History of Physical Education

Physical activity has accompanied man since its inception and has evolved from being a few years, not structured for survival, ie struggle for life, to regard man as a psychobiological unit served in their physical aspects, psychological and intellectual, being therefore an educational reality and offered in Schools. 

Primitive man needed to be physically fit to survive. Being strong and sturdy and activities like hunting or fishing were essential for survival ... Primitive man had a number of features such as short stature, muscular body, high cheekbones, and long hair rough, narrow forehead and flattened to back, powerful jaws and protruding eyebrows. They walked hunched. In the Spanish town of Santillana del Mar (5000 years the homria Cantab) is the cave of Altamira. There are very representative paintings of this era. 

In Ancient Egypt the upper classes tended to spend their free time in different games and sports. Children were playing and performing toys made of wood, cloth or mud as weapons, spinning tops, dolls ... also practiced running, jumping, bullfighting, horse racing, wrestling, swimming and archery. Some games and physical activities performed by the Egyptians can be seen in the tomb of Mereruka. In the picture you can see the reel game that both practices on the patio.

The ancient Greeks wrote summaries of gymnastics (The Iliad, The Aeneid ...). For the Greeks the most useful for investigating health exercises. The gym was practiced by free citizens, slaves was forbidden them. For them it was a moral obligation body training aimed at achieving the beauty and strength. There were gminasia and sport for all children, women, teens and men. 

Physical activities more practiced in ancient Greece: ball games, hiking, jumping, throwing, wrestling, penthatlón, pankration (wrestling and boxing), swimming, military exercises, horse racing, dance ... 

The Greeks practiced their gymnastic activities in the arena, the gym and the stadium. 

In Sparta the exercise served as discipline men. Sparta practiced mostly military ejercicicios a purpose to be strong and tough to fight. 

Olympic games -. One possibility being considered is that of born thanks to a Greek king named Iphitos that went in 884 BC to the city of Delphi to ask the god Apollo for what to do avoid war on his people. Considered infallible oracles-mouth-responded by the Oracle to organize athletic games in Olympia, so pleasing to the gods. The Eleida, his kingdom, thus became untouchable territorial. Thus organized in Olympia every four years during the full moon of the summer solstice, open to riders of two cities test: Pisa and Elis. The unchanging pace of these games is what was later allowed to know precisely the date of the great historical events of antiquity. The conditions for participation in the games were: 1 To be free and men of Greek origin. 2. Legitimate son Ser. 3. Possessing all civil rights. Not be prohibited religion. It was forbidden the presence of married women in the Games.

The Romans incorporated the military sports purposes. Athletic games practiced regularly to fight the disease and old age. Bullfighting games, fighting ... Greece was conquered by Rome, games were no longer only for the Greeks and opened all were also

widespread. Jumps racing, gladiatorial contests, struggles of men against animals ... became Olympic disciplines but participants were bought, bribed judges. The Emperor Nero was Olympic champion race car because the other contestants knew that to beat would be executed. However, even if the games were not as pure as before, still had an enormous popular success. 

It was the Roman Emperor Theodosius I who considering that the games were a prestige paganism, decided to delete them. Games of the 286th Olympiad in the year 569 d. JC were the last. 

Thirteen centuries later (XIX) a group of German archaeologists unearthed the ruins of Olympia and a Frenchman, Baron de Coubertin, managed to revive them.

Mercuralis Hieronymus (1530-1606). 

Post "Ars Gymnastic", which brings together the entire literary documentation on the old gym and serves for the intellectuals of the time re-occupy gymnastics. Italian doctors at that time believed that all diseases could be cured with exercise. 

Vitorino da Feltre (1378-1446) -. 

Began one of the most famous education experiments, Giocosa house. He surrounded himself with collaborators specializing in horseback riding, swimming and fencing. Its aims were moral, intellectual and physical. Importance was the emphasis on physical education in institutions of the time teachings horse riding, walking and fencing were mandatory. 

