The effects of sports on the 21st century men. a historical perspective

The history of sport in the early times of man’s development has been able to inform us of how man tried to survive in a hostile environment. Man learnt over the years to manipulate this environment with his 206 bones particularly the 56 on his manus. As man wanted to expand his boundaries, rule and territory he found himself having to do a lot of physical activity that would enhance his fighting skills during times of war while at the same time preventing hypokinetic diseases that are prevalent in societies that do not exercise. The Greeks women for example took part in some form of physical activity so that they could give strong and health offspring that would be able to protect the Greeks as they safeguarded their sovereignty. Today the world has changed the whole essence of the real objectives of sport. A lot of research done has shown that in the early recorded time of man, if man did not show any fitness levels then he could not survive in his environment. It was imperative that the human races protect its boundaries, pride, and sovereignty or else they would be extinct by being destroyed by other animal species. This theoretical paper shall look at how sport has affected man of the 21st century. The paper will assess whether sport has looked at the general population of the world in terms of improved health and whether sport has enabled man to enhance his health or not. It is generally agreed that there is yet other theories to be developed that will surpass that of the Greeks. In their history of sports it is told that the Greek states valued both the intellectual and physical strength that was brought about by exercise. They believed in the total human development of the mind, body and soul, the more reason why in 2004 they will host the Olympic games. This must be a challenge to man today and the same man must ask himself question on how he has been able to conduct
himself in order to develop world sport. There is no reason why man should not be able to answer some of his problems since his big brain shows that the same man has the capacity and ability to solve them.
Author Keywords: effects, historical perspectives, hypokinetic diseases, human development, health related fitness, sports, exercise