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It is worth mentioning that I only found out who my father was when I was 19 (16+ years ago), unfortunately 3 months after he died. He was not a great one for family records and I will never know what was cleared from his house when he died. Out of the few things that did survive were a bronze and marble was seal of Apoxyomenos and an old yellow dusty book with a picture of Apoxyomenos on it called ‘MY SYSTEM’ 15 Minutes Exercise a Day For Health’s Sake by Lieut. J.P. Muller. I could not then tell you what was in it as it was stuck together. I did find out that he had written this and maybe a couple of others. It then occurred to me that might explain my urge as a 12 year old to exercise, get my first weight set at 13 and by 15 I had developed a strong cut physique. I then knew was I found it I got good rewards for the minimal effort, to the annoyance of my fellow gym buddies.
So that was that for a couple of years.
Until after a spring clean I came across the old book, I started to make enquires and found a web site with a dedication to my Great Grandfather along with scans of books. It became apparent that he was one of the pioneers in the health and fitness world, not just building muscle but a complete health and fitness system that was easy to follow, showed results, logical and that could be incorporated into anyone’s everyday life then and now. Way ahead of his time.
I finally got my first copy of ‘MY SYSTEM’ when my then partner found a copy in a local antique shop in Reigate and then started to understand the true extent of his outstanding achievements. He was born in 1866 and by means of physical exercises and athletics he developed himself from a delicate boy into one of the most successful all-round amateur sportsman and athletes on the Continent. This from a boy who was not expected to live beyond the age of 7 years old who went on to win 134 prizes, of which 125 Championship and First prizes, and only 9 second prizes. These were won, not in any one restricted field, but in almost every possible branch of sport and athletics. In 1919 H.M. Christian X (Christian Carl Frederik Albert Alexander Vilhelm) the then king of Denmark conferred a knighthood of the Order of the Dannebrog on my G Granddad, who between 1883 and 1905 had introduced British athletics, field events, new swimming and life-saving methods, etc., until then unknown in his country. To say I was taken aback was an understatement. There will be a page available soon about all his achievements.
As mentioned there will be pages with more about J.P. Muller and myself for those who are interested at a later date as this website grows. If you would like to be emailed when articles, interesting information, etc., are added to this site let me know and I will email when they are posted.
Below are a few words about Apoxyomenos, who my Great Granddad regarded (and rightly so) to be an important example.
I hope you enjoy and get some useful information and tips off this site as it progresses.
Lewis Muller.
So that was that for a couple of years.
Until after a spring clean I came across the old book, I started to make enquires and found a web site with a dedication to my Great Grandfather along with scans of books. It became apparent that he was one of the pioneers in the health and fitness world, not just building muscle but a complete health and fitness system that was easy to follow, showed results, logical and that could be incorporated into anyone’s everyday life then and now. Way ahead of his time.
I finally got my first copy of ‘MY SYSTEM’ when my then partner found a copy in a local antique shop in Reigate and then started to understand the true extent of his outstanding achievements. He was born in 1866 and by means of physical exercises and athletics he developed himself from a delicate boy into one of the most successful all-round amateur sportsman and athletes on the Continent. This from a boy who was not expected to live beyond the age of 7 years old who went on to win 134 prizes, of which 125 Championship and First prizes, and only 9 second prizes. These were won, not in any one restricted field, but in almost every possible branch of sport and athletics. In 1919 H.M. Christian X (Christian Carl Frederik Albert Alexander Vilhelm) the then king of Denmark conferred a knighthood of the Order of the Dannebrog on my G Granddad, who between 1883 and 1905 had introduced British athletics, field events, new swimming and life-saving methods, etc., until then unknown in his country. To say I was taken aback was an understatement. There will be a page available soon about all his achievements.
As mentioned there will be pages with more about J.P. Muller and myself for those who are interested at a later date as this website grows. If you would like to be emailed when articles, interesting information, etc., are added to this site let me know and I will email when they are posted.
Below are a few words about Apoxyomenos, who my Great Granddad regarded (and rightly so) to be an important example.
I hope you enjoy and get some useful information and tips off this site as it progresses.
Lewis Muller.
A Few Words about Apoxyomenos.
The picture on the left is from a photograph of the antique marble statue, now in the Vatican in Rome, which was found in 1849 in a broken state at Trastevere, near Rome.
Apoxyomenos (Greek – the scraper) represents a young man cleansing himself with a bronze scraper, after athletic exercises, of oil, sweat and dust. The marble statue is a copy of the bronze statue, well known in ancient times, by the Greek sculptor Lysippos (360-316 B.C.).
Much has been written about this statue, but all concur in praising its beauty, and in admiring the Greeks, who, by means of their athletic sports and physical training, were able to produce human forms fit to serve as models for such sculpture.
J. P. Muller expressly chose Apoxyomenos from among the many beautiful statues of antiquity to decorate the cover of his book ‘MY SYSTEM’ because he is the embodiment of the contents of it, he is the Athlete cleansing and caring for his skin after exercise, and is thus the Ideal towards which J. P. Mullers book points.
Under this pseudonym, generally abbreviated to Apox or Ap, J.P. Muller wrote for a number of years on Athletics in Danish papers.
Apoxyomenos (Greek – the scraper) represents a young man cleansing himself with a bronze scraper, after athletic exercises, of oil, sweat and dust. The marble statue is a copy of the bronze statue, well known in ancient times, by the Greek sculptor Lysippos (360-316 B.C.).
Much has been written about this statue, but all concur in praising its beauty, and in admiring the Greeks, who, by means of their athletic sports and physical training, were able to produce human forms fit to serve as models for such sculpture.
J. P. Muller expressly chose Apoxyomenos from among the many beautiful statues of antiquity to decorate the cover of his book ‘MY SYSTEM’ because he is the embodiment of the contents of it, he is the Athlete cleansing and caring for his skin after exercise, and is thus the Ideal towards which J. P. Mullers book points.
Under this pseudonym, generally abbreviated to Apox or Ap, J.P. Muller wrote for a number of years on Athletics in Danish papers.
If you would like me to let you know when I have added to ‘My System’ please ‘Get in Touch’.
