the hands
on the floor slightly turned out; lean forward until all the weight is supported by the
hands, then draw the knees up to the chest, and balance in this position and try to press up
a little, then lower down, keeping the feet off the floor, and press up again. Each time try
to press up a little higher, until you can straighten all the way up to a handstand. Do not
allow the elbows to bend if you can possibly avoid it. Besides, if you ever practice a hand
balance on a trapeze, perch, or other movable objects, you will find that this method will
save you untold time and a great deal of unnecessary practice.
Try this a few times to get the feel of pressing, then master the knees-on-elbows
form, No. 3, before trying to go all the way up with arms straight.
6
3.
THE PRESS UP TO A HANDSTAND
Place the hands on the floor, the width of the shoulders with the fingers and
thumbs spread apart. Bend the arms, and place the knees on top of the elbows. Lean
forward with as much weight as possible on the elbows. At first do not try to take all the
weight on the elbows; but keep the toe points on the floor, and keep touching the floor
lighter and lighter, until you can feel a balance. Then draw the feet in close by bending
the knees, taking all the weight on the hands; lean slightly toward into a balance and
reach the feet up, and straighten body and arms (with head back and chest up) into the
hand balance. Of course, it is assumed that you have already mastered the hand balance
before you can master this feat.
Now read carefully Chapter 8, for much additional information on pressing.
7
4.
WALKING ON THE HANDS FORWARD, BACKWARD, SIDEWAYS AND
IN A CIRCLE.
Throw up to a handstand and slightly over balance, lean to the right and stiffen the
right arm and shoulder to take all the weight, reach ahead with the left hand, and rock
slightly from the right to the left, and use the same movement from the left to the right
and so on. Keep the arms rigid, and do the walking by the action of the shoulders, using
the arms as though they were a pair of stilts. This method will give you much more
endurance. Keep the hands turned out as in the handstand; this will keep the elbows from
bending.
With a little practice, you can learn to walk many ways--up or down low steps, on
dumbbells, dance on the hands, and so on. (See my Pose 19 on page 125 for the dumbbell
work; you do not have to over balance so far to the side or pick up the bell as high as in
the picture--I had to hold a fair balance for a slow exposure. Just clear the floor with the
dumbbell as you step ahead.)
After practicing No. 6 a bit, you will be ready, to try climbing high steps, or a box
or pedestal of moderate height. This is done by climbing backward--back up on. The step
is at your chest; step up with one hand and then quickly with the other to about Position
6-c, and then press up to arms length and try the next step.
8
5.
THE STRADDLE PRESS UP.
Sit astride of parallel bars, or on chair legs with the chair lying on its back, spread
the legs apart as far as they will go, with the knees rigid, and toes pointed, catch hold of
the legs of the chair just in front of your legs, close up, hold the chest high, and stiffen the
arms with elbows straight, then lift the shoulders as high as possible, and lean forward,
taking all the weight on the arms and press up to the handstand. As your legs are rising,
point the toes, and gradually bring the legs together, just as you are up all the way in the
balance; hold this a couple of seconds, then lower down slowly with the body and legs
straight, just as though you were going to hold the planche, but instead go slowly all the
way down through the planche until the feet are on the floor, or in a sitting position, as
you started. This is a very effective trick, and always goes well with the audience.
Once you master No.2, try this one. Straightening the legs increases their leverage,
but spreading them eases it a bit. It is still harder than No.2, but easier than No. 17. Note
Page 125, Pose 30, for extreme bending in this balance. (You may try a few presses with
the arms somewhat bent, but work up to straight arms and legs as quickly as you can.)
9
6.
THE HAND BALANCE PRESS UP FROM THE CHIN.
If you can already do a hand balance, you may start this trick by lowering a little
by bending the elbows, and press up again; each time, try to lower a little further until you
can lower all the way down so you can touch the chin to the floor, and press up again. In
case you are not able to do a free hand balance, you can place the feet against the wall,
and try it as stated. At first it is better to allow the knees to bend, and allow the legs to
hang over the back. After learning it in this manner, straighten the legs in nice form with
toes pointed.
The big concern in pressing is to carry the legs well over and the weight forward
on the ball of the hand. In all presses the shoulders should be carried not only upward but
also backward as the arms are straightened so as they finish they are directly over the
wrists with the arms straight and perpendicular. (Positions 1 and 19-h, for example.)
Avoid the usual tendency to keep the feet back, shoulders forward, weight on heels of
hands, and trying unsuccessfully to hold the Professor's half-way-down-to-planche
Position 6-d. Only a very few have strength to get away with that! Again--see the full
discussion in Chapter 8.
10
7.
LOWERING DOWN FROM A HANDSTAND TO THE STOMACH.
From a hand balance, lower down by going forward slightly, allowing the elbows
to bend, until the stomach rests on the floor. It is better at first to practice this by bending
the knees, allowing the legs to hang over the back. It is best to have a person take hold of
one ankle, and guide you all the way down a few times, until you are familiar with the
trick. The hands should be turned out sideward slightly more than the position for a
handstand. After you have accomplished the lowering down from a handstand to the
stomach, you may then practice to press up again.
You may attempt this first with knees bent and legs well spread, to shorten their
leverage, as on Page 99, Fig. 19. Later, do it as shown, with legs straight and hips even
with the hands when you "land." IMPORTANT: the arms are kept straight as long as
possible, and the shoulders are carried forward soon and as far as your strength permits.
Note how the head rises a little at the finish of the descent, Position 7-b-c. Keep the hands
turned well out at the sides, and carry the weight forward, about under the base of the
index finger and the ball of the thumb. Note also that the outer corner of the heel of the
hand leaves the floor before you get as low as Position 7-b.
11
8.
THE FORWARD ROLL-UP TO A HANDSTAND.
Start from a kneeling position, toes pointed backward, hips bent forward, chest
held high and head back; elbows close to the sides and bent up as far as they will go;
hands held open and turned outward slightly. Start to roll forward with back bent, then lift
the feet up strongly by bending the knees up as far as they will go. When the chest
reaches the floor, take the full weight on the hands and push up to the handstand. With a
little practice in driving the legs up over the head, you will find that it is not hard to press
up to handstand, on account of the lift with the legs. At first lie down and place the hands
in position, and roll backward and forward, so you can feel the correct position where to
place the hands. After learning this trick from a kneeling position, you can start from a
standing position.
This is shown clearly on Page 98, movie strip Fig. 18. You kneel, arch well, then
drop back sharply about as far as Position 8-b, whereupon you straighten the knees hard
to roll yourself forward, down to the stomach and on up through 8-c into the hand
balance. Once you master this style, try it from the standing position, the sequence being
8-a-b-c. But learn first from the kneeling start.
Finally try to learn to keep the knees straight from the moment the stomach and
chest touch the floor, so that you roll up through Positions 19-a to h, inclusive.
12
9.
THE BACK ROLL-UP TO A HANDSTAND.
From a standing position, with the feet apart about a foot, in one motion you sit
down easy, and roll backward to the head and shoulders; at the same time lay the hands
flat on the floor along side of the head. As the shoulders and head assume the weight,
press on the hands to lift the weight off the floor, at the same time bend the hips out
forward, and slightly arch the back. As soon as the head clears the floor, it should be held
back, as you are pressing up to the handstand. In the roll-up, do not allow the legs to go
too far over the head.
You may either sit or stand to start the roll; the important thing is to move rapidly
to Position 9 and right on back and up to balance. See Page 102, Fig. 21, and picture
yourself rolling back to 21-a and right on up though 21-j-k and the rest, without dropping
to 21-d and then kicking hard--as in Position 25 of this chapter. Another variation is to do
a forward roll-over, from kneeling or standing position, to about Fig. 21-d and then drive
upward.
13
10.
THE SCISSORS HANDSTAND
Do a handstand in nice form, then separate the legs, one backward and the other
forward. Start the legs backward and forward passing each other scissors fashion. Go
slowly at first, and increase the speed, and come to a sudden stop with the feet and legs in
nice form. While in the motion, the legs should be kept straight, with the toes pointed.
This trick is very effective and is not hard to learn. Variations of the above are scissors
while walking on the hands and scissors with the head forward through the arms.
14
11.
THE STRAIGHT HANDSTAND WITH THE HEAD IN BETWEEN THE
ARMS.
Assume the normal handstand, then stretch the arms and shoulders as high as
possible; at the same time draw the head forward between the arms and allow the hips
and back to straighten, and point the toes. The variation of this trick is to separate the legs
as far as possible and bring the feet down on a level with the hips, and draw the head
under as far as possible. A person should get into these positions with the feet against a
wall and become familiar with the feeling of the positions before trying to hold a free
balance.
For further suggestions, refer to Page 97, Fig. 17; Page 125, Poses 16, 29, and 30,
and my own balance on the low rockers, Page 126, Pose 39.
15
12.
THE LYING DOWN HANDSTAND.
First do an ordinary handstand, then lower down slowly, at the same time keep
drawing the knees up as close to your chest as possible, keeping them bent up as far as
possible. Then bend your arms and allow your left elbow to rest against your hip, and the
right hand in front of the stomach, and allow the right leg to rest on the right elbow just
above the knee. This will allow your right leg and right shoulder to come within about
twelve inches of the floor. You rest there a short time, then press up to your handstand
again, and do a jerk to the feet. This trick is always good for a laugh, if done well.
Practice this first, by placing yourself in the position on the floor, and learn to hold it as
stated.
The style of 12-a looks better if you are performing on a pedestal, while 12-b
gives a "cleaner" appearance when working on the floor or a table. This is an easy
number, and is known as a "rest trick." See Chapter 9.
16
13.
THE HALF ARM PLANCHE.
Rest the body with the hands and feet on the floor; separate the feet about twelve
inches, with the body and legs almost at full length. Turn the right hand with the fingers
pointing almost direct to the right; place the elbow of the right arm under the body just
inside of the hip bone, then place the left hand on the floor about a foot leftward from the
shoulder. Then raise the feet from the floor, allowing the whole weight to rest on the right
elbow. (The head should be kept on a line with the feet.) Then raise the left hand up from
the floor, and place it in front of the head with the elbow slightly bent. The quickest and
best way to learn the half arm planche is to get into the position and hold the balance with
the left hand; allowing the right arm to take all the weight, until you can feel a balance.
Then gently raise the left hand from the floor; but do not raise the left hand until you have
the endurance to command the balance on the right hand.
See Chapter 9 for further discussion on this one.
17
14.
HANDSTAND AND LOWER SLOWLY TO HALF ARM PLANCHE, RIGHT
AND LEFT SIDE.
When starting down from the handstand to the half arm planche, take as much
weight as you can on the hand which is to support the body; also try to turn the body so as
the feet will point out sideward from your starting position, and be sure not to place the
elbow too far under the body; place it just inside the hip bone, and bend the body
sideward when it rests on the elbow. This will give you a more flat position, which will
allow you to hold the head high, parallel with the feet; also it will allow you to arch the
back slightly, which makes a more graceful pose, with the head turned slightly toward the
supporting hand. Reach out as far as you can with the free arm, and bend the elbow, with
the palm of the hand turned slightly upward. You will notice that the supporting hand is
placed with the fingers pointing out directly sideward, and the thumb almost straight
ahead. Doing this trick on each hand will greatly assist you in all your hand balancing, as
you will develop great strength from the lowering and pressing up. See, also, No. 29.
The style to try to master is from the hand balance to 14-a-b to 13. Prof. Paulinetti
did this easily, or even 14-a to the planche (number 27) and down with a slight side
bending and turning. Wm. Mering (Chapter 11) could doubtlessly do this, as well as
Sigmund Klein (Page 125, Pose 22) and Jimmy Gallagher (Page 106, Fig. 2). Johnny
Weber (Chapter 13) could probably do it, too, but very few others could. The easiest way
is to lower almost vertically as in No. 6-a and then rock over onto the elbow. About my
own best effort is 14-a-c-d-e--and I am rolled a little too much to the right (in spite of the
high camera angle) in 14-e. The Positions 13-a-b and 29-a-b are about right. Try to avoid
getting the face close to the floor as in 14-c-d; if possible, allow it to go no lower than 14e at any time. See Page 120, Fig. 13, and notice how this looks when one lowers all the
way on one hand!
18
19
15.
THE HANDSTAND ON THE POINTS OF THE FINGERS.
Open the fingers and thumb as wide as you can, then point them toward the floor
by drawing them in to position to take the weight. Be very careful in placing the fingers in
the proper position each time you try the trick; turn the hands outward from the sides. By
doing this, you will take most of the weight on the fingers; whereas, if you place the
fingers almost straight forward, and the thumbs almost direct backward, you will be
supporting most of the weight on the thumbs. If you have strong fingers, you will soon be
able to walk a distance on the fingertips, which is very effective.
For ordinary balancing or walking in Position 15-a allow the thumb to slant
somewhat, and distribute your weight fairly well between all the digits. But if you wish to
attempt the thumbs alone number, 15-c, you must from the beginning keep the thumbs
absolutely perpendicular from ball to wrist, with just the last joint turned back. It took me
a long time to learn that a slanting thumb is improper here.
No. 15-b is another advanced suggestion, while additional finger balancing is
shown in Chapter 6 and Pages 123 and 124.
20
16.
THE ALLIGATOR WALK.
Place yourself in the half arm planche, with knees bent up as far as possible, and
spread as wide a part as possible, and draw the feet together sole to sole (frog fashion).
Keep the free hand on the floor, now change to the half arm planche on the other arm,
allowing the legs and feet to swing a little over to the other side. Learn this change from
one arm to the other in the position named, and after you have accomplished this, you
may then practice stepping ahead slightly with the free arm, each time go into the planche
on the other side. After you have advanced to this stage, then try and put more speed in
the rocking from one side to the other while you are walking on the hands. You should
keep the legs parallel to the body as well as you can.
Such tricks are exercise hand balances, the same as the Back Roll-up to the
handstand, and a few others, where you are moving and must catch a balance. All of this
class of practice makes you very sure of your balance, besides it is fine for making a
person very alert in his movements.
The illustration is the beginning of the trick. Once you get it as described, try
straightening the legs out into correct form (Position 13) as you reach ahead with the free
hand. Then, as you transfer your body to the new elbow, draw the leg up again to 16. This
leg action, when coupled with rapid steps ahead, is spectacular.
21
17.
THE STIFF ARM AND LEG PRESS-UP.
Place the palms of the hands flat on the floor, well turned out; arms straight and
rigid, legs the same, the hands about twelve inches in front of the feet. Lean forward until
all the weight is on the hands, then raise the feet off the floor, and keep them going up to
the handstand by allowing the hips to continue straightening, until the handstand is in
perfect form, with the toes pointed. If you are able to bend forward enough to easily lay
the hands flat on the floor, with the legs straight, it will be much easier to press up to the
handstand. This trick is the exercise handstand for the commencement of the practice of
the two hand planche; although the planche may be accomplished without having to use
this as a preliminary exercise.
This is simply our old friend, No.5, "toughened up" by keeping the legs together
as well as straight. See the additional suggestion on Page 91, Fig. 7, and Page 97, Fig. 15.
22
18.
THE JACK-KNIFE HANDSTAND
Lay the palms of the hands flat on the floor; arms rigid, and legs straight and rigid.
Lean forward until all the weight is on the hands, and raise the feet off the floor a foot or
so, and hold the balance with the toes pointed. If a person is able to bend forward enough
to easily lay the hands flat on the floor, with the legs straight, it will be much easier to get
into the position. This trick is the exercise handstand for the commencement of the
practice of the planche. The hands should be well turned out, with the fingers pointing
almost direct out from the sides, so there will be no wrist strain.
Just do No. 17, and stop when the legs get almost horizontal. Or drop from the
hand balance (No. 1) through 22-c-d to 18. Refer also to Page 97, Fig. 15, and Page 125,
Pose 16.
23
19.
PRESSING UP TO A HANDSTAND FROM LYING FACE DOWNWARD.
Lie flat, face down, place the hands on the floor alongside of the hips, well turned
out. As you press on the hands to lift the body, take most of the weight on the inside of
the hands and thumbs, with the elbows slightly bent. At the same time arch the back, and
hold the chest high and the head back, and stretch the legs out and point the toes. (For the
start, the front of the hips and hands only should touch the floor.) As you are lifting the
weight off the floor with the hands, start the feet upward, and allow the arms to bend
slightly more, so you can assume the weight on the flat of the hands as early as possible.
As soon as the feet start upward, allow the chest and chin to come close to the floor for
the press-up to the handstand.
Here we have No. 7 in reverse--and much harder. Try it first with the legs apart
and knees bent as on Page 98, Fig. 20. You can help also by rocking sharply forward to
the chest and chin to get started, as if doing No. 8-b-c "slow-motion". Once you get your
weight on your hands it becomes plenty of work. Keep your weight forward, and get the
feet up and over, and the shoulders up and back, just as soon as you can. Remember the
instructions on pressing, No. 3 and 6; at the instant the elbows lock straight, the arms
must be perpendicular with the shoulders-elbows-wrists in line when viewed from the
side. Try to have the arms a little straighter by the time you reach 19-g, so that the elbows
are still ahead of the wrists (and not behind them, as shown). The style of the Professor’s
arms in 6-d is about right for the body attitude of 19-g.
AVOID carrying the feet over without pressing the arms well toward the straight
position, or you will wind up in 19-fX which is not good. (It is not too bad if you are on
parallel bars--see 6-c--but even there it looks better if you keep higher, as just instructed.)
When you think you are getting good at this one, turn to Page 125, Poses 23-24-25, and
look at Sieg. Klein doing it with a 75-pound dumbbell aboard!
24
25
20.
THE HANDSTAND, LOWER TO ELBOW STAND AND PRESS UP TO THE
HANDSTAND.
From the handstand try to lower down as slowly as you can to the elbows, then
hold the balance a few seconds, and lean forward to take all the weight on the hands and
press up slowly. This will greatly strengthen your shoulders for walking up steps on the
hands and many other balancing feats, as it will give you great power just where you need
it for the advanced work.
This is popularly known as the Tiger Bend, and also as the forearm balance. The
great tendency is to collapse forward as in 20-b, which is wrong. Let the feet carryover,
straighten the elbows, and bring the shoulders back until the upper arms are
perpendicular; then balance on the full length of the forearms and hands. If your back is
stiff like mine, your position will be a bit cramped--20-a. But a loose back permits a nice
attitude, as on Page 125, Pos. 27; also Page 121, Fig. 16. To get into position, either lower
from the hand balance about through body position 19-g (only this time keep the upper
arms perpendicular and "kneel back" with the elbows) or take Page 94, Fig. 10, lower to
the elbows, and kick up one leg at a time.
To get back up, follow the instructions as given if you are strong enough. If not
then carry forward as in 20-b, overbalance forward and kick sharply as in No. 21-a-b and
pick up to about Position 6-a; then press up. See Page 125, Pose 26, for a variation of this
balance.
26
21.
JUMPING ON THE HANDS.
Start from a handstand, with the legs slightly apart and slightly bent at the knees.
Drop the feet suddenly backward from the knees, then quickly lift them; at the same time
lean slightly forward and push from the hands into a forward jump. Repeat in swing
tempo, catching a balance at each jump.
It is leg action here--the movement is as if to kick the insteps against an object a
foot or so higher than, and a foot or so ahead of, the toes in 21-b. Once you get it, you can
clap the hands while jumping, or jump over a low object or jump up to a pair of low
pedestals. (Bill Lilly, I believe, used to jump up to a pair of parallel bars around 20 inches
from the floor.)
Compare this with the next trick, No. 22, and remember that the leg action of the
jump part is identical in each. The difference is in the shifting of balance at the time of
kicking; here you overbalance forward rather pronouncedly at that instant; in the jerk, it is
much less pronounced, and is backward.
27
22.
THE JERKS IN SWING TEMPO.
This is known as the mule, or donkey kicks, or kicking bronco, and is practiced at
first, starting from a handstand and jerking the feet in toward the hands; by the action of
the legs and by bending the knees sharply at the start, leaning slightly off balance
backward, and stiffen the arms and shoulders, just as you start the legs from their bent
position. This done singly, is known professionally as a jerk. You should practice this
single and perfect it before attempting to do them in swing tempo. After you have
mastered it singly, you then start from a standing position, and drop to the hands by
driving the feet upward, with a slight lift with the arms, in an outward forward circle, and
drop on the hands about eighteen inches in front of the feet. It is better at first to start into
the jump to the hands from one foot. This will prevent you from getting a jar on the
hands, and after a short time you will be able to jump from both feet without any danger
of jarring the wrists. When dropping to the feet, drive the arms upward and backward
along side the body.
A good jerk (also called "snap-down") is something that comparatively few
performers master, yet it is not a really difficult test. Drop fairly fast from 22-a to b, then
use plenty of zip rebounding through c and d to e. From c keep the legs STRAIGHT and
pull them under, d, by hip action only. In the meantime, push hard against the floor and
you will literally bounce from d to e with the legs straight. Of course, when the feet touch
the floor you bend the knees slightly (just as shown) to absorb the shock of landing.
AVOID bending the knees as you rebound from b, and pulling them down through cXdX-eX to land on all fours. Page 103, movie strip Fig. 25, shows this number in very
good form, while Fig. 25-X is one of many ways of error.
Learn the jerk well, then No. 23. before trying the donkey kicks in swing tempo.
Incidentally, you will find the run-off and leap from one foot to the hand balance on Page
102, Fig. 23, and the leap from both feet in Fig. 24 there.
Donkey kicks (bucking bronco) are a combination of these two in continuous
motion--Fig. 24-a to n (which is the same as Fig. 25-c) and right on through 25-c to k
(which is the same as 24-c) and repeat. (Notice that these two strips are made from
opposite sides of my body and that no hand-turns sideways are involved in referring to
them to explain the donkey kicks.)
28
29
23.
THE FORWARD DROP TO A HANDSTAND.
Stand erect, chest high, start an outward forward circle with the arms from the
sides; at the same time jump slightly forward and drop onto the hands, as close to where
the feet left the floor, as possible. The motion of the arm, with the jump turns the body
upside-down. As the feet go up high, there is little jar on the hands, when the motion is
learned. It is practically the same motion as jumping to the hands to start the "Kicking
Bronco."
This is shown on Page 103, movie strip Fig. 24.
30
24.
THE TWISTING JUMP TO A HANDSTAND.
This movement is exactly the same as the forward drop, with the exception that,
as your feet are leaving the floor, you turn half way around in the movement before
alighting on the hands. It will take but little practice to master this trick, after you have
mastered the straight forward drop.
Use this instead of No. 23 with the jerk, to make an unusual variation of the
donkey kicks.
31
25.
THE FISH TAIL PRESS UP.
Lie flat on the back, with the hands and arms close to the sides, with the hands flat
on the floor, then by resisting with the hands, you draw the legs up slowly, and rigid, keep
the legs going until you are up, resting on your head and shoulders, then change the
position of the hands by placing them along side of the head flat on the floor; then let the
feet drop about six inches, then drive them up, and push up to a handstand, the legs are
kept rigid all the time. If you can do a nip-up, you can drop down to the head and
shoulders, still keeping the hands on the floor, and do a nip-up. If not you can step down,
or do a jerk to the feet (or snap from the hands to the feet, as it is known to some people).
The idea is to drop from 25-a to b, and drive hard right back through a and up to
the balance. AVOID 21-bX, either dropping into it, or dropping correctly and then
bending the knees before (or while) kicking upward. A nice move strip is shown on Page
103, Fig. 21.
32
26.
THE ONE HAND BALANCE.
Start from a two hand stand, stretch up high on the arms and shoulders; lean to
one side on the hand which you think you can balance best. Have that hand turned well
outward and flat on the floor, with the fingers and thumb spread wide apart; and stretch
high on the supporting arm, making the arm rigid so as the weight of the body may be
held more easily. Try to assume as much weight on the palm as possible. This will allow
you to use the fingers to better advantage for the purpose of balancing. This also enhances
the sense of balance. Take most of the weight on the front of the palm close to the index
finger, then the free hand is raised up slowly as high as the shoulder, then held out in a
horizontal position, to assist the balance. The best way to practice this trick is, to do a
handstand with one hand on the floor, and the other hand on a raised object about a foot
higher than the floor.
