Few places placed as much importance on physical fitness as the city-states of ancient Greece. In the pursuit of athletic excellence, the Greeks developed ideas and methods that are still remarkably applicable to the present day. Such fundamental fitness concepts as a proper warm-up and cool-down have their origins in the sandy gymnasiums of Athens and Sparta. While the dress code of the modern gym is a little stricter, the lessons gleaned from those ancient workouts are well worth a look.