Georg Gakkenshmidt "Russian Lion" (1878-1968).

The great Russian athlete, multiple record holder in weightlifting world champion and world wrestling

"In purely vegetarіanskom table surfeit predstavlyaet much less danger. All food for isklyuchenіem perhaps purely vegetarіanskoy, ostavlyaet unto nekotoryya negodnyya body parts. " (Georg Gakkenshmidt)


Georg Karl Julius Gakkenshmidt (Hackenschmidt) - a legendary figure in the world of athletic history, one of the first professional wrestlers and the first wrestling champion of the world. He began his professional career in Russia and lived most of his life in London, where he received for his strength nickname "Russian Lion". It is considered the creator of a number of wrestling techniques and exercise system.

At George in my life there have been many adventures, so once on tour in Samoa he liked the local king that he immediately offered the title of king George, and in addition the harem, which he had collected at its discretion. George politely declined. In Manchester, he was attacked by a gang of thugs 6-7, with whom he dealt in a few minutes.

Outside of the ring he tried to develop its own scientific strength of the system and did not support the violent tactics of many fighters.

After retirement Gakkenshmidt became a philosopher-mystic, I wrote Man and Cosmic Antagonism to Mind and Spirit (1936) and other books. He became a citizen of France after the First World War and took British citizenship in 1950.

George paid much attention to his diet. He was a vegetarian, and in large quantities consumed nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Despite the fact that in his youth he received a good education, limiting real school, he always had a thirst for knowledge, their classification. In 1911 in Moscow, he published his book "The Way of Strength and Health" of cultural significance for our time. But human nature is indestructible, the situation since the beginning of the twentieth century is almost unchanged - a relatively few people are attached to the physical training. For the sake of curiosity will bring considerations Gakkenshmidt century ago about the role and place of physical culture: "Culture Victory steps marked today, by the way, and the triumph of medical knowledge. And, in spite of this, it must be noted and progressive physical degeneration. However, much less spread in our time various epidemic diseases, but increases the contingent of people other than the weakness, feebleness and indisposition.
There is no need too deep to explore the reasons for this phenomenon. The increase in the urban population and an increase in the number of people leading a sedentary lifestyle, give themselves directly to know while in the interest of the settlement of poor lifestyle choices - through the application of rational gymnastics - made only a very weak attempt
. Humanity does not want to hurt, but it considers it possible to come to terms with his fate, without any grounds, - believing that this is the fate of all human beings. And yet, in that it really bad condition situation where rational care of his body, while the daily exercise of 15-20 minutes, it is possible to resist various diseases. And, really, it is not so expensive when you take into account the results. I was, and led me out to offer their system, I personally, and on himself tried and tested. »

"... The consciousness of their own strength entails self-control, the power creates energy and vitality, helps to solve the most complicated issues and gives true satisfaction and true joy of life ...»
It does not really well written? The modern interpretation of the role and place of physical training did not differ in a person's life.
In later years, he will deal with issues of concern to the majority of developed people: the meaning of life, the origin of man, being already a citizen of England will publish the book there is on these issues

. The breadth of his interests is respected. And this is particularly noticeable against the background actors in professional sports beginning of the century, where the vast majority of athletes have come from the lower classes, concerned only material benefit of his classes. Unlike his famous contemporaries athletes Luriha, Aberg, Zaikina even Poddubny, Gakkenshmidt was not the master-organizer of championships fight - quite a profitable business in the heyday of interest in athleticism. Its higher understanding of physical training place in modern society it has acquired in the circle of the founder of the Russian athletics - Dr. Krajewski, widely educated person asking for decades tone for the development of athletic sports in Russia and put the sports training to a healthy scientific and spiritual basis
. As the type of athlete Gakkenshmidt resembled ancient samples, showing a classic example of a harmonious addition, admirable in its power and harmony. Perhaps this admiration forever. It combines a healthy start, the power and beauty of form.
Vladislav Franzevich Krajewski, Petersburg doctor had a lot of practice, in the media did not hesitate, not having a family and children is widely expended their sports. Bringing Gakkenshmidt to the capital, he put him in his created life and excellent training conditions. Until the end of his long life was grateful Gakkenshmidt Kraevsky claiming that all what he has achieved and he is obliged only to him.

Very popular among sports enthusiasts around the world uses the name George Gakkenshmidt. Proof of this are the words of the Olympic champion Yuri Vlasov: "Yes, I was reading in my youth Kuprin, who was friends with Zaikin. But my fate determined Gakkenshmidt! This is no exaggeration. Then at London Scala theater, I was lucky enough to meet with the person who helped me to understand myself and my strength. »

One has only to start over in memory of the great Russian athletes of the late XIX beginning of the XX century, as in the minds of immediately pops up the name George Gakkenshmidt. And this is not surprising: an incredibly gifted by nature, Gakkenshmidt stood out among his fellow staggering physique, power phenomenal record and mastery of techniques to combat the French. But that's not all: as it is surprising, Georg Gakkenshmidt was quite famous philosopher ...

