A Brief History of Resistance Training
Cameron Writt is a data analyst at WCI in Bentonville, Arkansas. Away from work, Cameron Writt enjoys standup comedy, creative writing, and resistance training.
Resistance training can be traced back to ancient Egypt, where drawings of lifting sand and stone-filled bags, swinging, and tossing activities were on tombs. However, the Greek civilization invented weightlifting events, inspiring the modern Olympics. They did not have the advanced equipment or studies on resistance training and physiology to support their exercises until the 1700s when the first dumbbell was invented by inserting a rod in the middle of two church bells.
Subsequently, in the 19th century, pulleys, air pressure machines, and multi-station machines were developed as resistance-training apparatuses. In 1896, amateur weightlifting was recognized as an Olympic sport, despite the absence of female competitors, and until 2000, weightlifting for women was not officially recognized as an Olympic sport.
With the development of the adjustable, plate-loaded dumbbell in the 1900s, resistance training made tremendous advancements. For example, the Nautilus machines, which utilized changing resistance and made it simple for individuals to carry light weights, made a resistance training community in Muscle Beach, Venice, California.
The Nautilus’ designer, Arthur Jones, advocated a training philosophy that provided users with a user manual and directions for operating their devices. This also made several businesses enter the market introducing new models of resistance equipment.
The aerobics movement started in the 1970s and grew strongly in the 1980s. This appealed more to women who used to train with weights. Around this time, the plate-loaded machine Hammer Strength, a combination of selectorized equipment, was also launched. This machine, which concentrated on whole-body motion, revived free weight lifting.
The resistance training industry is evolving because of new tools, exercises, gear, and methods. New resistance training practices focusing on balance, stability, pure core strength, and functional training are coming up every other day.
