Gymnastics originated in ancient Greece. The word "gymnastics" comes from from the ancient Greek word "gymnos," which actually means "naked." Greek women were not allowed to view or participate in any games since the male athletes were nude even while training and competing. Greek men also used the gymnasiums as a club where they could assemble to debate issues concerning art, literature and philosophy. The emphasis of gymnastics was merging the mind and body.
Physical Strength Emphasized
The first skill that evolved was mounting and dismounting from a real horse. Since athletic strength and physical beauty were highly prized, there were myriad gymnasiums spread across ancient Greek cities. A gymnasium became a place where running, jumping and wrestling were practiced.
First Olympic Game
The first Olympic Game was held in Greece in 776 B.C., which was intended as a celebration expressing Greek devotion to the god, Zeus. The initial Olympic Game featured only a 200-yard foot race. This game continued for more than a thousand years. Eventually, boxing, wrestling, throwing, jumping and weightlifting became acceptable for the Olympics.
Palaestras
The study and practice of gymnastics was conducted in areas known as the palaestras, which provided access to an indoor and outdoor facility. Generally, a palaestra was for young boys. A boy was considered an adult when he reached an age between 14 and 16. As an adult, the young man was moved over to a gymnasium, where he received training from what we call today a fitness trainer.
Spartans And Athenians
Greek states eventually splintered and began fighting. Strength and physical fitness became part of training for war for the Spartans of Northern Greece. This was a marked difference from the Athenians, who still valued physical fitness and gymnastics as training for the body and the soul. For the Spartans, even women were expected to be in prime physical shape, primarily for bearing strong sons. With the skills acquired from gymnastics, the Spartan militaristic society became the most physically robust of all time, according to sport scientists and researchers at the University of New Mexico.
Disappearance of Gymnastics
During the height of the Roman Empire, and subsequently, before it collapsed, the importance of physical fitness declined. People had become more interested in accumulating wealth. The Roman Empire eventually fell to the physical power of Barbarian tribes. The great Greek contribution of gymnastics made a brief reemergence during the Middle Ages, but was not fully revived until the late 18th century.
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