Fitness Gym 3D model 3D model

model cinema 4d r19 reandar octane texture octane matarial History of Fitness Statuette of a running Greek girl dressed for the Heraean Games - History of Fitness Statuette of a running Greek girl dressed for the Heraean Games While widespread dedication to fitness is somewhat of a modern trend, exercise and general fitness practices have been employed by a number of cultures throughout history, most notably within Greek culture. Even without taking into account athletes who disciplined their bodies for peak performance at the Panhellenic games, many city-states encouraged every citizen to exercise in some fashion. Though ancient Greece is perhaps the most predominant figure in the history of fitness, general fitness has likely held a place in nearly every major culture throughout history. From the early development of yoga ancient India to intense mob football sports in medieval Europe, the history of fitness and exercise in its countless forms has been pervasive throughout time and place.

Middle and Far East Some of our earliest solid records of exercise in antiquity lie in the Middle and Far East. Yoga, originating in India or somewhere nearby, is perhaps one of the oldest recorded forms of exercise recorded, likely practiced as early as 3300 BC (though its exact date and location of origin are uncertain). Since its beginnings, this discipline of both body and mind has branched out into countless forms. Though the history of yoga has consisted predominantly of forms focusing on mental and/or spiritual health, some forms, such as Hatha yoga, did have a focus on physical wellbeing.

The Persian zurkhaneh, a sort of gym dating back to the 4th or 5th century AD (with roots back to the 1st millennium BC), similarly exemplifies this discipline of both body and mind. This establishment hosted ritualistic weight training and calisthenics sessions, which involved lifting clubs, shields, and iron weights to the rhythm of a drum, and ended with a form of submission wrestling. Though the religious rituals were pushed away from Zoroastrianism toward Islam after the Islamic conquests of Persia beginning in the 8th century AD, zurkhaneh still exist today and serve as an observable shadow of an ancient piece of the history of fitness.

The ancient Far East also boasts another key entry in the history of fitness: the earliest record of exercise prescribed by a doctor. Suśruta (or Sushruta), a 6th century BC physician in India, is credited with the first documented case of a written prescription for exercise. He advised that daily exercise would improve certain aspects of bodily health, including muscle development, weight management, and digestive health. These records predate the recorded prescriptions of Herodicus (5th century BC), a Greek teacher of Hippocrates, who also prescribed exercise for recovery from sports injuries, though at a much higher intensity than Suśruta.

Mediterranean Region Ancient Greece is likely the most prominent figure in the history of fitness. During the peak of Sparta’s power and influence from around 800 BC to 600 BC, boys from the age of 7 underwent intense physical training to become warriors. This training involved fitness and combat practice in tandem with competitive athletic games, likely including ball sports like episkyros. Girls were made to train alongside boys in an effort to develop healthy mothers of warriors, though they did not participate in coed competitions. In Spartan culture, both boys and girls, men and women were expected to maintain a healthy diet and engage in athletic training as a duty to their city-state, adding to their reputation of strict discipline and a zealous drive for excellence.

Roman Replica of the Greek sculpture Discobolus - History of Fitness Roman Replica of the Greek sculpture “Discobolus” (original c. 450 BC) This high esteem for physical education is easily seen throughout much of Greek culture as a whole. The Olympic Games (primarily 776 BC to 349 AD), one of the four Panhellenic festivals, were perhaps the pinnacle embodiment of this esteem. Undoubtedly, this competition is the most prominent in the history of fitness. Just like modern Olympic athletes, the participants in the ancient Olympic Games had to endure a long period of strenuous training in order to compete. On the first day of the festival, they were required to stand in front of the statue of Zeus at Olympia and recite a ritualistic vow stating that they had trained for at least 10 months before the games while maintaining a special diet.

Initially, the Olympic festival consisted only of the stadion, a sprint averaging 200 m (656 feet). Throughout the centuries, several other events were added. Below is a list of ancient Olympic events, in order of their introduction to the festival.