Cover of "My System, 15 minutes work a day for health's sake"
Jørgen Peter Müller (7 October 1866 - 17 November 1938) was a Danish gymnastics educator and author.[1] He is also known as J. P. Muller.
Biography
His book Mit System (My System), published in 1904, was a bestseller and has been translated to English and many other languages. My System explains Müller's philosophy of health and provides guidelines for the 18 exercises[2] that comprise the system, as well as photographic instructions featuring Müller himself.[3] The book was the most successful physical culture book published in Britain during the early twentieth century.[4] Müller moved to London and opened a physical culture institute in 1912.[4]
Much of what was stated in his system has since been accepted by the medical community, with many of his basic movements being used in modern-day physical therapy and rehabilitation. The emphasis on body-weight exercise and the use of dynamic stretching is useful for many people, and has been found appropriate in a wide range of patients. As well as exercises, stretching and breathing routines, Müller also advocated a towel-rubbing routine to follow a daily bath,[5] the benefits of fresh air, and warned against the dangers of wearing too many clothes.[6]
In some cases he re-wrote his books himself in English, rather than have them translated directly from the Danish.[7]
^ abZweiniger‐Bargielowska, Ina. (2005). The Culture of the Abdomen: Obesity and Reducing in Britain, circa 1900–1939. Journal of British Studies 44 (2): 239-273.