Petrarca (1304.1374) 

He began climbing in Europe and was the first to recommend restoring the Greek gymnastics. 

François Rabelais (1494 - 1553)

Was a writer, doctor and humanist French. Placed great emphasis on issues such as physical exercise, good food, loose clothing and fresh air. Gargantua-young hero of the novel by Rabelais-plus lessons on academic subjects taught by their tutors, learn to ride, handle the ax, pike, sable, dagger, bow, weight lifting trains , wrestling, high jump, long, swimming, swimming, rowing, and climbing. 

LMartín Luther (1483 -1546), 

Germany, proposed food, clothing and specific exercises for strength and agility. 

Mountaigne, (1533-1592) 

Was a philosopher, writer, humanist, moralist and political French Renaissance author of the Essays, and creator of the literary genre known in the modern age as ensayo.recalcó "Mens sana in corpore sano" insisting mental and physical health. Proposed sports and games. physical education should harden the body and resistant to pain hacernso. The goals are: outward grace, friendly presence, training the mind. 

John Locke (1632 -1704) was an English philosopher considered the father of modern empiricism and liberalimo, stressed the importance of health, a pleasant physical environment and games in the education of youth. Recommends plenty of exercise and balanced diet loose clothing. It is the precursor of Rousseau. Locke is on the moral and intellectual physical education. As regards the physical part, the ideal cure that is to be made fit body to withstand the stresses and rigors. Locke's ideal is gradually acquiring a complete mastery of the body. 

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712 - 1778) was a writer, philosopher and musician Franco-

Swiss defined as illustrated; despite the profound contradictions that separated from the main representatives of the Enlightenment. 

Rousseau's political ideas greatly influenced the French Revolution, the development of republican theory and the growth of nationalism. His legacy of radical and revolutionary thinker is probably best expressed in his two most famous phrases, one contained in The Social Contract: "Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains"; the other, contained in his Emile, or On Education: "The man is good by nature", hence the idea of ​​the possibility of an education. 

Father of the natural system, advocates a return to nature; for him the EF is an important factor in education. 

Luis Vives

Demanded the installation of gyms, his goal was to vivify and invigorate the body and replenish the mind. Bodily exercise must be frequent in children, as this age needs growth, firmness and sturdiness. Sports will aim endurzca the body, not that brave beast is back; physical health has no other object than the moral health. And also for the mind recovers and recovers and recreates so that can support the weight of everyday finances.

FINAL XVIII and XIX CENTURY 

Basedow (1723 - 1790) 

Was a German pedagogue, founder of Philantropinum Dessau. Appreciated the educational realism originated Comenius and school reform in his country. Influenced by Rousseau, gives importance to physical exercises in a harmonious and comprehensive educational plan. Case in 1771 his "Philantropinum". The contents are exercises for the development of pupil, fortify and give health and self-confidence: crafts and educational games. His teaching provides progression from simple to complex; of the partial to the total. 

Johann Christoph Friedrich Guts Muths (Germany 1759-1839)

Was a German teacher and educator, and is especially known for his role in the development of physical education. He introduced systematic physical exercises in the school curriculum, and developed the basic principles of artistic gymnastics. 

In 1793, published Gutsmuths für die Jugend Gymnastik (Youth Gymnastics) the first systematic text book of gymnastics. A practical guide to healthy and fun for the use of schools ", which became a standard reference in Europe exercises. 

Pestalozzi. Suíza-To (1746-1827) 

He, at a certain age, it is a given natural behavior. The first medium is the family, the first physical education will be the family; the second half is the school, which should strive to give students FREEDOM, giving the largest number of movements that the body is able to run. In its work, aims to develop functional abilities: strength, skill, organic resistance, specific strength, courage ... 