. That recalls the first appearance Gakkenshmidt in St. Petersburg, known then popularizer of Russian athletics and organizer of the tournament French (classical) fight, "Uncle Vanya" Lebedev: "One winter evening in 1898 engaged us several people Prokhorovs brothers Tsekhanovsky, Guido Meyer, .. I and others in the athletic Krajewski office Suddenly the door opened from the living room and the "old-doctor" introduces the hand of a broad-shouldered young man in a gray shabby jacket with the words: "Lord, I recommend: Gakkenshmidt of St. George, so to speak, Star Eastland! "I must admit that we met the guest is not particularly friendly: it is very jealous when treated nonresident athletes Besides, we have heard that Gakkenshmidt squeeze with one hand 6 pounds, and in other movements is weak when he began to undress, we secretly hoped for.. that is about "vsyp" JuR'EVSKIJj athlete But Gakkenshmidt took off his jacket and shirt, and so we gasped:. a muscle not a single athlete we have ever seen! It is fat-free, all embossed with biceps 44-45 cm, with a phenomenally broad back, covered with lumps of muscle "rookie" has not approached the bar of one of its figure beat us all to smithereens. He began squeezing with one hand with 200 pounds (1 pound was approximately 400 grams - Ed.). - Rod went up like a light cane ... 220, 240, and 260 -the same thing! It was all the Russias record! It's hard to describe what was happening in the circle: Gakkenshmidt shouted "bravo", "bang", it rocked, etc. We're not jealous, just realizing that the "rookie" head and shoulders above all of us. In one of these days Gakkenshmidt benched 282 pounds with one hand, breaking the record of 2 pounds Sandow, considered then a worldwide ... "

In the beginning

Georg Karl Julius Gakkenshmidt born on July 20 (August 1, New Style) 1877 in Tartu to the family master dyer. No information about his childhood years remained very little. Little George loved to play with their peers in the meadows in the floodplain of the river Emanygi. At the age of 8 - 9 years, he commanded a small army, including children older than himself, because he was the strongest of all. Later, while attending a real school, George loved gymnastics, jumping in height and length and was already engaged with dumbbells. In 15 years Gakkenshmidt leaves school and gets an assistant boilermaker. In his spare time, he continued to play sports. Especially notable progress it becomes after moving to the city of Tartu, where George began to train under the guidance of Andrushkevich. In 1896, at the club competitions Gakkenshmidt shows the following results: bench press with one hand: 65, 8 kg - 12 times, 70, 3 kg - 10 times, 89, 8 kg - 3 times. In addition, he raised the biceps to the level of the chest 56, 7 kg right hand and 54 kg - left. In the same in 1896 and held a first public appearance Gakkenshmidt. Power numbers by 18 -year-old athlete earned universal approval. In the same year in Tallinn Gakkenshmidt acquainted with the famous professional athlete Georg Lurich, and this meeting had a great influence on his fate. Despite the fact that Gakkenshmidt not yet engaged in the struggle while, he decided to try to compete with Luriha and the first fight ended in a draw, losing only in the second. In October 1896 for his success on the wrestling arena Gaggenshmidt awarded the title of "the first athlete of Tallinn". Losing Luriha made Gakkenshmidt pay more attention to the fight. Parallel Hack continued his studies with the "iron" to reach by 1897 the following anthropometric data: germ 174 cm, neck circumference - 45 cm arm - 32 cm, the wrist - 19 cm, chest - 114 - 117 cm, hips - 60 cm, crus - 40 cm; weight - 80 kg. His highest achievements in weightlifting were as follows: push both hands - 98 kg to 12 times, push with one hand - 85 kg - 7 times, press the rod with one hand - 98 kg at a time

. Gakkenshmidt and Krajewski

Georg Karl Julius Gakkenshmidt Once damaged hand Gakkenshmidt addressed to the doctor, and there he saw his "father of Russian athletics" VF Krajewski and invited to come to St. Petersburg. Since his arrival in St. Petersburg in January of 1898 in the life Gakkenshmidt begins a new stage, in which the very important role played by Dr. Krajewski. In his book "The Way of Strength and Health" Gakkenshmidt writes: "I can safely say that all that I have gained and what has become, I must Kraevsky. It was he who taught me how to live and train, and it was he who guided me in my life's journey. I have to bring him the deepest gratitude. But I am one of his debtor, even if you owe him more than anyone else. Everywhere in the world there are athletes. And all of them directly or indirectly are his debtors. Therefore, it is rightly called "the father of athletics ..."

