The History of Fitness

The first Olympiad was held In Ancient Greece in 776 B.C.

Ancient Athens (2,500- 200 B.C.)

- Fitness was held in the utmost regard in Athens

- An aesthetic society by nature, Athens’ appreciation for the human body was a huge component of its culture

- Fitness was encouraged for both vanity and mental well-being; the Athenians directly correlated physical health to mental health

- A primal form of gymnastics was developed in Athens

- Gymnasiums were built to provide a space for physical activities such as running, jumping, and wrestling

- Exercise was usually supervised by a “paidotribe” – something similar to a modern personal trainer.

- Spartan society was nothing short of INTENSE, valuing personal fitness even more than the Athenians

- During this time, Greek city-states were regularly at war with one another

- Spartan culture was shaped by an extreme desire for military greatness, leading to a heightened interest in fitness; to be a great warrior, one needed to be in top physical shape.

- Males were made to enter into special fitness programs at age six

- Females were also required to be physically fit so they could have strong offspring to serve the state

- Sparta was easily one of the most fit societies of all time

North America: Early Beginnings - 1940's

- Early North American settlers clung to their farming roots and remained fairly physically active through this lifestyle

- The spark of the Industrial Revolution meant new mechanical technologies could replace labor-intensive chores; rural life was soon replaced with urban life

- Levels of physical fitness dropped substantially as the need for physical movement was diminished

-A post-Civil War America had physical education programs mostly centered on sports and games

- After WWI, disappointing statistics on health and fitness were released – revealing that 1 out of 3 drafted individuals were unfit for combat prior to military training

- Consequently, legislation was passed to improve physical education classes in public schools

- Physical education, for the most part, was implemented into Canadian schools by the 1930’s

- Fitness levels declined through both the Roaring Twenties (parties and good times) and even more so during the Depression (emphasis was placed on trying to mend a broken economy – not low fitness levels)

- Physical fitness became emphasized once again after another round of disturbing fitness statistics came back from WWII with nearly half of all draftees facing rejection or given non-combat roles

“Not less than two hours a day should be devoted to exercise and the weather shall be little regarded. If the body is feeble, the mind will not be strong.” - Thomas Jefferson

The 1950's - Present Day

- The 1950’s gave rise to many modern fitness movements – guiding pioneer of fitness, Jack Lalane started his own show which began his lifetime career as a TV fitness instructor (preceding people such as Richard Simmons and Jane Fonda)

- LaLane developed many fitness programs including aerobics, water aerobics, and resistance exercise

- The American Health Association, the American Medical Association, and the American College of Sports Medicine all began in the 1950s.

- The 1970’s was the period of Jazzercise, a dance-workout phenomenon

- Jogging and Aerobics quickly gained popularity also with the help of motivational Jane Fonda and Jim Fixx

- The 1980’s were home to the popularization of step-aerobics

- Fads of the 1990’s included Cindy Crawford’s workout videos and Tae-bo routines

- In 2006, game console Wii was released – with it came the game Wii Fit which has sold over 23 million copies to date

- Popular fitness trends today include: Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Insanity, P90X, and CrossFit

To end...

WE ALL NEED TO STAY PHYSICALLY FIT AND HEALTHY! It will make you happier!

A Brief History Fitness

Our Beginnings: The Physically Intense Lifestyle of a Nomad (pre- 10,000 B.C.)

- Primitive humans (Nomads) spent the majority of their lives on their feet

- Their lifestyle required the continual task of hunting and gathering

- Instead of dwelling in permanent settlements, Nomads set up temporary “campsites” and would stay for no more than a few days before packing up and finding a new home

- These early humans were most certainly in top physical form – fitness was engrained in their everyday life – there was no other option

Tribal Life

- Humans soon began living in tribes

- This tribal lifestyle often came along with 1-2 day hunting excursions

- Following a successful trip, tribes would often leave to visit friends and family for celebrations and fun. Neighbors usually lived several kilometers away – the trip would be accomplished on foot

- This life was a pattern of constant pursuit and celebration

- A high level of physical fitness was needed for a fulfilling life

The (Neolithic) Agricultural Revolution: Life Made a Little Easier (10,000- 8,000 B.C.)

- This time period marks the daybreak of civilization; humans began living in large, farming settlements

- Agricultural advancements meant plant and animal domestication

- Such developments left more time for sedentary periods during the week; however, farming, as most people know, is still a very physically-demanding job

- While it can be assumed humans of this era were maybe not as physically fit as those who lived during an earlier time, these individuals would have still been in high physical condition. Fitness was entrenched in daily farm work

Ancient China (2,500-250 B.C.)

- The Ancient Chinese soon discovered heart disease and diabetes (or, in their words, organ malfunctions and internal stoppages) were usually associated with physical inactivity

- They saw that regular exercise could greatly help one’s health

- Thus, the ancient Chinese practice of Kung Fu was established

- Other forms of physical activity existed in Ancient China: archery, dancing, fencing, and wrestling

Ancient India (2,500-250 BC)

The Near East (4,000- 250 B.C.)

-The pursuit of fitness was generally discouraged by the religious beliefs of Hinduism and Buddhism as spiritual growth was solely emphasized. However, a fitness program still widely practiced around the world (an estimated 12 million regular participants to date) was created to focus on both fitness and spiritualism: Yoga

- Hindu philosophers attempted to unify the development of the mind, body, and spirit.

- The health benefits of Yoga were soon recognized by Indian philosophers

- Power-hungry civilizations such as Assyria, Babylonia, Egypt, Palestine, Persia, and Syria knew the importance of physical fitness if they were to be in top military condition; thus, fitness and health was greatly encouraged and sometimes mandated

- One of the most extreme examples was the Persian Empire; at the age of six, young boys became property of the Empire and underwent rigorous physical training including hunting, javelin throwing, marching, and horseback riding

- In places such as these, fitness to improve strength was not practiced for health benefits, but to aid in the efforts of Empire expansion

Ancient Greece

Sparta (2,500- 200 B.C.)

Roman Civilization (200 B.C.- 476 A.D.)

- During the expansion of the Roman Empire, all citizens after the age of 17 were eligible for military draft; physical fitness was essential for duty.

- Military training included the usual running, marching, jumping, discus, and javelin throwing

- However, fitness levels declined as the Romans became focused on wealth and entertainment which lead to its eventual collapse, succumbing to the Barbarian tribes of Northern Europe

The Middle Ages (476-1400 A.D.)

- Physical fitness greatly benefited from the Middle Ages, a period of rapid intellectual decay following the downfall of the Roman Empire, once the scholarly epicenter of much of the world

- The fall of the Roman Empire meant an end to the lavish Roman lifestyle - families returned to a life of hunting and farming; physical fitness was imperative for survival

The Renaissance (1400-1600)

National Period in Europe (1700-1850)

- This period of rebirth in cultural learning gave rise to a renewed interest in the human body, an interest of the much earlier Greek cultures.

- Many influential individuals of this era including Martin Luther (religious leader) and John Locke (philosopher) insisted that high fitness levels enhanced academic learning and thinking

- Europe quickly became ready for the widespread development of formal physical education throughout the continent

- People of this time period experienced many changes to both the geography and cultural ideals of their homeland

- Physical education programs spread rapidly through the continent

- The establishment of new countries in Europe brought along passionate feeling for nationalism and independence which fueled the first modern fitness movement: Gymnastics

- Gymnastics was especially prevalent in generally competitive nations such as Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Great Britain

- In 1823, English schools began first calisthenics classes for girls to encourage beauty and posture