It is in the nineteenth century that a revival of Physical Education arises. Some of the factors that led to the emergence of new forms of physical activity were: 

• Increased number of working hours. It is a time that was taking an industrial revolution and workers spent many hours in one position (standing, sitting, flexed) 

• Increased hours of study in schools. Staying in school benches and new forms of educational systems students demanded a forced and immobile postures. 

• Increasing the number of hours of work and school, leisure time is less. 

• Cities are extiender reducing their natural areas, therefore the spaces where some type of physical activity performed are lower. 

• In this cluster among other situations, a new concept of EF arises, in the first place from a practical rather than theoretical conception. 

In the second half of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century the English sport spread throughout the European continent. Differentiate four types of schools at this time: GERMAN SCHOOL, SCHOOL SWEDISH, FRENCH SCHOOL, BRITISH SCHOOL. Motion of the center, move north, and West Movement:: Also in the late nineteenth century the modern Olympic Games were reimplanted, thanks to Baron Pierre de Coubertin also some gymnastic moves with differences among them arise. 

GERMAN SCHOOL: RHYTHMIC SYSTEM 

    Guts Muths (1759-1859) and Friedrich Ludwig Jahn (1778-1852) are regarded as the founders of the German school. 

     

G. Muths is considered the Father of Modern Education Gymnastic whose contribution is inspired by classical antiquity, which takes the term gymnastics, and is geared towards building exercises for teaching and healing purposes. Designed tables of exercises in which they were recorded weekly performances of students in swimming, diving or racing in order to ascertain their progress through regular assessments. This concept of PE is a game engine that improvement is supplanted by regular exercises prescribed by physical educators of the time under a closed execution fees, and based on a few times and systematically designed and mathematically controlled locations. At all times seeks to achieve an engine performance shares. 

     The rational delimitation of space, time, and equipment performance is evident in the playing fields of Berlin where forests could be poles, ropes, weights and hanging bars, stretch, jump or climb in which students had to perform at maximum statistics to overcome certain brands. This practice model has directly contributed to the emergence of the current gymnastics. 

      Muths's work beyond the borders of Germany and powerfully influenced Physical Education of most of the European countries, coming to be regarded as an educational gymnastics for its great educational value. 

    On the other hand L. Jahn introduced a political, social and military in his method, evolving from physical practices conducted outdoors to indoors practices developed local and remote cities. His Nazi ideology and the exaltation of the Germanic race made ​​his system specially by the exclusive concern of the strongest and practice of violent games developed the capacity for suffering and fighting spirit through competitions running, jumping and struggles. This system had no methodological progressions and adequate dosages of effort. It was an extremely demanding, parcialista and discriminatory method. 

     L. Jahn was the designer and creator of the parallel bars, horizontal bars and donkey racing, among other devices, present today in many gyms. This methodology was called Turnkunst EF. 

     The German influence on the Spanish school gym between 1940 and 1970, which takes on a patriotic and military spirit, whose interest is to form a politically correct, strong, disciplined and with a strong national spirit individuals. 

SWEDISH SCHOOL ANALYTICAL SYSTEM 

      Created by Pier Henrich Ling (1776-1839) medical, military and fencing instructor at the University of Luna, which method is characterized by anatomical and biological conception of corrective gymnastics, based on scientific principles and dogmas that were incorporated by him the education system (and by extension gymnastic conception). Your "gym" was designed to contribute to the education of the child from the anatomical-physiological development of the subject; to prepare the soldier to the war and to develop an aesthetic sense through a body strengthening and correction of physical defects. P. H. Ling developed gymnastic apparatus as fixed bar, rings, oscillating or rope ladders to climb. 

     The Swedish method searches for a model of physical health through exercise, analytical exercises, core located on a specific joint and whose defining characteristics are artificiality, construction, identifying execution phases starting position, middle and end, excessive statism, and by use of words of command. Despite these elements is believed that Swedish gymnastics is a very simple method attributed in part to poverty and isolation in which the Swedes had lived in the mid nineteenth century. 

     The exercises were classified into three groups: 

• Introduction by exercises. 