Take as much of the weight as you can on the hand that is on the floor, and hold it
as long an you can, to acquire endurance. In this way, you can reduce the weight on the
hand which is on top of the object, until you just touch with the tips of the fingers. When
you commence to feel a balance with the whole weight on the hand which is on the floor,
is soon enough to raise the other hand from the raised object. Do not practice by doing a
handstand on the floor and try to do the one hand balance immediately. This is a waste of
time and energy. Of course, you must have had mastered the two hand balance thoroughly
before you commence on the one hand. It is of great benefit to practice this on each hand,
as it will greatly strengthen you for all two hand tricks.
Accomplishing this balance in even fair form elevates the performer above the
"amateur" class. See full discussions in Chapters 3 and 12.
Once mastered, the one hand balance can be "dressed up" in many ways--juggling,
playing a musical instrument, revolving on the one hand, picking up a weight, supporting
a person, and so on. See Page 127, my Poses 55-56-57; also Page 126, Pose 40.
33
27.
THE PLANCHE.
The two arm Planche should be practiced on the parallel bars at first. When the
"Jack-Knife Handstand" is practiced along with the Planche, there will be much more
rapid progress made. You should try the "Jack-Knife" each time before you try to go into
the Planche. Of course, you should keep at the practice of these two tricks every day if
possible. Start the Planche from a handstand by keeping the arms rigid and allow the body
to go forward as you are lowering slowly forward and downward. Bend the knees an
much an you can and keep the legs close together. This will shorten the leverage. After
you can hold the Planche in this position, you can then start to straighten the knees little
by little until you have held it at full length. Do not bend the back.
Refer also to Chapter 11.
34
28.
JUMPING ON ONE HAND.
Start from a one hand balance with the legs hanging loose from the knees, and
slightly apart. Drop the feet into a downward motion, then drive them suddenly upward
from the knees out to the feet. At the same time stiffen the shoulder and push from the
arm, as you lean slightly forward. You lift the hand off the floor into the jump and
forward onto the hand. The action of the legs will help to lift the weight off the hand as
you jump forward. Without this leg action, it is next to impossible to move. Very good
control must be attained in the one hand balance before this feat should be attempted.
This does not require unusual strength, but it does demand maximum balancing
proficiency. Another photograph and more suggestions are in Chapter 13.
35
29.
THE REVOLVING HALF ARM PLANCHE.
It is necessary first to have a proper piece of apparatus made for this trick, such as
you see being used in the below picture. The dimensions are an follows: A 1" board of
hard wood, 12" square, is used for the foundation. Two pieces of strap iron, about 1½"
wide, 6" long and ǩ" thick, one laid crosswise on top of the other; bored out with a
thread, so that a 1" steel pipe 4½" long can be screwed in; with two screw holes near the
end of each strap, so they may be screwed down to the board. A steel plate 7" by 5ǩ"
thick, with another plate of the same thickness 5" by 4", riveted together, and bored out in
the center, so that a pin can be screwed in, which will fit the pipe with very little play; the
plate resting on top of the pipe. This will give you just enough bearing to turn easily when
polished.
After you have mastered the half arm Planche, so as to have it in good form and
very sure, you place your hand flat on the plate, and straighten out into the Planche. As
you reach the free hand out in front, turn the head slightly to the right, if balancing on the
right arm. This will start the body to revolve. Then you must turn the hand by a slight
hitch to the right, just far enough so as not to turn out of balance. This last movement will
start you for the second movement, or little hitch, and so you continue until a complete
circle is accomplished. This is always a very effective trick when performed in proper
technical style. This apparatus may also be used for revolving in the two hand balance,
and when you become proficient in balancing on one hand, you may use it to revolve on
one hand also.
As you turn the head to start the body revolving, make an effort to rotate the
supporting hand inward slightly, slowly, smoothly. Gently, now--the hand will not turn
the table of the pedestal, but your body WILL turn, and in the opposite direction-outward, the way you wish to turn. If on the right hand turn it slowly to the left; hand and
pedestal will remain still and your body will turn to the right. Then you make a quick
twist of the hand to the right, quick but not very hard lest you overdo the recovery. At
first, you will stop and catch yourself motionless after each "hitch" but soon you will get
the feel of it and be able to keep the body in constant motion with the hand alternately
turning slowly to the left and "hitching" quickly to the right.
36
30.
THE ONE HAND BALANCE PLANCHE.
Without doubt, this is the greatest acrobatic or gymnastic feat that has ever been
accomplished without artificial aid. The author is the only one who has ever mastered this
extraordinary stunt, and performed it for a number of years. Start from a handstand, and
change into a one hand stand, keeping the legs together and knees rigid; as you start to
lower the body into the horizontal position, reach straight out forward with the free hand
as far as possible, so as the arm is on a line with the body, and turn the head toward the
supporting arm, as the body and legs are straightened out into the Planche. When it is
noticed that the whole weight from the shoulder out to the toe points is held in a leverage
posture, supported by one arm and shoulder, in that position, it will be partly realized that
there must have been an enormous amount of practice to have accomplished this
outstanding feat.
Considerable additional material with illustrations, can be found in Chapters 2, 3
and 11.
37
Preliminary Single Exhibition Routine.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
THE HAND BALANCE EXERCISE
WALKING ON THE HANDS; FORWARD, BACKWARD, SIDEWARD AND
IN A CIRCLE.
THE FORWARD ROLL UP TO A HANDSTAND
THE STRADDLE PRESS UP.
THE BACK ROLL UP TO A HANDSTAND.
THE STRAIGHT HANDSTAND WITH THE HEAD BETWEEN THE ARMS.
THE HALF ARM PLANCHE.
JUMPING ON THE HANDS.
THE HANDSTAND ON THE POINTS OF THE FINGERS.
THE FISH TAIL PRESS UP.
THE SCISSORS HANDSTAND.
LOWERING DOWN FROM A HANDSTAND TO THE STOMACH, AND
PRESS UP.
THE STIFF ARM AND LEG PRESS UP.
WALKING ON THE HANDS SIDEWAYS FOR EXIT (TO FINISH THE
EXHIBITION).
Advanced Single Exhibition Routine.
After having mastered this routine, you will be able to compete with any of the
professional hand balancers.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
PRESSING UP TO A HANDSTAND FROM LYING FACE DOWNWARD.
THE FORWARD DROP TO A HANDSTAND.
JERKS IN SWING TEMPO.
THE JACK KNIFE HANDSTAND
HANDSTAND, LOWER TO ELBOW STAND AND PRESS UP TO
HANDSTAND.
THE LYING DOWN HANDSTAND.
HANDSTAND ON THE POINTS OF THE FINGERS (AND WALK ON THE
FINGER POINTS).
TWISTING JUMP TO A HANDSTAND.
THE ONE HAND BALANCE.
THE PLANCHE.
THE REVOLVING HALF ARM PLANCHE.
JUMPING ON ONE HAND.
THE ONE HAND BALANCE PLANCHE.
THE ALLIGATOR WALK (TO FINISH).
Some of these tricks you may not be able to do in either routine, so they can be left out,
and added as learned.
38
Chapter 2
Meet Mr. Paulinetti!
By Robert L. Jones
EARLY in November,
1920, the word was passed about in
the city of Calcutta, India, that an
event of interest would happen at
noon of a certain day atop the dome
of the Empire Theatre Building.
Their curiosity aroused, and
spurred on by the fact that they
would see something free of
charge, the natives thronged about
the square where stood the popular
playhouse. Promptly at midday a
figure appeared as if from nowhere,
arising from behind the ball atop
the dome of the building.
Seemingly he grasped the smooth
sides of the sphere, leaned forward
and placed his head on the top of it,
and slowly pressed up into a
perfect balance on the head, the
hands being held on the hips, and
the legs spread apart and inclined
forward. There, clad in blue tights
that made him visible for
considerable
distance,
the
performer remained at least thirty
seconds--to the watchers below it
seemed an hour--then, just as
slowly as he arose to balance, he
lowered his body and disappeared
from view behind the dome by way
of the same ladder by which he had
ascended, while on the packed
streets below the crowd roared its
approval. They had met Paulinetti,
and they liked him.
Mr. Paulinetti is now in his
sixty-fifth year, and before
proceeding with an account of
some of his interesting experiences
39
I want to give you a brief sketch of his life.
Born in this country of French, English and Irish ancestry, he started in the
professional world as a tumbler in 1873, at the age of ten, and rapidly developed into a
high class worker on all apparatus, in tumbling and in dancing. In these lines he
"majored" until 1889 when he broke his left knee cap in alighting from a horizontal bar-the accident laid him up for seven months, and although there has since been no stiffness
in the member he decided it best to give up the former classes of work and take up hand
and head balancing and endeavor to produce some original feats in these lines. Now, the
peculiar condition is that while a tumbler he had a most wonderful development of the
lower body, then, when he went in solely for balancing he built up a correspondingly
superb development in the upper body. For instance, at a weight of 109 pounds he had a
14¼ inch upper arm, proportionately developed as to bicep and tricep, and in addition to
performing the usual tricks requiring tremendous pulling (biceps) strength he could also
do those feats requiring great pushing (triceps) development--at the above mentioned
body weight he could press with either hand 125 pounds, employing only a limited
amount of side bend. Also, at the same weight, he did a correct military press of 85
pounds, which still stands as a record. With such strength it can he readily understood
how he could push up into the one handstand from the half arm planche, or from almost
any other position he cared to use.
During his professional career, which lasted some fifty years, Mr. Paulinetti has
played all the best theatres in this country and all the great show houses of the old world,
some of them many times, and he is as well acquainted with such cities as London, Paris,
Berlin. etc., as you are with your home town. His first foreign tour was in 1892, and his
last terminated early in 1923, when he retired. Now he lives in Philadelphia, where he
devotes part of his attention to instructing others in the arts in which he is so proficient.
Having spent so many years before the public of the world it is only logical to
assume that his experiences have been many and varied, as those who know him will
testify. He has met all the great stars of the period, and he seems to carry always at his
fingertips the interesting facts regarding them and their acts. And, being a man of keen
40
intelligence and possessing personality to a considerable degree, his hearers never tire of
listening to his legion of anecdotes of the "good old days" and the famous characters who
then were in their hey-day, for each time one meets him he seems to have a new story
about an "old-timer" and often has a photograph with which to illustrate it. In fact, he at
one time had photos (mostly autographed) of all the great performers of the past several
generations, but most unfortunately almost all of these valuable items were destroyed in a
fire a few years ago, with the result that his present collection of photos is but a very
small part of the original number he once possessed.
And now, of the many interesting stories he has told me I shall pass on to you
some of the most outstanding. Most of you are acquainted with the great Cyclops
(Bienkowski), the man with the powerful hands, whose specialty was bending and
breaking coins. Paulinetti knew him for many years and tells the following story of the
early career of the athlete. It seems that before Cyclops had become an established figure
in professional circles he at one time became stranded in Paris and was having
considerable difficulty in obtaining a booking. So he appealed to Paulinetti for help--the
latter was booked at the largest house in the city, and Cyclops thought perhaps he, too,
might get on there if he could only get a try-out. But the manager was a very erratic,
temperamental sort of a fellow, and would not even be approached by strangers.
Paulinetti, however, persuaded him to give Cyclops a chance, so one day the strong man
had his weights hauled over to the theatre and proceeded to do his act. As has been
mentioned his specialty was coin breaking, and the manager had been very favorably
impressed by Paulinetti's account of the feat. But Cyclops closed his act with that
particular stunt, his earlier efforts being devoted to the usual strong man stuff with
weights, etc. Now you must bear in mind that he was a very big man, and very broadbeefy, as we say. Also, he handled his weights more by strength than skill, and as can
only be expected he was somewhat awkward. So when he stepped forward to a weight
and made a graceful bow and flourish of the hand preparatory to lifting it the strain was
41
too much for the high-strung French manager--he leaped to his feet, yelled, "C'est tout,
c'est tout (that's all)," and fled from the scene leaving a dismayed strong man minus
audience, minus booking, and minus funds. Now the point is this--Paulinetti had warned
Cyclops to leave off the would-be graceful gestures, but the hardheaded Teuton had paid
no attention to good advice. It might be added, however, that he obtained various short
engagements elsewhere about the city, and later succeeded in getting a very good contract
with the first mentioned theatre.
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 were made in Milan, Italy, some twenty-five years ago, and
there is an interesting story connected with the event. The photographer who made them
was a very good acrobat himself--he did the one arm chin several times with either hand,
did considerable apparatus work, etc., and was a good hand balancer. So of course he was
greatly interested in the feats being performed before his camera. Things progressed very
well--he had made successful exposures of several head balances, one handstands. etc.,
and arrived at the point where the one arm planche (Figure 1) was to be snapped. Now,
this gentleman had not previously seen Paulinetti perform, and when our friend did a one
handstand and dropped slowly in to a perfect planche--body perfectly horizontal, and arm
straight--the photographer was so amazed at the feat that he forgot his camera--he just
stood open-eyed and open-mouthed beholding the spectacle. Paulinetti held the position
several seconds, then lowered to his feet, and not until he stood erect did the
photographer "snap out of it." He apologized for his failure to make the exposure and
promised to do the job correctly next time. After a moment's rest Paulinetti again went
into the balance and held the position while the exposure was made. But when the
photographer reached to remove the plate holder from the camera--behold. So greatly was
he excited by the unusual feats performed he had forgotten to put the plate holder in the
camera! That made a third trial necessary, and this time the picture shown was made. But
bear in mind that this was on the third attempt, and does not show the feat in the form in
which Paulinetti regularly performed it. You must bear in mind, too, that the difficulty of
this particular balance is so great that no one has ever duplicated it--only one man, Jules
Keller, ever even approached it, and his feat would not compare with the position shown.
Keller, you see, was a cripple; he stood but four and a half feet in height, and while his
body was like that of a normal well built man, his legs and hips were very, very small as a
result of infantile paralysis in his youth, and were of no use to him. The slack of weight in
the lower body of course gave him a tremendous advantage in leverage, his weight being
centered almost in the shoulder instead of near the waist as in a normal individual. His
planche, held with the legs curled behind the back instead of straight from the hips (see
Figure 5), was really little more than a one handstand--the arm was vertical, and held at a
right angle from the body, whereas Paulinetti's planche is held with the arm at a
considerable angle with reference to the vertical, making the feat exceedingly more
difficult. Keller was so "top heavy" that he could not perform the half arm planche, a feat
that is readily performed by almost anyone willing to practice a little.
Paulinetti's first appearance in Berlin was in 1892. But before proceeding with this
little story let me remind you that in Europe almost everyone has gymnastic training to
some extent, consequently the theatre audiences there are much more appreciative of
difficult gymnastic feats than are those of this country, and, incidentally, such acts are
much more in demand there than here. This condition was especially true at the time of
42
this story.
It happened that at this time the great Cinquevalli, dean of all the jugglers, was
playing at the same theatre at which Paulinetti was booked to appear, and as he and
Paulinetti were very good friends they of course went out to dinner together at first
opportunity. Now it goes without saying that the manager had taken proper steps to
advertise the coming of the great gymnast, with the result that the theatre-goers were
keyed up to a favorable pitch. And, appreciating the difficulty of the feats advertised, they
anticipated seeing a very powerful looking individual--you can image the surprise of
those present when Cinquevalli introduced to his friends at the cafe a slight chap about
five feet five
inches in height,
and
weighing
less than 120
pounds.
This
party
was
Paulinetti, and
his slight build
was
further
emphasized by a
Prince
Albert
coat and tall silk
hat. The crowd,
43
being of decided Teutonic persuasion, did not endeavor to mask their feelings--indeed,
they were almost derisive, and some even questioned Mr. Cinquevalli about trying to play
a joke on them. This sort of reception did not please Mr. Paulinetti at all, but his friend
prevailed upon him to hold his peace until next day--next day they again entered the same
cafe, and everyone crowded around with "Hoch, hoch," and the German equivalents of
"wonderful, marvelous, how-do-you-do-it, etc." Seeing was believing, and they had seen.
Once there was a certain, prominent foreign athlete who had never seen
Paulinetti's performance--he had only heard of his wonderful balances, but was jealous
and disbelieved. One day he accosted our friend in a cafe--you are a good balancer, but
you haven't any strength, was the gist of his remarks. "Is that so?" replied Paulinetti, "let
me see you try this." Whereupon he grasped the front and back of the seat of a chair and
straightened into the planche (Figure 3) and held the position--completely dressed, even
to hat and top-coat. The skeptical strong man slipped quietly out the back door, lest
someone should ask him to try the feat. Paulinetti pressed up into the one handstand
position from many positions--on a walking cane, on the corner of a table, on the floor by
bending forward and placing the hand ahead of the corresponding foot, curling the other
foot around to the rear, and leaning forward into balance (see Figure 8, which was taken
an instant before the foot was raised from the floor), and also by sitting on the floor,
placing the hand between the legs, and pressing up. He often used this last feat to "stump"
scoffing rival athletes.
Just here it might be of interest to mention that when he showed me a part of his
collection of photographs of performers contemporary with him I noticed that all the men
had curly hair and I remarked to him about it. "Oh, yes," he replied, "you see, in those
days all professionals believed in curly hair as part of their stock in trade, and it was the
custom for the artists to make up, then go down and get their hair curled just before going
on for their performance. There was always a shop for this purpose conducted in each
theatre. Yes," he added, "I had my hair curled regularly, too."
As has been mentioned, Mr. Paulinetti has done work in almost all the various
acrobatic lines--bars, tumbling, dancing, etc., as well as balancing, and he was a topnotcher in everything he undertook. In this line he did various ring and bar feats that have
never been duplicated by a normally formed man, and of course he performed all the
ordinary feats of advanced work on such apparatus. Just the other day, however, he told
me of one occasion when he was "stuck" by a rival performer--there was a Spanish ring
worker whose specialty was doing the crucifix, one arm roll up, one arm chins, etc., in
fact all work requiring tremendous strength of the bicep and latissimus muscles. This
chap weighed but 102 pounds, yet he had an upper arm some fifteen inches around, and
almost entirely bicep at that. Well, Paulinetti met him one day in a gymnasium and of
course they began matching their skill. The Spaniard did the one arm roll up, the hand
balance in the rings, the crucifix, etc., all of which Paulinetti easily duplicated. In turn he
"stumped" the Spaniard by doing a back planche hanging below the rings, then while
keeping the body horizontal throughout he pulled up through the planche at the hips and
pushed up into the planche with straight arms above the rings, then went into the
handstand. The Spaniard could go as far as the planche at the hips, but did not have the
tricep and shoulder development necessary to push from there up while keeping the body
horizontal. But he would not admit defeat, no, sir--he still had an ace up his sleeve.
44
Calling for a 56 pound weight he held it in one hand and did the one hand chin with the
other--imagine a 102 pound man chinning himself plus 56 pounds additional, and with
one hand! Paulinetti told him to keep his blooming weight, he might need it for a watch
charm!
And now just a few words in closing about Mr. Paulinetti as he is today. Were you
to meet him on the street you would readily take him for a banker, or a lawyer, or a
doctor, and you would estimate his age at about forty-five. In fact, he has the clear, sharp
eyes and the springy step of a man even younger. He has retired from the profession, but
he has not given up exercise. The truth is that he still does many of his major feats of
other days, particularly the head balances, and he does all of his hand balances, save one
(the one arm planche). I refer you to the photos, Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9, which were made
last October 15th. And bear in mind that these were not made with a graflex or even a
snapshot camera, but were made with an ordinary studio camera with "bulb" exposure.
This is to convince you that not only were positions held for a good length of time, but
they were also held without motion. In addition to the feats shown he does his head
balance and revolves by action of the muscles of the neck; also he disrobes while
balancing on his head; and he does these feats in such a way they appear easy to perform.
Really, one must see him perform to appreciate fully the wonderful degree of control he
has over his body.
Seeing Paulinetti perform is an inspiration to anyone, beginner or professional,
and taking instruction under his tutelage assures the student the best and most
conscientious training available. Today there are many, both professionals and others,
who are proud to say, "I took lessons from 'Paul,'" for they know he has a well-earned
reputation for teaching the student not only the trick but also the polish that finishes and
"sells" even the simplest feat. He has the faculty of getting the best out of a pupil and
making him enjoy the operation, and all who know him are his friends.
Postscript, 1945: The Professor continued living quietly in Philadelphia, devoting
much time to teaching and also preparing and publishing courses. Beginning with a story
about Lillian Leitzel in the April, 1923, issue of old STRENGTH Magazine, he wrote
eight well-received articles for that publication on various phases of gymnastics. Later,
when Bob Hoffman started STRENGTH & HEALTH Magazine, the Professor did about
the same number of articles for it. He also developed a method of giving highly
successful correspondence instructions in gymnastics, with the pupils reporting their
progress and problems, submitting sketches and pictures as well as written information,
all of which enabled him to keep them rapidly moving ahead. This was the best possible
substitute for actual personal instructions.
From my first visit with him, just before Labor Day, 1927, he took me in tow and
in daily sessions for almost two years, and frequently for the next nine (including his
return visits after retiring) he tried to impart to me as much as possible of his vast fund of
knowledge of balancing, tumbling, acrobatics, and gymnastics in general. It was my
privilege and profitable experience along with him in the preparation of the four courses
mentioned, making dozens--yes, hundreds--of photographs, high speed Graflex shots, and
even 35mm movie strips of complicated tricks. And he kept me in the middle of things as
much as possible in a great deal of his work with pupils of hand-to-hand and head-to-
45
head balancing, acrobatics, tumbling, lofty tumbling, and other phases of "show business"
gymnastics.
In those late 20's interest in professional gymnastics was running high, and he
always had several up-and-coming pupils on hand. The Andros Brothers were getting
really good then at their hand-to-hand work, and Wm. Walters and John Coleman were
developed in less then six months of training from a couple of willing men into a fine pair
of shoulder tumblers. John did spotting back somersaults on William's shoulders, and a
dozen other varieties of somersaults from shoulders to the ground and from the ground
back up to the shoulder. From about 1924 to around 1932, the old MILO BARBELL
organization ran frequent strongman shows in Philadelphia, and at many of them the
Professor would be impressed into service to demonstrate his accomplishments and to
lend encouragement to the young element that was always present.
His daughter, wife and son having passed away, he made his home with his sole
remaining relative, a nephew, until his health began to fail sharply as a result of a attack
of tropical fever in Ceylon in 1919. Finally, in October, 1935, he retired to Bedford, Va.
At that time he turned his various classes over to me, and I have since tried to carry them
along in the way that he would have preferred.
In Virginia, the master gymnast’s health continued to fade, but he was able to be
up and about until the last two or three weeks; his last few days were spent in a coma, and
he died July 24, 1940, five months past the 76-year mark. He had continued active well
toward the end, doing his two-hands planche to about 1932, and the various press-ups and
the one hand balance up to the time of retiring. (On the day before he left town, I made
snaps and movie clips of his cartwheel, the straight head balance, tempo for flip-flap, lift
for back somersault, and other similar work!) He gradually tapered off on even these
numbers, and eventually gave up the last one--the head balance--about two years before
the final curtain was rung down on his career. He had long been an honorary life member
of the B. P. O. Elks, and a life member of the Masonic Order; he was buried in the Elks
Cemetery, Bedford, Va., where lie many of his friends and pals of "the old show days."
46
Chapter 3
Extraordinary Gymnastic Achievements
By P. H. Paulinetti
GYMNASTS and acrobats come and go, but the great artists, like the Comets,
always leave their trail behind; but that does not say that others could not be found who
would be able to accomplish the same feats.
In this article I shall endeavor to point out how it was possible to master a number
of feats which the leading gymnasts of the world contended were impossible of
accomplishment by any normally formed person. A number of years ago I was rated as
one of the top-notch acrobats of America, when I met with an accident. This set me back
considerably; in fact, it changed the whole course of my career that I had mapped out for
myself as an acrobat, dancer and gymnast.
At that time I was known to the circus and vaudeville profession as an all-round
performer of the highest grade, and was able to branch out in almost any kind of dancing,
acrobatics or gymnastics.
My accident laid me up for seven months. During that time I did much thinking in
trying to decide just which one of the arts I should take up; and finally decided to put
myself through a highly specialized system of training in the art of hand and head
balancing. When I came to this decision I commenced to think of what all the great artists
in this line had accomplished, and discovered that I had a mighty task before me, as there
were some artists at that time who "wanted some beating."
I decided to try and form a new series of feats. The only opening I could see left to
me was to perform feats of strength on my hands, using my own weight for the purpose in
different movements. I was able to push a dumbbell (which was considerably more than
my own weight) at arms' length above the head with either arm, thanks to Mr. Richard A.
