History of Jogging Custom Search History of jogging - where and how did it all begin? Jogging is thought to go back to the time when we were hunters and gatherers. Early man was well aware that once the sun set he and his fellow men could easily fall prey all kinds of predators. They knew they had to get to their habitat quickly and safely. The men needed endurance to trek various distances for hunting and also returning home. Jogging is thought to have help build their endurance as energy is conserved rather than expending it quickly.
As man transformed from a food hunter to a food producer, settling down near riverbanks and other fertile areas played an important role. Nevertheless, he still traveled from one place to another on foot. Possibly, in order to cover longer distances in a limited time, he resorted to jogging. Over time the history of jogging evolved and acquired a new form. The ancient Greeks and Romans recognized its cardiovascular benefits. Jogging was utilized to train and exercise their troops. Slow running over a long distance increased their stamina and kept their men fit. It's the same with the world's first athletes discovered jogging increased their agility and endurance. If you think about it, the ancient marathons were the first of their kind of mass jogging or even formal jogging.
For the first time, the middle ages saw the advent of fitness as a national phenomenon. New games, sports, and track events captured everyone's attention. However, there wasn't the specialized equipment to help with training for such events. So they used weights for building muscular endurance and jogging for stamina. Almost everyone was fascinated with this sport. Whether it was fencing for pleasure, dueling, or war, jogging helped increase stamina and endurance.
References to jogging can be found in English literature. Shakespeare talks about it in his play "The Taming of the Shrew", which was written in 1593. With the advent of the 17-century, people in England started using this sport to keep fit. It was inexpensive, needed no extra gadgets and could be done anywhere. The American term "roadwork" was coined in the 19th century for formal jogging. It was a popular component to train for baseball, football, and boxing.
The history of jogging has changed. Jogging though is still very popular. A whole market has developed around this exercise. You'll find equipment for jogging and joggers, such as, jogging shoes, jackets, hydration belts, energy gels, jogging strollers, GPS watches, heart rate monitors and programs for mp3's and iPods. There are even new jogging nighttime clubs in many regions to help people jog once they get off work. When Bill Bowerman, who was the coach at the University of Oregon, saw people in New Zealand using jogging for their personal fitness, he advocated the idea back home. It didn't take long for jogging to become a popular exercise. The popularity of jogging has increased steadily. To date, the popularity of this sport continues to reach new heights across the world. It needs no equipment and no tracks. All it requires are a pair of decent running shoes and a spirit of adventure!
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