• A fundamental exercises: arms, legs and trunk. 

• Fundamental Exercises B: jumping, climb and skills. 

FRENCH SCHOOL, NATURAL SYSTEM 

French School: Natural System 

     The French school took its first steps in Spain, Francisco Amoros, the greatest exponent of this school and founder of the Institute Pestalozziano. However at the beginning of the war of independence this institution is forced to disappear and Francisco Amoros flees in exile to France, where he later developed his work. 

     The French School is characterized by a utilitarian conception of natural and physical exercises. They are global actions, in which the body as a whole participates in executions and routed to prepare individuals for adulthood. Improved physical fitness in order to improve the natural movements intended, achieve body control in action and get an aesthetically beautiful body. 

Evolution of the French School 

     The French School has two manifestations, which are based on scientific studies and an alternative view of life: 

1. Scientific demonstration 

     Represented by Esteban Marey (1830-1904) and Fernand Lagrange (1845-1909). It relates to the field of biological sciences and conducted major studies on the effects of sport on the body are discussed, important theories on fatigue and develop a relationship between sport and the influence on intelligence is set and character of the individual. 

2. Technical-Education Protest 

     Its maximum exponent is found in George Herbert (1857-1957), who after observing the habits that impacted positively on the physical form of primitive peoples and in opposition to Swedish analytic and synthetic method offers a great outdoors where exercise should have a natural, not treated as something artificial (in the wild), but utility (for comprehensive physical development of the individual), without distinction between men and women and recreational nature. That's what today is known as Natural Method, which is based on the use of gestures of our own species to acquire the full development of the individual, letting nature do. Its contrary to Swedish analytical system idea is based on the movements that provide strength to the body are those that take place in nature, in a "spontaneous" as running, throwing, jumping, ... 

     G. Hebert makes a classification of physical exercises and grouped into 10 categories. From most to least important would be: 

• Single Displacement: walking, running and jumping. 

• complex Displacement: fours, climb, defense, balance and transport. 

• Recreation: dance and acrobatics. 

     All this is preferably done in a natural setting, using a current control of work must not exceed the maximum capacity of the individual. This divides the class into three levels (strong, medium and weak) performing the work in waves (organization "plateau"). 

     It also proposes an individualized teaching from knowledge of the possibilities of the subject and the use of specific exercises cheerful utilitarian and recreational character. 

     Both scientific manifestation as the technical-pedagogical demonstration are superimposed on the eclecticism of George Demeny, who develops a conception of physical education linked to better health, body beauty, agility and volitional qualities of man, applying the advances in the biological problems of physical education sciences. Demeny completed the work of his colleague Hebert in 1914 by adding an annex on female physical education which was later included in French public schools. 

ENGLISH SCHOOL, SPORTS SYSTEM 

      The English School has its highest representative in Thomas Arnold (1795-1842) and is a reaction to excessive academicism prevailing in the formal equation, where the cultivation of the intellect was regarded as the most important on the development of the body. Therefore the author introduces the sport at school through "sports games" developed the idea of ​​"sportsmanship", characterized by the "fair play" and amateurism, not only in sports, but in any sphere of life in general. 

     This method attaches importance to recreation, and competition rules in exercises, sports performance and disassociating partnering with the organization and freedom of students in practice. 

     This is when many appear regulated sports we know today, why take to school, being in the service of education and character formation. Although these practices are not without something of an elitist to be driven in male colleges belonging to the wealthier classes. This process is vital to the celebration of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and its dissemination through the media. His great promoter and organizer, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the figure will be more important at this time to charge the inclusion of sport in the school. This appearance, besides having a class hue, will also have a sexist in that Coubertin opposed to women's participation in sports activities considering unsightly and uninteresting participation (Vázquez, 1986 and 2001, Alvarez-Good et al, 1990, Vazquez et al, 2000;.. Chinchilla and Zagalaz, 2002). Because of that this author received much criticism, especially in the late twentieth century.