Pennell, who held the world's record at that time. He was also the gymnastic instructor at
the Pennsylvania University, Philadelphia, Pa. Mr. Pennell was my instructor in handling
the weights, and recommended me to Professor Eadweard Muybridge for the purpose of
posing for the professor's series of instantaneous photography, which he named "Animal
Locomotion" (some of which are shown here). These photos were taken at the
Pennsylvania University grounds in sunlight.
The dumbbell used in the accompanying series weighed eighty-five pounds, while
my own weight was exactly one hundred and nine pounds. This weight, as figured out by
Mr. Elliott Flint (son of Dr. Austin Flint of New York City) was and still is, far above the
world's record for the "curl" in that position, according to the weight of the bell in
comparison to that of the man. Mr. Richard A. Pennell curled one hundred and two
pounds in the same position, but his weight at that time was two hundred and five
pounds.
You will notice in this curl that the elbow is resting against the body in front,
which was strictly in accordance with the rules then used in competitions. I am not
certain, but I think that the military press from the shoulder to arms' length above the head
is equally on a par with the curl as a record, at least up to that time.
After finishing my posing for Professor Muybridge at the Pennsylvania University
47
I commenced my new task. I made a
statement to Mr. Pennell as to the great
things I was about to accomplish. He
smiled and wished me luck. He was a
very keen judge, and I, well knowing this,
did not know just how to take that smile.
It looked to me as though it meant "we
will see." This made me very determined
and I set myself to the task.
I shall pass over the ordinary feats,
with which the reader is more or less
familiar, and take up what was considered
by the artists in my line as impossible, or
bordering on the impossible. When I
mentioned to a number of gymnasts the
feats, and what they were, that I was
going to perfect, they gave me what is
commonly known as the "horse laugh."
I practiced a few months on the
quiet the following named feats: A onehand balance on each hand. This was very
discouraging, as I tried, right from the
start to straighten up in the hand stand
with the legs rigid, the feet together, and
the free arm taken away from its use in
helping to balance by placing it by my
side or across my back as shown. The
one-hand balance in that position had
never before been accomplished, nor had
the same balance been performed
changing from one hand to the other. Two
months of the most strenuous practice
found me with little or no progress, and I
was on the verge of giving up and
acknowledging defeat, but the thought
came to me, "What will all those people
to whom I made my boast think of me?" This made me dismiss all thought of defeat, and
I went on with my practice with renewed vigor.
One morning the thought came to me, "How do I balance on my feet?" I stood on
one foot, then on the other in different positions, and found that the natural position was
the true position, with the toes pointed slightly out-ward from the center; and the leg
perfectly rigid: Then I wondered what the natural position of the hands would be, without
looking at them, I opened them out as they hung by my side, and discovered that they
were in the exact position as I stood on my feet, and the fingers were separated. I placed
48
my hands on the floor in that position, and pushed hard so my arms were rigid. Then
leaning over with my weight on the right hand, to my astonishment I could feel a balance
in this rigid position, and was able to remain there a few seconds. I was highly delighted.
The hand in the position named is the true secret of this balance, as it prevents the elbow
from moving, which weakens the arm.
Although I could do a head balance, I could not straighten up with the legs straight
and feet together; but after learning the true principle of the one-hand balance I soon
commenced to master the center of gravity of a head balance and applied it. The real
secret of balancing on the head is to stand squarely on top of the head and press or bear
one way with most of the weight; that is, rest toward the back of the head, or toward the
front, whichever way it may feel best to the person practicing it. The shoulders should be
kept well back if you press backward, and near the center if you press forward. I found
that pressing toward the back of the head with most of the weight was much better for
steadiness, as the weight of the body is supported by the large muscles at the base of the
neck.
While working on these feats I commenced to practice what is known as a
planche, or horizontal (as shown on two hands on page 51). From a handstand the body is
lowered down to this position, and is held there. A person who may be just slightly
acquainted with gymnastics needs no stretch of the imagination to see the difficulty of
this feat with that tremendous leverage on the shoulders. The same feat, upside-down,
while hanging from rings or bar, is infinitely easier to hold. This feat is accomplished by
first trying to hold the position with the legs bent up backward from the knees as far as
possible, thus shortening the leverage. This was an easy task in comparison with the
49
following named feat: pushing up to a one-hand balance by the use of one hand alone.
This I accomplished in a number of ways; the first was to place the hand flat on the floor,
stretching the other hand out as far as possible in front, with the head turned toward the
hand on the floor. Lifting the leg on the same side as the free hand, toward the back of the
head, being balanced on one hand and one foot on the floor, with the arm rigid, the body
is slowly moved forward toward the arm supporting the body, until the entire weight is
resting on the hand, then the foot which is resting on the floor is slowly raised up until it
meets the other, and the legs and body are straightened out into a perfect balance. This
feat, besides requiring a very fine balance, requires a great amount of strength, and the
only way it can be accomplished is to learn to balance on one hand to perfection.
While practicing one day after I had perfected the planche on two hands, I tried to
think of a way of doing a hanging planche, and from this to pull up to a planche on top; so
I placed two chairs at the proper distance apart for a handstand on the back of them; from
the handstand on top I lowered down to a planche on top, and held it; from there I
lowered the body slowly down until I was in a planche, hanging between the chairs. My
idea was to rest there, then pull the body up while in this planche to a planche above the
chairs and hold it, and from there back to a handstand from where I had started, but I
could no more move from this lower planche between the chairs than I could fly without
wings. However, this did not dismay me in the least. After having tried it numerous
times, it suddenly dawned upon me that it was close to impossible to allow the arms to
straighten out entirely while hanging between the chairs and start back, so I tried it by not
going all the way down, and found that it could be accomplished. This was the greatest
feat of strength in this line I had ever dreamed to be possible, and when performed it was
a great success with the spectators.
I was much pleased with myself, and went merrily on my way for about three
years. I shall never forget the surprise I received one evening on my arrival in New York
from a Western trip. I walked into the London Theatre in the Bowery, and just as I was
seated out came a short man on crutches. I looked at the programme and discovered that it
was Mr. Jules Keller, a European artist who had just arrived in this country. I had heard
much about Mr. Keller from a great many European artists, as his line of performance
was very similar to my own. Mr. Keller was born a cripple, and practically used his arms
for legs all his life. He was not more than four feet six inches in height, and his legs were
very short, with little or no flesh on them. On this account he had practically no weight at
the hips, consequently all he had to do was to place his hand on any object and reach out
with the other arm in front, and the weight of his free arm and head would counterbalance
the weight of his legs and body, by his legs being curled around at his back (see Page 41,
Fig. 5). Even with all this advantage, and the disadvantage he labored under, he gave a
most wonderful performance. He could run on his hands almost as others run on their
feet. He did a sand dance, using shoes on his hands. Mr. Keller's appearance at the
London Theatre created considerable talk among acrobats and gymnasts, as nothing had
ever been seen in this country just like that. On numerous occasions I was confronted
with the quiz, "Have you seen Keller; what do you think of him?" I was compelled to say
that he was an absolute marvel, even with all the natural advantages he possessed for that
class of work. He did my feat of lowering from a hand stand to a planche on the back of
two chairs, continuing the lowering of the body down between the chairs in this position
50
to the hanging planche, then coming up again, while still holding the planche, to the
horizontal position above the chairs, and held that position with extraordinary ease.
I walked out of that theatre with my sails drawn considerably, and did some deep
thinking for a couple of weeks, trying to offset what others thought a defeat for me. Mr.
Keller's most difficult feat, as I noticed was a planche on one hand. So I started to work
on that also, and went one better, which was still more difficult on account of the
endurance it required for the combination of feats in routine, while balancing on one
hand. I commenced this routine by placing one hand flat on the floor in front of one foot,
the other arm and my head stretched out forward, raising the foot on the side of the free
hand up and drawing it around back of my body with the knee bent. From this position I
raised the supporting foot up, from the floor until a perfect one-hand balance was
attained, then I started to lower the legs until the body and legs were horizontal, or in a
perfect planche. I held this position for a moment to show the pose, then lowered the
body, while holding the planche position, until it rested on the elbow, the arm being bent
in an L shape under the body; this position was held a few seconds for the purpose of
resting, then the legs were curled around with the knees bent, back toward the head. In
this position, or motion, the body was lifted from the elbow slowly, and pressed up to a
perfect one-hand balance. All this routine was performed in slow rhythmic motion. The
writer feels safe in saying that this routine performed in the way explained is the most
difficult and scientific of any routine ever accomplished in the art of hand balancing or
gymnastics. In the latter routine I had Mr. Keller handicapped as he could not do the
planche resting on the elbow on account of his head, shoulders, and the free arm being so
much heavier than his hips and lower limbs. This is when I commenced to get even with
my critics, who thought I had been defeated for all time. After having accomplished the
above-named routine, I immediately published a challenge to all-comers, and offered one
thousand dollars to any artist who could follow me in the feats I performed.
In a very short time I had convinced my critics that they, not I, had suffered defeat.
While walking on Fourteenth Street, New York, I happened to meet one of the
unbelievers, even though I had convinced him that not even Mr. Keller had me "stopped."
51
This gentleman was Mr. Hugo Moulton, one of America's very finest horizontal bar
performers. While walking along we stopped in the lobby of Tony Pastor's Theatre, where
the Dare Brothers were appearing, Mr. Stuart and Thomas. Stuart Dare had but one leg,
and a very short stump left of the other. He did all of his feats on a single horizontal bar,
and three of the feats he performed were considered impossible by all the leading
gymnasts of Europe and America, for a person to accomplish who possessed two lower
limbs in normal proportion. Mr. Moulton and I saw their performance that afternoon.
After the Dare Brothers had finished, their act, Mr. Moulton asked me what I thought of
the work of the man with the one-leg, and I said that it was extremely fine. Mr. Moulton
came back with the remark, "Perhaps you could master those feats also." I smiled and
replied, "Not perhaps! I am absolutely certain that I could accomplish all the feats that
yourself and all the others have said were impossible for a normal man: besides, I am sure
that it is quite possible to add a few more, even more difficult, than what either Mr. Keller
or Mr. Dare is performing."
It did not take long for the boast that I had made to Mr. Moulton to reach the ears
of all the prominent acrobats and gymnasts in this country, and they all came back with
the remark that I was suffering with "toxicomania." It was not long afterwards that I
visited Wood's gymnasium, 6 East Twenty-Eighth Street, New York, where there were
not less than nineteen of the leading gymnasts of America (including Mr. Hugo Moulton)
working themselves into condition for the on-coming circus season. Voices came from all
directions as I entered, "So this is the guy who can do all the tricks of Stuart Dare's on the
bar," and I received the merry ha-ha, which did not please me in the least. I came back
with the remark that I would put up one thousand dollars against a thousand of anybody's
money that I could accomplish those feats in three months. I received another round of
laughs, and after they died out I asked the lot of them to collect a thousand between them
and put it up, saying that it was easy for them, as there were nineteen against one to put
up the money; besides, I would be compelled to do all the work, while they would collect
easy money if I failed. Everybody did a lot of talking, but put up no money. Just then Mr.
John Wood, proprietor of the gymnasium, stepped in and asked what all the excitement
was about, I told him that I had offered to put up a thousand dollars against a thousand
that I could accomplish all of the difficult feats in three months which were being
performed by Mr. Stuart Dare on the horizontal bar. Mr. Wood said: "Gentlemen, I will
add another thousand to his, which will be two to your one, that he will do what he says."
At that time I was Mr. Wood's ideal as a gymnast, and he had known me from the
time I was nine years old. No money on the part of the gathering appeared, so I told them
the old story, "Put up or shut up" and was elated over their defeat, if only in the
conversation. Very shortly after this controversy, the Dare Brothers dissolved partnership.
Mr. Stuart Dare (the brother who had but one leg) sailed for Europe, Mr. Thomas Dare
remained in America. While looking around for a new partner to take the place of his
brother, he had heard that I made the statement that I could master the feats, which his
brother had made famous, in three months. He was not long in hunting me up, and his
expectation was to meet a very powerful looking man. I did not come up to his
expectations in the least, and it did not take him long in telling me so, as I looked nothing
like the man he had pictured in his mind. When I had made my boast to him all he said
was, "Never!" and seated himself on one of the benches in the gymnasium, While he was
52
there I stripped, and with practice
costume I went on with my daily
workout, and to show him that he
did not know quite all about my
adverse appearance to him, I
removed my gym shirt, which
displayed
the
extraordinary
condition I had attained.
During my practice I paid
no apparent attention to Mr. Dare,
although I was assuring myself that
I would put a crimp in this wise
fellow's idea about weighing a
person up on first sight. So I
continued my practice with
extraordinary ease, and when I
came to the planches, which I
knew would upset all his
calculations about my strength, I
was facing in his direction, and
held the one-hand balance planche,
without any apparent strain on the
face. Mr. Dare almost leaped over
to where I was, clasped me by the
hand and said, "Young fellow, if
any normally formed man could
ever do those feats my brother did,
you certainly are the man!" He
asked me if I thought I really could
accomplish the feats, and I gave
him the same answer that I gave
the others, that I did not only think
so, but I was absolutely certain that
I could. He told me that if at any
time I did accomplish the feats he
would be much pleased to form a
partnership with me. This was my chance to prove to all my wise critics that I did know
just a little as to their ideas about the impossible. I dropped my own work. Saying nothing
to anybody, and started at once to work on the feats mentioned, and the reader may
believe me that I had a mighty task before me. Every morning I waited on the steps of
Wood's gymnasium for the colored attendant to open the door, so I could get through
before any of the other professionals had arrived. After three days' preliminary work I
became so sore in the legs that I was compelled to lift one leg after the other into bed on
retiring, and the same process on rising in the morning.
This lasted over two weeks. No person could possibly credit such an experience,
53
for I was doing nothing on my legs. All the feats were practiced while in a hanging
position, or the weight balanced above the bar on the hands.
Not having used the muscles which support the body in the hanging position for a
considerable time, my body and arms were almost as sore as my legs. What made my legs
so sore was trying to roll up or twist the body up on one arm while turning it backward,
and twisting the body around the arm while hanging, until it is raised up with the head
higher than the bar, the free hand above the bar, and the bar against the armpit, the body
hanging almost perpendicular. This is what is known as a roll-up. (On the trapeze bar or
rings it is known as a throw-in.) The fact that the muscles of the lower limbs were sore
for no apparent reason was on account of the limbs being trained technically, as were the
arms and body, to take the strain. The feat named was one of the impossibilities
performed on a fixed bar, instead of a trapeze ring. The next impossibility was to hang in
the arms under the elbows, the legs and feet together, and while suspended in this
position the body and legs to be held rigid and straight. The body is to be drawn up until
the back touches the bar, then it is turned over the bar, the feet up and head down, until
the performer is lying on his back in a balance on top of the bar.
The next impossibility was a planche on top of the bar, after a handstand; that is,
to lower the body from a handstand down to a horizontal position, with the arms straight
at the elbows, and hold it a few seconds. The reason why this feat was considered
impossible was that the whole weight of the body, in the horizontal position, had to be
supported by the thumbs, as the body had to be stretched out forward over the bar, the bar
being crosswise to the body. Up to date the writer has never seen either of these feats
performed by a normally built person. The soreness was caused by the terrific straining of
the lower limbs in stretching out to counterbalance the great leverage lift these feats
require. At this, time I had the left side equally developed with the right.
54
Seven weeks after Mr. Dare’s first visit he called again just as I had started my
day's practice and asked me if I had tried the feats. I said that I had, and asked him to be
seated and I would show him the feats. I did, and though they were not absolutely perfect,
they astounded Mr. Dare, and we at once agreed to form a partnership. One week later we
commenced an engagement at Koster and Bial's Music Hall on Twenty-Third Street, west
of Sixth Avenue, New York, where nothing but the very highest class of vaudeville artists
were engaged. In this theatre hall been featured alone a number of times previously.
Instead of three months, which I had allowed myself, I accomplished the impossibilities
in eight weeks, with more of them thrown in, and started to perform the feats before an
audience in exactly eight weeks. In a very short time I had accomplished a one-arm
forward as well as a one-arm back planche on each arm, also considered impossible at
that time. This feat I did swinging and hanging still, as well as pulling up to each of these
feats from a straight hanging position, which still stands as a record. The word was soon
broadcast that Mr. Dare and I had formed a partnership, and that I had accomplished the
so-called impossible feats. This gave me a very high rating among all the great gymnasts
of the period. Mr. Dare and I were engaged with Mr. M. B. Leavitt 's original production
of the "Spider and Fly Company," after having played four months at Koster and Bial's.
The following Season we were engaged with Kiralfy's Water Queen Company. Each of
these companies made a trip to the Pacific Coast, where we were prime favorites.
At the close of the season with the latter named company, Mr. Dare and I
discontinued our partnership, and I was immediately engaged by Mr. Bolossy Kiralfy to
take charge of the gymnastic, acrobatic and athletic portion of the Kiralfy production, of
that great outside attraction, "King Solomon," which was produced at Eldorado, atop of
the Palisades, Weehawken, opposite New York on the Hudson. I then commenced to
work on a new type of hand and head balancing, conforming to eurhythmics throughout
the entire presentation.
The original feats produced were: pressing up to a one-hand balance on a walking
stick or cane while in full dress; removing the hat while balancing, and replacing it on the
head. I walked up a staircase on my hands to a pedestal, where a white statue of the bust
of "Hebe" was placed. I then balanced on my head on the head of the statue, and while in
this position I removed my full dress suit, shoes and all, being under-dressed in white silk
tights (corresponding to the tint of the statue), then straightened up with feet together and
legs straight. Then I used bird cages to form a pyramid to perform some of the feats, such
as planches and pushing up feats mentioned in this article, besides revolving while
balancing on the head by the action of the muscles of the neck. I made my first trip to
Europe with this act, appearing first at the Crystal Palace, London, with extraordinary
success; the Alhambra Theatre, Leicester Square, London, afterwards. While playing at
the Alhambra I received the letter shown (next page) from Mr. Eugene Sandow, and
likewise a letter of a similar nature from Mr. Paul Cinquevalli, who was the very finest
artist as a juggler of all time to date. These letters I received before I had ever met either
of these gentlemen, and which I considered a great tribute and honor from men of such
high standing as artists. I gracefully acknowledged receipt of their kindness, and I became
a lifelong friend of both. The reputation I had established in London created competition
for my appearance in Paris, Vienna, Rome, Naples, Madrid and all the great cities of
Europe, as well as the rest of Great Britain and Ireland, also the rest of the civilized
55
world, where I was received with kind appreciation. Does it pay to perfect the finer points
of gymnastic skill? The writer says yes. The world has seen me! I have seen the world!
The letter reads:
Mr. Paulinetti
Dear Sir!
I saw your show at the Alhambra and was astounded to see you do a number of feats I
have never seen before. I also admire your neatness and finish.
Yours truly,
Sandow
56
Chapter 4
The Man Who Stands On His Thumbs
THE life story of Bob Jones is that so typical of many figures in the physical
culture field--a sickly life as a youngster, which often stirs a desire so strong for good
health and strength that it initiates action toward the coveted goal.
It was a boy at the Jones' temporary home in Camden, Ark., on February 20, 1904,
a healthy infant of healthy parents. But at the age of five months demon whooping cough
came along.
The cough was followed in faithful order by such things as la grippe, pneumonia,
mumps, chicken pox, a fever, and maybe some more plagues, that left the victim so weak
that it was not until he was six and a half years old that he became strong enough to get
up from the floor without assistance from a person, or by climbing up a piece of furniture.
The undersized, underweight condition continued all through grammar and high schools,
with a shot of the measles at twelve, and malaria the next year, adding their woes.
"One day in the middle of 1919 I picked up a copy of July, 1919, PHYSICAL
CULTURE and in it spied an article by Alan Calvert on hand strength and exercises. It
arrested my attention for, in spite of the fact that I had all along been generally a
weakling, my grip had been better than that of most of the boys of my crowd. Here, it
seemed, was something made to order for me," Bob said.
A few blocks from the Jones home lived the family of Dr. T. L. Savin, whose
boys, Littleton and Frank, were coming along pretty well as kid gymnasts and tumblers.
About the time that Calvert's article appeared, Bob and Littleton began teaming up. Their
association was limited to Bob's trying (unsuccessfully) to duplicate the tricks of
tumbling, balancing and triple bar work which "Lit" could perform. The physical
condition necessary to do even the most elementary feats was still absent from the Jones
make-up. "I remember trying countless times to do a hand balance on the grass," Bob
recollected, "but not a single success was forthcoming."
"I finally learned to do the swing and jump from one bar to another, with average
luck," he added, "but that was the only trick I got out of the was-going-to-be-great
gymnastic team of Savin & Jones. Of my own struggles finally came the ability to do a
back bend of sorts, that year, which was the first feat of gymnastics I really licked.
"Originally, after reading the Calvert article," Bob elaborated on his story, "I set
out to get as much hand strength as possible, with perhaps a faint hope of some day
duplicating the floor dip on index fingers only, which he had mentioned. Not yet had I
come to realize that physical culture concerns more than one section of the body. That
awakening was on the calendar for a later time. I do not know just what I weighed then,
whether exactly the classical 97 pounds or otherwise, but I do know I was much of a
weakling. I scared up five bucks and ordered them mighty Marshall Stillman course in
boxing, self-defense, jiu-jitsu, and everything else a 10-kilowatt advertising agent could
think up to mention. All I got out of it was the very important statement that excellence in
boxing or any other sport requires proper all around development, and the advice that
chinning and dipping (both on the floor and between chairs) and squatting are good
exercises; some few self-resistance motions were also advocated. I believe, all of which I
57
tried mildly and found beneficial, but not alarmingly so."
A neighbor J.E. Proskowitz, had a half-pint size stave mill a few miles from Pine
Bluff, Ark., and the summer of 1920 found Bob working for him at hauling and loading
barrel staves. It was hard work, but served very much to build up needed strength and
endurance. That fall Bob reported for football, hopeful of making headway, despite his
modest bulk. "This," he said, "marked the actual beginning of the real physical culture life
for R. Jones, for it convinced me that although lots of skating and bike riding, plus hard
work, had made my legs strong, my body from hips to elbows was far short of desirable."
We all like to make a little money, and young Bob was strictly normal in that
respect, so the spring of 1923 found him half-owner of a hay pressing outfit of the prairies
of Arkansas County, Arkansas. He got out of the venture, he enumerated, six months of
"headaches" and backaches, a thorough coat of tan, his keep, and a net cash loss of about
$50--PLUS a degree of strength and general physical fitness he had never before known.
"Bucking bales" (stacking the baled hay) all day long did things for his legs, back and
arms that were sorely needed. Picking up the southeast corner of a Fordson tractor, as we
show in one of the illustrations, was easy, he actually did the feat one day with four men
standing on the wheel.
Back home in Pine Bluff, and in an office job early in 1924, Bob joined the local
"Y." The Roman rings were his first interest, but soon the basketball players took over the
gym and chased him out. A corner of the shower room was all the space available so he
returned to the balancing interest of several years back, and it was on a tile floor,
frequently wet with soapy water, that he mastered most of his balances. "One thing about
that surface," he grinned, "you either do the thing right or not at all; there is no diving into
a handstand of a slick floor. You either circle into a hand balance or you just don’t
function at all. I was determined to have a barbell, but the wallet was still on the flat, so
the only thing I could do was scout around Sam Soltz's junk yard and pick up the
wherewithal--two cannon-ball feed rollers from an old planning mill, and a piece of
shafting. Each piece weighed 30 pounds, so that was 90 pounds of barbell. Also there was
a smaller, shorter 10-pound shaft, to make a 70-pound bell. That was the middle of 1924,
and the acquisition of that crude outfit has proven to be a red-letter day in my life."
The first two and a half years of Bob’s real training were devoted to barbells for
developmental work, and to a host of sports as an outlet for the strength thus acquiredwrestling, boxing, balancing, Roman rings, swimming, tumbling, and so on. He says that
he later came to realize that he doubtless overworked his body and thereby kept his
development from gaining bulk in proportion to strength, especially since he is a small
boned, narrow framed man in the first place. But to him the most important factor is not
mere appearance, but, rather, the strength necessary to do things--plus the skill and
coordination needed if they are to be done well.
After having accomplished the hand balance after a fashion, the accounts he had
read of a man (John Y. Smith) having done a hand balance on three fingers of one each
hand, and of another (Willie Gaylord, mentioned by Prof. Paulinetti) who actually
balanced on just the thumbs and index fingers, came forward from his memory, and he set
about to duplicate these feats. These two were accomplished, also the floor dip on index
fingers, on one thumb, and on middle fingers, in due time. Finally, toward the end of
1926, he discovered the possibility of doing a balance on the thumbs alone, which feat he
58
set out to perfect. (See Chapter 5.)
