Paris, Vuibert at Nony, (1909). The first edition (1909) of this 500+ page illustrated tome by the French naval officer who developed the Natural Method of training that led to the development of the parcours du combatant (military obstacle course). Both the method and the courses fueled the compulsions of a Vietnamese-French orphan turned Paris fire fighter named Raymond Belle, whose legendary physical prowess inspired his son, David Belle, to turn the methods of "parcours" into the practice of parkour. Now, more than a century after Hebert's insistence that fully functional training involve walking, running, jumping, climbing, lifting, throwing, swimming, balance, and techniques for defense and rescue, the fitness world has complied with Crossfit, Tough Mudder, Spartan Races, Hyrox, etc. As best as we can tell, this was Hebert's first book, and it was followed by a series of volumes on the Natural Method. Here presented in original wrappers, foxed at the edges, pages uncut, and for all practical purposes already separated at the spine into five signatures. [#033038] $750