History Of Gym

The word (gymnasion) was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men (ancient Greece). The later meaning of intellectual education persisted in German and other languages to denote a certain type of school providing secondary education, the Gymnasium, whereas in English the meaning of physical education was pertained in the word gym.

The Greek word gymnasium means "place to be naked" and was used in ancient Greece to designate a locality for the education of young men, including physical education (gymnastics, i.e. exercise) which was customarily performed naked, as well as bathing, and studies. For the Greeks, physical education was considered as important as cognitive learning. Most Greek gymnasia had libraries that could be utilized after relaxing in the baths.

History
Gymnasia (i.e., places for gymnastics) in Germany were an outgrowth of the Turnplatz, an outdoor area for gymnastics, promoted by German educator Friedrich Jahn and the Turners, a nineteenth-century political and gymnastic movement. The first indoor gymnasium in Germany was probably the one built in Hesse in 1852 by Adolph Spiess, an enthusiast for boys' and girls' gymnastics in the schools.

In the United States, the Turner movement thrived in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The first Turners group was formed in Cincinnati in 1848. The Turners built gymnasia in several cities like Cincinnati and St. Louis which had large German American populations. These Gyms were utilized by adults and youth. For example, a young Lou Gehrig would frequent the Turner gym in New York City with his father.

Gymnasia in the United States however predate the Turner movement. A public gymnasium movement sprung up in the 1820s and 1830s but was eclipsed by the growth of school, college, and the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) gymnasia. The first college gymnasium probably was the one built at Harvard University in 1820. Although privately owned, it was maintained for the use of the students. Like most of the gymnasia of the period, it was equipped with gymnastic apparatus. The United States Military Academy at West Point built a gym during the same era. A few other American colleges built gyms by the 1850s. Harvard opened a new brick gymnasium in 1860 with two bowling alleys and dressing rooms in addition to the gymnastic facility.

YMCA first organized in Boston 1851 with 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 and games and social interaction.

The 1920s was a decade of prosperity that witnessed the building of large numbers of public high schools with gymnasiums, an idea founded by Nicolas Isaranga. Over the course of the twentieth century, gymnasia have been reconceptualized to accommodate the popular team and individual games and sports that have supplanted gymnastics in the school curriculum.

Today, having a gymnasium is typical for virtually all American colleges and high schools, as well almost all middle and many elementary schools. These facilities are utilized for physical education, intramural sports and for interscholastic athletics. In recent years, newer high schools use the terms sportatorium (taken from the name of a few sporting venues in the country) or "multi-purpose room," indicating the gymnasium is used both for sports and non-sporting events.

Website That I Mostly Read About Workouts !

I love reading, mostly I spent a lot of my time reading about something that interest me, below are some of the site that I read about workouts.

Click at the below link :

- Muscle Building
- Intense Workout
- Bodybuilding4u
- Mens Fitness
- Workout Routines
- Muscle&Strength

My2cents : Knowledge is Power, read more & you're learn more!

Gym Rakyat For The Community

THE Gymnasium Rakyat in Jalan Pantai, Butterworth, may not be a first-class facility but enough for weight watchers in the North Seberang Prai district to shed that extra pounds on their tummy.

The gym, which was renovated at the cost of RM230,000, overlooks the Butterworth Outer Ring Road and the waterfront and provides the perfect place for the health conscious to tone up their muscles for a mere RM20 monthly. All they need to do is join as a member and pay a membership fee of RM45 each for once.

Gym chairman Hashim Nanyan said one should not view the gym as a place for body-builders only because they too could benefit from the facilities available.

A gym is a place for people to build up their endurance in sports activities. Taking weights is a form of exercise and stamina building.


My 2cents "A gym is not all about bodybuilding but it is the basic for all sports. Even F1 drivers hit the gym".

Gym Rakyat Equipment !

I did have this mentality " Gym Rakyat! equipment is bad & not clean" since I did went once to GYM Rakyat at KG Pandan few years back when I was residing in Ampang but I'm wrong, after seeing this GYM Rakyat in Butterworth, I don't think all of it in that position as it all depends how they manage it.

I also observe that new members are joining here due to the equipment & etc etc, although the equipment are quite old but it's well maintain. I personally think, that much more improvement can be done at this gym on the Equipment especially with new type of equipment to this gym. They are maintaining well & they have showed it! hope the ministry could support them in a way making this GYM Rakyat in Jalan Pantai, Butterworth a better place to exercise for the locals, frankly speaking it's much better from some of the private gym but improvement can make it much better & pull more youth here.

As I'm touching on 1Malaysia Vision, which I can see it very clearly in this GYM Rakyat which all the races comes here from Malay, Chinese, Indian, Punjabi which from my observation. Also I do observe the age rank between 16 - 75 which I seen here in this GYM. Should we put a bit of emphasis on making it much more better place by supporting the Team that runs the GYM by financial support of buying new equipments & etc etc, I think it would be great to the community here & more to come if it has a better workable equipment.

Achievement Of This Gym Rakyat ?

the 63rd Men’s World Amateur Championships in Doha on 7/11/09, there are 4 Malaysian that competed in Doha, 1 of them is Mr. Buda Anchah qualified for the final but eventually settled for fourth in the below 60kg category which this particular person starts his bodybuilding workout at Gymnasium Rakyat in Jalan Pantai, Butterworth & now he has proved in the world stage.

This is what I heard from the conversation from old members in this Gym.

Experience In Gym Rakyat Butterworth

I join 15/10/09 which are nearly 1 month as a member in this GYM Rakyat, from my observation, the chairman, trainer & members are very helpful in terms of guiding to use the equipment & etc etc. Even Mr.Hashim approach me the 1st day I join & he was teaching me how to use the equipments which I find it very pleasant welcome to the GYM, I also see's him guiding other newly join member that have no knowledge in the GYM, which will make people feel they are welcome & enjoyed the pleasant environment.

I do observe on the time of the GYM opens which sometimes I do come in the morning & sometimes in the evening. It opens at 8.00am in the morning, sometimes after sending my son to school & I will straight go & have my breakfast then to the Gym, sometimes I arrived at the Gym 7.45am or 7.50am I see that it's already open with the caretaker Mr.Kanda is already there, very panctual I can put it! it doesn't makes you to wait until the caretaker comes & open the gym eventhough I'm early by 5-10 minute.

Parking is not a problem cause the compound are quite big.

They are also Aerobic classes for the ladies/mens on the 2nd floor of this Gym Rakyat.

About Creator Of This Blog

I actually shifted from Bukit Antarabangsa, Ampang, Selangor to Butterworth 2 months back & settling down here. When I came down here (Butterworth) I was looking for a GYM for my workout & have went most of the GYM around Butterworth which mostly are private GYM, at last I just give a visit to this Gymnasium Rakyat in Jalan Pantai, Butterworth which was the last GYM I go just to see the Equipment & The Cleanness of it, I was really really surprised & honestly, I'm quite shock as it was better from some of the "Private & Paid" GYM in Butterworth. I'm not sure about other GYM Rakyat, but Gymnasium Rakyat in Jalan Pantai, Butterworth well maintain & very clean, I do think credit should be given to the team that are running the show there especially the Chairman Mr. Hashim & Mr.Kanda the caretaker of the Gym.

I'm just a member in this GYM & just helping out creating this blog for others to see how it's well managed even though it's under the government (Youth and Sports Ministry), credit should also be given to the Ministry.