A former classmate had opened a studio of dancing in Pine Bluff, and she and
Bob combined forces on an adagio act for a year or so, to about the time he left for the
North. His sister, Jeannette, also became interested in exercise, and worked with Bob on a
few tricks-holding him in a handstand on her back for instance--Fig 10.
"All of these lines of physical culture which I had taken up, originally as a pastime
and a health building measure, had by the middle of 1926 become so far advanced that it
seemed about time to try turning them into something even more profitable." Bob
answered our question as to how and why he had ever strayed so far from Pine Bluff,
Ark., as in Philadelphia. "So the idea gradually came into being that it might be possible
to work up an act and travel North to book it."
"Why did I pick on Philadelphia, when I came North? Principally, I suppose,
because a former schoolmate, John Murray, was here with the Western Auto Supply Co.,
and he had been after me for some time to try my luck in this section. Naturally, when I
hit town, I hustled around to visit Milo, Hermann's Gym, and Prof. Paulinetti. Milo, it
happened, needed a photographer-writer, and with several years of amateur photo work,
plus two whole articles, to my credit, it was a natural, and for the next eleven months the
program was Milo during working hours and the gym at night, building up the act, also
playing a few clubs with it now and then. At the end of that time, with the act getting
nicely broken in, the talkies came out and that was curtains for almost the whole
vaudeville. I went back to something more dependable and less unprofitable. That was
nine years ago, and since then…"
Since then-and how! A great deal of writing, principally for STRENGTH and
allied publications. Five or six hundred hours of posing for art schools and private artists
during the 1928-29 season--a well built man, with good posture, and with decided
muscular separation as well, is a joy to the heart of an art instructor.
Ripley, and Believe It or Not: "Rip" had used two of Bob's feats (index fingers dip
and six fingers hand balance) before Bob came up to this section. Still just another up and
coming cartoonist, Ripley attended the STRENGTH show in Bryant Hall, New York,
early in December of '27. and there saw the thumb balance for the first time. It was too
much to believe--back stage he went to see it again, and Bob up-ended in the middle of
the floor and obliged. It must have looked okeh; "Rip" has used that one trick at least four
different times since, as well as several others. He has featured Bob nine times, in all.
Did you ever hear of the depression? The one that was going great guns back in
1930? Well, that struck Bob as being a fine time to go into aircraft school, so he put in
nearly a year at aircraft and engine mechanics study and practice, built a glider and flew it
(and helped wreck it, we hear) and did a fair amount of wing walking, 'chute work, and a
rope ladder act beneath a regular plane, all without untoward results. Lady Luck kept her
hand on his shoulder for a long time.
"Just where this yen to do the monkey act around a plane originated I cannot say-back around 1919 or 1920, though, I remember that the Gates Flying Circus came to
town, featuring one Upside-Down Pangburn (later famous as Clyde Pangburn, 'round-theworld’ flyer who, in 1934 with Hugh Herndon, was thrown in the "clink" in Japan on
some flimsy charge, and thereby deprived of a good chance at a record globe encircling
flight). Also present was a rope ladder man who did a few solo stunts and finally a change
59
from plane to plane. That looked pretty nifty. Then, back in 1930, I put in several months
in aircraft school, did some time gliding, and gradually got accustomed to the sensation of
buzzing around in a plane. A good friend, Tony Gruhle, owned an Ox-Challenger and a
small airport at Rod Hill, Pa., and a few of us made his place our headquarters. On
Sundays a 'chute jumper would perform.
"I would go up with the jumper and photograph him as he bailed out.
"The next step was to climb out on the wing and make a shot or two of Tony--then
a little farther to a seat on the axle, to make pictures backward and to the sides, beneath
the fuselage and wings, about as shown in Fig. 21. Naturally, the next idea was the bright
one of the rope ladder; Tony was willing, and a short time later it was ready for a trial-May 13, 1932. Tony cracked up his ship the following July 3, but after that I was up a few
times in a Fairchild two-place job with Henny Landis at Buxco Airport--last time was
about a year after the crack-up, so I suppose a total of twenty-five or thirty "expeditions"
during the intervening one year and odd months would about cover the rope ladder stuff-enough to make it seem an ordinary experience."
He was right in the middle of the demise of an airplane in July, 1932--toll, a
skinned face and cracked tooth, and a drenching with high-test gasoline. Up with his
camera on an aerial photography expedition, the pilot made a bad guess on a crosswind
take-off, and right away Bob had a real picture to take.
That is how it goes-plane crash, minor scratches; but a year later, when he went to
sleep at the wheel of his Chevy and piled into a bridge pillar, another story resulted:
fractures of both forearms, two breaks and much shattering in the right thigh, ten teeth
knocked hither and yon, and so much cutting on face and arms that he looked like a
second grade hamburger.
His many friends thought this was the end of the athletic Robert L. Jones. Pals
from the flying crowd, cheerers (and jeerers) from the wrestling fans-did we say he had
refereed over 550 professional matches during 1931-33, in New Jersey, Ohio,
Washington, and points between?--offered sympathy and condolence to him.
"The real exercise-back-to-par program did not get under way until I got out of the
hospital and was able to get around with a full length leg brace and pair of crutches; then
it was heavy adjustable dumbbells, used while on the floor, or seated in a chair. The leg
would not allow any standing exercises other than a few straight arm ones with 15 pound
dumbbells," Bob went on.
The brace and crutches were worn for eight months, then a cane for three more,
and the battle was won.
In February of 1934 Bob returned to the Milo office as office manager. And that is
where he is today, trying to carry on and promulgate the message of clear thinking and
clean living that he has found so highly valuable in his own life.
He has several lines of attack on the problem, other than just the Milo frontwriting, personally instructing in body building and acrobatics (with the benefit to himself
and pupils of eight years association with the great Paulinetti) and, on the right thinking
side he is very active in Church and social work--deacon, superintendent of Sunday
School, and interested also in the Youth Movement and interdenominational and
interracial groups in Philadelphia and vicinity.
The illustrations on these two pages are numbered in approximately chronological order.
60
Those on this page were made in and near Pine Bluff, Ark., before Bob came to
Philadelphia, late in August of 1927.
1 and 2, in the hay fields, 1923.
3 to 7, 1926; 6, made 8-4-1926, was published in old STRENGTH in November; Ripley
featured it in BELIEVE IT OR NOT--the first of some of fifteen of Bob’s appearances
there--the same month. 7, made 11-28-1926, was used in the May, 1927, STRENGTH
and also featured by Ripley.
8 and 13, summer of 1924, were Bob’s first "gym" pictures.
9 is the old "Y" lifting class, winter of 1924-5.
18 was his first muscle pose, around January, 1925, at 133 lbs., while 11-15-16-17-19
were made in June and July of 1927.
12 is his first handstand pose, about mid-1925, before he learned the difference between
"just standing" and genuine hand balancing.
14 shows a lucky shot of his one-hand balance after five months of practicing--December,
1926.
20 is the first picture ever made of the thumbs balance, 3-6-1927
10 he is being supported by his sister, Jeannette.
61
62
All photographs on the preceding page were made in the North; those in the upper group
were made before the auto crash of 9-11-1933 which put Bob "out of circulation" for
nearly a year. The lower group shows his interests since that accident.
21-22, flying acrobat.
23-26, Bob has jumped, but these are shots he made of some friends.
27, gliding; he helped build the craft.
28, a passenger with his Graflex in this crash, he lost a tooth.
29, as taught by Prof. Paulinetti.
30, as a wrestling referee (over 550 professional bouts) with then World’s Champion
Jimmy Londos; Camden, N. J., 1932.
31, 9-11-1933--result: both forearms broken, right thigh broken twice and badly shattered,
ten teeth knocked out, 58 days on a fracture bed, and eight months on crutches and hiplength brace!
32-33, the first shots on the Indian clubs, West Creek, N. J., 4-24-1928.
34, the thumbs again, by Scott, Philadelphia, in September, 1928.
35-36, made in December, 1928, show his "before accident" condition, at 138 lbs.
37, sixty days AFTER the wreck.
38, July, 1934, 154 lbs.; just out of the brace, with upper body in best condition of his
entire life.
39, November, 1936, at 147 lbs.
40-44, various pix around 1937-8; 41-42-43 show shoulder flexibility to illustrate a
"muscle-bound" article in the January, 1939, STRENGTH & HEALTH.
45, made about the same time as Fig. 38, shows the poor condition of the right leg.
46, June, 1938--the Professor’s last visit to Philadelphia.
47, Strongman Day, at Court of All Nations, N. Y. Fair, 5-26-1940. Photo by Ray Van
Cleef.
48-49, with Ginger Lawler, at the Bridgeport, Conn., "Y", 4-2-1938.
50-51, were learned in 1928, but Bob "never got around" to photographing them until
early in 1943.
63
Chapter 5
MORE ABOUT THE GREAT
By Prof. P.H. Paulinetti
IF you had been one of the goodly number of bank patrons in the lobby of the
Ogontz Avenue branch of the Olney Bank, Philadelphia, one Saturday, you would have
witnessed one concrete example of the value of, say, physical culture. No, I am not going
to talk about someone trimming a bank
robber--it is a story of something almost as
tough, though; it is the story of how a total
stranger got a check of three figures cashed
in a perfectly rational bank.
"I'd like a cashier's check, payable to
the M. & P. Bank, of Pine Bluff, Ark.," said
an average size young man to the teller. The
clerk reached for his check book. "Just a
minute--I wish to pay for it with this check
on an account in your bank, and get the
balance in cash."
This changed the aspect of the
situation somewhat, "I'm sorry," apologized
the teller, examining the check. "This is
good, but we do not know you. Unless
someone identifies you-"
The stranger reached into his coat
pocket, extracted a newspaper clipping,
extended it, The teller looked it over.
"Well?"
"You see the caption of that cartoon,
don't you? Well, watch this." Then, to the
amazement of teller and patrons, the young
fellow quickly kicked up into a handstand on
his thumbs and fingertips. "Watch the
fingers," he admonished. First the little
fingers, then the third, then the middle, and
finally the index fingers he raised, and for
several seconds remained balanced perfectly
on just the two thumbs. It was not necessary
for him to ask for results, "Beg pardon, Mr.
Jones, but how did you say you want this
cashed?"
The story? Well, the young man was
Bob Jones, the thumb balancer, the cashier's
check was for his account in his home bank,
64
and
the
newspaper
clipping was from the
New York Evening Post-one of Robert L. Ripley's
"Believe It or Not"
cartoons.
And
this
particular one featured a
sketch of a hand balancer
on his thumbs on Indian
clubs, captioned, "Robert
L. Jones, Pine Bluff, Ark.,
can stand on his thumbs
on Indian clubs."
Bob tells me that,
from thenceforth, every
time he went into that
bank he was greeted with,
"Hello, Mr. Thumbs; how
are they today?"
For quite a while I
have carried a small
snapshot of Bob on his
thumbs on the clubs; it
comes in handy to prove
statements now and then.
For instance, several years
ago I walked into
Bothner's Gym in New
York, just as an argument
was running a good
temperature,
"Here's
Paulinetti," yelled one of
the boys as I entered the
door, "he can settle this
once and for all. Say,
Professor, we've been
arguing
that
there's
nothing new in hand
balancing, and for once
this whole gang of
acrobats and gymnasts is about to agree on something. Right, ain't it?"
"Yes," I answered, "it is not."
The whole works literally ganged me, so, as soon as they came up for air and gave
me a chance to say something, I began: "Suppose I say that there is something new in
hand balancing, and very new, at that. Then what?"
65
Ben
Belclair, the
famous
hand-to-hand
understander,
was
my
questioner,
and
this
statement was too much for
him. "Suppose," I continued,
"that I tell you of a
performer who can put his
thumb and finger tips on ten
Indian clubs, and press up to
a balance. Would you
believe that?"
"Why, yes."
"And then would you
believe that he takes up six
fingers and remains balanced
on just the two thumbs and
two index fingers? Would
you believe that?"
Ben
looked
thoughtful a minute, closed
the three outer fingers of his
hands, extended the thumbs
and forefingers, and looked
at them thoughtfully. "Not
very much; not much,"
"Then I am sure you
would not believe that he
holds this position at ease,
then takes up both index
fingers and remains balanced
on just the two thumbs
alone."
"I should say I
wouldn't
believe
it,
Professor. For the luvvapete,
old timer, don't be drinking
any more of that stuff that
makes you think such crazy
things."
The other fifteen or eighteen of the group were gathered around by this time,
practically pop-eyed. Ben got that way, too, at my next move. "All right," I said, "here's
proof." I took from my pocket three snapshots, showing the positions on thumbs alone,
thumbs and index fingers, and on all ten digits. "Just look them over, boys--and they are
made outdoors, too--not in a studio where a supporting wire could be hidden." (Page 62,
66
Figs 32-33.)
They passed them around, didn't have much to say. Then Ben asked a question: "I
can see how he balances on four points, or even three-thumbs and one index finger--but
I've got you here: on the thumbs alone, how does he press for a balance?"
He still thought there was something phoney somewhere. "Ben," I asked, "did you
ever do a head balance? Balance from the knees, don't you? Well, the same works here,
except that it is far more difficult because the leverage is much less favorable. Look it
over again, and think sharp."
He gazed intently at the thumbs alone pose for several seconds. Then: "I see;
you're right. But, damme, I'd never thought there could be anything new in the game after
all these years. Still, I want to see this bird before I swallow too much of it."
The next summer Bob was in New York while the Belclairs were playing
Palisades Park, over in Jersey, so he went over to see the act, then backstage to meet Ben.
Right off the bat Belclair asked about the thumbs stuff, and seemed surprised when Bob
said, "Sure, any time, any place. I don't need special props or lights," and upended on the
floor, One-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight, and all his fingers were lifted. The
balance was on the thumbs alone. Ben saw, believed.
"Say, young fellow, how about meeting me over at Bothner's some day--wanta
introduce you to the boys."
A few days later Ben and Bob walked into Bothner's together, Ben accosted the
crowd: "Say, gang, how'd you like to see a fellow do a handstand on just his thumbs, like
Paulinetti was telling about last time up here?"
"Where yuh gonna git 'im?"
"Well, if you are really anxious I can get him pretty quick."
"We' re anxious."
Turning to his friend, Belclair nodded his okeh. Bob, without removing his coat,
upended and did the trick and Ben reported that the boys had bulging eyes for a week.
Then, of course, Bob had to climb out of his coat, roll up his sleeves, and show more of
his stuff-the index fingers only floor dip, one thumb floor dip, middle fingers only floor
dip, handstand on three fingers of each hand, half-arm planche on thumb and fingertips of
one hand, his routine of flexible finger exercises, and so on. "It's like anything else-diligent practice, plus concentration and much thought, get results."
"Believe it or Not" has featured Bob's index fingers floor dip, his three fingers
hand balance, and the thumb stand, the last named, both in the papers and in several
books. "Rip" saw Bob on the thumbs feats in New York, and didn't waste any time getting
him in India ink. Being a Paulinetti pupil gave Bob a fine polish to his work.
Added Note (Oct. 1, 1945)-Robert L. Jones.
Please understand that no claim is made that I balance on the clubs ON the floor-the balance is accomplished on the clubs, on a space flattened down to a diameter of 1 1/8
inch (slightly smaller than a 50¢ coin) and without any artificial support. But the two
clubs for the thumbs are bolted solidly to the base of the apparatus; otherwise, the
weaving to maintain balance would topple the clubs at the very first attempt to regain lost
position. In theory it is possible to weave so delicately for balance that the clubs would
not be upset, but actual practice is something else. With three clubs (or more) to afford a
67
balancing plane for wrist action balancing, it would be infinitely less difficult--similar to
Joe Branco's feat (Page 120, Pose 32, which he now does on six bricks instead of four).
The 1934 "has never been duplicated" caption on Page 64 no longer applies, for,
since it was written, a few other gymnasts have done the balance after a fashion. But only
Jewell Waddell (professionally, Gene Jackson--Pages 122 and 124, Poses 53 and 106)
and I ever mounted it on supports of any height--and both of us have the "thumbs" clubs
bolted down solidly. Even so, they still wobble a bit, and increase the difficulty of
balancing.
68
Chapter 6
Those Hand Balancing Hands
By Robert L. Jones
THE subject of exercises and feats for the hands is one that has been well covered
from time to time in the past, and in approaching it I realize that something of a problem
is ahead; however, I shall endeavor to pass lightly over the various and much presented
phases of the subject and spend more time in giving you a few things in the way of
exercises and feats of strength, dexterity, and suppleness in the hands that are more or less
"something new under the sun."
Let us first consider the hand shake--one of the great institutions still left to us by
our forefathers. Tradition has it that this method of greeting another was instituted ages
ago as a means by which one might be enabled to "size up" the strength of his new
acquaintance and, accordingly, his danger as a possible opponent. No longer does it serve
in its original purpose, but, nevertheless, to the student of mankind it continues to be a
betrayer of much of the physical and mental condition and nature of party behind the hand
being grasped. We find fellows who give the hand a gentle little squeeze (as if afraid of
hurting it) and let go pronto, while, on the other hand, we find some who grab another's
hand and "sit down on it" with everything they have, as if trying to reduce said hand to
hamburger. Then one sometimes encounters a poor excuse who pokes out his hand,
69
mutters "Pleas ta meet cha," and lets you do all the work. He acts as if paralyzed from the
shoulder down, and the faraway "wish-I-was-in-Dixie" look in his eyes does not detract
from the illusion. One is glad to release the hand in such an introduction, for, honest to
goodness, there's a "darn" sight more kick in shaking "hands" with Fido. Finally, we come
to the ideal--the chap who, regardless of his strength, gives your hand a good, firm clasp-enthusiastic enough to make you realize his power, gentlemanly enough not to cause
apprehension or anguish--and lets it go at that. Right off the reel one is inclined to like
that sort of man.
Among your acquaintances, you must know several men of each type, and,
doubtless, among the men you know who possess strong grips you know some from
several walks of life. You may, perhaps, even wonder how it happens that some have
strong hands apparently without reason--office men, for instance. But you must remember
that of the entire muscular system the forearms are about the last to deteriorate, and many
of the "white-collar" men who have good grips apparently without reason have, in the
past, done some form of work or have partaken of some type of athletics or exercise that
gave them a wonderful forearm in addition to other development, and after years of inside
life all that remains of their once good development is their forearm strength.
Some lines of work naturally develop wonderful hand strength, particularly the
work of bricklayer, railroad brakeman, etc. We also find good hands on men who have
followed some classes of athletics--rowing, weightlifting, bar workers, hand balancers,
etc. Of course, some specialists in hand and finger work have done amazing stuff--coin
bending, finger lifting, finger pulling, grip chinning, and so on--all of which has been
discussed at length before. So it will suffice to say that at coin bending John Marx and
Cyclops led the field, with the latter ranking first. Warren L. Travis holds the world's
record for two-finger lift, at 881¼ pounds, and Frank Olender (162 pounds) holds the
one-finger record, at 602 pounds. Prof. Adrian Schmidt is the best at finger pulling, etc.,
and Charles Shaffer is one of the top-notchers at grip-chinning. Of course, the old reliable
stunts of tearing a pack or more of cards or tearing catalogs with the hands no longer
cause any comment, so often are the feats performed. This seems to be about enough talk
for an introduction, so let us presume that we have before us someone who desires to
improve the strength and usefulness of his hands. Forthwith, he requests exercises for
improving his grip, and they are legion. The most popular and best known are the old
reliable winding up a weight attached to a string on a piece of broomstick, grasping a
light dumb-bell by one end and working the other in a circular motion, holding a sheet of
newspaper by one corner and, while keeping the hand at arms' length from the shoulder
and the elbow straight, pull the paper up with the fingers and crumple it into a tight ball,
and the Zottman exercise of curling two dumbbells in circles across the front, meanwhile
bending the wrists in circles. One not so much promoted is that of making up a chinning
bar of small diameter and chinning while holding the bar by the fingers instead of
gripping it with the entire hand. After a little practice, one can work up to the point of
chinning with one finger of each hand, with a consequent improvement in his grip.
70
Another, and one I
used much in the
past and liked very
much, consists of
hanging a weight
from one end of a
rope run through a
pulley
overhead;
then the fingers are
hooked one at a time
in a loop in the other
end of the rope and
the weight pulled up
and down. Allow the
weight to lower until
the arm is straight
overhead, and pull it
until the hand is
below the shoulder. This exercise is similar to finger lifting but I prefer it for the beginner
because it permits more working of the muscles. As the hand comes down below the
shoulder, the wrist must be bent inward to keep the loop on the finger, and a
corresponding amount of exertion is thrown on the muscles on the back of the forearm
that are not ordinarily involved in finger lifting, or in bringing the hand no lower than the
shoulder in this exercise.
All these exercises involve principally a matter of strength in the muscular and
tendon make-up of the hands and fingers, and can be classed as gripping (or lifting) or
contractile strength. We must consider that, just as in other parts of the body, the hands,
too, have another type of strength involving more ability in the bone and ligament
assembly. This might be called supporting, or resisting strength. To make the point clear,
71
let me illustrate by comparing the former class with the type of strength possessed by a
man who can do deep knee bends with three or four hundred pounds across his shoulders,
and the latter type with the chap who can support, but not lift, half a picnic on his feet
while lying on his back. This brings us to another exercise of which I am very fond, and
one I have used very considerably--increasing the supporting strength of the hands,
particularly the fingers, by performing the floor dip on the fingertips rather than on the
flat hand. Try it first with the tips of the thumbs as well as the fingers on the floor; then as
soon as the fingers feel capable use only the four fingers, and still later use three fingers,
or even two fingers, as shown in the series in Figure 2. It is possible to perform the
exercise using the thumbs only, the middle fingers only (Figure 4), the index fingers only
(Page 61, Fig. 6), or one thumb of one hand (Figure 3). These last three are very difficult,
and are not to be learned over the weekend. They require not only considerable strength,
but also something in the way of resistance to pain, plus some sense of balance-particularly the one-arm dip on one thumb.
Now if you are also interested in balancing, the next number on the program is to
try a handstand on the thumb and fingertips, just as you began the dipping exercise. Try
first supporting yourself between two tables in order to determine whether the fingers will
support your weight, then kick up into balance against a wall. The trouble with most who
try this is that they spread the fingers too much and as a result crumple. The thumb and
fingers should be in about the same relation as the thumb and index finger in Figure 6.
The weight is carried principally on the thumbs, with just enough overbalance forward on
the fingers to make the balance steady. As soon as you find balancing in this position not
too difficult, attempt to take a few steps--it isn’t so extremely difficult once you learn to
balance. Nor is it so hard to balance on the thumb, first and second fingers of each hand
after learning this first position, because these three members really do almost all the
work anyway. The balance in these positions and the dip on two fingers (first and second)
of each hand are seen occasionally, but the dips on index or middle fingers or one thumb
are rarely seen, as are the balances now to be taken up.
Refer to Figure 6 and note that the balance is held upon four points--two fingers
and two thumbs. This position is rated as extremely difficult, which it is. There are two
methods of getting into it: getting a balance on all fingers and raising the second, third,
and fourth fingers of each hand, and going directly into the balance by kicking up on the
four points mentioned. The position can be held indefinitely.
72
Another balance not frequently seen is that shown in Figure 8--three fingers of
each hand. This position must be approached directly--just place the tips of the required
fingers on the floor and start kicking. Of late I have been successful in performing the
slow push into balance in this position, but it is too difficult to do offhand, because of the
delicate sense of balance required in addition to the finger strength. At first glance one
would rate this balance less difficult than that on the thumbs and index fingers, but such
is not the case. In this position the balancing area is fully an inch shorter from front to
back than in the latter position, and the weight is also carried higher from the floor,
because the fingers are longer than the thumb. Also, in the thumb and finger position the
balance is natural; that is, the weight is carried well back with just enough forward to
make the balance firm, while in the three fingers balance the opposite is true, the weight
being carried well forward on the first and second fingers, with just enough back on the
third fingers to balance. Again we must consider that even these two strong fingers just
mentioned do not have the supporting power of the shorter, stockier thumb. Now just a
little hint if you want to try this stunt--do not place the fingers down with the third finger
directly behind the first and the second straight out at the side. Place the first two almost
in line (the middle finger being not more than an inch behind the index) and the third
finger as far back as is comfortable. This makes the position much more easily held
because the weight can be balanced as just explained.
