A health club, more commonly called a gym and also known as a fitness club, fitness center, or health spa, is a place that houses exercise equipment for the purpose of physical exercise. The trade dates to pioneers such as Vic Tanny, who opened facilities in Santa Monica in 1947, and American Health Studios, founded in the 1950s, and it has grown substantially since as fitness and health services have expanded and interest in physical activity has risen. Membership pricing spans a wide range, from about 15 dollars a month at basic chain clubs and value-priced gyms up to 200 dollars a month or more at spa-oriented clubs, with some premium plans reaching as high as 700 dollars a month. Health clubs and fitness centers today serve as a central reference point for health services, driving broader adherence to regular physical activity.
A health club, more commonly called a gym and also known as a fitness club, fitness center, or health spa, is a place that houses exercise equipment for the purpose of physical exercise. The trade dates to pioneers such as Vic Tanny, who opened facilities in Santa Monica in 1947, and American Health Studios, founded in the 1950s, and it has grown substantially since as fitness and health services have expanded and interest in physical activity has risen. Membership pricing spans a wide range, from about 15 dollars a month at basic chain clubs and value-priced gyms up to 200 dollars a month or more at spa-oriented clubs, with some premium plans reaching as high as 700 dollars a month. Health clubs and fitness centers today serve as a central reference point for health services, driving broader adherence to regular physical activity.
Facts
FAQs
Where did the idea of the gym come from?
The earliest recorded gymnasiums are more than 3000 years old and come from ancient Persia.
The idea is much older than the modern fitness trade. The first recorded gymnasiums date back more than 3,000 years to ancient Persia, where they were known as zurkhaneh, areas that encouraged physical fitness. The word itself comes from the ancient Greek gymnasion, a place that combined physical and intellectual education for young men. Gyms in Germany grew out of the Turnplatz, an outdoor space for gymnastics founded by the educator Friedrich Jahn in 1811, and Jahn's model was later copied in the United States.
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Additional Source Wikipedia: Global Industry Classification StandardGICS: Leisure Facilities
Sources
1. Wikipedia, Gym
WikipediaLead sectionQuote, Lead section
A gym, short for gymnasium (pl.: gymnasiums or gymnasia), is an indoor venue for exercise and sports. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term "gymnasion".
Wikipedia: Global Industry Classification Standard
WikipediaIn Sector: Consumer Discretionary, GICS: Leisure FacilitiesView the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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