Physical Fitness TimelineBy: Sterling Hervey

EXS 101

Fitness from the Dawn of Man• Physical fitness history spans

back to the dawn of man. At that time, formal exercise wasn't necessary because prehistoric man's way of life involved a great deal of exercise.

• During this era in physical fitness history, primitive man was constantly on the move as a hunter/gatherer. Most tribes also led a nomadic lifestyle. Because of this, there was no need to pursue physical fitness.

Fitness from the Dawn of Civilization

• As man's innovation advanced, their natural activity levels decreased. In ancient China, Confucius recognized that physical inactivity was becoming a way of life, and his teachings encouraged participation in regular activity.

• Because of this, Cong Fu was developed to keep the body in shape, and the Chinese also participated in other activities that were purely for the pursuit of physical fitness - such as wrestling and badminton.

• During this same time period, the ancient Indian civilization was taking another route. Religious beliefs of the time discouraged the development of the body, emphasizing instead the development of the spirit. Yoga emerged as a means of reconciling these two things

Physical Fitness for Military Might

• As civilizations advanced, physical fitness was driven by art and military might

• The ancient Greeks valued the beauty of physical form. There was a belief that having a fit body equaled having a fit mind, and that physical wellness was necessary in order to be emotionally healthy

• In this civilization, the main form of exercise was gymnastics.

• While much of the Greek populace developed fitness for aesthetic and mental purposes, the Spartans focused on fitness as a means of achieving military strength. The Spartans underwent vigorous fitness regimens - both the men and the women - for the purpose of defending Sparta.

American Physical Fitness

• As America grew as a nation, so did their ideals of physical fitness. These ideals were influenced greatly by the European immigrants coming to the United States

• American leaders were nonetheless aware of the need for fitness. Many of America's early leaders supported regular activity in some form such as running or swimming.

• It was during this period that fitness proponents began to realize that there needed to be a focus on fitness for women, in particular

Continued American Fitness

• The Industrial Revolution in the United States was the onset of a new, more sedentary way of life in America. As Americans became more sedentary, diseases related to lack of fitness, such as heart disease and diabetes, became prevalent.

• As Americans began to struggle more and more with diseases related to lack of fitness, physical education entered the school system. This gave rise to two distinct branches of physical fitness - exercise for the sake of fitness and exercise through sports.

• In recent history, the fitness industry has exploded in an attempt to make up for the extremely sedentary lifestyles of the modern populace. Many fitness gurus have risen to prominence and made fortunes off of people desperate to be healthier, stronger, and younger.

• Today's fitness is carried out in gyms, and on playing fields around the world.

References

1. Historic Background of Physical Fitness (robertkernodle.hubpages.com › Education and Science).

2. Timeline of historical Events (blogs.uoregon.edu/afortesf13gateway/timeline)