Two more good hand positions are shown in Figures 2-H-J. You ought to be able
to do the dip satisfactorily, especially in the latter position, while a handstand is possible
in each, but very difficult in the former.
If you are something of an adept at the balancing game by this time, you might
find it interesting to try the half-arm planche on the thumb and fingertips of one hand, as
in Figure 5; but you will most likely have to practice a little bit before perfecting the
stunt.
Speaking of balancing on the fingers only without the aid of the thumbs reminds
me of a letter a friend wrote me some time ago. He reported seeing in a small Southern
theatre a Japanese performer attempt a hand stand using only the first and second fingers
of each hand. He wrote that the fellow didn’t make any howling success of holding it, but
let me tell you, if that chap even managed to get into the position only to descend at once,
he was doing a good one, because all the difficulties explained in reference to the three
fingers balance apply to this position in a much intensed manner.
Let's now return to the balance shown in Figure 6, using both thumbs and both
index fingers, four points in all. Remember in geometry that three points determine a
plane? Well, let's just remain balanced and take up one index finger, remaining balanced
on both thumbs and one finger. This position while hard on the underpinnings and very
delicate as to balance, can be held indefinitely, but it is not as difficult as the balance
using both index fingers and one thumb. This latter is a three-point position also, but is
more difficult due to the weight on one hand being carried by the finger instead of the
stronger thumb, and cannot be held very long.
The best balance of the list is that shown in Figure 7, using just the thumb of each
hand. It is performed by taking Figure 6, then raising one forefinger as just explained.
Finally, after obtaining a good balance on the three remaining points, raise the remaining
index finger. Of course, as only two points are in contact with the floor, it is not possible
73
74
to remain in position indefinitely. About two or three seconds is the average time the
position is held, although at times I have been able to find a dead balance and remain
balanced a few seconds longer.
As for the benefits and development to be derived from the exercises given, and
particularly the fingers bridging in dipping and balancing, I refer you to the three poses in
Figure 1, showing the development acquired by the writer during the course of
considerable time spent along the lines mentioned. Note that the exercises followed have
made their effect noticeable not only in the muscles but also in the tendons of the arm,
both on the front and back of the wrist. Nor has any stiffness or loss of control of the hand
resulted--on the contrary, the opposite is the case, and I find using a typewriter, etc., and
performing the little tricks now to be explained even easier, because of this type of
exercise.
So here are a few tests of suppleness, dexterity, and control for you to try while
resting from the foregoing strenuous exercises. Try this: relax the wrist, then with the
other hand force the little finger down until the end touches the wrist, next the third
finger, and follow with the middle finger. Almost everyone can make it this far, but, when
one tries to make the forefinger touch the wrist, business picks up. It is also difficult (but
not so much so) to pull the thumb down until it touches the wrist. Some very few persons
can force the thumb or fingers down backwards until they touch the back of the wrist, but
they are not often met with, and generally are of even less than average strength of hands
and wrists.
Here is a nifty little trick for use anywhere: Hold the hand back up and place an
ordinary rubber band over the little finger. Give it one complete turn and place the other
end over the thumb and well down toward the wrist, the band, of course, lying over the
back of the hand as in Figure 9, Position 6. Problem: remove the band without using the
other hand, the teeth, or rubbing the hand against anything; in other words, remove it
without the assistance of anything other than the hand itself. Shaking, jerking, and
twisting the hand (and making faces--just watch 'em) are fair, but not necessary or even
helpful. The system is to pull the band up to the first joint of the thumb with the middle
finger, over that with the index finger, and then with the middle finger pull it up the
thumb until the tip of the index finger can be hooked under enough to lift the band up and
allow the thumb to be withdrawn. Be careful not to lift too high or else the band will slide
down the finger and be in as bad a "fix" as when on the thumb. Once the thumb is
extracted, the finger is dropped until the band slips off the end of it and remains only on
the little finger. It is possible (but much harder) to roll the band completely off the end of
the thumb, alternately rolling, holding and reaching back for a new hold with the index
and middle fingers. This is a nifty stunt to test your dexterity, and once you learn it you
can have much fun with your friends who try to shake the band off.
Finally, just in case you want a rest from the strenuous work so far discussed, the
little routine shown in Figure 9 is recommended to your attention. It is purely a test of
dexterity, and goes like this: hold the hand in the normal open position, fingers together
and thumb at its usual position at the side. Then forget about the thumb, for it plays no
part in the program. Your fingers should now be in Position 1 (all positions refer to
Figure 9). Now separate them between the second and third fingers, coming to Position 2,
and alternate from one position to the other several times. Next try shifting from Position
75
1 to Position 3, leaving the second and third fingers stationary and pulling the index and
little fingers away. Almost anyone can do these two exercises, but the next one is a
Jonah--take Position 4 with the index finger held away from the others, which are
together. Then, without moving either it or the third or little fingers, move the middle
finger back and forth from this Position, 4, to Position 2, against the index finger. The
next position is the same exercise, only with the third finger, and is still more interesting.
Take Position 5, and by moving only the third finger alternate between it and Position 2.
Again, leaving the second and third fingers stationary and moving the first and little
fingers in the same direction together, alternate Positions 4 and 5. Finally (and here's
where you get a diploma) take Position 3, and without moving the outside fingers at all
alternate between that Position and Position 2 by action of the second and third fingers.
These exercises require no particular strength or suppleness, but as for dexterity, oh, boy!
They are, however, worth learning because of the fun of watching one who can't do them
making a "stab" at trying.
You may not care to learn the advanced finger exercises shown, but, nevertheless,
you will find it well worth your time and effort to give the exercises mentioned a little of
your attention, for the increase in your hand, wrist, and forearm strength will more than
repay you for your effort; and should you progress to the point of perfecting any of the
balances or dips illustrated, you would have a feat performed by very few and would be in
a class with but little competition.
76
Chapter 7
THE HAND BALANCE HOW AND WHY
By Robert L. Jones
THERE is as much difference between performing a hand balance and merely
standing on the hands as there is between juggling a broom on the palm of the hand, and
grasping it firmly with fingers and thumb and holding it vertically. In fact, that is the
difference, for the person who balances in either feat is working scientifically and
correctly, using a minimum of effort, while the chap who uses main strength and
awkwardness to hold himself (or the broomstick) in position is making a laborious task of
something that legitimately should be something else.
A hand balance is just that--balancing on the hands. In performing the feat one
places the skeleton in such position that only a very slight amount of effort on the part of
the muscles is required to keep it in the same relative position, one part to the rest,
constantly; meanwhile, certain muscles are called into play to maintain the entire unit in
proper relation to the supporting body, or floor. But it is very easy, and I might say that it
seems to be very normal, for the student to try to make a strength feat of it, literally
holding himself in the air on his hands, as long as his strength lasts. It usually is not such
a record breaking spell of time, either.
There are four phases to the ordinary balance on the two hands: the starting
position, circling to the hands, the correct position on the hands, and the business of
staying in that position. Get all four of them right, and you have the battle won; get the
first three, and the struggle is almost over, inasmuch as it is not so difficult to learn the
correct system of balancing once you get the idea of getting into the proper position for
balancing.
You will note that I gave as Number Two item, circling to the hands. I did not say
"diving" or "reaching" or "jumping" or "climbing." This is the most important point of the
four, because if you master the idea of it, you can correct any trouble caused by a poor
starting position; again, if you perform this phase of the routine properly, it automatically
brings you onto your hands in the correct position for holding balance, and makes it very
easy for you to follow through with proper wrist (balancing) action. Let us look at Fig. 3 a
moment. This is a posed (time exposure) photo showing the relative position of the body
just an instant before the hands touch the floor. Note this most important point: the hips
are carried somewhat backward, so that they are behind the supporting foot; this permit’s
the counterweight of the extended left leg to balance the body perfectly over the right
foot, and makes it possible to PLACE the hands on the floor near the right foot (finger
tips about 12 inches ahead of toes, depending on how much you have to bend the
supporting knee in order to reach the floor comfortably) with the arms straight at the
elbow AND strictly perpendicular to the floor. There is no suggestion of diving forward
to the hands, or of even so much as overbalancing slightly and tipping over; there is no
trace of the hands being reached forward as if chasing an elusive dollar bill in a
windstorm. The hands are permitted to come to rest upon the floor at such point as the
weight of the arms causes them to fall; from the starting position, with the arms at the
sides, the body has been inclined forward (the hips meanwhile being carried slightly back
77
to maintain the balance on the supporting foot) and the arms have been let hang loosely,
but straight, until the hands reach the floor. Now, just as the hands reach the floor, the
swing of the left foot continues uninterrupted and a slight lift is given from the right foot;
the left continues in a long arc until it carries overhead and somewhat in advance of the
head (depending on amount of back flexibility you have) and the right foot comes up
slowly at just such a pace as to catch up with its mate at the instant that one comes to a
stop in the final correct position.
To go back to the correct starting position, now, look at Figure 2. Chest up, head
up, arms at sides, hands held back at the wrists, and turned just slightly outward, so that
the index fingers point approximately straight ahead. Bend forward briskly but smoothly
from the hips, and as soon as you do so, start the left foot in a smooth swing, knee
straight, back; carry the hips back slightly, exactly as in Figure 3, continue as just
instructed, and you come to the correct hand balancing position, Figure 4.
Now let's review a minute. We start in Figure 2, weight on forward foot, and keep
it there, lifting the other as soon as we start the body forward. Do not wait to reach Figure
3 to lift the back foot, or you will have a lot of bad luck. And note that the swinging leg is
kept as straight as possible; you are not trying to kick your hip pocket; this is a long leg
swinging proposition. Now, when the right foot leaves the floor, get the knee straight at
once, but bring the leg up overhead slowly. If you rush it up, and make it catch the other
one before the full forward position is reached, you will almost invariably cause yourself
to fall back to the floor. And another thing--the left leg goes all the way forward, then the
78
right comes all the way to it. They should reach the final position simultaneously. Do not
make the mistake of swinging the first one over correctly, then bring it back part-way to
meet its mate, as has happened in Figure 5. Right away you get into hot water, because
(still as in Figure 5) with the legs in this position you have to reach forward with the
shoulders to remain in the stand. This and the remaining seven poses are just so many
crude handstands; Figure 4 is an honest-to-Moses hand balance.
You will notice, by comparing 3 with 4, that the head, arms and shoulders are in
the identical relative positions in both poses, showing that in passing from the foot-andhands-on-floor stage to the balancing position, the entire body is simply up-ended over
the shoulders, exactly as you would up-end a heavy box onto a bench. Your arms
correspond to the bench legs; your body to the box. In each instance, the supporting
members remain in the same position, it is the weight to be supported that is moved
about.
So much, then, for the actual principle and practice of proceeding from the erect
position on the feet to the correct position on the hands. This method as offered is the best
and easiest way of learning the correct balance, although it is entirely possible to learn via
the press up or the kick up from sprinter's starting position. Personally, I learned in the
latter way, then got the press up, and only after coming under the influence of Prof.
Paulinetti did I see the light of this best of all systems, which he has long advocated.
79
AFTER you get the balance
well, then you can play around
with other styles, the more the
merrier. But either the kick-up
from the sprinter's position or
the press-up, (usually from
knees-on-elbows
balance)
almost
invariably
and
inevitably results in a poor
balancing position, as in
Figure 6, with the shoulders
forward, feet back, and a
position like about ten cents'
worth of a planche. If you
want ever to do anything more
advanced than simply stand on
your hands, you will have to
learn to get into position 3 and
to stay there steadily.
It is good to begin by
practicing the leg swing (Fig.
3) in this way, in order to learn
and
master
the
highly
important matter of carrying
the hips back as the leg is
swung. If the hips are not carried back, you can NOT balance down to place your hands
on the floor; you must dive, or at least fall, and as a result either reach far out with the
hands, or if you do keep them in the correct relation to the feet, do so by reaching back
with them and slanting the arms forward as in Figs. 5 and 6. If you reach out, it means
hammered wrists and requires far more force to get you in the correct position, 3; if you
topple forward slightly, but manage to reach back and get the hands near the feet as they
should be placed, your arms will be slanting as mentioned, and as a result you will have
to stop the legs prematurely in a poor position, as mentioned, or else, as they reach about
the position in Fig. 5 (but before you flex the hips to keep erect) you will be able to save
the attempt by pulling the shoulders well back from Fig. 6 position to Fig. 4. BUT this is
advanced balancing, if done correctly; if attempted at this early stage you will find that
you can save things by weaving the shoulders, and will come to depend upon that style of
balancing, which is very incorrect, instead of wrist action (to be explained shortly) which
is proper.
Make up your mind to do the thing right from scratch; learn to start properly, to
swing (circle) in a balance, and to finish on your hands as in Fig. 4--arms straight,
perpendicular, head up, back arched completely, knees straight and together, toes pointed,
feet in advance of the head (more or less, depending on your back's flexibility, as already
discussed). The back must be arched fully each time, otherwise your angle of arms to
body will vary, and you will be continually "lost" as to position. The arms, correctly, are
80
always perpendicular; the more the back bend you have, the lower the feet, the farther
forward they will be, and the higher the head.
IMPORTANT: Use all your back bend while learning. Later, you can readily
convert to the almost straight-back style, Page 79, Fig. 9, which is best for hand-to-hand
work, and which is also favored by German Turners and the usual physical education
instructors for single balancing. But get into it correctly, by straightening the small of the
back and NOT by leaving it well arched and just pulling the legs forward at the hips as on
Page 79, Fig. 5 (or 13!). This so-called "continental" style--see Page 124, Pose 96--is
difficult for the chap whose back is not naturally quite stiff. The necessary small-of-theback action is described at the end of Chapter 9.
Practice the leg swing by standing on one foot (I use the right; you may prefer
either it or the left, it makes no difference. If you use the left, then reverse all instructions
where right or left is mentioned) and holding the other out behind, and bending over just
as in Fig. 3 to place the hands on the floor lightly. Keep trying until you can do it
LIGHTLY: then pep up the action until you are actually swinging through the circle
instead of just balancing around slowly. Once you get the hang of it, you can go a step
farther by swinging a bit harder, then just as the hands are placed on the floor, kick ever
so easily from the supporting foot. Do not try to do a hand balance, or bring it up to the
other one; merely bounce up a few inches, with the weight entirely on the hands, then
allow yourself to return to the floor, and the kicking foot back to its original starting
point. Next time swing a little harder, and kick a little harder, and up you go. Have a
friend stand beside you to catch your feet as they come over the Figure 4, or else work
before a wall, placing the fingertips about 24 to 30 inches from it so that when you reach
Figure 4 they are just barely touching the wall. In either event, it is very desirable to have
a friend stand well to the side, in order to tell
you when your arms are strictly upright.
Should you practice on the floor, a
mat, grass, sand? Work on a soft place only
until you get the "hang" of placing the hands
down instead of diving forward and
hammering them against the floor; then work
on a hard, firm surface--the bare floor. The
softer the support--mat, grass, soft earth, or
loose sand--the more difficult it is to feel your
balance. A one-hand balance is very difficult
on loose sand, even though you may be able to
do it well on the floor.
One final return to the starting
position--note Fig. 2, weight on forward foot.
Bingo! you just go for the trick without any
waltzing around. But if you stand as in Fig. 1,
weight on back foot, there are all kinds of
temptations to take a long step back with the
forward foot before swinging the other one for
the balance, and this, as Amos Jones (no
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relative) would say, is bad. Be sure to let the arms hang
comfortably at the sides; do not hold them overhead, or
forward, else you will invariably dive and slam into the
floor and damage your wrists and disposition, but as far
as learning to balance is concerned, go nowhere fast.
The wrists will generally "complain" a bit at being
forced to bend backward as far as the correct right angle
(90 degrees) without punishing them needlessly by
reaching forward and bending them still more, as in Figs.
5, 6 and 7--or Mr. Mering's planche, Page 103, Fig. 5,
which is the most wrist action I have ever seen in
balancing. Usually, when you do a forward reach, you
turn the fingers well out to the sides, with the thumbs
pointing ahead--palm to palm style, as when using
parallel bars. This relieves the wrist strain, BUT it makes
balancing more difficult (if on a flat surface). See Pages
11 and 25, Positions 7-a-b-c and 19-a-b-c-d.
Let's look again at some "don'ts" as to position.
Stiffening up and reaching for the ceiling, Figures 5 and
9, we have mentioned; also reaching forward and making
a planche of it, Figure 6. Now look at just the opposite
condition--Figure 8. This is not often encountered, but
now and then I run across a chap who makes the old
reliable barbell exercise, the two arms pull over, out of it.
The arms want to be straight and also perpendicular--they
support the weight by keeping the bones in proper
position under the body. Slant them forward or backward, and you make them lift the
body, which is not at all what we want. Figure 7 is another unhealthy mistake. Try
standing on one foot, then swing one arm around; or balance on one toe or both toes, and
nod your head suddenly, and see what happens. You lose your balance, and that is exactly
what happens if you are on your hands and start wiggling around, especially at the head.
Hold the head up all the way, and keep it there. Let it drop a bit, and down you will come.
The balancing is done entirely in the wrists, just as when standing on the feet it is
maintained by ankle action.
So far we have covered the start, the circle, and the desired position; all that
remains is to remain in that ideal state. Suppose we approach the correct system of
balancing by the process of elimination. Having seen so many beginners, and having
taught so many of them these past ten years, I can make some mighty close guesses as to
just what the new student will try to do. Let us presume you are on your hands, exactly as
in Figure 4, which leaves nothing to be desired for position. You start to fall, so what?
No, you do NOT shoot the shoulders forward, as in Fig. 6 (in case you are coming back
down to the feet) or backward as in Fig. 8 (in the event you feel yourself toppling over
forward. The forward and backward motion is called weaving, and is shown by double
exposure in Fig. 12; note how the feet remain about in one place, and the head and
shoulders are moved back and forth in attempting to balance.) Nor do you shrug the
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shoulders up and down, reaching for the ceiling with the feet, then dropping back, as in
Figure 10 (notice the head and feet, which show the up and down action). Waving the
legs from the knees is not good taste, either (Fig. 11) or doing a sort of Gilda Grey from
the hips, as in old Figure 5 again.
All these are blunders of the beginner, or the "expert" who can "stand on his
hands." Such tyro follows the natural tendency to depend on the balancing organs in the
ears--which in the hand balance position are so close to the point of support (fulcrum of
balance) that they function too tardily to permit anything better than the crudest "wobblestand" on two hands. Unfortunately, the stronger the beginner, the worse he offends in
this respect. Generally, it is as easy to teach the correct hand balance to a 10-year-old
child as to a husky chap who can press bodyweight. He insists on holding his weight on
his hands, and juggling it for balance; the kiddie has to take the correct position--and stay
there. To learn the balancing details is then not very difficult. The strongman, though, has
first to learn position before he is ready to take up the problem of balancing.
The correct balancing "organ" is the palm of the hand, which must learn to feel the
balancing point as it shifts forward and backward--it is precisely the sensation of
balancing a heavy plank on the flat hands at arms’ length overhead. The "feel" of the onehand balance is exactly that of a waiter’s hand in balancing a heavy tray of dishes on one
hand. (In certain advanced balances--on rings, trapeze, wire, ball bearing bar, etc., as on
Pages 118-119, you concentrate on the swaying of the feet to determine shifting balance.)
The best the "ear balancer" will ever do is a bent elbow position, worse than Fig. 6
maintained by combining all the bad features of Figs. 10-11-12 and perhaps Page 87, Fig.
3-X, or even Page 85, Fig. 6. It is impossible to learn the straight stand (Page 92, Fig. 17)
or the free head balance as long as you depend on the nerves in the internal ear to
determine the state of your balance. The initiate never discovers this until he tries to
progress above the most elementary handstand (I do not say "hand balance") and he needs
not concern himself with it if he has no desire to do more than "stand on his hands." Such
a "hand stander" would naturally think that the normal balancing organs control hand
balancing as well as orthodox standing and walking…but he would be woefully wrong.
Understand, it is possible to maintain a balance of sorts by any of these systems,
but they are all in the nature of last resort crutches, to be used only as a last resort, and
discarded as soon as the emergency is passed. As already advised, do not toy with them at
this stage of the game; doing so will postpone your mastery of the balance to a
considerable degree. Learn first to balance properly; then learn the what and why of these
crutches, which is this: If you are a bit slow in catching your balance via wrist action, and
are unable to make a save, then, and only then is it permissible to weave the shoulders or
wave the legs to catch the balance. And once you make the save, pull yourself back to the
correct Figure 4, and return the center of balancing to the wrists. You must be particularly
careful to avoid the fault of losing the balance backward, then shifting the shoulders
forward (Fig. 6) to save it, then leaving them there while you return to wrist action, only
to lose it back again, shift forward once more in the shoulders, and keep on repeating this
routine until you get so far forward your strength is insufficient to maintain the semiplanche position, and you tumble. If you use a weave or wave to save a fall, immediately
use the same action in the opposite direction to pull bark to par, scratch or what-you-will-Figure 4.
83
Chapter 8
Pressing Up Into A Handstand
By Robert L. Jones
THE easiest press-up is that from the well known knees-on-elbows position,
Figure 1. You just squat, place the hands on the floor about shoulder width apart, fingers
slightly outward, elbows but slightly bent; reach forward with the head and shoulders,
place the knees on the arms just above the elbows, push forward from the toes gently and
you will find that the weight is transferred to the hands, and you can lift the feet from the
floor. Do not try to press up; merely practice a few times at maintaining the balance in
this position. (IMPORTANT: in doing a hand balance, the best position is with hands
turned until the index fingers point straight ahead. But in the press ups, a more outward
turn of the hands is desired, with the index fingers pointing just slightly outward from
dead ahead, and the hands being placed a bit more advantageously for pressing. A still
further advantage is that many presses require the forearm to be carried well forward of
the perpendicular, with the result that if the fingers are pointed ahead the wrists object
strenuously to excessive back bending. But by turning the hands well outward--too far,
while easing the wrists, detracts from pressing power--it becomes possible to carry the
elbows well forward of the wrists--as in 1-2-7-8--in complete comfort. Turning the
fingers very far to the sides also weakens the balance considerably, both by shortening the
fore-and-aft balancing plane and by transferring the balance from lengthwise the hand to
across it, from little finger edge to thumb tip. One way of circumventing this trouble is to
do the difficult presses on thumb-and-finger tips, all of which is tough on same. Still
another is to "tip-toe" onto the fingers, raising the heel of the hand from the floor as you
carry the shoulders forward. This is shown in Figure 1l; note the heel of the left hand is
well off the bench, while beneath the right you can see the shadow which indicates the
entire palm is raised from the little finger knuckle back.)
Now, to get back to the business of pressing up: in shifting forward to take the
feet from the floor, keep the arms almost straight and bend the wrists, coming to position
one. It is easier and a bit more natural, I have found, to leave the forearms perpendicular
and take the weight forward by dropping the head and raising the hips well overhead, so
that one gets an arm and shoulder attitude as in Figure 2-wrong, with knees still on
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elbows. This is easier here, and also in removing knees from elbows and getting feet up,
BUT then the fun begins. It takes considerable strength to hold this bent arm position,
keep the face free of the floor, press the feet up, AND THEN push up to the straight arm
balance.
Correctly, we carry the weight a bit forward from Figure one, until we are almost
toppling over, then just by flexing the muscles in the small of the back we remove the
slight hump in Figure 1 and make the back flat as in Figure 2. The hips are still fully
flexed forward; the knees backward. The shoulders are forward, ala planche, AND the
balance is still preserved. Avoid particularly collapsing into Figure 2-wrong, as already
advised. Keep the weight well forward on the fingers; if you slip it back much you will
find yourself going into 2-wrong to try to retain the balance.
From two, continue flexing the small of the back, putting an arch in it, and as this
takes place you find the feet are now well over your hands, albeit still with heels almost
against buttocks. Now, and only now, straighten hips and knees together, SO that feet
carry upward and forward toward the ultimate position with legs and hips straight, back
arched, and feet forward of head. As this takes place you will find your balance going
rapidly forward; now is the time, as you extend the legs upward and ahead, to maintain
the balance, by pulling the shoulders back from the planche attitude to the correct
balancing position, perpendicular, with shoulder directly over wrists. From Figure 3, as
you straighten the legs, make certain to straighten the elbows as well, and you will come
to the final correct balancing position, Figure 4. (You might well compare 4 with 4 of last
chapter; note that that pose shows more back bend, but that each shows correct balance
arms straight and perpendicular. The less back bend, the lower will be the head, but the
shoulders will still be directly over the wrists. The poses for the two articles were made
one month less than eight years apart, the new ones, in trunks, being made November 29,
1936.)
