The triumph of regularity: the hygienic gymnastic against the acrobatic during settings physical education in the second half of the nineteenth century

Abstract

Under a constructivist perspective, the disciplinary codes of physical education are considered as the result of a long process of symbolic battles around the body definition educated, healthy and disciplined. Among the various struggles waged throughout the nineteenth century, we verify one of them: relates to the definition of the educational gymnastic where supporters of the hygienic and orthopedic gymnastic model, got to discredit the acrobatic practices and removing them from school gyms. Through documentary comparison follows that in defining discipline of physical education played a decisive role the uncomfortable proximity of the acrobatic to the popular performing arts, whose spontaneous character was in contradiction with the academic ideals.