Why the pain, what's the gain? : the quest for extreme fitness
Kunitz, Daniel2016
Books
Running, jumping, lifting, pushing, stretching - our bodies are naturally built to move and work, strengthen and adapt. Yet the gym is a 20th century phenomenon and 'working out' a concept that has produced one of the world's biggest industries: fitness. An industry whose changing ideals reflect society's cultural shifts on what it means to be fit, and how to have the perfect physique. This book takes you on a guided tour of humankind's 3000-year wayward search for the perfect workout; from the dirt courtyards of the ancient Greek gymnasium to the birth of the modern gym in 19th-century Paris; to the weekend, beachside Olympic-calibre gymnasts of Santa Monica and Sydney.
Main title:
Why the pain, what's the gain? : the quest for extreme fitness / Daniel Kunitz.
Author:
Kunitz, Daniel, author
Imprint:
London : Aurum Press, 2016.
Collation:
viii, 320 pages : illustrations (black and white) ; 23 cm
Notes:
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN:
9781781312926 (hbk)
Dewey class:
613.7109
Language:
English
BRN:
1104436