The one great difficulty to be
overcome, once you succeed in, getting
from one to two readily, is to continue
with knees bent fully and hips well flexed
while arching the back and taking the legs
overhead. The great temptation, once you
get the knees off the elbows, is to shoot
the legs out hard and fast back and up into
about a three-quarters planche position,
something like Figure 3-wrong. (This was
posed for a slow photo exposure, and is a
brief, poor balance. In actual practice, you
no sooner shoot the feet back than you
flop fast to the floor, unable to hold the
planche position. Paulinetti, until three or
four years ago, could take Figure 1, then
shoot his feet out back and his shoulders
forward, and easily hold a perfect planche;
a few times, when feeling tip-top, I have
85
been able to do the trick by shortening the leverage slightly through spreading the legs
sideways. But even "faking" it that much, it is extremely difficult; stick to the proper
press-up, and it is a very easy feat.) A minor difficulty is to forget to pull the shoulders
back as the feet go over.
You can practice the press up by reversing--doing a hand balance against the wall
and dipping and pressing back up, all the while resting the feet lightly against the wall.
Later, try it free, dropping the nose to the floor, then pressing back. This can be easy--or
very difficult. Drop almost vertically, touching the floor near the hands, and keeping the
feet well forward, as in Figure 5, and it is much less difficult than if done in planche style,
extending the head far out, and feet far back, as in Figure 6. Notice in six that the feet are
a bit farther back, and the head much farther forward, than in five; also, the shoulders are
considerably more in advance of the hands in six. On all press-ups, the farther forward
you carry the head, the less like a press-up and the more like a planche you make it;
comparing it with lifting a barbell, a correct press-up is like pressing a bar in close to
military style (or if you have considerable back bend, then it is like prone press) but doing
it in planche style is like holding a heavy barbell with the bar at the front of the thighs,
then with elbows straight raising it through a half-circle to overhead--some difference!
A comparatively easy press-up to be practiced now is that from the balance on
hands and head. From Figure 1 drop forward about as in Figure 2-wrong, turn head under
and place top of it on the mat, then press up to a balance, with body almost straight. The
head and hands form a triangle, and the balance is easy. Now arch the back by carrying
the hips back over the hands, leaving the feet over the head; then take most of the weight
on the hands, roll the head until you are on your forehead (almost as the arms-shouldershead in 2-wrong), leave the feet well forward and carry the shoulders back until you can
lift the head and press-up. To drop from hand to head balance, drop as in Figure 5, pull
head under at this point and touch forehead, then roll forward to position, flatten back,
and there you are.
86
87
Important advice on the dip and press-up is to keep the weight forward all the
time, else you will be going out into a planche and tumble. And once you dip and start
back, make certain your weight is far forward an instant BEFORE you start pressing back,
else you will invariably tumble yourself down backward. It is wise to practice the pressups a short distance from a wall, to lend confidence in case of losing the balance forward.
Once you master the simple press-up, Figures 1-2-3-4, you will do well to practice
the exercise handstand. It consists of pressing up, then dropping back to knees-on-elbows
position and repeating the press-up until tired. Do not drop the knees solidly on the
elbows, but merely touch very lightly; keep the weight throughout on the arms, and a little
practice will develop the shoulders marvelously in the right directions.
The press-up with arms straight will shortly become easy (I have them almost in
that style in these illustrations) and you can soon try the stiff leg, bent arm press. It is
more difficult, for the legs come up straight from the hip, and when going from two to
three exert considerable leverage against you. Now it will be necessary to carry the
shoulders farther out and to bend the elbows more, but the greater strength you will have
acquired through proper practice of earlier presses will have given you enough of the
wherewithal to accomplish this one. You start as in Figure 7, except you bend the arms
enough to let you start up; as the feet pass center and start forward, straighten the elbows
and lock them, then bring the arms back to perpendicular.
A very pretty, and rather difficult feat, is the straight arm and leg press-up, Figure
7. Place the hands on the floor, palms turned well out, lean out, out, out with head and
shoulders, rise on toes just as shown, take the weight on the hands, and up you go. The
toughest part is that where the legs are horizontal; it is about a half-first cousin, once
removed, from the planche. From that point, as the feet carry upward and forward to
Figure 4, the shoulders come back to center. You can practice this one by doing a hand
balance, then jack-knife down slowly and place the feet near the hands as in the photo. A
little secret to use in progressing to the
ultimate accomplishment of the feat is to
begin with the feet as far apart sideways
as you can get them; this shortens the
leverage of their weight against the
shoulders.
Figure 8 is shown at this time to
illustrate the proper way of descending
from the hands to the feet in the easiest
way. First, before you start down, press
the fingers enough to lose the balance
very slightly backward--just lean strongly
to the back. At this point spread the legs
in to a split, bringing toward the floor the
foot from which you originally took your
swing to get into the balance. Now, as the
feet come down, try to maintain the
balance by carrying the shoulders
forward, exactly as shown. Thus you do
88
not fall back, rather circle back, exactly the opposite from the kick-up to balance as far as
legs and balance go. The one difference is that in coming down, the shoulders are carried
forward to maintain the balance in slow descent; in kicking up, you swing hard enough to
circle the bodyweight above the shoulder-and-wrist vertical line.
Figure 9 is introduced to dig up a subject which we buried (temporarily) in the
previous chapter on balancing--the shoulder weaving method of balancing. Mind you, the
balance is maintained correctly by wrist action, but there will be times when you lose
control of it there, or, perhaps, find yourself on your hands and not in a solid position.
Under such circumstances, the weaving action comes to the rescue, but, as said in the
other article, if you learn it first, you are handicapped by depending on it all the time.
Remember, the correct balance is in the wrist; if you lose it there, then you can frequently
catch it again by shoulder shifting, BUT once balance is gained, immediately use opposite
shoulder weave to bring the arms back to perpendicular, THEN return the balance to the
wrists.
Figure 9 shows the "save" of what would have been a forward tumble--when the
balance got beyond the fingers, I quickly brought my shoulders far back, so that while my
feet remained far in advance of the correct central position, the center of my bodyweight
had been brought back to a point over the hands. This enabled me to catch the balance
again; then by digging the fingers to throw the weight back, next shifting the shoulders
forward to preserve the balance (instead of relaxing the fingers, had I wanted to stay
balanced in the same extreme position) I was able instantly to return to Figure 4. (Figure
9 here, and also Figure 8 of the last chapter, are similar.) Conversely, had the balance
been lost backward, I could have carried the shoulders forward, exactly as in Figure 3wrong, and caught it; then relaxed fingers, brought shoulders back and feet forward, until
reaching center (Fig. 4) again. (Figures 2-wrong and 3-wrong are so labeled because they
are incorrect for the press-up; but it happens that 3-wrong shows the correct shoulder
forward action to regain balance that has been lost backward. It also shows that in
addition to carrying the shoulders forward, you can, in addition, bend the elbows slightly
and get still further forward motion. But take my word for it that 3-wrong was hard to
hold--very tiring--and had I wanted to stay in a balance, I would have hustled those
shoulders back to Figure 4 in jig time.)
89
Shoulder shifting backward, and shifting forward plus elbow bending, are last
recourse measures, and should be developed and used only as such.
Now we return for a moment to another item discarded last time--the kick-up
from sprinter's starting position, Figure 10.
NOW that you do a good balance, and understand the correct arm position
perpendicular, we shall try it. Take Figure 10, swing the rear leg up and over, exactly
through Figure 3 of last time, leave the arms where they are--just throw the body around
the shoulders as center--and come to the balance, Figure 4. There is a strong temptation to
reach out with the shoulders as you kick; this is not good, and gets you into last article's
(see Page 79) Figures 6 or even 5--very bad. At best, it would carry you to five, and you
would have to bring the shoulders back to center, meanwhile letting the feet forward, to
reach the true position.
Figure 11 shows the press-up from position lying prone on the stomach. Place the
hands at the hips, turned well out, (or on tips of thumbs and fingers, even) stretch out, out
with the head and shoulders, raise the feet and arch the back, press strongly, and press up
through the position shown and on into the hand balance. This is not so difficult for the
chap with a limber back, especially in the upper portion, but for a rather stiff back like
mine, with almost no looseness in the shoulder region, it is an awful workout because it is
actually a planche with but slightly bent arm, about as in the pose. The great difficulty is
to avoid the penchant for bending the elbows and dropping the face to the floor, in which
case you are locked for fair. From the position shown continue the legs up and gradually
forward, and at the same time keep the arms almost straight and carry the shoulders up
and back toward the finish position, old friend Figure 4 again. You can practice this one
by doing a balance with full arch and reaching out with the head, bending the arms
slightly, and dropping slowly to the stomach on the mat. Remember to turn the hands well
out, or else work on the fingertips. Again, as in the planche, spreading the legs and/or
bending the knees reduces the leverage and renders the feat a little less difficult.
Do not shrug the shoulders toward the ears, but rather stretch them down toward
the waist, and forward (shortening the pectorals, in effect) as much as possible; this gives
them slightly more favorable leverage. But reach out with the chin-far, farther.
One note in closing; the man with a stiff back, especially upper back, has a couple
of strikes on him in the presses. The more flexible chap, particularly with considerable
back bend just about the shoulders as well as the small of the back, does a press-up more
on prone press with weight than in military style, and the little contortionist who can
almost sit on his head can beat all of us at dipping and pressing up.
Be sure to pay attention to correctness at form Figures 4 to 12 inclusive, of last
chapter, and Figures 4-5-6-7-9-11 now, are not of a one-legged Jones, but show merely
that good form requires both legs to be kept together and in identical positions.
90
Chapter 9
The Upside Down Man
By Robert L. Jones
YOU will notice that the illustrations are numbered in this chapter, beginning with
number twelve. In the last chapter, they were numbered from one to eleven, inclusive. We
shall refer to illustrations by number, beginning with the last chapter, so as to make it
easier to refer back to those positions.
Suppose we "loosen up" by doing an ordinary hand balance, as in Figure 4 (last
chapter, remember!) Now, while remaining balanced, allow the feet to shift ahead, and
the shoulders back, until you are in the half-moon position, Figure 9. Remain balanced,
press the fingers a little harder and start your feet coming back toward Figure 4; as they
come back reach forward with the shoulders and return to original position, 4. Do not
stop here, but ease the feet farther back, and the shoulders farther forward, until you get to
a position--still balanced--as far backward as in 3-wrong as you have the strength to hold
your weight. Keep the arms straight. Then pause a moment, ease up the fingers, reach
farther out with the shoulders and start yourself forward again; let the feet over, and pull
the shoulders back, until you reach center, Figure 4, once more. Practice this frequently
for control and development of strength as well; also make certain that you can tell when
in correct position, 4, by the "feel" of the balance. When you get this far, you are ready to
go to town.
Our first new trick this time is the simple planche on two elbows. It is easiest
when done on a fairly thick bar, such as one bar of a pair of parallel bars. Or the edge of a
table (a solid, heavy one) will do, or the foot of a bed. It is easier on such an object for
two reasons--you have something to grip to aid in balancing, and by gripping the support
with the palms forward you get the best leverage and position of the arms. On the floor,
as illustrated in Figure 12, you can point the fingers well to the rear, but it is better to
point them out at the sides, so that the arms are in the same position as if you were
working on two parallel bars. It takes a very flexible wrist to permit one to do this balance
on the floor with fingers dead ahead, as in a regular balance, as a glance at the photo will
demonstrate--the wrist would be bent back upon itself well over a right angle, almost 60
degrees, or so. If our fingers are tough, you can do the planche with fingers pointed
forward, by getting up on the tips of thumbs and fingers. The secret of the trick is to get
the elbows as low down the body, toward the hips, as you can-shoulders pulled far down,
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as if you were dead lifting a very heavy weight. The head is thrust far forward. And get
the elbows well under the body, so that the support is directly upon them and not merely a
matter of friction between arms and sides of body, which is pretty much what Figure 12
portrays. (The more backward the fingers are turned, the farther under the body the
elbows can be brought.) Keep the back arched, heels and back of head about level (my
feet are a little too high in the illustration).
The easiest way, perhaps, to try the trick is to stand before a bar or table about
three feet high, or less. Place the hands firmly gripping the edge, twist the elbows well
under the body, stretch up with the head and down with the elbows, then tip forward into
position. If you get stuck and can't get your feet up, reach farther out with the head by
STRAIGHTENING the elbows slightly, to a position pretty much as shown. But if your
head bobs down too much, bend the elbows a little more. It makes no difference whether
the elbows are over the wrists--you can stay balanced as long, and only as long, as the
center of your weight is over the wrists or palms of the hands.
You can do a very nice trick by doing a balance, 4; keeping arched and reaching
far out as in 6 (only keep arms straight as long as you can) then finally bend the elbows a
little and bring the hips against them, at about the position shown
in 11; check your position, then lower the feet until correct--a little
lower than in 12. Turn the hands out as in 12, rather than straight
ahead as in 11. Hold the position a moment, muster your pep,
stretch out with the head (bend the knees and spread them, pretty
much as in Fig. 3, only with hips NOT flexed forward, to shorten
the leverage, if you have to) and press back to Fig. 4. Or you can,
later on after learning the other wrinkles, rotate to one side to
either Fig. 13 or Fig. 14, then press back up. But getting up from
14 to 4 is a good bit tougher than from 12 to 4. From 13 to 4 is
easiest of the three, while a still easier way is to shift your body
forward and to the left from 13 enough to let you place the right
(bottom) knee on the right elbow, exactly as Fig. 1; then pressing
up is easy enough to be a pleasure.
Suppose now we tackle the lying-down hand balance,
Figure 13. It is one Prof. Paulinetti taught me several years ago, to
use in my act as a resting trick between a couple of tough numbers.
Not much explanation is necessary; just look at the picture. Try it
in the easiest way on parallel bars, but even on the floor it is not
92
difficult. The weight of the body is supported on the right elbow, well low toward the hip,
and under the side rather than the stomach. The left knee rests on the left elbow; the right
one is held snugly against it. The balance is easy, because you are compact and close to
the floor, and no strength is required to maintain the position, since the bodyweight is
carried on the two vertical forearms. The one "kink" is that mentioned about the two
elbows planche, Fig. 12--if your head goes down, bend the elbows (especially right one)
more.
To get into this position you drop down from the balance, 4, to about a position as
in 3; then pull the knees down as in 2, at the same time twisting slightly to one side (the
left, if you are going to do the balance on the right elbow, as in the pose, Fig. 13) and
bend the elbows, not quite so much as 2-Wrong; let the side come to rest on the right
elbow, and the left knee on the left elbow. Keep the hips low so that the top side (left, in
the photo) is about horizontal.
You can also make a nice combination by rolling into this pose from the half-arm
planche, Fig. 14. Simply return the left hand to the original position on the floor, twist the
body a bit more to the right and bend the knees forward toward the chest, bringing them
around to position at the left elbow, as in Fig. 13. To get back up to the hand balance, try
first by the method already mentioned of rising enough to get the right elbow on the right
knee, then pressing up. Later you can go through the same press-up, without having to
"catch your breath" by putting right knee to right elbow. It is not very difficult.
Now for a fairly tough one--the half-arm, or one elbow, planche, Figure 14. It is
easiest when done on a horizontal bar, or the edge of a table, with the elbow in the middle
of the stomach, fingers pointed straight back, and body bent double like wet dishrag on a
clothesline. But that is far and wide from being a decent planche, so suppose we forget all
the foolishness and go right after THE half-arm planche from scratch, in the right
direction.
Practice both the two elbows planche and the lying down hand balance awhile,
especially the latter, for in it most of the weight is handled by the right arm, and you will
get accustomed to the sensation. Now, to try the new position itself, take a position on the
floor about right for the two elbows planche. Turn the right hand well out to the side;
shrug the right shoulder as far toward the hip as you can, to bring the elbow down as
close as possible to the center of gravity of the body. This will require less straightening
of the elbow (and less physical exertion) than if the elbow be held higher toward the
shoulder. Now, notice where that elbow is parked--NOT in the middle of the stomach, but
93
well around to the side, right next door to the hip bone itself. Note that the body is arched
backward, as in Fig. 12, and that in addition it is arched toward the right, making the
curve not straight back, but back and to the right. You see, we have to do enough bending
to get the end-to-end center of weight over the hand, and ALSO the side-to-side center of
weight over it.
So here we go; get your side against your elbow, the left hand on the floor or
perhaps holding a solid object or heavy weight for support and aid in balancing. Stretch
out with the head, and if the feet don't come up, STRAIGHTEN the elbow a little. If they
fly up too fast, bend it a little. Use the left hand only as a little helper; try to do all the
balancing with the right alone, and you will soon get the trick in good style.
It can be done from a hand balance, following the motion from Fig. 4 to 6, bend
the elbows only as much as absolutely necessary, rotate the body slightly to the right
about this point and also carry the feet well to the right, and stretch far, far our with the
head. Bring the side to rest on the right elbow, get your balance, and take up the left hand.
You can aid in balancing by reaching this way and that with the left hand, but soon you
will be able to balance independently of it, and place it at the hip or across the back,
which makes a far prettier pose than with the hand stuck out trying to hypnotize gravity
into letting you balance. To get back up to the balanced position, the easiest way is to
shift to Figure 13, then Fig. 1, then up. But you can also press up exactly the opposite of
the way you came down--body straight and arched--which is a very pretty performance
(and for a chap with a stiff upper back, fairly difficult number as well).
Figure 15 "brings on more talk." It is Prof. Paulinetti's jack-knife balance, and
consists of pressing up from the straight-arm-straight-leg position, Fig. 7, to the point
shown and holding it, or in flexing the hips from Fig. 4, the hand balance, and lowering
that much. In the latter case you reach forward with the head and shoulders as you lower
the feet, exactly as in Fig. 8, the only difference being that in Fig. 15 the two legs are
together, not separated as in 8.
The planche on two hands is the acme of two hands balancing. I have known of
but one man to do it with the body absolutely straight and horizontal, and but few have
done it in any style, even with much arch. In Figure 16 we have Prof. Paulinetti at about
63 years of age doing the correct form, excepting only that his feet are perhaps four to six
inches too high. Now within a few days of 73, he discontinued practicing-and doing-this
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planche only about three years ago. He would drop into it from a hand balance, then lever
back to position without flexing anything but the shoulders.
Figure 16-Wrong shows the usual attempt--back arched, and upper arms locked
against the sides. This is not too difficult for a fellow with a very limber back, big triceps
and latissimus muscles--and a little resin in the right places to aid in locking the arms
against the sides. Such a balance is little if any more difficult than that shown in Fig. 12-a very flexible upper back makes all the difference in the world.
The straight hand balance, or straight stand, shown in Figure 17, is as hard as it
looks--maybe more so. The troubles are two: with the head dropped to a truly upsidedown position, the balancing organs in the ears go on a turn-around strike, and it becomes
absolutely necessary to balance according to sense of touch in the hands. Again it is
difficult to get the hips right--from Fig. 1 the tendency is to leave the back arched and to
bring the legs forward by flexing the hips, as in dropping from 4 to 15 or 7, making a
jack-knife effect, and throwing the buttocks into prominence and making a question mark
of the body. Nix--in Fig. 4 the hips are fully straight, and the back is arched. All right,
LEAVE them that way, and just take the kink out of the small of the back, and there you
are. Figure 17 is in very good form, yet I am a little afraid (note the curve in the white line
on the side of my trunks) that I was broken forward ever so slightly in the hips in the
picture. Also, while the entire body is quite straight, I let myself lean just slightly forward
instead of keeping a perfectly perpendicular attitude.
95
Chapter 10
LIFT INTO YOUR TURN
By Robert L. Jones
WE now proceed to some new work, combining a bit of tumbling with our
balancing...Remember that a cardinal point of good tumbling is to lift upward, then turn
fast, and finally drop down vertically upon your starting point (or very close to it).
We shall begin this time with an upside down trick, in which we start in a head
down position and carry through a lift from the hands, instead of the feet. Perhaps the one
best trick of all to illustrate this phase is the nip-up to a hand balance, Figure 21, because
if you jump a little forward, you come down in a back bend, or even a nip-up to the feet,
while if you jump a little backward, you come down in a squat, doubled over forward,
with feet and hands on the floor. Only when you lift directly upward and with good snap
do you actually jump upward from the shoulders to arms' length from the mat, in the hand
balance position.
Begin by rolling back on the hands, neck and shoulders as in Fig. 21-a. Go far
back, and keep the feet as high as possible--higher than shown, if you can do so and still
hold the balance. Now quickly drop the feet almost to the floor--21-d--knees straight. As
you do this, the hips will jack-knife forward a little; now, with out a pause, snap the legs
as high as you can, right back toward their original position, legs still straight. (In the
movie strip, mine bent a little--but the straighter you keep them, the better you do the
trick; bend them just a little more than shown, and you have no luck at all.) As the legs
shoot upward, press hard with hands and head, as in 21-h-j-k-l, and come into the hand
balance position. If you fall back down to your feet, next time shoot the feet a little farther
forward; if you topple over forward to your back, next time shoot a little farther
backward. In the illustration I aimed very slightly too far back, so came up with the feet
too far back for a good balance, but was able to save it by shooting the shoulders forward
to catch the balance, then easing them back, and the feet over, into correct hand balance
position.
The next one, Figure 22, is very similar, save that this time we drive the feet just
slightly forward when we jump upward, upside down, then we bend the knees, arch the
back, and do a half-forward somersault to land on the feet. This is the nip-up, or neckspring. You can do it with the hands beside the head, as in Fig. 21, or with them on the
thighs, as in 22 (my favorite way, although others prefer the former style) or with hands
on hips. Figure 22 is better than the garden variety of nip-up, but not so good as it could
and should be--you will note in 22-d-e-f that my knees are too much bent, also that my lift
is a good bit farther forward than necessary. As a result, while completely in the air in 22h-j, I did not get so high as is proper. With knees straight, and the feet aimed just a bit
farther back, much better form would have resulted. Bear this in mind, and do not permit
yourself to start rolling forward before sinking and driving the legs; do not drive them
toward the wall ahead, but, rather, toward the ceiling directly above, and your nip-up will
be excellent.
You can do these tricks from the starting positions shown, or by doing a back roll
to the shoulders, then driving. You can also do a front roll until you reach position 21-d;
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then drive UPward, always upward.
(The headspring is very similar to the nip-up, Fig.
22, save that the starting position is on the top of the head
and hands instead of back-of-shoulders, head and hands,
as in Fig. 21. It takes a little more leg drive than the nipup, and a stronger push than the nip-up if done from
starting position with hands on the mat beside the had.
But the leg action is the same, and the finish is identical
with 22-j-k-l-m-n, save that the hands are above the
head.)
Let us now try the run-off, which is a series of
steps calculated to give you the most drive for jumping
from one foot. I shall describe it to correspond to Fig. 23,
for a follow who swings his LEFT foot first when doing a
hand balance. So if you are one of the majority who swing
the RIGHT foot first, then just reverse the directions. The
run-off: stand with feet together, take a short step with
right foot, then short step with left, followed at once by
very short hop with SAME foot. As you hop, bring the
right foot forward, a little high, and just as the left foot
lands from the hop, drive the right foot down hard into the
mat and at the same instant bounce the left leg back and
upward hard. Remember always to work in a circle, rather
than diving forward. Swing the left leg far back as well as
up, and you will lift directly upward high, and not up a
little and forward an uncomfortable lot. Refer to Fig. 23;
23-a shows the left foot starting the hop, which was
finished between 23-c and 23-d. 23-d shows the left foot
just starting its backward drive, with the right one-brought forward high in 23-d--being driven hard into the
mat for lift. In 23-g the left leg is far up and well back, the
right leg straight and the toe just leaving the mat; the leg
is perpendicular, showing almost correct lift, with very
little loss of balance forward. (Correctly, the hips should
be slightly back of the foot, so that the leg slants
backward, just as both do in 24-e, to give a true circle
over the point of balance, and the highest possible lift.)
