A large part of human activity is taken up by sports and fitness and keeping fit. To most of us in the Western world it is either a leisure activity or an occupation, while to others in less developed countries fitness is a way of life, not for sports but to provide them with the strength and stamina to be able to feed themselves and their families.

Sport is in the eyes of the beholders and participants, but not always both.  For the gladiators of ancient Rome their activities were a means of survival and not the sport that the spectators enjoyed.  It was certainly not a participant sport that those watching wished they could also be actively involved in! Combatant activities such as these were the variety shows of today.

Most athletics disciplines began with practical skills such as javelin and discus throwing, both of which were originally weapons.  Running and jumping had their origins in hunting and the original team sports in competition between communities. Football started as games between towns and villages where the whole population would try to force the ball from one side of a field or town to another: no holds barred and no referees!  Many of the more modern sports such as rugby, American football and baseball were derivations of other older sports such as football (soccer) and rounders.

Although the earliest recorded sports include gymnastics in China over 6 thousand years ago, there is evidence from cave drawings that a form of sports event was in existence as far back as 30,000 years ago.  The Egyptians are known to have wrestled and swam competitively and the Persians participated in games that required the skills need in warfare and also games such as polo to hone up their equestrian skills. It is said that the troops of Genghis Kahn and other Mongol leaders participated in polo, using their defeated enemies’ heads as the ball. It is also known that they contested their horsemanship abilities, as did the Cossacks of Russia.

The oldest organized sport in the world, if it can be called that, is believed to be pigeon racing. However, the most famed sports event, and regarded by most as the earliest recorded organized games, were the Olympic Games of ancient Greece.  Wrestling, boxing, running and throwing were the main sports of the era, all of which were useful in warfare. The word ‘gymnasium’ is derived from the Greek word for naked, so one can assume that there was little demand for leotards in these days.

The way sports were conducted tended to be very flexible then, but over the years sport has become more organized and played with specific restrictions known as rules. As the industrial revolution and modern working hours brought with them more leisure time, sports became open to the general population rather than the aristocracy, and mass media, globalization and professionalism have all contributed to the place of sport in modern day society.

Fitness, on the other hand, does not have such a long history, because people were naturally fit and had no need to work at it. The ancient Greeks and Romans, and no doubt other civilizations, associated fitness with battle prowess and so exercise was promoted amongst the population, and it came natural to those relying on their physical prowess to work and even remain alive up to the 18th century.  However, the aristocracy paid scant attention to exercising other than Orientals who have practiced yoga and the martial arts throughout history.

It was the 20th century that opened people’s eyes to health and fitness as we know it now, and much of this was due to drafting during both World Wars showing respective governments just how unfit their populations were – both in the USA and the UK. As modern health research increasingly demonstrated the relationship between a lack of fitness and a lack of longevity, people became increasingly aware of their own lack of fitness and the old boxing gyms became modern health and fitness clubs.

There are now a massive number of sports & fitness clubs throughout the world, and people pay to get fit in the hope that it will prolong their lives.  Many are becoming so expensive that it is frequently cheaper to buy your own equipment than pay for a half hour in a sports and fitness club.

Sports fitness exercises have developed over the centuries from building a high degree of fitness suitable for battle to developing a standard of health and fitness that will help to prolong life. In a way, they both have the same fundamental end in mind if you really think about it.

Sport and Fitness Buying Tips

Buying sports and fitness equipment can be a minefield, and ShopSuperMarket can help you find your way through that minefield. However, before we help you to compare what is available from the myriad sports & fitness retailers online, here are some tips that you should keep in mind when you check out our reviews.

1.  Before buying any sport & fitness equipment in the UK you should first be certain what you want it for.  If you don’t know what your objective is in buying it, then how can you possibly choose which is best for you from the selections we can provide you with.