2. 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.
3. 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
4. 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.
5. 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
6. 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.
7. References
1. Historic Background of Physical
Fitness
(robertkernodle.hubpages.com ›
Education and Science).
2. Timeline of historical Events
(blogs.uoregon.edu/afortesf13gatew
ay/timeline)
