PHYSICAL EDUCATION

AND HEALTH
 FOUNDATIONS OF MAPEH
PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES IN THE PRIMITIVE SOCIETY
• Participation in physical activities in the primitive society was
practical.
• Strong, agile, ad powerful body were necessary to carry on the
demands of primitive life.
• Mimetic games provided children the opportunity to prepare
themselves for adult life and responsibilities.
• Through dancing, primitive people communicate to their Gods.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES IN ANCIENT NATION

• The Phoenicians, Philistines, Hebrews, the Canaanites of Syria,

and the people of Egypt and Mesopotamia that gave birth to
civilization marked a turning point in the history of physical
education and sport.
PERSIA
• Physical education was the modality used to accomplish the
primary aim of developing their young men military skills, high
moral standards and patriotism to strengthen and extend the
empire.
• The Persian boy underwent military training from seven until
fifteen years of age.
• He learned to shoot the bows, sling stones, throw javelin, bear
extreme temperature, endure long marches, live on little food,
swim across rivers while keeping their equipment dry, ride horses
that they could mount and dismount, and hit the targets with
javelin or arrows while horse gallop at full speed.
EGYPTIANS
• Egyptians has popular activities although formal physical education
was not included in the curriculum.
• Hunt, trap and fish with the use of bow and arrows, spears, and
harpoons.
• Popular activities were swimming, since civilization’s life was based
on rivers; wrestling which was participated by the nobility, the
soldiers, the merchants, and the unskilled laborers, and gymnastic
activities and games using the skills of fighting and war.
• Small children played marbles, tops, dolls, jacks, hoops, and balls
• Older ones did tumbling and gymnastic stunts.
EGYPTIANS

• Sporting contests existed as religious observances.

• Young boys were instructed the use of various weapons for war,
such as the bow and arrow, lance and shield, battle-axe, and mace,
marching, running, jumping, leaping, and pirouetting.
• Gymnastics exercises were required exercises to make the body
supple, strong, and capable of great endurance and stamina.
• SENET – one of the most popular indoor activities
• Dances – both religious and folk dances continued in popularity
EGYPTIANS

• Sporting contests existed as religious observances.

• Young boys were instructed the use of various weapons for war,
such as the bow and arrow, lance and shield, battle-axe, and mace,
marching, running, jumping, leaping, and pirouetting.
• Gymnastics exercises were required exercises to make the body
supple, strong, and capable of great endurance and stamina.
• SENET – one of the most popular indoor activities
• Dances – both religious and folk dances continued in popularity
CHINA
• Physical exercise - an idea of little interest to the Chinese society
• Despite of the emphasis on intellectual excellence, there were evidences
that Ancient Chinese participated in physical activities.
• National leaders were expected to be proficient in shooting the bow and
horseback riding.
• Military men were given examinations on lifting the weights, shooting
the bow, and handling the sword.
• They played boxing, football (ts’ u chu), jiu-jitsu, and butted
• Butt – thrusting the head forward and strike with the horns.
• In butting game, the contestants placed ox skins with horns over their
heads, got on the back of their partners, and proceed to bull the other
opposing two-man teams.
• Sons of rich families engaged in music, dancing, and archery.
• Recreational games and sports such as early versions of soccer,
polo, chess, and competitions in archery and wrestling were
practiced.
• Tug-of-war, water games, ch’ ui wan (similar to golf), shuttlecock,
and kite flying were popular.
• Dancing was popular that a man’s prestige often depended on his
prowess as a dancer.
• When ancient Chinese felt weak, Cong Fu, a mild exercises, similar
to gymnastics-oriented calisthenics and developed in 2598 B.C. was
designed to prevent diseases and keep the body in good organic
conditions.
INDIA
• As ancient as China’s civilization
• Buddha’s prohibition of games, amusements, and exercises did not
totally prevent ancient India from participating in several physical
activities.
• Sports and games: throwing balls, plowing contests, tumbling,
chariot races, riding elephants and horse, swordsmanship,
wrestling, boxing, and playing dice and marbles
• YOGA – a popular unique activity involving exercises in posture,
regulated breathing, to discipline the mind and the body.
• Physical exercises – used to promote health
INDIA
• Physical training – necessary for the members of the military
• When there was no war, they entertained themselves with hunting
activities
• Dances – used for ceremonies and religious observances
• HINDU DANCING – considered as the oldest organized dancing
PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT IN GREECE
• Physical education was a vital part of the education of every Greek
boy.
• Gymnastics and music were the two most important subjects
• Music for the soul
• Gymnastics for the body
• Gymnastics was believed to contribute to courage, discipline, and
physical well-being. It stressed a sense of fair play, development of
the individual’s aesthetic values, amateurism, and the utilitarian
values inherent in the activity.
• Beauty of the physique was stressed and men and boys participated
in the nude, which motivated development of the “body beautiful”
PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT IN GREECE
• Greek sport manifested itself in the concept of the amateur athlete,
whose primary goal is to compete in a “circuit” of four major
national festivals that were designated as the Pan-Hellenic Festivals
which were events most important in the lives of the Greeks and
scheduled to ensure that one major competition was held every
year.
• National festivals were in honor of some hero or diety and
consisted of feasting, dancing, singing, and athletic events, which
were the main attraction and drawing force at each festival.
• Olympia Festival – at Olympia every four years in honor of Zeus
-winners received wild olive leaves
• Pythia Festival – at Delphi at the sacred site of Apollo, the God of
light and truth every four year
-winners received laurel
• Nemea Festival – in honor of Zeus was held in Nemea at Argols
every two years
-winners received parsley (celery)
• Isthmia Festival – at Corinth in honor of Poseidon, the Sea God
-winners received pine needles
The athletes competed as individuals not as a team, on a fervently
amateur basis. Women were banned from the games.
SPARTAN PHYSICAL EDUCATION
• Had only one profession – serve the country as a soldier and to be
warriors
• The Spartan approach to physical training (not physical education)
was strictly education of the physical, which means that the training
of the body was the most important for military purposes.
• Only the strongest and healthiest babies are allowed to live in
Sparta.
• Almost entirely gymnastic training (running, leaping, jumping,
javelin throwing, military drill, wrestling, hunting, horseback riding)
and discipline itself.
• Primary education: Pupil’s taught at home until age of seven.
• Military education : After the age of 18, the students were trained
the use of weapons and art of war. After the training, it was
necessary for each trainee were supposed to serve in army for at
least 20 to 30 years. Otherwise they were not the right citizen.
• Ethical education: The young students listened to heroic and
legendary stories by their elder.
• Religious education: There was not any tradition or program for
religious education. The curriculum focuses on nationalism and
abidance of laws.
• Agoge – a Paidonomous who supervised the educational program
• Spartan Discipline – personified by iron discipline, obedient to
authority, indifference to pain and suffering, and obsession to
victory in battle or any type of competitions
• At the age of twenty (20) – took an oath of allegiance to Sparta and
went to actual combat and engaged themselves in intensive military
maneuvers and warfare until the age of fifty (50)
• A well-educated Spartan was only who was physically fit and a good
soldier.