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300 BCE
Ancient Greece (circa 300-200 BCE)
Personal trainers and gymnasiums in ancient Greece were used for physical conditioning and training. -
300 BCE
Ancient Greece
Personal trainers and gymnasiums were used in ancient Greece for physical conditioning and training. The ancient Greeks regarded a healthy body almost as highly as a good education. The gymnasia was the ancient Greek equivalent of a sports center. -
19th Century
There was a development of physical training culture and fitness movement which was influenced by Eugen Sandow and many others. Sandow was a well-known strongman performer. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Eugen-Sandow -
Fitness culture through TV!
The rise of bodybuilding and fitness culture in the United States, with key figures like Jack LaLanne promoting fitness through television. -
American College of Sports Medicine
ACSM played a crucial role in promoting exercise science and establishing standards for exercise professionals, with a strong focus on clinical and scientific research in fitness and health. -
Aerobics
Dr. Kenneth Cooper, who published "Aerobics" in 1968, made traction about his research on cardiovascular fitness and the benefits of exercise. -
Certifications
The fitness industry began to professionalize, with the development of standardized certifications for fitness professionals. Organizations such as the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) were founded, offering certifications for personal trainers and fitness instructors. -
First Personal Training Certification
The first personal training certifications were introduced by organizations ACE and NSCA, this set professional standards and helped to legitimize the role of personal trainers in the fitness industry -
ACE
ACE was established, becoming one of the leading certifying bodies in the fitness industry. This period also saw the formation of other key organizations, such as the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA). -
Expansion
With technology advancements fitness expanded to fitness apps, online personal trainers, and fitness device trackers. For example apple watches, I wear mine every day, it shows how many steps and calories I burn each day. -
Focus on Corrective Exercise
NASM began to emphasize corrective exercise training, focusing on injury prevention, movement efficiency, and functional fitness, expanding the roles and expertise required of personal trainers. -
2020 Quarantine
This was the time COVID was at its peak. Social media fitness influencers took over the internet and provided personal training/workout videos. Chloe Ting was one of these influencers, her workout videos, were broadcast all over Tiktok and youtube. This shaped the online persona of online workouts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pLT-olgUJs