Exercise has been an activity since ancient Egypt, China, India, and Greece. The concept of improving one’s body is literally thousands of years old. Has the reason for training changed? In some cases yes and no.
Ancient China and India have adopted forms of physical training for good health. These activities are known as Kung Fu and Yoga. Both were developed with spiritual qualities. The idea behind these types of practices were to connect the mind and body on a spiritual plane. Breathe work, meditation, nutrition, and prayer were key elements to these types of practices.
Other forms of exercise were designed for war and sport. In India, maces, clubs, and stones were developed to strengthen the body through external resistance. Many great wrestlers came out of India, such as the Great Gama. In Ancient Rome, the military trained often. Their training consisted of rucking (hiking with gear), wrestling, calisthenics, and running. This was present throughout the world at different points in history. Ancient Japan, Greece, and Polynesia all developed some form of resistance training for sport or war preparation.
As time went on, technology evolved, arts developed, the reasons for training changed, slightly. Although training for sport, survival, and war still stand, a new reason for training evolved. Aesthetics. This is known as bodybuilding.
Bodybuilding has been since the 1860s, with Eugene Sandow being considered the pioneer. The first introduction of bodybuilding began as a strength sport, who can lift the heaviest weight. Old bodybuilding looked more like modern day strongman. As time went on, it eventually turned into, who can lift the most weight and have the best physique. In the 1940s bodybuilding took a turn to aesthetics.
Regardless of one’s specific goal, all forms of exercise ultimately aim to improve ourselves . No one is perfect but the idea to constantly improve oneself is a beautiful transition and mission. Progress is the key to life. It’s what gives us, humans, purpose. It’s what guides us to leave a positive legacy.
Exercise is more intertwined with the human experience than we think. Humans have understood the benefits of exercise for thousands of years. The goal has always been to get better. So I ask a new question. If you don’t exercise, I have a new question for you. How can exercise improve your life?
