![Amsterdam - Gymnasium - 0591](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Amsterdam_-_Gymnasium_-_0591.jpg)
A gymnasium, also known as a gym, is an indoor location for
athletics
Athletics may refer to:
Sports
* Sport of athletics, a collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking
** Track and field, a sub-category of the above sport
* Athletics (physical culture), competiti ...
. The word is derived from the
ancient Greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...
term "
gymnasium". They are commonly found in athletic and
fitness centres, and as activity and
learning spaces in educational institutions. "Gym" is also slang for "
fitness centre", which is often an area for indoor recreation. A "gym" may include or describe adjacent open air areas as well. In Western countries, "gyms" (or pl: gymnasia") often describe places with indoor or outdoor courts for basketball, hockey, tennis, boxing or wrestling, and with
equipment
Equipment most commonly refers to a set of tools or other objects commonly used to achieve a particular objective. Different job
Work or labor (or labour in British English) is intentional activity people perform to support the needs and ...
and
machines used for physical development training, or to do exercises. In many European countries, ''Gymnasium'' (and
variations
Variation or Variations may refer to:
Science and mathematics
* Variation (astronomy), any perturbation of the mean motion or orbit of a planet or satellite, particularly of the moon
* Genetic variation, the difference in DNA among individuals ...
of the word) also can describe a secondary school that prepares students for
higher education
Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...
at a
university
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
, with or without the presence of athletic courts, fields, or equipment.
Overview
![TWU Gymnastics (Floor) Floor Warm Up (5694074973)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/TWU_Gymnastics_%28Floor%29_Floor_Warm_Up_%285694074973%29.jpg)
Gymnasia apparatus like barbells, jumping board, running path, tennis-balls, cricket field, and fencing area are used as exercises. In safe weather, outdoor locations are the most conducive to health. Gyms were popular in ancient Greece. Their curricula included self-defense, gymnastica medica, or physical therapy to help the sick and injured, and for physical fitness and sports, from boxing to dancing to skipping rope.
Gymnasia also had teachers of wisdom and philosophy. Community gymnastic events were done as part of the celebrations during various village festivals. In ancient Greece there was a phrase of contempt, "He can neither swim nor write." After a while, however, Olympic athletes began training in buildings specifically designed for them. Community sports never became as popular among ancient Romans as it had among the
ancient Greeks
Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity ( AD 600), that comprised a loose collection of cultu ...
. Gyms were used more as a preparation for military service or spectator sports. During the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...
, the gymnastic art was forgotten. In the
Dark Ages there were sword fighting tournaments and of
chivalry
Chivalry, or the chivalric code, is an informal and varying code of conduct developed in Europe between 1170 and 1220. It was associated with the medieval Christianity, Christian institution of knighthood; knights' and gentlemen's behaviours we ...
; and after
gunpowder
Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, carbon (in the form of charcoal) and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). ...
was invented sword fighting began to be replaced by the sport of
fencing
Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, s ...
, as well as schools of dagger fighting and wrestling and boxing.
In the 18th century, Salzmann, German clergyman, opened a gym in Thuringia teaching bodily exercises, including running and swimming. Clias and Volker established gyms in London, and in 1825, Doctor
Charles Beck
Charles Beck or Karl Beck (August 19, 1798 – March 19, 1866) was a German-born American classical scholar, Harvard professor and friend of Charles Follen.
Biography
Beck was born in Heidelberg. His merchant father died when Beck was young, a ...
, a German immigrant, established the first gymnasium in the United States. It was found that gym pupils lose interest in doing the same exercises, partly because of age. Variety in exercises included skating, dancing, and swimming. Some gym activities can be done by 6 to 8-year-olds while age 16 has been considered mature enough for boxing and horseback riding.
In
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity ( AD 600), that comprised a loose collection of cult ...
, the ''
gymnasion
The gymnasium ( grc-gre, γυμνάσιον, gymnásion) in Ancient Greece functioned as a training facility for competitors in public games. It was also a place for socializing and engaging in intellectual pursuits. The name comes from the Anci ...
'' (γυμνάσιον) was a locality for both physical and intellectual
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
of young men. The latter meaning of intellectual education persisted in
Greek,
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
and other languages to denote a certain type of school providing
secondary education
Secondary education or post-primary education covers two phases on the International Standard Classification of Education scale. Level 2 or lower secondary education (less commonly junior secondary education) is considered the second and final pha ...
, the
gymnasium, whereas in
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
the meaning of physical education pertained in the word 'gym'.
The Greek word ''gymnasium'', which means "school for naked exercise," was used to designate a locality for the
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
of young men, including physical education (''
gymnastics
Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, shou ...
'', for example, exercise) which was customarily performed naked, as well as
bathing
Bathing is the act of washing the body, usually with water, or the immersion of the body in water. It may be practiced for personal hygiene, religious ritual or therapeutic purposes. By analogy, especially as a recreational activity, the term is ...
, and studies. For the Greeks, physical education was considered as important as cognitive learning. Most Greek ''gymnasia'' had libraries that for use after relaxing in the baths.
Nowadays, it represents a common area where people, from all ranges of experience, exercise and work out their muscles. You can also usually find people doing
cardio exercises or pilates.
History
![Children's outdoor gymnasium circa 19th Century](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Children%27s_outdoor_gymnasium_circa_19th_Century.jpg)
The first recorded gymnasiums date back to over 3000 years ago in ancient
Persia
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, where they were known as ''
zurkhaneh
Pahlevani and zourkhaneh rituals is the name inscribed by UNESCO for varzesh-e pahlavāni ( fa, آیین پهلوانی و زورخانهای, "heroic sport") or varzesh-e bāstāni (; , "ancient sport"), a traditional system of athletics a ...
