This document provides a history of physical education from primitive man to modern times. It describes how early civilizations like those in ancient China and India incorporated physical activities for health benefits. As sedentary lifestyles increased, medical gymnastics developed around 2698 BC to address illness. Greek philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Xenophon emphasized the importance of physical education and its relationship to health, military preparedness, and life success. The origins of common physical education terms are also outlined, and a quote from JFK stresses the relationship between physical and intellectual well-being.

1. HISTORY OF PHYSICAL
EDUCATION
Ivan Bendiola

2. Primitive Man
 They move according to
their satisfaction, needs,
necessity.
 They just live by means of
hunting wild animals in the
forest, or fishing along the
rivers, streams and
sometimes engage in
welfare murder to insure
their protection from
adverse element or hostile

3. Ancient Oriental Countries
 China
- The only
concerned of Chinese is
of intellectual
excellence.
- They neglect
physical activities
however, some believes
about the importance of
this to the body and has

4. Medical Gymnastics
 Developed as early
as 2698 B.C.
 During this
time, people had felt
illness because of their
sedentary life which
made them realize the
importance of physical
activities.

5.  Kung Fu
- Earliest exercise in the history that they
contributed like in Ancient China.

6.  Yoga
- It has the contribution of Indian people that
composed of exercises the posture and
regulates breaths.

7. Greek Philosophers
 Herodotus
- He recognized the
use of physical
education as an aid to
medicine as early as
the 5th Century.

8.  Galen
- He stated that
physical education is a
part of hygiene and
subordinate to
medicine.

9.  Socrates
- He gave emphasis on
the importance of
physical education
attaining health in order
to achieve one’s purpose
in life.

10.  Plato
- He considered
gymnastics and music
as two most important
subjects in the
curriculum.

11.  Xenophon
- He thought of physical
education as important in
terms of the military and
essential to success in
life soundness of the
mind and body.

12. Word Origins
 Do you ever wonder
where some of the
words we use in
physical education
come from?
 Exercise – From the
Latin words “ex” &
“arcere,” to restrain.
 Gymnasium – From the
Greek word
“gumnasion” or
“gumnazein” meaning to
exercise naked.
 Kinesiology – From the Greek
words “kinesis” movement .
 Physical Education – From
the Latin words “physica,”
physics and “educatio.”
 Physiology – From the Greek
words “phusio,” nature and
ology for branch of learning.
 Flexibility – From the Latin
word “flexus”, to bend.

13.  Physical fitness is not only one of the most
important keys to a healthy
body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative
intellectual activity. The
relationship between the soundness of the
body and the activities of the
mind is subtle and complex. Much is not yet
understood. But we do know what
the Greeks knew: that intelligence and skill can
only function at the peak
of their capacity when the body is healthy and
strong."
 - President John Fitzgerald Kennedy