Learning to swim: how swimming began in Spain 1807-1870 (part 1)

Abstract

In the 19th century, swimming for physical exercise and recreation became a common activity among part of the Spanish population. The aim of this study was to deepen the historical knowledge of the beginnings of modern gymnastic and sporting activities in Spain, through an account focused on the practice of swimming and recreational bathing. To outline this unprecedented historical and social account, were used primary documentary sources (bibliographical and periodicals) and develop a positivist interpretation that shows how this healthy exercise was incorporated into certain urban settings, especially in Barcelona. This shows how swimming, taken in its utilitarian sense, became a routine activity not only for sailors and soldiers, but also as gymnastic, hygienic, recreational and therapeutic exercise for all kinds of people. Therefore, it can be concluded that the utilitarian, recreational and hygienic value that swimming acquired during this period was developed within the framework of a healthy lifestyle that prevailed among the idle, liberal-minded bourgeois class.