This run-off up to the point shown in 23-e, is used for all
forward tricks involving a take-off from one foot-handspring, headspring, tinsica, walk-over, round-off, and
so on. In Fig. 23 the trick is a leap to a hand balance. The
higher you lift (23-c-d-e-f-g) before dropping the head to
start the turn, the higher will be the turn. Do not make the
mistake of hustling the hands to the mat before swinging
the legs, or you do not do a leap at all.
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(For tricks requiring a leap from both feet, we use
a different method. We start as formerly, but as we hop
with the left foot we bring the right forward a little more
quickly, so that we land on both feet at the same time
from the one foot hop. The weight is evenly distributed,
and as we come down we sink in the knees, slightly, then
jump straight up as high as possible, and do our trick-somersault forward or backward, pirouette, leap to the
hands, or whatever it may be. In doing this run-off, both
feet would hit the mat instead of just the right one as in
23-d, and you could--for example--squat as in 24-a and
rebound right on upward into the leap to the hands.
Figure 24 shows a leap from both feet to the
hands, done from a stand. But it can just as readily be
done from the take-off just described. In either event, as
the knees bend for the squat you raise the arms in front,
then jump high and fast, swinging the hips a little back of
center in order to keep over your spot (see 24-e) and
drive hard with the knees and feet. As the feet leave the
floor pull them up quickly and complete the turn, landing
on the hands almost on the spot your feet just occupied.
Note: If on the nip-up or either of these two leaps
to the hands you come down with a bang and a bam, one
thing is certain--you are not lifting nearly enough straight
up, and as a result are driving-and-diving into the floor.
All of them, and the jerk now to be described, are
variations of the somersault family, and must be done
hard and with lots of drive, and straight upward with a
fast turn AFTER you get height.
Now we come to the jerk--a vastly more
important trick than most men believe. It begins actually
with the body in a hand balance position, perfectly
balanced, back arched, head up, and knees bent until the
shins are horizontal, about as in Fig. 25-c. Briefly, from
this point we put everything we have into shooting the
feet just as high, straight up, as we can, then when the
legs, body and arms are in a straight vertical line, we
push the hands violently against the floor and at the same
instant jack-knife the body strongly at the hips, keeping
the legs straight. This gives a high vertical lift, followed
by a fast, high, half-turn to bring the body well upright as
the feet strike the mat very close to the spot just occupied
by the hands. See 25-c to k, inclusive. The knees should
be straight from 25-e until the foot touch the floor--not
even slightly bent. As they land you bend the knees, sink
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slightly, and spring high, just as mentioned for finishing a somersault, or the take-off
from both feet. Jump straight upward, as shown, but keep the body perfectly
perpendicular. Note in the jump from the jerk how the hands come upward, in 25-n, just
in position for a somersault if the tuck were carried through.
The difficulties with the jerk lie in shooting the feet backward (see 25-x-g-h-j) or
in pulling them down (or just letting them fall down) well bent at the knees, which
destroys all lift and speed, or in keeping them straight but letting them fall of their own
weight and momentum to the mat. In none of these events do we get the finish shown in
Fig. 25-g-h-j-k--high, fast, close, and only the first style (Fig. 25-x) lets us get the hands
off the mat before the feet touch it. Even Fig. 25-x makes us land so far back that we hit
with a thud and have no balance or rebound for height and position. You either do the
jerk right, as shown in Fig 25, or you do not do it in any way to give benefit of speed and
height for the next trick.
My favorite way of practicing is shown in Fig. 25-a-b. Do a hand balance,
straighten well up by flattening the small of the back, NOT by leaving it arched and
merely flexing the hips forward. (See Fig. 17 of balancing article in last chapter for
correct relation of body and legs; but in doing the jerk, keep the head up more, as in 25-ab.) Now, keep your weight well forward (do NOT wait until you start rolling off the heels
of the hand, to start the jerk) and quickly drop the legs and arch the back from 25-a to 25c--but no lower with the feet. Do not stop, but take all the rebound you can muster and
drive upward with the feet, then continue just as already described, to complete the jerk.
Another way to practice is to do a balance in regular style, get your weight forward, then
quickly snap up to 25-a, bounce back to 25-c, and go for it.
Still another system is to kick up into a hand balance with just enough force to let
the legs carry over and drop to 25-c; then drive for the jerk. (You can also do this same
trick, but overbalance slightly forward as you kick, and do the hop on the hands, No. 21,
Pages 27.) You can also experiment with doing the nip-up to hand balance and jerking
from about 21-k position, in which case the upward drive from 21-f to 21-k corresponds
to the drive from 25-c to 25-e. Or you can do the leap from one foot or both, to the hand
balance, and jerk from about positions 23-m or 24-n. In any attempts to jerk from a hand
balance, do NOT bring the shins any lower than horizontal (25-c is even a little too low).
Avoid especially 25X-d-e-f.
The bucking bronco is a series, in swing tempo, of jerks and leaps from both feet
to the hands. You can try it, once you get a fairly good grasp on the two individual tricks
involved. A round-off is approximately a quarter turn into a hand balance, and a quarter
turn more, followed by a jerk. A flip-flap is a fast leap and layout half back somersault to
the hands, followed by a jerk. But right here I want to put across the fact that neither a
good round-off nor a decent flip-flap can be approached unless you have real control of
the jerk. So let's get busy on these tricks this lesson, especially the jerk, and be ready for
the more advanced work later.
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Chapter 11
THE MEN WHO DO THE PLANCHE
By Robert L. Jones
NOW that the football season is wrapping itself around us along with red flannels
and woolly coats, every Saturday will find hundreds of grandstand field generals
repeating to themselves that poem of honor to the "fighting men, the men who hold the
line"--and I should like in similar fashion to pay my respects to that select handful of men
in the balancing game who have mastered an equally difficult "line" to hold, the planche
on two hands.
It has been almost half a century since the one and only Paulinetti first perfected
and presented the two hands planche to the gymnastic world; the accompanying pose,
Figure 1, was made in Italy around the turn of the century and it shows the master in just
about his peak form on the feat. He did it better than any subsequent performer I ever
saw, or even heard of, and even six or seven years ago the old gentleman was still
supporting himself beautifully in almost the identical position shown. When he got into
his seventies, though, he gave up all leverage work, and as his health broke during the last
three years of his life he discontinued all of even ordinary hand and head balancing. And
why not? He had hung up a mark at which we survivors will long have to shoot--with
little danger of making a hit.
It was about sixteen years ago, when I purchased a certain copy of old
STRENGTH in which the Professor presented an article on his planches and head
balance, that I first learned that such a feat exists. About that time I was sweating away
learning (very) elementary balancing in the old "Y" gym down in Pine Bluff, Ark., so of
course the two hands planche had to be tried according to the Prof.’s instructions. My
stomach still hurts when I think of the results--everything was done exactly according to
directions, yet I crashed hard on my front on the floor. It seemed that the directions did
not include a proper ration of strength and actual physical proportions.
100
Since then I have tried the feat many times, even working at it seriously for a
period of several months--and no blushes are present when I admit that I could never
make much of a pass at it. Back in early ’34, while recovering from my auto crash and a
broken leg, I got my upper body into the best shape of my whole life, while the legs were
still much under par. I could then hold the position briefly with legs straight and spread
well apart, or together but knees fully bent; I could never hold it even momentarily with
legs straight and together. Yes, with the aid of a 15-pound dumbbell in a teeth grip I could
make the grade, but let me assure you that even that moderate poundage as a
counterweight to the feet made a tremendous difference. So I feel qualified to appreciate
the accomplishment of anyone who does a planche in even the most modest form. (For a
"counter-balanced" planche, see Page 125, Pose 131.)
As intimated in the next to last paragraph, I am very much of the opinion that
skeleton structure has much to do with the possibility of a chap doing this planche, just as
a man can be ideally built for the military press and accomplish a greater lift than an
actually stronger friend whose bone lengths are over on the catywumpus side. Again, it is
my firm belief that the slender man has it all over the medium and (especially) the heavy
fellows in this number--at least the Professor and the two closest duplicators I have
encountered have been decidedly on this order, and the very few huskies I have known to
101
make a fair or better attempt have been guilty of shifting the style a little to ease up the
load.
As exemplified by Paulinetti, the planche on two hand's finds the body straight,
flat and horizontal from throat to toes, and especially from throat to pelvis. Since the
chest is thicker than the waist, this means that the shoulders are decidedly humped,
corresponding very much to the hips. The position is much as if the performer were lying
on a bench with chin and toes extended over either end--there is no arch in the back, and
the hips are NOT flexed at all. This is where much of the trouble comes in, just as in
doing the straight handstand with the head between the arms. Usually the performer gets
the chest fairly well positioned, but instead of leaving the hips straight and then flexing
the waist area of the spine slightly, he leaves his arch in the back and jack-knifes the legs
forward (pretty much as in Figure 6) in order to get the feet down into line with the trunk.
Again, in trying the planche--especially if endeavoring to get the flat chest effect--he
neglects to thrust the chin forward and as a result has his face looking right at the floor
instead of raised about 45 degrees and looking straight ahead.
Bear in mind that this planche is strictly a supporting and balancing stunt: the
weight fore and aft must be centered over the hands, and the entire body must then be
supported by shoulder strength applied to the slanting arms--and this is where the rub
comes in! For, unless a chap is a legless wonder, he has to carry the body so far ahead of
the hands that the arms are at something like 45 degrees, and this involves a tremendous
leverage against the shoulder muscles. Thrusting the chin out, shrugging the shoulders
forward and downward and flattening the chest, all combine to afford maximum results in
shifting the body ahead of the hands while leaving the shoulders as near them as possible
(in the vertical plane). As already mentioned, similar benefit can be gained by spreading
the legs or by bending the knees (knees only--not the hips as well) or by doing both.
All in all, the correct position is decidedly not a normal one to attain, especially
to a balancer accustomed to arching his back, and nine out of ten aspirants never even
approach it. They usually wind up in nothing other than a "horizontal handstand"
position--back arched, head up, and latissimus muscles hooked against the triceps.
Understand, this is much of an accomplishment in its own right...but it is not the true
planche. Paulinetti shows this "natural" form in Figure 3, while in Figure 2 Jimmy
Gallagher (of Rush Brothers) shows excellent form for the feat with slightly hollow back
and slightly flexed hips. This is about the style of Sieg Klein, too--and Sieg is the huskiest
man I have ever known to make such excellent approach to the Professor's form. Jimmy
does his planche on dumbbells, finger-tips, or his partner's hands with equal aplomb, and
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he also pulls it on just the thumbs and index figure--four points of support--which is
marvelous on account of the forward disposition of the weight against the two index
fingers. (For Sieg's planche, see Page 120, Pose 22.)
As a matter of reference, Figure 3 of the Professor was made about 1925, and I
have another shot in proper form made at the same time plus many others made from
1927 to 1934 or 1935 showing the proper form as demonstrated in Figure 1.
An interesting side point to our discussion is the matter of the feet: time after time
I have emphasized, echoing the Professor, that in all positions with the weight off the feet
the performer should keep the toes pointed. Yet in his own good pose, the Professor's feet
are in only about the half-way position. "In correct position," he explained, "pointing the
toes with the body in proper attitude pulls a break forward at the hips, so a man has to
stop at about the half-way mark." Refer now to Figures 4, 5 and 6 of Mr. Wm. Hartley
Mering, of Hollywood, and note how this is borne out! For Mr. Mering does an almost
perfect job of duplicating the original Paulinetti planche--and physical proportions as
well.
For forty-three years Mr. Mering has been practicing--and reaping the benefits of-hand balancing, and for many years he trained also with weights. As a young man he was
sickly, and even sick, but he found that exercise aided Mother Nature to overcome his
troubles and he has since lived a happy and successful life (in the legal profession), and
was for years a member of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and of the Allegheny
County courts (Pittsburgh area). For several years retired, he continues active by
instructing in balancing in the Y.M.C.A. in Hollywood, Calif., where he has resided for a
decade or so. He is five-six tall, and for many years has varied but a pound or two from
the 120 figure--just a fraction taller and heavier than Paulinetti at that age (Mr. Mering is
now 68).
It is a double pleasure to show four poses of this sterling veteran athlete--Figures
4, 5 and 6 are three of his planches, while Figure 7 is a physique pose made a year ago, at
the age of 67. The other three shots were made last year, and you will note that they show
wonderful form in the planche. Look closer on Figure 6 and you will see that it is on the
tips of the ten digits--and this for a man of 67 who had been a puny weakling of about 65
pounds at the age of fifteen! Then cast your eyes on Figure 5, and see one that Paulinetti,
himself, never accomplished--the planche on the flat hands, fingers straight AHEAD, and
wrists flexed backwards at right angle and a half (135 degrees). This is a feat of extreme
suppleness, without considering the rest of the number, and it is almost impossible to
believe that any man would have such a flexible wrist. But here we are with visible proof!
(The Professor, when on a flat surface, turned his fingers outward and thumbs ahead.)
Mr. Mering does the usual run of "advanced" work, such as stiff arm and stiff leg
press-ups, press up from the tailor's squat, the one handstand, the straight handstand AND
DIP in this position, and walks a hundred feet on his hands before "signing off" with a dip
and push up! He has a challenge out for any man of approximately his age to take him on
for a contest; say, I do not know of anyone of any age who could duplicate that list of
accomplishments, so I'll just sign off with a salute to all who have had any success at all
with the planche, and a double bow to Wm. Hartley Mering for what he has accomplished
and for the magnificent example he continues to set to the youth of America.
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Chapter 12
LEARN THE ONE HAND BALANCE
By Robert L. Jones
ALONG with a good many of my readers, I wish it were
possible
to
whisper
some
magic
word
like
"Ghoughphtheightteau," or something similar, and, presto, give
to the world the secret of doing the one hand balance. But it does
not work that way, for there is no "magic secret word" gateway
to the accomplishment of this feat or any other. I can, however,
assure you that the basic principle of the trick is a combination
of position and balance, and nothing more.
He who cannot walk can hardly run, and it is equally true
that one who cannot do a correct two hands balance can hardly
hope to master the balance on one hand. And by this term I do
not mean mere ability to stand on the two hands; I mean the
ability to stand in good position and to remain there by balancing
correctly. So, before making a pass as the one-hander, check
back on your two hands position.
The position on two hands must be with arms straight
and perpendicular when viewed from the side, like Page 78, Fig.
4 or Page 84, Fig 4. Use all your back bend--whether much or
little does not make too much difference, but use all of it until
you learn the balance; then you can stiffen up if desired. Go over
Chapter 7 (the correct poses, and two incorrect ones, are shown
here in Fig. 24) and check your position to make certain you
balance correctly in the proper position; weight on the ball of the
hand, balance by wrist action (imagine that you are balancing on
one hand on a silver dollar placed underneath the first two
knuckles), and not by wiggling or shimmying the legs from
knees, hips, or small of back. If you feel satisfied, let us proceed.
The next point is the actual shifting from two hands to
one. This is done by bringing the shoulder over the wrist of the
supporting arm (if it is not already there laterally in the two
hands balance) and then by shifting the body over the shoulderto-wrist "post," the straight arm. There are three possibilities-arms perpendicular when viewed from the side, but "A" style
from front (hands more than shoulder width apart) or they may
be "V" style from front (hands less than shoulder width apart) or
they may be "H" style, hands just shoulder width apart and arms
parallel and perpendicular when viewed from any direction. In
the first two cases you have to bring the shoulder over the wrist
before trying to shift the body over the shoulder; in the latter all
this is obviated by having the shoulder-wrist position correct in
105
the beginning. (In discussing the shift, I assume we are
balancing on the right hand; if you try the left, just
reverse the instructions.)
If we are to try the one hand balance, much
trouble will be saved by beginning with the hands just
shoulder width apart, no more no less. We then take a
solid balance, weight well forward, arms exactly
perpendicular when viewed from any point, and
gradually and smoothly bridge the left hand, lift the left
shoulder and swing it very slightly forward as we angle
the trunk and legs (keep them almost in a straight
"attention" line) over to the right enough to center the
weight on the one hand. As the left hand begins to get
light on the floor, slow down the shift, or you will find
yourself coasting right through balance center and
tumbling down to the floor at the right side. Balancing
is not piano moving, remember.
With reference to the perpendicular position of
arm, it is possible to balance with the arm slanting more
or less forward (witness 19-e and especially Prof.
Paulinetti's unduplicated one hand planche--but try to do
it!) with the shoulder over the ball of the hand instead of
over the wrist. But we will have more success if we
keep the arm absolutely perpendicular. The arm must be
perpendicular when viewed laterally; therefore, if we
begin with hands more than shoulder width apart as in
24-l and 20-a, we must slide over a little to 24-m and
20-b before trying to get the body tilted into balance.
Note, also, that when you balance with index fingers
parallel and pointing straight ahead, the feet actually
ease a little forward as well as to the side, in the shift; if
you start with index fingers pointing slightly to the
outside, then the shift is directly to the side. I have
found it more satisfactory to keep them straight ahead,
at least in learning. (Refer to Page 110, Figs. 2 and 3,
and text there, for details on this.)
When you get your weight onto the one hand,
your shoulder and arm position are identical with that
when you hold a heavy weight overhead on one hand,
while standing on your feet--shoulders square with the
spine, but the supporting arm off at an angle, NOT
parallel with spine. (The lower back and legs are in
another position, of course, but it is the shoulder
position that determines whether you do or don't, on the
one hander.)
106
If, when you shift
onto the one hand and are
about ready to pick up the
other, you find yourself
"unwinding" down in an
outside spin to the floor,
go back and check your
two hands balance; this
means you are trying it
with shoulder forward,
feet back. Correctly, the
body part is very much
like a springy stick being
held in the air by the
lower end--it just sways
over as far as it will go
and literally hangs there.
The only tenseness is in
the muscles that hold the
legs straight and together, and in the shoulder, which is neither pushed out against the
floor, nor relaxed and forced back by your weight until it is jammed against the spine.
Just check the back poses shown in the various illustrations.
Figure 19 shows several one hand balance poses from various angles, and you will
note that the arm is perpendicular in all of them except 19-e (due principally to the bulk
of the coat making it hard to get back to proper position). Some have more arch than
others, but in all of them the body is "just hanging" on the shoulder, and the wrist is doing
the balancing. 19-a is of Prof. Paulinetti, made eight years ago; 19-c is my first onehander which was made 11 years ago, the rest were made from that time to present. The
series in 20 was made 10 years ago; the three movies strips were made at York on August
8th, and you can check them and learn that there have been no new rules on the onehander during the past decade, depression and New Deal notwithstanding.
Note in 20-21-22 how carefully the last two or three inches of the shift to the
balance on the one hand is made--not fast or jerkily. Note also that regardless of whether
the legs are together or apart, the balance is the same in the shoulder and arm position. It
may be a little easier to let the legs flop (I learned that way) but I believe it is better in the
long run to go after it in the style of 21-22. (If you find this too hard, try spreading the
legs as wide as you can, as on Page 15, Positions 11-b. But NEVER allow them to swing
loosely from hips or knees. In learning the one-hander, press up or kick up as you prefer-getting onto two hands is not the big matter of the moment. Do it the easiest way you can;
save your strength and concern for learning the ONE-hand position. If you press up, make
doubly certain that you get back to the correct starting position, before starting to shift
over onto the one hand. AFTER you learn the feat, dress it up with a fancy approach, of
course.)
There are three ways to practice the balance--free (in the open), against the wall,
and with a one-hand board. In the first you spend too much time picking yourself up; the
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other two are better. If you try the wall, place the hands on a line at a slight angle, about
as in the sketch in Fig. 24, so that as you shift over and move the left shoulder forward the
shoulders, hips and heels come parallel to the wall. Best of all is the use of the board,
made up as in the lower right sketch of Fig. 24. A piece of about l"xl0"x24" or 30" size
will do; put a raised handle bar at one end, then place the right hand on the other, grasp
the bar with the left, and go into the balance on two hands. Get the right arm and shoulder
set, then shift over. With the handle you can pull, push, twist and fight in general to aid
the right hand in keeping you in the air. Use it either in the open, and if you over balance,
take a step, or near the wall (about with the line sketched on Fig. 24) and if you go over,
the wall wall stop the fall.
You may find it helpful to practice a little on the half-arm planche (Page 94, Fig.
14) to accustom yourself to balancing in all directions on one hand, before going after the
one hand balance; at least it will do no harm to experiment. You will feel your balance in
the handstand position first in the normal way (balancing organs in the ears) but later you
can concentrate on the shift of the pressure on the hand; this is better. Finally you will be
able to concentrate on the feet (they are farthest from the center of support, and move
farthest with a given loss of balance) and as they start shifting you will compensate with
hand pressure to offset the loss.
Don't expect to learn the one hand balance
over the week-end; you'll have to dig. Follow
directions carefully, then with sufficient practice
and thought application, you can master it. Keep
the index fingers parallel and dead ahead; later if
you want to attempt press-ups, planches, etc., you
will have to hold the fingers well out to the side, as
in the half-arm planche.
Study the stick-men in Fig. 24. On two
hands you must look like a (or b) and f; not like c,
d, or e; you shift over like g; not like h, or sliding j
or k. If on two hands you look like l (or the
opposite, with hands closer than shoulder width
apart) you have to slide over to m before going to g.
(Fig. 19-g was begun with left hand atop right, in
which case I had to slide to LEFT to bring shoulder
and wrist in line.) The whole business is as easy as
tilting a box from two "A" trestles to balance on
one corner on one, as in 24-n; if you want
something tough, after licking this one, try kicking
up onto one hand, legs together, and other hand on
the hip, as in the last illustration! (P. S. That twodollar word in the very first sentence is perfectly
good spelling of "potato.")
108
Chapter 13
ADVANCED BALANCING ON ONE HAND
By Robert L. Jones
THIS particular chapter concerns rather
advanced work--and probably not too many of
our readers will ever actually try to apply the
information here disclosed. But neither do most
of us ever expect to own a yacht, or a private
swimming pool, or a personal air limousine, yet
we all delight in a bit of day dreaming about such
things, and in building air castles with ourselves
in the mawster's study, etc., etc. And in this
strongman and exercise game, most of us enjoy
looking in on the scene of what others have done,
even though but few of us are actually interested
in trying to duplicate those accomplishments. (As
a matter of fact, there has been a fair number of
requests during recent years for just such an
article as this is to be!)
For the real beginning of things, we must
go back ten or more years to a day when Prof.
Paulinetti and I sold a head balancing course to a
young chap in Milwaukee, Ted Milewski. Ted
reported from time to time that he had learned
the simple balance, then some advanced work,
then the head-to-head; next, he was in the show
business, and so on. He used several partners from time to time--one, Ted Gorski, is now
in the Pacific; another, Johnny Weber, is somewhere doing his bit. Ted, himself, is now
rated "SC 2/c" in the Coast Guard at a Maryland port and expects to be shipped out at any
moment. There's a fine yarn to be told about him, but later; this story concerns Johnny
Weber. (You might, however, refer to Page 123, Poses 74 to 79, for samples of his work
with various partners.)
Ted had mentioned in several letters that Johnny really knew his stuff, so it was a
great pleasure to have him drop in one evening in January, '41, during my classes at the
Cortissoz School here. He stuck around, and after the kids were chased, he and I had a
session. Neither of us had any idea that we'd NOT get together frequently in the future; he
was planning to spend a good time in Philadelphia and work the various night clubs
which punctuate the landscape. I did, however, make notes as to what he could do, and
about six weeks later we got together for a few pictures. Still confident we'd be meeting
frequently, I used an experimental photo outfit, and didn't get negatives of too good
quality. But they have to do--Johnny left town shortly after that, and next thing I knew he
had pulled a fast one on the Japs and was in the Coast Artillery. Haven't, seen or heard
from him since (nor has Ted, at this writing).
109
Reporting now from my notes of four years ago: Johnny Weber is about five-four
tall, looks around 135 in weight. As can be seen in his pictures, he is well built, although
decidedly not of the Herculean type. From deltoid to deltoid his development is best of
all. He is not a contortionist, but his back is rather more flexible than that of the average
athlete, as also is his waist movement to the sides. This is of great help in pressing up on
one hand, which he does in very effective style, beginning in Fig. 4 (posed by Prof.
Paulinetti in a 1927 picture) and carrying slowly and smoothly--without any sign of a
hitch or hop--forward into Fig. 5 and thence into the usual one-hander position.
