Personal Training Timeline

By zacharymcminn
  • 2500 BCE

    Persian/Greek/Asian

    Persian/Greek/Asian
    At this time, fitness and training programs were used by militaries to train soldiers for war.
  • 776 BCE

    Olympic Games

    Olympic Games
    The first olympic games took place in 776 BC. Ancient greek athletes trained their bodies for certain events of strength and speed.
  • 460 BCE

    Hippocrates (Greek Practitioner)

    Hippocrates (Greek Practitioner)
    Is considered the father of modern medicine and advocated fitness for the well being of an individual. "Eating alone will not keep a man well; he must also take exercise"

  • German and Swedish Gymnastics

    German and Swedish Gymnastics
    From 1700 to 1850 Germany and Sweden made large advancements in personal training. Johann GutsMuths and Friedrich Jahn (grandfather and father of German gymnastics) created equipment and routines for gymnasts to perform

  • Hippolyte Triat

    Hippolyte Triat
    A French strongman who is often credited with being the earliest to open commercial gyms. The first gym was opened in Brussels and then in Paris sometime during the 1840s

  • Weight Lifting introduced into the Olympics

    Weight Lifting introduced into the Olympics
    Modernized weight lifting became an official sport in the Olympic Games.

  • Eugen Sandow

    Eugen Sandow
    Referred to as the father of modern bodybuilding, staged the first bodybuilding competition called "The Greatest Show". In todays age the show is now called the Olympia and the trophy the winner is given is called the "Sandow" in honor of Eugen Sandow

  • Jack LaLanne

    Jack LaLanne
    Born 1936, died in 2009, Jack LaLanne became the first fitness icon in the united states. He motivated hundreds of thousand Americans to get up and exercise.

  • Gold's Gym 1965

    Gold's Gym 1965
    Golds Gym was founded in 1965 by Joe Gold in Venice, California. The gym was known as the "mecca of bodybuilding" made popular by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

  • Dr. Ken H. Cooper

    Dr. Ken H. Cooper
    Considered the father of the modern fitness movement, he shifted peoples thinking from disease treatment to disease prevention through the use of exercise. In 1968 he introduced the word "aerobics" and began a fitness movement that would up the number of joggers in America from 100,000 to 30 million

  • Joe Weider and Arnold Schwarzenegger

    Joe Weider and Arnold Schwarzenegger
    Joe Weider was a well known bodybuilding coach (guru) who mentored and coached Arnold Schwarzenegger. With Weider's help Arnold was able to win 6 consecutive Mr. Olympia's during the 1970s

  • NSCA

    NSCA
    The National Strength and Conditioning Association was founded in 1978. Dedicated to advancing the strength and conditioning and related sport science professions around the world.

  • Personal Training Career

    Personal Training Career
    During the 1980's fitness was starting to become the main stream amongst the population. People started seeking personal training as a career path.

  • NSCA Certificates

    The NSCA officially recognized the first personal training certificate in 1996. Today many other organizations award personal training certificates (NASM, IFP, ISSA, NCCP)