La Methode Naturelle – A Concise Guide, Pt. 1
The Foreword to Georges Hébert's Most Mature Work on Training in the Natural Method
I have taken it upon myself to write an unofficial translation Georges Hébert's seminal work, Complete Physical Training Using the Natural Method: Concise Guide for the Instructor and Instructress, in serial form. This forgotten classic lays out a comprehensive philosophy of functional, full-body training tailored to groups. Hébert perfected these methods over decades leading his pioneering schools of physical education.
As he writes, "The primary purpose of physical education is to develop general fitness, the foundation of health, while also building proficiency in all the essential practical exercises.”
Hébert’s ideas have been popularized through the evolution of “Parkour” (aka street running) and, more recently, the MovNat system. While influential, each system has its flaws as a training method. Parkour tends to be very free-flowing – even to the point of being anarchic – favoring stunts and acrobatics in a way that alienates average people. MovNat, on the other hand, has made natural movement more accessible, cataloging efficient techniques well, yet I find that most training programs are too regimented – often indoors, stationary, and disconnected from nature's utility. It’s hard to get a good workout in this way.
Hébert's approach was the culmination of a lifetime of observing how to efficiently train groups in free-flowing, natural movement while adhering to core principles. The Concise Guide represents his most mature thinking. I strive to emulate this approach in my own group training. Studying and translating Hébert's writing is as much an exercise for me as it is for readers. Some may find it boring or irrelevant, but others will uncover a forgotten gem – which just needs updated terminology to resonate with English speakers.
This is the first time these ideas have been published for an American audience. Hébert's methods are experiencing a renaissance in France – in schools, the military, and scouting. Decades ago, Hébertiste centers were the gold standard for group training, before falling out of fashion like JFK's fitness program. The time is ripe for a comeback. Why should we let the french have all the fun?
Hébert struck a delicate balance between structure and freedom. This takes practice for both trainer and trainee. As MovNat founder Erwan LeCorre taught me, "Become a teacher, but remain a student." In that spirit, please enjoy this English translation of the foreword and stay tuned for more.
FOREWORD (Avant-Propos)
The primary purpose of physical education is to develop general fitness, the foundation of health, while also building proficiency in all essential practical exercises. These form the following ten basic groups: walking, running, jumping, quadrupedal movement, climbing, balancing, lifting, throwing, self-defense, and swimming.
To achieve this goal, any youth group or organization, whether school-affiliated or not, must put its members through a comprehensive training program (entraînement physique complet) before specializing them in particular sports or trades. In other words, no individual should be permitted to specialize or participate in major competitions, contests, and championships without first possessing adequate organic and muscular development. One must also demonstrate proficiency across the ten foundational activities that provide a basis for well-rounded training. This is the only way to prepare people who are truly strong, adaptable to all circumstances, and able to contribute maximally to society.
The pure specialist, capable of nothing beyond his specialty – whether due to insufficient abilities or simple bias – is a rather uninteresting phenomenon. In practical daily life he is often inferior to the generalist who, while master of no sport, possesses moderate competence (aptitude moyenne) across a range of useful activities.
Well-rounded training in all types of exercises – as opposed to specializing in just one – must be sustained annually for anywhere from several weeks to several months. The duration depends on factors like the age, prior development, number of weekly sessions, and variety of customary sports and exercises. Such training enables youths to achieve full development, and adults to maintain conditioning.
Just as each activity has its season in athletic and gymnastic calendars, a period of comprehensive training should likewise be planned for a set time each year, preferably March through June.
In general, in clubs and groups where physical exercise is practiced, instructors and coaches do not know how to effectively lead comprehensive training for large groups.
Rather than striving to elicit natural exertion from their students (through movement) in order to build basic fitness (développement foncier), they cling to the simplistic, ineffective, tedious formula of performing repetitive stationary movements. These may entail synchronized and mechanical motions of the limbs and trunk, executed militarily or in the archaic style called “physical culture.” Alternatively, they merely teach techniques from various sports or gymnastics that lack practical application. Or, they allow students to practice whatever strikes their fancy, attempting challenges beyond their natural abilities. Or, they simply do “anything” with no guiding idea.
The result is a regrettable inadequacy in building basic fitness (the most vital achievement for youth), poor execution of exercises of practical use, and a tendency toward overexertion. The latter arises from improper individualized programming and ignorance of simple methods for recognizing objective signs of fatigue.
Moreover, the less fit and moderately fit (les faibles et une partie des moyens) are almost always neglected or held back. Their training demands more care, prudence, and competent direction than that of the fit. When poorly led or left to their own devices – as often happens – they cannot improve. If specialized without prior comprehensive training, they risk injury or deterioration. Consequently, they become discouraged, abandon exertion altogether, and quit groups that ultimately retain only subjects vigorous by nature.
In general, in clubs and groups where physical exercise is practiced, instructors and coaches do not know how to effectively lead comprehensive training for large groups.
Rather than striving to elicit natural exertion from their students (through movement) in order to build basic fitness (développement foncier), they cling to the simplistic, ineffective, tedious formula of performing repetitive stationary movements. These may entail synchronized and mechanical motions of the limbs and trunk, executed militarily or in the archaic style called “physical culture.” Alternatively, they merely teach techniques from various sports or gymnastics that lack practical application. Or, they allow students to practice whatever strikes their fancy, attempting challenges beyond their natural abilities. Or, they simply do “anything” with no guiding idea.
