Fitness

There is a wide range of things we equate with fitness – it’s the latest buzzword in athleticism, the newest craze on Instagram, a way of life, an entire philosophy, or even a status symbol. However, the truth is somewhere in between. Fitness is much more than working out in the gym and flexing your muscles in front of a mirror. It’s a journey that helps you reach a higher state of physical (and mental) aptitude than you had before.

A large number of people embrace fitness because they want to achieve a certain look. Still, fitness means directing your physical and psychological potential toward a healthier lifestyle – not becoming a slave to a perfectly-looking physique. It is here that many misconceptions appear and mislead people by showing that the main principles of fitness are strictly esthetics-driven.

Don’t be mistaken by thinking fitness is a modern invention. Physical aptitude has been vitally important across civilizations, from ancient Spartans to Roman gladiators. Additionally, it reflected the performance of military forces across empires and borders. Although what we have today is a vestige of the bygone millennia, the sheer essence of fitness still remains.

What is more, it wasn’t until the late 19th century that specialized sports made the scene, ushering the world of fitness into a new and more commercialized era and making all sorts of machines and equipment a prerequisite. It is now in the 21st century that we can hardly go about discussing fitness without painting a picture of a well-decked gym.