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The gym is now a staple of modern life; every town will have at least one and a majority of the general population use or have used one. But what are the origins of the Gymnasium, how has it changed over time and how has it changed our lifestyle just as dramatically.
In ancient Greece, gymnasiums were centres for both athletic events and an area of higher learning. Back then only men enjoyed the use of the facilities, events were staged in the nude to show off their physiques and it also was seen as a practise to honour of the Gods.
Archaeologists' believe that the structure at Delphi represents the oldest Greek gymnasium; dating to approximately 400 B.C. Greek athletes competed in such activities as track and field events like the sprints, discus and javelin, as well as some contact sports like wrestling and boxing which they were more famous for. It is said that Hercules himself came up with the concept of the Olympic Games and created the idea of a stadium and that it should be held every four years. An unknown addition to Gymnasiums in ancient Greece which isn't mentioned greatly is that they also served as lecture halls for traveling philosophers and educators.
The concept of 'the gymnasium' spread as well as other elements of Greek culture throughout the Mediterranean and Asia Minor areas. The structures are not as well preserved as their Greek counterparts but research into these buildings shows how they had many points in common with the ancient gymnasiums. They all typically contained rooms for athletes to apply oil and sand to their bodies as well as several adjoining rooms for bathhouses, libraries, classrooms and lecture auditoriums they also found open-air spaces used for hosting competitions.
After the ancient Greeks, gyms disappeared for centuries. Medieval and Renaissance life was physically arduous enough, and ordinary people got all the exercise they needed working on the land so the concept of the gym wasn't need. The first British modern gymnasium was designed by Edward Gruning and built around 1864-1865 for use of the German Gymnastics Society. It is believed to be been the first modern purpose-built gymnasium in the United Kingdom. Long forgotten sports were performed there, including Indian club swinging and Broadsword practice. The Gymnasium adopted a forward thinking approach to women's exercise, with classes taking place here as early as 1866. Due to the work of one of its early presidents, Ernst Ravenstein, the building also claims it helped to provide a pivotal role in the re-birth of the Olympic Games and again in 1866 the Gymnasium hosted the indoor events of the first National Olympic Games.
By the 19th century it had become common place for schools and colleges to be building gymnasiums. Modern gyms are a very different environment to the ancient customs and but after all this time a similar principle remains we obviously secretly love the gym. Jeffrey Nevil writes on a number of subjects including Powerbar Performance.
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www.u-thrive.com/powerbar/10003/performance-bar-x-25.aspx
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