The document traces the progression of physical fitness training through the military, beginning with the Spartans in ancient Greece who systematically trained soldiers, and continuing through developments in Europe, America, and modern militaries. It highlights milestones like the first writings on exercise medicine during the Renaissance, the establishment of gymnastics schools in France, and the implementation of physical training programs at West Point led by Captain Alden Partridge. Modern military physical training utilizes the latest technology and fitness testing to ensure soldiers are physically capable of serving.

1. Progression of Physical Fitness
through the military
By: Katie Shattuck

2. It kinda started from these guys:
Sparta/Greece
• Perhaps known as one of the most
ferocious warriors in history the Spartans
civilization was built around the safety in
which its soldiers provided.
• Even though physical training existed
long before the Greek empire, the
Greeks are most known for systematic
physical training to prepare soldiers for
war.
• Males around the age of 7 would begin a
type of military/ athletic school that
would begin preparing them for war.
• Rather then doing simulated test for
physical apptitude, they would have boys
and men compete in a kind of festival of
sports.
• Running, wrestling, boxing, javelin, and
riding were parts of this type of test to
see if one was physically capable of
serving in the army.

3. Next :The Renaissance Physical Culture
• Physical training progressed some in
this time period. Changes in
technology caused increased
mobility as well as endurance was
sought to be more important for
combat readiness.
• Hieronymus Mercurialis, an Italian
physician and philosopher was the
first writer of the era to address the
medical benefits of exercise and the
application of exercise in war in his
book De Art Gymnastica. Through
his writings he made significant
contributions to the development of
gymnastics and gymnastic exercises
that would later be used for many
many years later when training
soldiers.

4. A hop skip and a jump to France:
• The great importance and even
absolute necessity of regular and
systematic course of exercise
became predominate in France as a
way to preserve ones health.
• The popularity of gymnastics gyms
had spread from Germany to France.
• In 1820 the Gymnase Normal
Militaire was opened. It was a school
that was meant to train teachers of
gymnastics who would then train
the infantry of the Royal Guard.
• It was also during this time that
physical education become a part of
early education in Europe.

5. On ward to America:
• During the colonization of
America most physical exercise
was limited more to strenuous
labor than anything else.
• War time etiquette back then
was like that of European
warfare. The armies were
mostly composed of militia. A
physically acceptable soldier
was one who was strongest
and most fit.
• During this time there wasn’t
really any physical training
done with soldiers.

6. A little nudge in the right direction
Valley Forge:
• Up until this point there
wasn’t much physical training
done in the army.
• One such event that would
later change this was when
General George Washington
directed Frederick von
Steubens, a man of impressive
military statute, to create a
series of disciplines,
maneuvers, evolutions, and
regulations for gaurds.
• Steubens turned farmers with
pitchforks into an effective
military force through physical
training type programs.

7. This lead to
Physical Education in America:
• Benjamin Franklin was a
significant proponent of
Physical Education in
America. He thought
Physical training should
be implemented as part
of regular instruction in
schools.

8. Progress:
• Soon after this education became
important. West Point was opened
in 1802 with the importance of
physical education to train future
soldiers.
• This brought out an evolutionary
period that began with Captain
Alden Partridge.
• Captain Partridge was a huge
advocate of physical development.
• He developed a program that
implemented physical activities such
as: fencing, swimming, skating,
hiking, marches, boxing, and even
football.
• The point was to make soldiers
physically capable to be in battle
through different vigorous activities.

9. Progress cont…
• Although significant progress
had been made in training of
soldiers through the European
gymnastic methods there was
still an ongoing problem of
soldiers being recruited who
didn’t have the physical
capabilities to be soldiers.
• Many manuals would later be
published to help address
these issues.
• By 1898 more precise training
techniques were put in place.
The use of barbells and dumb
bells were even being used
during training.

10. Through the years…
• Many changes were made in the fields of
training. Different military manuals were
made to better the training aspects of
soldiers even nutrition became an
important part of the physical training
regimen.
• In 1970 the first strength produced machine
was made by Aurthur James. The brand
name would become known as Natilus. This
among other machines helped revolutionize
fitness training in the military.
• Obstacle courses became popular and
several fitness tests were made to test
soldiers physically to the extreme.
• The Army Physical Fitness Tests became a
service requirement in order to serve. This
better helped the military to be able to
distinguish between service men and
women who were and weren’t physically
capable of serving.

11. Currently:
The military training now is
the most impressive in
history. With the technology
available the physical training
possibilities are endless.

12. Information Gathered from:
• http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/carl/downlo
ad/csipubs/APRT_WhitfieldEast.pdf