From the one-hand stand with hand in side position (see discussion later in this
article regarding side position and forward position of the hand; it is the sixth paragraph
following this one) he drops slowly into an excellent one-arm side planche, Fig. 9. Also,
from the one-hand balance, he lowers slowly and smoothly, under perfect control
(meanwhile rotating his body slightly) to about Fig. 13, and then drops lightly the rest of
the way into the half-arm planche. AND, from this position, he takes a moderate kick
with the legs to get started (Fig. 14) and then presses back up to the one-hand balance.
This, lads, is something!
He could hop on one hand several times in succession, but without much control
as to direction; when, however, I told him the professor's secret of letting himself
over-balance in the desired direction almost to the point of falling, and then doing the
hop, he made it work. (This is just like hopping on two hands, No. 21, Page 27, plus the
added problem of balancing laterally since you are on but one hand.) Right away he got
the idea, and overcame a trouble he said he had been battling for a long time. See Fig. 15.
Incidentally, he had been having difficulty with Fig. 14, through carrying too much
weight on the heel of the hand, and he found in a few attempts that carrying his weight
well forward--again, almost to the point of overbalancing--before kicking to press up
would take care of that situation. Compare Fig. 14 with, say, Fig. 5 (imagining the right
leg UP beside the left, or with Fig. 3) and you can see that the legs have to move well
forward as well as upward, while the shoulders move up and back a distance equal to the
length of the upper arm.
But the feat which impressed me most or all is Fig. 16--the tiger bend on one arm.
(Incidentally, note that the upper arm is perpendicular as it should be in all tiger bends,
and not slanting forward at 45 degrees as we usually see--and with the chin or nose of the
performer buried in the floor.) The balance fore and aft--as in the regular trick on both
forearms--is no particular problem, BUT on the one arm it is a really difficult matter to
110
maintain lateral balance, much more so I believe than in the one-hand stand. For, with the
weight distributed from fingers to elbow, any attempt to balance laterally by pressing
either thumb or little finger side of the hand to correct shifting balance to either side
generally results principally in adding pressure at the hand end of the support, and down
you come, backward. You almost have to let the feet over farther forward before trying to
correct over-balancing toward either side all in all, it is a ticklish situation. (This number
on one arm calls to mind a picture Prof. Wm. J. Herrmann showed me a number of years
ago. It showed an old-timer, with slightly looser back than Johnny's, in about Fig. 16,
only balancing momentarily on just the point of the elbow, his right hand being braced
against his chin! The upper and forearm formed a "V" to support his body.) Refer to Page
120, Pose 26.
The real cause for admiring Johnny's work on this number so much is that he
lowers into it from the one-hander, and then kicks back up from this position to the
balance on the single straight arm! IF you can do the balance, and IF you have the
strength, and IF a dozen other things, all you have to do is to carry the weight far out
toward the fingertips at the instant of kicking into the lift preparatory to pressing out. (In
Fig. 16, the weight can be carried anywhere between the fingers and the elbow; when the
elbow leaves the floor, however, the weight MUST be centered ahead of the heel of the
hand, or you don't hold the balance. The ENTIRE BODY has to come forward as well as
upward here; it is much more difficult than the legs-up-forward, shoulders-up-backward,
circling movement at Fig. 14.)
In his act Johnny walked on his hands up an inclined pole, did the head balance
revolve and the half-arm planche revolve, and a handspring or two. He said he prefers
working on pedestals so that he can grip for support and thereby have that much more
leeway in his balancing. Incidentally, he does the slow press-up to one hand (Fig. 5) with
the hand on a pedestal about six inches higher than the table on which his foot is
standing! Try that sometime.
Now for some technical discussion of this highly advanced type of balancing--the
work on one hand. Please understand that I make no claim to knowing the full story of all
balancing--or of any part of it. As the papers phrase it, these remarks are "Just the writer's
opinion," and anybody can talk or write about anything; generally, the less he knows
about the subject, the more fluently he can hold forth. (I can usually thump out a couple
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of thousand words with no trouble at all!) Seriously, though, I have been making a deep
study of balancing for just 21 years, and Prof. Paulinetti had only 50 years of it. The
benefits of those 50 years he tried nobly to force-feed into me during the thirteen years we
were together. The sum-total of all is that I know enough, at last, to make me careful of
what I actually do say or write about the balancing game.
THERE ARE TWO POSITIONS of the supporting hand which are considered in
one-hand balancing. First, Fig. 2, with the hand turned outward but slightly, index finger
pointing almost dead ahead, and the upper arm making but little more than a right angle
with the line across the shoulders. The arm is forward from the chest, rather more than off
the side. (The extent forward depends on the looseness of the back--see Page 36, Figs. 4
and 4-a--and is always sufficient to permit the arm to be held perpendicular when viewed
from the side, whether on both hands or one.) In the other, or side position, Fig. 3--also
Figs. 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 14 (and probably 15)--the fingers are turned almost straight out to the
side, and the arm is held well to the side at the shoulder, so that the relation is much like
that of doing a side press with a heavy weight. In the forward position, the attitude is
more like that you would favor if you
were going to try to hold a heavy
weight overhead in one hand for a
long time. The side position is the
more natural to "fall into" but the
shoulder socket does not lock well in
this position and the balance is
always shaky and wobbly--it is so
because it must be held by muscular
effort (usually with the arm never
quite straight or perpendicular,
although not necessarily so) and not
by bone strength in a well locked
skeletonal position throughout (and especially at the shoulder) with the balance being
maintained by wrist action alone, as in Fig. 2. (The theory and practice of balancing on
one hand are set forth fully in the previous chapter.) These first three Figures are of me;
Fig. 3 was made during an exhibition in Brooklyn Central "Y" and was posed specifically
to show this side position. Fig. 1 is a 1945 addition, a variation of Fig. 2. Note that the
forward position is used, but that the free shoulder is less elevated than in Fig. 2; to
compensate for this, and to get enough weight to the side to balance, the waist is arched to
the side instead of being held straight (when viewed from front or back--it is always
arched forward) as in Figs. 2 and 3. This is all right as an advanced stunt, but don't fool
with it until you get fairly good control in one of the two positions discussed, preferably
the forward style.
Now, this side position has its advantages, and is a must if you are going to do any
presses on one hand. The forward position locks the skeleton best, and the side attitude
affords best muscular activity in the shoulder region. Hence, in Figs. 4, 5, 9, 11 and 14
(and part way in 13) the work is done in this style. Fig. 6 is the same, and is a deliberate
fall resulting from rolling too far over to the side; if you get the shoulders approximately
perpendicular, you lose all control--the shoulder socket "free wheels" and you crash.
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For a long time I made no progress at all attempting the press-up on one hand; I
was trying it in the forward position to which I had all along been accustomed. But when
I stopped to figure things out, I found the cause of the trouble, and things cleared up fast.
No, I never mastered the feat--am not limber enough in the waist to duplicate Figs. 4 and
5, or strong enough in the shoulder to get as far out as the Professor's shoulder in Fig. 8,
which is about how far I'd have to extend with my poor-bending waist to get my center of
gravity over my hand. I could make it with a modest little kick to get over the first six
inches, and I could kick up directly onto one hand from the standing position (Page 59,
Fig. 23, and can still do it fairly well), or by placing the hand on the floor while squatting
and then kicking either one foot, or both feet at the same time, up and over. Kicking up
from both feet at once was a pet stunt of Lou Carns, clever young performer of this secton
who has been "balancing his front sight" on Nazis for a year or so. Paulinetti used to stop
competition by sitting on the floor, placing his hand between his legs, and pressing up on
the one-hand. He also pressed up--in full dress--on a swaying steel walking cane held in a
shallow socket flush in the stage floor. See Chapter 2.
Don' t kid yourself, trying the press-up until you get really solid on the one-hand
balance; then take Fig. 4, shift forward into 5, on up to 3. Go a little higher and rotate to 2
for maintaining the balance. I suggest turning the hand slightly more to the side than in 4,
to afford your shoulder the best possible opportunity. After all, the Professor was none
too limber in the waist, and depended more on strength in this one than most of us have
strength to permit. Incidentally, note that he is pressing from the little toe side of the foot,
and not directly ahead; regardless of where you place the foot and hand, you must carry
your body and weight in a line directly over the middle of the hand. And--unless a
Paulinetti or a Weber in strength--don't deceive yourself by bending the elbow very much
to get yourself forward; you probably won't have enough strength to hold your weight
with the elbow much bent, even if you succeed in getting properly forward over the hand.
Remember, the Professor could lower to the elbow and press slowly back up; Johnny can
lower almost as low as Fig. 13, and press back. When they start that stuff, I (and most of
you boys, too, I fear) retreat! (Speaking of pressing, in other days Gilbert Neville used to
press up to one hand on a slack wire. The actual press is easier on the slack wire than on
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the floor IF you can balance there, but another old-timer--Al Treloar, I believe--used to
press up on the floor, one hand please, with a strong expander cable anchored to his toe
AND the floor.)
THE ONE-HAND BALANCE PLANCHE! Paullnetti originated it some fifty
years ago; very few have tried it since, and none has succeeded. (See Fig. 8) They
invariably roll into the SIDE position, which, even so, is a real accomplishment. But they
seem to unable to get the clear conception of the proper position. In the planche a little
side bending is necessary to bring the center of the body's weight over the hand laterally,
and a slight rolling toward the supporting hand is needed to bring the shoulder into
locking position, just as in the half-arm planche, Fig. 7. Compare it and Fig. 8, both of
Paulinetti, with Johnny's 13 for body position regarding side bend, extent of raising left
shoulder, and position of supporting hand below the center of gravity of the body. The
relationships remain constant in all three, save only that in Fig. 8 the arm is almost
perfectly straight. But the body is NOT rolled any more to the side, as it is in Figs. 9, 11,
12, and 14. THAT is the difference between the real planche and the one-hand side
planche. Likewise Fig. 10, of Jules Keller, famous crippled European gymnast of half-acentury ago, shows the same almost-facedown body position. Johnny's Fig. 13 would be a
perfect planche in the Paulinetti style if his legs were together and straight, and the
supporting arm almost straight. I truly believe he could make the grade on this one, with a
little practice, and told him so at the time of his visit. But he couldn't get back, and then
came the Service. You might note, in passing, that Figs. 7 and 13 (if lower, with front of
hip resting on elbow) are correct for the half-arm planche. The body should be rotated
slightly so that the free shoulder is somewhat higher than the other, and the weight is
supported on the front of the hip and NOT the middle of the stomach. Fig. 12 shows my
half-arm side planche, which is extreme with the elbow on the side of the body, precisely
as in a bent press about half completed.
The planche is a matter of much more forward than side displacement of the arm
at the shoulder--decidedly not the positions shown in Figs. 5, 6, 9, 11 (my version of the
side planche with the assistance of a 55-lb. dumbbell which permits keeping the
supporting arm vertical) 12, and 14 (which is about half-way from half-arm and true
planche attitude to the side planche form--Johnny has just made his kick to start motion
upward and especially to rotate his body into proper position for pressing the rest of the
way up into side position, Fig. 5 to Fig. 3, of the long-arm balance. But already the
shoulders are turned decidedly more than his own in Fig. 13, or the Professor's in Fig. 7
and 8.)
Bending to the side is done but moderately--note Figs. 7, 8 and 13, and also 12 in
which the side bend is incidental to the balancing, but actually about the right amount for
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the half-arm planche, or the straight arm position. More than this is too much--if our
bodies were straight in Figs. 9 and 11, Johnny and I would be at about 45 degrees and not
very near the horizontal position. And this can be said of the very few others I've seen in
person or photo attempt this feat--Johnny did a better one before we made pictures, but
still of the same general style. Back in 1935 George O'Toole of Toledo sent a tiny
snapshot of his friend, Marty Higgins, in an equally nice pose (and on the left hand). The
April, 1911, PHYSICAL CULTURE Magazine carried a tiny snapshot of Henry Rudolph,
Vinegar Bend, Ala., in almost exactly the same position. These three are the best attempts
I’ve encountered.
A side planche with the body straight laterally--or at least as much as Fig. 12, and
with supporting arm almost perfectly straight (but of course slanting forward from wrist
to shoulder, as in Fig. 9) would be something. It would look like Fig. 9 MINUS the side
bending, and with feet as low as the head, and the arm still more inclined. The shoulders
would be much more nearly vertical than are the Professor's in Fig. 8. This would be a
less difficult supporting attitude than is the true planche, although I do believe the
balancing problem would be even more troublesome than in the Paulinetti style. Keller,
with his constantly perpendicular arm, could doubtless have rolled sideways from one
planche to the other had he thought of it--but Nature in her affliction (he was born a
cripple) had given him about six strikes at the ball in this respect.
The Professor used to discuss his feats with me, and assure me that they could be
duplicated if anybody would just work hard enough and intelligently enough. Personally,
I think that (as in military pressing a barbell, for instance) skeleton proportions mean a lot
in the planches, but I do agree with him to the extent of thinking that somebody ought to
duplicate his pets. A few have made excellent passes at the two hands planche, but only
Mr. W. H. Mering, of Hollywood--now 70 and still doing them--ever really duplicated it;
the rest use too much hollow back business.
I always felt that the Professor was a bit disappointed with me for not having
accomplished his planches...don’t all you fellows disappoint the old gentleman and me,
too, by falling short of the one-hander. "Paul" used to encourage me frequently--and I
pass his message along to you--with, "Really, it isn’t too impossible!"
Gene Jackson (see Pages 122 and 124, Poses 53 and 106; also Page 68) wrote that
in Pittsburgh in 1935 he had seen Ichisuka Ishikawa (then 60 years old) duplicate the
Professor’s one-hand balance planche in correct form. "Ishi" also pressed back up from
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the planche to the normal balance without bending either arm or legs. This is the only
instance I have ever encountered of such accomplishment, yet, as "Paul" used to say, "It
can be duplicated!" (In his routine he would lower from the planche to the elbow and then
press back up to the one-hand balance in the proper form.) "Ishi" could also do the onearm tiger bend press up from half-arm planche to one-hand balance, AND he did an
ordinary balance on both hands while holding a partner in the hands-to-feet balance!
116
Chapter 14
INSPIRATIONAL PHOTO SECTION
117
The LATEST PHOTOS of
BOB JONES - April 1945
At Just Past 41 Years of Age
NEW, ORIGINAL and
UNDUPLICATED FEATS
combining STRENGTH and
BALANCE
Shown here for the first time are the fourteen latest poses of Robert L. Jones, featuring the original balances
shown in Poses 2 (on the ball bearing bar) and 4-5-6-7-8-9-10 on the freely swinging trapeze platform. The
"Double A" balance, on two fingers of each hand (Pose 13) probably original in accomplishment, although
attempted a score of years ago by another performer (see Chapter 6). Bob’s weight--164 pounds at 5’ 6½"
height--is unusual for a single balancer, and renders his accomplishments all the more phenomenal.
The Head Balance on the Trapeze is not original and is actually less difficult that it appears! The swinging
platform, Pose 1, is less convenient to mount that the correctly made trapeze, Pose 12, or the practice outfit.
Also, the shorter the supporting ropes, the "faster" will be the swing (period of pendulum) of the trapeze.
About 8 to 10 feet is the best length, but you can learn on any length available and then shift--with a little
practice--to longer or shorter supports, as you may find expedient.
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Also original is the thumbs
balance on the floor (Page 74)
and on Indian clubs (Page 66).
The great difficulty of this feat,
and also of the "Double A"
fingers balance, is in the
balancing rather than the
supporting part. In each the
balance is identical with that on
the ball bearing bar--Pose 2-and is much more difficult than
on the trapeze (or wire--tight or
slack) as in Pose 3. Remember the "weaving" discussion regarding Fig. 12 on Page 80, and elsewhere; the
shoulder movement is the same as on the trapeze or wire, BUT on the bar you must juggle your own body
and weight above a stationary support. On the wire of trapeze you may do a little of this, but the principle
motion is of the hands-and-support, to keep them under your line of balance; your body remains
approximately motionless. The thumbs balance is actually less difficult on a slightly wobbly table (Page 20,
Position 15-c) than on an absolutely rigid support. Balancing by normal wrist action, with the thumbs and
even one index finger on the floor, or on three fingers of each hand is much less involved. Balancing on the
flat hands on the swinging platform, Pose 8, is particularly difficult because normal wrist action to balance
is exactly contrary to the shoulder effort necessary to keep the support under your body. Probably a dozen
men have done the thumbs balance on the floor, but I have seen only one of them--Gene Jackson--and but
one picture of a second man on the thumbs. And I have seen two snaps of other balancers trying it--but they
were shown already fallen onto the knuckles, in my own early (1927) take-up-the-last-finger-and-fall-rightdown style.
119
15, Bob Jones. 16, Don Gustafson, Hawaii; see also Page 122, Pose 50. 17, Ray Van Cleef, New York. 18,
Darwin Canova, Allentown, PA. 19, Bob Jones walking; see text on Page 8. 20-25, Siegmund Klein, New
York; ready to press up from the forearm balance, rolling a barbell, the planche, and pressing up from the
stomach with 75-lb. dumbbell on his back! 26, a brief balance on the points of the elbows, by an unknown
girl (Gene Jackson sent this photo; I have seen one picture and heard of a second man who could balance
momentarily on the point of ONE elbow!) 27, Sophie Kowalska, forearm balance in good form. 28, Betty
Protz, same trick, lie-away style. 29, Bonnie Nebelong, several times National Amateur Champion at both
tumbling and contortion acrobatics! This is an extreme lie-away balance; see also Page 121, Pose 36. 30,
Bonnie again; straddle balance while sitting on the head. (Sophie, Betty and Bonnie are pupils of Prof. Wm.
J. Herrmann’s Gym, Philadelphia.) 31, Joe Mitchell, on Lake Ontario, 1933. 32, Joe Branco, Fall River,
Mass., press-up to knuckle balance on four 1¾" x 3¾" x 8" wood "bricks" on a table.
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33, Bonnie Nebelong again. 34-a-b-c, Three New York boys; a is good form, but breaking forward at the
hips, c is poor. 35, John Lucyn. 36, Miss Marguerite, with the Eugene Sandow Company about 50 years
ago. 37-40, Bob Jones. 41-42, same chap as 34-b, but better tricks. One bar is much harder than the
parallels, and the smaller the bar, the more difficult is the balance. Worst of all is the ball-bearing bar, Page
118, Pose 2. 43, Lillian Leitzel. 44, Bob Dudley; see also Page 124, Pose 95. 45-49, Careful, now! These
five are the only deceptions in this book: there is a special metal support inside the glove and bottle in 45,
and the other four poses--of UNIS, from a German magazine--have "help." 46 is supported from above and
is even in very poor form (arm--and finger!--slanting far out of the perpendicular, and arm-and-shoulder
attitude practically impossible). 47, has a grip similar to 45; note the huge "finger" and wrist support. 48
and 49 have sockets in the top of the globe and 48 probably has an enlarged hand grip. 47 and 48 are
excellent one hand form, and 49 with the spinning hoops is very difficult; it is reminiscent of the great
equilibrist-juggler of other days, Rastelli.
121
50, Don Gustafon again; he has supported four riders, over 500 pounds. 51, Roberta Roberts and Walter
Marcyan. 52, Two amateurs of 20 years ago. 53, Gene Jackson supporting himself and partner on his finger
tips. 54, Roberts and Marcyan again. 55-57, Bob Jones and pupils. 58, Frank Dennis balancing Joe Dettor.
59, Roberts and Marcyan. 60, Ottley R. Coulter supporting Charles Shaffer. 61, Roberts and Marcyan. 62,
(Keep your back FLAT, Toots!) and 63, Bob Jones and pupils. 64, Dennis and Dettor again. 65-67, Bob
Jones and pupils. 68-69, Sgt. and Mrs. Phil Campisi, of Brooklyn; 69, is very unusual.
122
70, Les and Pudgy (Mr. And Mrs.) Stockton. 71, Pudgy (113 lbs.) and Bruce Conner (165 lbs.). 72, Wills
(understander, at right) and Hassan, THE Masters. 73, Newman Twins. 74-79, our pupil, Ted Milewaki,
with partners Johnny Weber (see Chapter 13) in 75, Leon Gorski in 76-77, and Leon Maurice in 78-79. 80,
Prof Wm. J. Herrmann supported by Tom Peak, about 1900. 81, Bill Raymond, at bottom. 82, Will Moses
and Hyman Levy, Brooklyn. 83, Abe Arulia, age 11 (1940) does a one-foot pitch-up into the one-to-one
(82) with Moses. 84, Moses and Levy again. 85, Les Reinch. 86, The Omeros. 87, Athena Duo. 88, Les
Magini. 89, Les Reinch again.
123
90, Sheik Hadji Tahar, who brought the first Arabian troupe to America, 1892. One-hand-to-neck on a twohands-to-head! 91, Les and Pudgy Stockton supporting Bruce Connor. 92-93, Charles Shaffer and partners.
94, Pudgy, Lee and Bruce again. 95, The Bartras. 96, The Kemmys. 97, Giustino Loyal. 98, Stan Freed,
Bruce Conner and Les Stockton with some not-so-dumb belles. 99, Victorius, of France. 100, Three
unknown amateurs, about 1924. 101, Bill Raymond again, with the iron jaw. 102, Tony Manis, Joe Gallo
and Harry Rizzuto. 103, The Bartras again. 104, The Royal Uyenos. 105, A Europeon Troupe (either the
Baltics or the Baranoffs). 106, The Three Jacksons (Gene Jackson in center). 107, Egypt’s El Said Nosseir
proves his strength. 108, Even more difficult--Al Manger, Baltimore. 109, our pupils, The Andros Brothers.
110, Bill Fischer supporting John Fritshe and Ginger Lawler. 111, Joe Mitchell again, center, and partners;
note the grip. 112, Pudgy, Lee and Bruce again. 113, Pudgy (113 lbs.) holds Johnny Cornoff (185 lbs.)
hand-to-hand and Don Brown (165 lbs.) on her knees.
124
An entire page of the sensational pyramid-balancing work of the San Quentin Prison team, coached by Jerry
Selz (the big "powerhouse" fourth from left in 122, and understander in many of the other poses). Many
hand-to-hand balances can be done on the shoulders of a third party (116) or of two extra men (115) or on a
base 1½-high (132) or even 2-high (133). You can mount other tricks--50-53-59-64, for example--on a third
member posed as is the understander in 61 and 62. Gene Jackson has held a heavy partner--total together of
345 pounds--in 53 (not on his fingers, of course) while supported by his wife (105 lbs.) in the back bend
position, 61. MAKE HASTE SLOWLY on these build-ups and pyramids. Obviously, if you can’t do, say,
the hand-to-hand easily, you will be courting trouble to try it three-high. And if you can’t do 62 nicely, step
gently toward 124! Pick the easier combinations for a starter.
125
About Logan Christopher
Logan Christopher was raised in Santa Cruz,
California. Far from being an athletic kid, though
he often participated in sports, he was usually the
last to be picked on the playgrounds.
Being a scrawny and weak kid he began training at
the commercial gyms like everyone else during high
school, getting programs out of the bodybuilding
magazines because that was what the limits of his
exposure. Little if any progress was made though
much money was spent on the latest supplements.
After research he found out that there was a lot
more out there from bodyweight exercises to
kettlebells, hand strength to strongman lifts and
more. He became an avid fan reading about and
training in all these modalities.
He got interested in hand balancing after watching a friend walk on his hands. From that
point on he wanted to become a master at these skills. He scoured the internet looking for
quality information on the subject but did not have much luck. With persistence he
eventually found some old books that taught him how to hand balance. From there he
started practicing various gymnastic and acrobatic moves along with hand balancing and
other training.
In order to help others that were looking for the same kind of information,
www.lostartofhandbalancing.com was born with the release of the now best-selling
book, The True Art and Science of Hand Balancing. From that point on the site has
grown in the quality and quantity of information offered and the products to be found.
But he hasn't stopped there. You can find more on his ideas about strength training and
physical culture on his other sites, www.legendarystrength.com and
www.kettlebelljuggling.com.
He still lives in Santa Cruz, California
Other Great Hand Balancing and
Acrobatic Books
Hand Balancing Made Easy
http://www.legendarystrength.com/hand-balancing-made-easy/
Walking and Jumping on Your Hands
http://www.legendarystrength.com/walking-and-jumping-on-your-hands/
How to do the One Hand Handstand
http://www.legendarystrength.com/how-to-do-the-one-hand-handstand/
Secrets of the Handstand
http://www.handstandmastery.com/
Tumbling Illustrated
http://www.legendarystrength.com/tumbling-illustrated/
Advanced Bridging Course
http://www.advancedbridging.com/
Many of these titles are also available on Amazon.com