Dr. Galen of Pergamon was one of the pioneering physicians and physical trainers of ancient Greece. Here’s a workout he prescribed nearly 2,000 years ago!

When we talk about fitness history, we often think about the Spartans, Gladiators or the Olympic Games but one of the true pioneers of exercise science was Dr. Galen of Pergamon (129–c. 216 AD). 

He was a Greek physician whose influence shaped medicine, philosophy and physical training for centuries and maybe even millennia. 

Galen wasn’t just a doctor, he was also a teacher of strength and conditioning, who prescribed specific workouts for athletes and soldiers of the ancient world.

What makes Galen fascinating is that his writings give us a real glimpse into how people trained nearly 2,000 years ago.

These aren't myths. These are real systematic exercises documented by ancient texts which were used by wrestlers, soldiers and athletes.

The Ancient Greek Workout According to Dr. Galen of Pergamon

From Galen’s ancient texts, Eero has discovered a series of practical and functional exercises. In addition to being a physical teacher, Dr. Galen was also a real master of herbal medicine and holistic healing very similar to Qigong masters of the East.

1. Hanging from a Rope Until Failure

One of the most straightforward yet brutal exercises was simply hanging from a rope until exhaustion.

This developed grip strength, back endurance, and upper body stability — all crucial for wrestlers and soldiers of the time.

2. Carrying of Burdens

Galen described carrying heavy objects in multiple ways. Sometimes it meant carrying weights by hand, other times it meant lifting and carrying an opponent by the waist while bending through the hips and back.

This trained full-body strength, grip, and wrestling-specific conditioning. In practice today, a sandbag carry is a great equivalent. 

In the ancient times, carrying burdens was a serious form of strength training. Even the legend of Milo of Croton (the strongest man of his time) was about carrying burdens. 

I recommend reading this blog post about the principles you could learn from Milo of Croton.

3. The Crossing Deadlift Pattern

Another peculiar exercise involved lighter weights in a cross-body deadlift motion. Galen emphasized this for developing the sides of the body, flexibility, and core stability. 

Naturally, it also strengthened the hamstrings and back. This was an early form of functional rotation and lateral chain training.

4. Isometric Strength Training

Ancient Greeks and Romans were big fans of isometric holds. Athletes would hold weights at arm’s length in different positions or resist a partner pressing against them. 

Sometimes no equipment was needed; other times they used available tools like training weights, rocks or tools such as "halteres" used for long jumping. 

Isometrics in general are an excellent training modality and will build joint integrity, tendon strength and muscle size.

Why Wrestlers & Athletes Loved This Training

Recommended podcast: The Powerful Training Methods of Ancient History.

Back in those times, these methods were the backbone of ancient wrestling and combat training under the teaching of Dr. Galen of Pergamon. 

Training similar to this was for conditioning, explosive strength and preventing injuries in the competitions or in the line of duty.

Wrestlers needed a mix of power, stability and endurance, and Galen’s methods provided exactly that.

While these workouts come from nearly two millennia ago, they are still as effective today as they were in the ancient times. If anything, we should utilize more this type of training instead of non-functional machines and modern fitness fads.

Inside Iron King Method, we continue this tradition by drawing inspiration and actual knowledge from ancient and old-school strength systems. 

We are not using these methods because of nostalgia but because they are the best for the goals and purposes of Iron King Method. They are simply superior to modern methods.

Tools like ropes, sandbags and wooden clubs are not gimmicks — they are timeless methods for building ultimate functional strength.

Interestingly, a lot of the ancient training methods originate from wrestling. Even the Indian maces & clubs were the most popularly used by pehlwani wrestlers of India and wrestlers of Persia. It's truly the oldest sport after all.

People think the today's athletes are the strongest and fittest in history but after discovering what we've discovered we sincerely doubt this notion.

Stay strong.