HALEY HALL Contributing Writer
Fitness has been a prominent key to a healthy life dating back to 2500 B.C. Even for those who do not make fitness a priority in life, most people can agree that fitness is vital to long and “healthy” living. Although the concept of fitness has not changed, the ways people partake in fitness and the purpose of fitness have changed immensely.
Fitness started during the B.C. era because it was a necessity to survive. Men needed to be fit in order to hunt and gather food. If the early man was not physically fit, he would not be able to provide for himself nor his family. The strength and fitness of men during this time in history was “forged” by the everyday instinct to survive.
Centuries later, in the 1920s, fitness became part of an image to be achieved rather than a method of survival. According to historic gastronomist Sarah Lohman in the 1920’s, women were all about image. At that time, the popular image was a slender figure, which meant that women had to start watching what they ate and they had to start exercising. This involved more than a physical appearance. The modern woman was seen as active and sporty and no longer delicate and soft.
As technology advanced, people began to realize how important it is to stay fit, not just for looks but also for their health. They realized if they wanted to live a longer life they would have to start exercising. When people realized this they started encouraging fitness and health and the importance of it. Over the past 100 years gyms have become part of public schools across the country, neighborhoods and even large companies and corporations.
Public schools have made it part of their curriculum to teach and incorporate physical education for all grades (K-8). Workout facilities or gymnasiums are common in United States colleges and high schools. These workout rooms or buildings are used for school gatherings, intramural sports, physical education and more..
Readers may ask themselves, how this relates to them. Well, it absolutely does because physical activity has the opportunity to create not only immediate benefits in regards to academic performance, but long-term benefits as well. According to Karen Postal, who has her PH.D in fitness, soon after participating in a physical activity, it becomes easier to concentrate better on tasks assigned within the classroom. It is not too late to start today, so get up and start exercising for a longer, healthier life.
