Royale Studio 19 - The PT Class

 Today's post continues the mitchmen series on 'Royale Studio'
(for earlier posts in the series click on the GIU/Royale label at the foot of this article).

This group of photos was actually published by 'Hussar Studio' which was part of the 'Royale Studio' group. It is entitled 'The PT Class', words that were probably dreaded by many a schoolboy in the 50/60's. The PT or Physical Training class in the Gym was a standard element of the timetable, not just in schools, but also in Military establishments, young offenders institutions and the like. 

1

This series is just a collection of images supposedly showing off the skills of the class in various poses with no particular sequence. This opening shot is a classic demonstration of balance and strength, such as you might see in a public exhibition of the time (such as the Royal Tournament). The instructor watches closely for any wobbles.

There's a pleasing symmetry about the balancing pair, you'll notice how the upper model's shapely thighs and the lower model's curvaceous calves are nicely showcased. The more perverted among you will spot the beautiful curve of the shorts round the lower student's bottom as well - and the mound between his legs. But this is Royale Studio (wake up at the back!), so we should look for the more hidden eroticism and the kneeling student's eyes show us where to look.......

This exercise normally would involve the balancing student alternately straightening and flexing his arms, raising and lowering himself, showing off his balancing skills. In that process his face would be going up and down, directly above the lower student's 'mound', thereby simulating fellatio. In fact there's a cheat here, he's actually being supported by the lower student's arms, but in a way that serves to pull him in, cementing the erotic link between the pair.

The instructor seems unaware of all this, but you can't help noticing that his thrust-forward groin is suggestive of his own erotic thoughts. Suddenly that abstracted, kneeling student doesn't seem quite so surplus to requirements!

2

Hussar's PT class is blessed with a very attractive teacher/instructor who has stripped off, down to the waist as he puts his lads through their paces. I recall the PT Classes at my own school were conducted by an equally handsome, young teacher (reputedly an ex-professional footballer) with a stunning, sharply cut, muscular physique - which he was not averse to revealing to us from time to time.

 This particular exercise, is a new one on me. At first sight it's just a spread-jump but then you notice the stony faced young pupil is actually sitting astride a vaulting horse. Just a way of holding the pose? Perhaps, but  the horse pressing up between the legs is also subtly erotic. You may have seen images of the fetish variant where the tied-up victim is balanced astride a more pointed wedge (whose top edge may be blunt or sharp according to taste). It's all code for groping and penetration of course.

The tight shorts of the model (and those of his class-mate in the background) are doing sterling work here showing off chunky, muscular thighs and low hanging fruit in-between (still visible despite the age of the pictures). His open, unprotected, 'come and get me' pose seems to be drawing the instructor in, in fact he's almost astride that outstretched leg, within rubbing distance and seemingly hardly able to contain himself. That left hand looks as though it might be about to make a grab once he's wiped the sweat off his palms! I suspect the front of his trousers may have been sanitised here or maybe it's just natural bleaching out during reproduction, but is it just my imagination or does that shadowing around his groin suggest dangling tackle?

3

The instructor demonstrates the next exercise. The lads gather round to watch attentively, their curves and tight shorts brought out by some clever lighting. The eyes of the foreground pair are focused on the instructor's head and their bodies bow forward suggestively (longingly?) in that direction too. In contrast the third, closest model seems to be shying away, he's probably just helped the instructor to raise his legs. It's a more believable, natural pose that highlights the expectant tension in his companions.

I can remember being introduced to this as a 'hanging' exercise and thinking it rather pointless, but it's actually quite a demanding test of strength and flexibility. It commences and ends with the feet lowered onto the ground, producing a helpless bent-over pose that the studio declined to illustrate (as far as I know!) but the boys in the picture and the audience of course know exactly what's coming!

That is the power of Royale Studio pictures.

 4

This image brings out nicely a theme that underpins the whole series, the authority of the instructor over the lads in his class. His power to make them perform, to carry out demanding, quite painful exercises - and in unison, temporarily suppressing their individuality.

The combination of healthy exercise and training discipline was believed (probably correctly) to be beneficial to young men's minds, but participation in a class full of scantily-clad, testosterone laden, young lads provided much fuel for non-improving thoughts as well. As I recall, the other boys in my class were not blessed with bottoms and thighs as well-developed as this peachy row, these young men are older and much more interesting.

 The instructor averts his eyes from the bum show, more interested in the bobbing heads. Oh dear! That odd 'hands behind back', pelvic thrusting pose is beginning to make more sense, but as for his trousers, it's a case of 10 miles to London and still no sign of Dick!

continued in Part 2