Training in Krajewski club had sided character: in addition to lifting Gakkenshmidt improved and methods of struggle, and these lessons were soon to bear fruit. Initially it happened yielded strong fighters, but in April 1898 he was just four minutes in front of the amazed public tushirovat Frenchman Paul Pons, had recently proclaimed world champion in Paris. It was the first major success for a young athlete on the wrestling mat. Gakkenshmidt soon became the number one figure in Petersburg he won everything and everyone. It was the same in Moscow and in other cities.

Do not forget George and weight lifting. In 1898 he broke the world record in the bench press with one hand, which belonged to the German Eugene Sandow, squeezed 116 kg. In the same year at the European Championships in Hack Vienna, as his contemporaries called, becomes just the third, but in fairness I must say that if there were no weight classes, and with its weight of 89 kg Gakkenshmidt was difficult to fight on equal terms with heavyweights like became European champion Austrian Turk, whose weight was 120 kg. Besides, he, like other Russian athletes had to compete in the exercises, which were unknown in Russia. However, Hack adequately addressed by installing therein two world records: the snatch and the bench press, for which he received the gold medal. In the same tournament fighters, which began immediately after the weightlifting competition, he is the first.

Despite the fact that the class struggle Gakkenshmidt interfere in his classes with weights, he did in January 1899 set the world record as the bench with both hands - 127 kg. In the same year Gakkenshmidt called up for military service and enlisted in Preobrazhensky regiment, the personal protection of the king. Soon, however, he was released from service because of "poor health." It is believed that for this fact were the higher ranks, sports patrons.

October 27, 1899 Gakkenshmidt travels to Paris, where he is going to take part in the fight competitions. At that time, he was a European champion among amateurs, but among professionals nobody knew, except maybe Ponsa. However, after several successful battles Gakkenshmidt had to withdraw from the tournament due to long-standing shoulder injury. Six months after that, he served as strength exercises gently, but then made another attempt to set a world record in weight lifting, which led to a recurrence of injury. Thereafter Gakkenshmidt refuses training with weights.

Moving to Europe

In May 1900 Gakkenshmidt re-enters the wrestling mat, and in June of the same year wins a big tournament in Moscow, received a gold medal, honorary belt and a premium of 975 rubles. Then, as if the newspaper "New World", "... he came out of amateur athletes discharge and moved into the ranks of the true athletes." Sport has become for him a source of livelihood. Gakkenshmidt considered "the strongest man in the world", awarded the epithet of "rampant", " titanic, "" strong, "" ethereal "," the immortal force ", etc.

At the beginning of the century Hack increasingly travels abroad, performing in France, Germany, England, America, Canada. Hack drove demand From Tsarist Russia. In the glory, full of medals and tokens, he nevertheless never could vouch for his future. Sam Hack recalled a typical case: one night he broke the record and very high Krajewski as a prize at all gave him new pants ... - the subject of a long-standing desire of the athlete. "I have to admit - Hack wrote - that I am more happy this gift than a large gold medal, which I was given a few days later for the record." The greatest success fell to the lot Gakkenshmidt in England. There, he won several big victories, there are his performances collected an unprecedented number of visitors - up to 20 thousand. Ultimately, all this meant a solid and steady income. Thus England became a haven for the great athlete. In England, the performances Hack is usually connected with a demonstration of athletic poses (posturing) and did so with a sense of art and naturalness, that reigned in the stands delight. No wonder in 1901, the German sculptor Begas hack used to create his creation "Prometheus Bound." "Through my hands passed more than one thousand fighters and athletes of all countries and continents. I've seen a lot of outstanding results in forms and athletes - wrote "Uncle Vanya" Lebedev - but the second such Gakkenshmidt of them have never met. Despite a comprehensive muscle mass, he was so nice and in proportion to the athletic complex understanding that not admire him was impossible. »

Maintenance of a large sports

Meanwhile, in Russia dies Krajewski. The death of beloved teacher shocked hack: "I lost a friend Krajewski, who was a second father to me." Gakkenshmidt continues to participate in all competitions and winning everywhere. This continues until 1908, when Gakku invited to participate in a fight with Frank Gochem - champion incredibly popular in America wrestling. Fight for the title of world champion was held in April 1908. After a 2 hours and three minutes of fighting Goc and play along with his judge Gakkenshmidt forced to abandon the match. But while Gocha declared the winner, even American newspaper described his tactics as "unjust and worthy of contempt, an honest judge would have to request the termination of the struggle." September 4, 1911 in Chicago held a rematch Gakkenshmidt -Goch. As luck would have it, just before the competition in training Hack injured his leg, than not fail to take advantage Goc, who knew about it. It was the end of the career of George Gakkenshmidt -bortsa. Leaving sport, Georg Gakkenshmidt legendary "Russian Lion," as he was nicknamed British, won the outstanding reputation of the athlete, setting a lot of records in weightlifting and won three thousand battles on the carpet for 10 years.

