The History of the Modern Day Gym
Today the modern gym or fitness club has become more like a dental office than anything else. Everyone knows that their attendance is mandatory for pristine health but dreads even the thought of having to arrive. The body has become the teeth arriving to be cleaned and molded into the image of perfection. They are put through pain and discomfort in order to look their best. That image of the gym has deviated greatly from its adolescence. Like many history lessons, it begins in ancient Greece.
The gym really began with the greek philosophy of a fit mind. They believed that for an individual to excel, they needed to sharpen their cognitive fucntionality. This was done by reading, writing and participating in public speaking. Soon they found out that a part of the puzzle was missing. Yes, the importance of a strong mind cannot be neglected, but with a strong mind, a strong body is needed to complete the perfect balance. The greek word gymnasium means “a place to be naked” (I would not try to repeat this aspect of history anywhere today). The gymnasium was formed as a public institution (early ones were just open fields) where male athletes over eighteen initially received training in physical exercises. Here they practiced for the games played during the year. The first gymnasiums were built not just for physical training but for the basis of being a place to expand one’s knowledge. Here they exercised, trained to fight and more importantly educated themselves. The Greek gymnasiums held lectures and discussions on philosophy, literature, music and functioned as public libraries. They offered vast amounts of knowledge for their athletes.
The supervision of the gymnasiums was entrusted to gymnasiarchs (very much like modern day personal trainers), who played a major role in the operation and maintenance of the early gyms. They were well respected public officials who were responsible for the supervision of sports and games at public festivals. Their most important tasks were to direct the schools and sharpen the competitor’s skills. The gymnastai were the coaches, trainers but most importantly, teachers of the athletes. The gymnastai did not just physically train the athletes, they were also deeply involved in their education.
The early gymnasiums were a social connection for the ancient Greek society. The athletic contests for which the gymnasium supplied the means of training and competition formed part of the social and spiritual life of the Greeks from very early on. The contests took place in honor of heroes and gods, sometimes forming part of a periodic festival or the funeral rites of a deceased leader. The free and active Greek lifestyle reinforced the attachment to such sports and after a period of time the contests became a prominent element in Greek culture. The victor in religious athletic contests, though he gained no material prize other than a wreath, was rewarded with the honor and respect of his fellow citizens. Training of competitors for the greater contests was a matter of public concern and special buildings were provided by the state for such use, with management entrusted to public officials. A victory in the great religious festivals was counted an honour for the whole state.
Looking at the history of the gym from the view of the early Greeks, there are many differences from the gyms and health clubs of today. Presently gyms have diverged greatly from what they were centuries ago. Many of the main aspects and importance elements of why the gym had been created has been over looked and forgotten.
The importance of education within the gym has completely been lost. For the Greeks, this was the most important aspect of a gymnasium. Thought it was a place to physically train and compete, the importance of education was highly advocated. In today’s health clubs, it seems as though there is little or no education offered to its patrons. People arrive at the gym and instantly begin sweating and working vigorously, but do they know for what? Gyms should offer a wide variety and detailed education for their members. If they arrive and are not educated on the reasons and rational behind why they do a specific exercise or do a certain routine, then they are not helping themselves. Members need to be better educated on why certain exercises will help their health. When there are better educated members in the gym, they can work on a routine that will help them more in the long run. They could find out that a lot of their time has been wasted on a routine that has not been helping them achieve their goals at all. With the correct information, individuals have a better understanding of what they are doing within the gym. They can adjust their time to what they want to accomplish. Whether it is more or less weight lifting and or more or less cardiovascular exercises. Also education on what individuals should do outside of the gym. Even if tremendous hard work is put in there, it can all be undone by what happens outside of those walls.
Looking at the development of the gymnasiums, it can be seen that taking a step back to the past can conclude to more accomplishments. This aspect of better education can help many that lack this essential element in good health. This can help many individuals on their road to success; whatever that success is at the gym.
