The Natural Method: Functional Exercises

In this third and final installment of the Natural Method/Practical Guide to Physical Education, Hébert covers the “indispensable utilitarian exercises”, a.k.a functional exercises as the common popular nomenclature in English calls them.
In the second book, Hébert explored the primer, the prerequisite movements stemming from arm positions, leg positions movements, as well as movements of the trunk, breathing, hopping, hanging, support drills (planks, push-ups, i.e. hand supported exercises).
In this section, the chapters cover walking/marching, running, jumping, climbing, lifting, throwing, as well as swimming and self-defense/combative tactics. These are the exercises that the second part gears you up for, and constitute what one would consider part of your strength and conditioning. Also included in this book is what Hébert separated into a 4th section: sports, games and manual labor. That 4th section is the culmination, the application, the celebration and testing of all the skills that were acquired throughout the process. It’s the end goal of being a well-rounded natural athlete, something most people nowadays stop just short of.
Indeed, we “work out to work out”, rather than to go climb a mountain, play football, surf, ride horses etc.

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