The result is a regrettable inadequacy in building basic fitness (the most vital achievement for youth), poor execution of exercises of practical use, and a tendency toward overexertion. The latter arises from improper individualized programming and ignorance of simple methods for recognizing objective signs of fatigue.
Moreover, the less fit and moderately fit (les faibles et une partie des moyens) are almost always neglected or held back. Their training demands more care, prudence, and competent direction than that of the fit. When poorly led or left to their own devices – as often happens – they cannot improve. If specialized without prior comprehensive training, they risk injury or deterioration. Consequently, they become discouraged, abandon exertion altogether, and quit groups that ultimately retain only subjects vigorous by nature.
The sole purpose of this Concise Guide (Guide Abrégé) is to facilitate the work of youth group leaders, as well as all those (teachers, coaches, instructors, and other supervisors) who are responsible for the education of children and adolescents in schools or other settings. It contains the fundamental rules for conducting a comprehensive training session.
The art of leading a complete session and directing a well-rounded training program over a set period constitutes the pedagogy of physical education. This involves maneuvering groups so that each member can work naturally and freely – that is, via movement through space. It also entails dosing, cadence, rhythm, alternating exercises, identifying objective signs of fatigue, allowing relative rest without disrupting the flow of activity, and finally, compiling a series of complete sessions that together form a tailored training regimen suited to the subjects' potential. This is the essential role of the instructor, who must first and foremost be versed in these core competencies.
Yet it is only through hands-on experience – specifically, by actually leading groups under the guidance of a proficient mentor for at least the duration of a training cycle – that an aspiring instructor can meaningfully absorb this knowledge and later apply it competently on his own.
As a rule, group training invariably lacks proper mentorship of instructors and leaders of all kinds.
In the absence of essential foundational principles, even those trainers adept at demonstrating exercises are no better than poor teachers when it comes to directing large groups.
Similarly, educators trained hastily with only superficial, theoretical pedagogical knowledge prove equally inferior at the same task. Both kinds of instructors – the incompetent and the incapable – are detrimental to the physical education of youth. They even provoke in some students a profound distaste for any methodical education, whether due to pointless exertion, disillusionment from useless activities, or a mockery of natural movement (as occurs with the misapplied technique of back-and-forth wave pattern drills (déplacement par vague et contre-vague)).
Incidentally, there exists an almost foolproof criterion for gauging an instructor's competence at a glance: It is the manner in which he elicits dynamic, natural movement (first by freeing himself from repetitive, stationary motions), and above all, how he paces the rhythm of said movement.
The Concise Guide's sole purpose is to impart the main principles of physical pedagogy. The exercises contained in the sessions are simply outlined. All details concerning technique – including exercise mechanics and optimal efficiency – are addressed elsewhere.
While exercise technique is part of physical pedagogy, perfecting performance should not undermine productive exertion during training. Here again a common flaw appears: for many instructors, teaching technique is the sole concern, while eliciting vigorous effort – the essential basis of foundational fitness (résistance générale) – goes overlooked. A proficient instructor knows how to teach technique without impeding functional training.
There is a technique that is consistent with the principles of “the Natural Method” (Méthode naturelle), i.e. the useful purpose of the exercises, and not the dreaded torments of conventional sports or P.E. classes.
Absent precise knowledge of this technique, instructors should approximate it by considering the exercises' practical application. Where lacking, conventional sports or gymnastics techniques can suffice, but this is an inferior route. An appropriate technique is key to physical education's ultimate goal: enhanced skills and performance in purposeful exercise. Meanwhile, students tire equally of improvised instructors' basic techniques and specialized coaches' sophisticated methods. A well-conceived technique empowering students to overcome everyday challenges, with their practical sense undistorted by sports' allure, is especially appreciated by children and teens. That is why a good teacher, who also knows how to demonstrate the usefulness of his skills in the practical domain, always enjoys popularity among his students.
In group training, programming must be free of the military procedures which are often adopted. These include synchronized, mechanized exercises or “puppet” drills, work and rest exclusively “on the spot”, running in formation, rigid alignments for any purpose, ranking by height, frozen or contorted unnatural postures. Trainers must not instill a fixed or unnatural mindset – nor promote muscular rigidities or nervous tensions without useful purpose, such as robotic jumping jacks, mountain climbers with rigid footwork, etc., etc. ... These prevent complete, individual physical development. They produce stiffness, destroy flexibility, force attention on unimportant points or details of execution and distract from the essential goal. They are demotivating and incompatible with the principle of freedom and the totality of physical action (liberté et plénitude d'action physique) – one of the core necessities for the natural development of every living thing. A workout, while being regulated and orderly, must allow each student the opportunity to give his effort fully and freely.
The Concise Guide for the Instructor is at the same time that of the Instructress, making adaptations suitable for the female sex.
Visit Hebertisme.com to see what Hébert’s descendants are doing in France!
Glossary
Guide Abrégé - Concise Guide
entraînement physique complet - comprehensive training program
valeur foncière - basic abilities
développement foncier - basic development
résistance générale - overall fitness
moyens physiques - physical abilities
aptitude moyenne - moderate ability
les faibles et une partie des moyens - the less fit and moderately fit
production de travail - functional training, purposeful exercise
Méthode naturelle - Natural Method
procédé de déplacement par vague et contre-vague - back and forth wave pattern drills
travail mécanique d'ensemble - synchronized, mechanized exercises
sauts avec chute décomposée - robotic jumping jacks
grimpers avec position conventionnelle des jambes - climbers with rigid footwork
liberté et plénitude d'action physique - freedom and totality of physical action