Fitness as it is known today happens to be a relatively modern concept. The foundations of contemporary fitness can be traced to the 1970s.


Jogging was one of its earliest expressions. The physical fitness evolution over the years has been quite intriguing and diversified. Here’s a brief overview.

Ancient Times
The fitness evolution dates back to the time of the Romans and the Ancient Greeks. In 4,000 BC, the Romans imposed very strict physical training requirements for the centurions. The purpose of this physical training was obvious – young men had to be capable of surviving during battle. Athletic competitions existed during this period, as well. They were quite popular in Ancient Egypt and among the creators of the Olympic Games – the Greeks.

Fitness in the Dark Ages

The period that lasted from the fifth until the 15th century is known as the Dark Ages and it’s characterized by rejection of the human body and its mechanics. Christianity was incredibly prominent at the time. People were thought not to be concerned with bodily needs but to prepare for the afterlife.

Only nobles in Europe had the right to undergo physical training. Natural movements and martial arts were the only focuses of fitness during the Dark Ages.

Open Interest in the Human Body during the Renaissance

A fitness revival was experienced during the Renaissance period. The interest in the human body was restored and people became a bit more open about their physical needs.

Vittorino da Feltre, an Italian humanist and educator, was among the first who opened a school where students underwent physical training.The first book to focus on the physical existence and the fitness of the human body was published in 1553. It also explored how injuries could be overcome faster through movement.

Modern Fitness Comes to the Spotlight

It wasn’t until the 20th century that the modern concept of fitness came to existence. Specialized competitive sports and a fitness market appeared for the very first time in the late 1970s and the 1980s. The history of contemporary fitness, however, began a little bit earlier.

French professor Edmond Desbonnet is one of the individuals that contributed to major fitness development.

He published fitness journals and during the period when he was most famous, Desbonnet has almost 200 physical training centers. Since Desbonnet’s fitness centers featured quite expensive equipment, however, they were only fashionable among the rich. While this was happening in Europe, Bernarr Macfadden became a prominent fitness guru and organized the first contest assessing physique in 1903.

Over the century, thousands of fitness and physical training methods came to existence. Many of these promised to get people to an excellent physical shape within a very short time period. Obviously, many of those failed producing the desired results.

The 20th century was the one during which many devices and methodologies came into existence. A few of them are still recognized today – the Jane Fonda series of aerobics videos, the Thighmaster, pilates, tae bo, sauna suits and even spinning.

People today are lucky to have many methods and exercise routines to choose among. Many of these have their foundations in the 20th century but fitness equipment has also become widespread and readily available for at-home use. Chances are that fitness will continue evolving in the future through smart technologies and innovations. One thing will still be needed and this one thing is motivation.