Гаккеншмидт — философ

Оставив большой спорт, Гаккеншмидт не на шутку увлекся философией и одна из газет того времени задавалась вопросом: «Не затмит ли Гаккеншмидт- философ славу Гаккеншмидта-атлета. Еще в 1908 году вышла первая работа Гаккеншмидта „Как жить“, а в 1909 году увидела свет книга „Полное учение о борьбе“ (в немецком варианте — »Путь к силе"), позднее изданная на русском языке. В 1929 году в английской печати появляется сенсационное сообщение о том, что Гаккеншмидт бросает вызов знаменитому писаи6елю и драматургу Б. Шоу встретиться на арене… философии. О самом матче ничего не известно, а вот то, что соперники стали добрыми друзьями — да. В середине 30-х годов из под пера Гаккеншмидта выходит целый ряд книг: «Сознание и характер», «Три вида памяти и забывчивость» и др. Кроме того, Гаккеншмидт выступает со своими лекциями в университетах Англии, Америки, Германии.

Заключение

Георг Гаккеншмидт прожил очень долгую жизнь — девяносто лет, и до самой смерти сохранял как ясность ума, так и физическую бодрость. Так, известно, что в возрасте 82 лет он мог перепрыгнуть через веревку, натянутую между спинками двух стульев, а один известный американский журнал написал О Гаккеншмидте следующее: «Его физические способности для мужчины, который перевалил за 80 лет, в известном смысле достойны такого же восхищения, как и его неимоверная сила, развитие и достижения в бытность чемпионом мира среди атлетов.» Таким был «Русский Лев» Георг Гаккеншмидт.

В 1961 году, наш прославленный штангист Юрий Власов получал награду из рук Гаккеншмидта, в Лондоне. Вот как об этом писала английская пресса: "…Первой же попыткой он наносит поражение финскому и американскому соперникам. И вот последний раунд – незабываемые мгновения! Власов прилаживается к рекордной штанге и…Георг Гаккеншмидт в своей ложе затаил дыхание. А потом бормочет: «Изумительно, непостижимо!». И торопливо направляется через заднюю дверь, чтобы приветствовать нового Льва…Это событие, и я его никогда не забуду! Гаккеншмидт, все еще сильный и проворный, несмотря на свои годы, пожимал руку Власова и высказывал свое восхищение. Власов был заметно тронут неожиданной встречей с легендарным, могучим человеком из России, чье имя до сих пор невероятно уважается там, в стране его происхождения. На моих глазах происходит потрясающее преображение. С гигантской высоты своего положения Власов незаметно соскальзывает. И вдруг я вижу одинаковость выражений их лиц, непроизвольную схожесть осанки, жестов, какую–то органическую общность–замечательные мгновения! Я сражен! Власов спокойно, естественно и искренне вошел в роль молодого поклонника старого Гаккеншмидта".

А вот слова из его книги, которые могут стать девизом в жизни:

"… На вопрос, может ли всякий сделаться сильным, я отвечаю утвердительно… Все дело в том, чтобы быть господином своего тела… Если хотите сделаться сильным и здоровым, то необходимо найти досуг на это, точно так же, как всякому приходится находить время для еды..."

Его книги, его личный пример вдохновил на свершения многих знаменитых атлетов. Этот человек доказал, что усердие и постоянные тренировки могут творить чудеса. За его силу его называли Русским львом, и Георг Гаккеншмидт до сих пор считается одним из самых выдающихся атлетов, которые были известны человечеству.
Гаккеншмидт утверждал, что ему безразлично, носит он какой-либо титул или нет. Его титулом было само его имя, которое прочно вошло в историю спорта.
До сих пор красота и гармоничность физического развития Георга Гаккеншмидта вызывает восхищение до сих пор, заставляя молодежь браться за гантели. Его личность кроме прочего достойна почитания и потому, что его имя в спорте не связано с какими-либо темными историями. Его спортивная честь была вне подозрений и в этом он очень похож на нашего современника Юрия Власова, с которым Гаккеншмидта свела судьба в 1961 году в Лондоне и у которого есть замечательный рассказ об этом «Великий Гакк».
А еще в истории осталось его имя в названии упражнения для развития бедер Гакк-приседания, известное всем любителям атлетики. При встречах с советскими спортсменами он говорил: «Я родился в России. В России я воспитался как борец и атлет, и это я буду всегда помнить!».

Поклон тебе, Великий Гакк!