Elli Björkstén
Kristina Elisabeth (Elli) Björkstén (1870–1947) was a Swedish–Finnish gymnastics coach and theorist. Björkstén was the first coach in the Nordic countries to separate from the usual military gymnastics. She also served as the inaugural president of the Scandinavian Association for Women Gymnastics, however disliked competitive sports. Early life Björkstén was born in 1870 in Lappeenrantathe as the only girl to parents Johan Isak Björkstén and Elise Ollongren. As a child, her family moved to Forssa when the father got a provincial medical service in Tammela, and she grew up alongside Christian Sibelius. Björkstén trained as a gymnastics coach in Elin Asp's Institute in Helsinki and took a sabbatical to learn German gymnastics. Coaching career While working as the head teacher for women's gymnastics at the University of Helsinki, Björkstén began to question the legitimacy of the Pehr Henrik Ling method of gymnastics. She found the traditional, military-style gymnastics too stiff and formal when it should be, in her opinion, stimulating experience in everyday life. As a result, Björkstén developed a newer form of gymnastics which focused on freedom, energy, liveliness, and rhythm in movements. She was appointed the head coach of the Finnish gymnastics team at the 1912 Summer Olympics