Ayurveda Exercise

Greek Gymnastics

In 1553, El Libro del Ejercicio Corporal y Sus Provechos, by Spaniard Cristobal Mendez, was the first book to exclusively address physical exercise and its benefits. In the book, exercises, games, and sports are classified, analyzed, and described from a medical standpoint, and advice is offered on how to prevent and recover from injuries resulting from these physical pursuits. Several chapters even provide specific advice on particular drills and games for women, children, and the elderly.

16 years later, Mercurialis, an Italian physician, published De Arte Gymnastica. It was the culmination of his studies of classical and medical literature, particularly the ancient Greeks’ and Romans’ approach to hygiene, diet, and exercise, and their use of natural methods for the treatment of disease. Laying out the principles of physical therapy for the first time, and accompanied with beautiful illustrations (even though they were largely creative speculations), it is considered the first book on sports medicine, and strongly influenced the wave of physical education and training methods that started to emerge in Europe two centuries later.

Library
The First Physical Culturists - Ancient Greek Athletics, Training, and Competition
Physical education in ancient India - Deshpande, recced by Kireet Joshi