This might belong in off topic. I'm not sure.

Basically, I have 'heard' that there exists film in which modern gymnasts were dressed in antique plate armor, (individuals matched to the armor, so as to fit.)

they then performed their gymnastics routines in the antique armor.

Does anyone know if this video is real, or just a net legend, and if it's real.....................Does anyone have a copy?

If I recall correctly, it was one of the History Channel programs that had a short take on someone doing cartwheels and somersaults. I don't recall the title of the program but they have done quite a few on historic arms and armour.

It did not look like a late gothic harness, rather more of the transitional type of the late 14th century. There are the accounts of Henry VIII doing gymnastics in plate, to amuse his guests (or himself).

I don't know that anyone has youtubed (or siimilar) the TV production but folk are finding out that copyrighted material should not be.

Cheers

GC

Discovery channel recently had a documentary that had a group of British and American guys train in plate armour for a few weeks then attempt a number of the historic feats including jousting, dueling and acrobatics. The trainees were from a variety of backgrounds including military, police, horse trainers and just history buffs so they were at least in decent shape and not your typical academic types. They showed it was possible to perform a number of acrobatic maneuvers such as cart wheels, tumbles and jumping onto a horse However these 'feats' did not look quite as impressive as they sounded on paper, as they were about as graceful/agile as watching an average 250lbs overweight guy perform a basic gymnastic routine. The trainees also became fatigued quite quickly moving around in the armour for extended periods due to the weight and heat. One guy also did a nasty leg sprain from a simple fall which shows the danger to the knees/ankles from all that extra weight.

The documentary did prove that even full plate suits were nowhere near as limiting as commonly believed but they were still quite encumbering and did have a large impact on the wearer's speed, agility and endurance. I'm sure with years of usage, training and practice people would be able to carry and deal with the weight of the armour far more effectively but I still seriously doubt anyone would be able to perform full gymnastic movements in such a suit. Even if they could the risk of serious leg injuries would be quite high.

I could do pull ups in my full suit a few years back so I do not doubt a good suit can allow all sorts of feats. I have never been able to do handstands or cartwheels in armour before but without armour I cannot either.....

I will look up the video and take a look sounds interesting.

RPM

Well, I don't have a video, but here is a photo of me performing a cartwheel in my harness, sans only armet and gauntlets:

http://www.mediumaevum.com/josh/Picture%20008.jpg

Since that photo was taken, I have managed to perform the feat with the headpiece and gauntlets (and the mail voyders)on as well.

Like Randall, I can also do a few pullups in it, and recently discovered that, if I take the tassets off so they don't catch on the ground, I can do pushups in my suit as well.

The Arms In Action video has on of the Tower Armouries fight re-enactors doing a slow motion cartwheel wearing a suit based on the avant harness. Theres ten vidoes in all and the one with that footage is called "Mail and Plate Armour".

The armored "tea bagging" was especially amusing! :eek:

Thanks for the sharing. With this video I've succeeded to stir up some debates on local forum where all of them still believe armored european fighters were nothing more than statue to be fetched on horse with crane. I don't think I can convince them. But at least this is something to show!

unfortunately there are tons of people who still belive in that myth...And the most irritating thing is that they argue with people who spend years of reading books about medieval warfare and who fight in armours...