'', areas that encouraged physical fitness. The larger
Roman Baths
In ancient Rome, (from Greek , "hot") and (from Greek ) were facilities for bathing. usually refers to the large imperial bath complexes, while were smaller-scale facilities, public or private, that existed in great numbers throughout ...
often had attached fitness facilities, the baths themselves sometimes being decorated with
mosaic
A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...
s of local champions of sport. Gyms in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
were an outgrowth of the ''Turnplatz'', an outdoor space for gymnastics founded by German educator
Friedrich Jahn
(11August 177815October 1852) was a German gymnastics educator and nationalist whose writing is credited with the founding of the German gymnastics (Turner) movement as well as influencing the German Campaign of 1813, during which a coalition of ...
in 1811 and later promoted by the
Turners
Turners (german: Turner) are members of German-American gymnastic clubs called Turnvereine. They promoted German culture, physical culture, and liberal politics. Turners, especially Francis Lieber, 1798–1872, were the leading sponsors of gy ...
, a nineteenth-century political and gymnastic movement. The first American to open a public gym in the United States using Jahn's model was
John Neal of
Portland, Maine in 1827. The first indoor gymnasium in Germany was probably the one built in
Hesse
Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major histor ...
in 1852 by Adolph Spiess.
Through worldwide colonization, Great Britain expanded its national interest in sports and games to many countries. In the 1800s, programs were added to schools and college curricula that emphasized health, strength, and bodily measure. Sports drawn from European and British cultures thrived as college students and upper-class clubs financed competition. As a result, towns began building playgrounds that furthered interest in sports and physical activity. Early efforts to establish gyms in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
in the 1820s were documented and promoted by John Neal in the ''American Journal of Education'' and ''
The Yankee'', helping to establish the American branch of the movement. Later in the century, the Turner movement was founded and continued to thrive into the early twentieth century. The first Turners group was formed in London in 1848. The Turners built gymnasia in several cities like Cincinnati and
St. Louis which had large
German American
German Americans (german: Deutschamerikaner, ) are Americans who have full or partial German ancestry. With an estimated size of approximately 43 million in 2019, German Americans are the largest of the self-reported ancestry groups by the Unite ...
populations. These gyms were utilized by adults and youth. For example, a young
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis Gehrig (born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig ; June 19, 1903June 2, 1941) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (1923–1939). Gehrig was renowned f ...
would frequent the Turner gym in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
with his father.
![ErfgoedLeiden LEI001015553 Gymnastiekzaal van de Gymnastiekschool aan de Pieterskerkgracht in Leiden](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/ErfgoedLeiden_LEI001015553_Gymnastiekzaal_van_de_Gymnastiekschool_aan_de_Pieterskerkgracht_in_Leiden.jpeg)
The
Boston Young Men's Christian Union
The Boston Young Men's Christian Union is an historic building at 48 Boylston Street in Boston, Massachusetts and a liberal Protestant youth association. When Unitarians were excluded from the Boston YMCA (which was evangelical) in 1851, a group ...
claims to be "America's First Gym". The
YMCA
YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...
first organized in
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
in 1851 and a smaller branch opened in Rangasville in 1852.
Ten years later there were some two hundred YMCAs across the country, most of which provided gymnasia for exercise, games, and social interaction.
The 1920s was a decade of prosperity that witnessed the building of large numbers of public high schools with a gymnasium, an idea founded by Nicolas Isaranga.
Today, gymnasia are commonplace in the United States. They are in virtually all U.S.
colleges
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offerin ...
and
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
s, as well as almost all
middle school
A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school. ...
s and
elementary school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ed ...
s. These facilities are used for
physical education
Physical education, often abbreviated to Phys Ed. or P.E., is a subject taught in schools around the world. It is usually taught during primary and secondary education, and encourages psychomotor learning by using a play and movement explorati ...
,
intramural sports, and school gatherings. The number of gyms in the U.S. has more than doubled since the late 1980s.
See also
*
Aerobic exercise
*
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is the use of progressive resistance exercise to control and develop one's muscles (muscle building) by muscle hypertrophy for aesthetic purposes. It is distinct from similar activities such as powerlifting because it focuses ...
*
Exercise trends
*
Gym floor cover
Gym floor covers can either be a carpet-based protection system or a large plastic tarp, similar to a painters tarp, usually divided into equal sections wide each to cover up the entire gym floor. Gym floor covers are available in roll or tile s ...
*
Gymkhana
Gymkhana () ( ur, جِمخانہ, sd, جمخانه, hi, जिमख़ाना, as, জিমখানা, bn, জিমখানা) is a British Raj term which originally referred to a place of assembly. The meaning then altered to den ...
*
Largest high school gyms in the United States
The largest high school basketball gyms in the United States refers to gymnasiums primarily used by secondary schools for basketball purposes. 14 of the 16 largest high school gymnasiums are located in the state of Indiana.
In March 2019, The Indi ...
*
Outdoor gym
The outdoor gym is a gym built outside in a public park, with the all-weather construction of its exercise machines somewhat modeled on playground equipment. It is similar to the 1960s–1970s proliferation of fitness trails, which continue to ...
*
Physical exercise
Exercise is a body activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness.
It is performed for various reasons, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovascular system, hone athletic ...
References
;Bibliography
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{{Authority control
Educational facilities
Physical education
Physical exercise
Sports venues by type
Strength training
Recreation