Sweat
By Bill Hayes
A History of Exercise. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2022.
Summary of Sweat book by Bill Hayes
A dynamic text about the power of movement to change cultures as well as bodies, driven by Bill Hayes’s search for the forgotten origin and evolution of exercise.
Chapters in Sweat book summary
What do you get from this book? The untold saga of exercise— its surprising origins, progression, and effect on culture
Exercise is an ancient tradition, not a modern-day invention, and Bill Hayes was determined to find how it evolved
Mercuriale was an outlier who wanted to prove that exercise was the key to healthful living
While male athletes were prized for their sweat, women were prohibited from even working out
Ancient conditioning programs were intended to help men train for war, but Mercuriale’s views evolved to include health and wellness
The Council of Trent outlawed fencing and cadaver dissection, forcing Mercuriale to choose his words carefully when writing his text
Running and swimming were two of Mercuriale’s favorite activities because anyone could do them
According to Mercuriale, not everyone should exercise, though his ideas evolved as his experiences grew
Seventeenth-century scientific revelations propelled a worldwide shift in the way people viewed health and wellness
Exercise drove America’s suffragette movement and pushed doctors to rethink heart health
Television and magazines transformed how people viewed aerobics, bodybuilding, and meditation
While new laws opened doors for women, the AIDS epidemic almost shut them for men
Covid forced gyms to close, but Hayes found renewed purpose in adapting his routine and planning a future trip
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
Unlock all 16 chapters of Sweat — Get full access to this book summary and thousands more on Lobab.
Sweat — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read Sweat book
- Professional and amateur athletes
- fitness instructors
- athletic coaches
- gym members
- anyone interested in the details about multiple forms of exercise
About the author of Sweat
Bill Hayes
Bill Hayes is an American photographer, journalist, and author with a passion for fitness. He is the 2013 recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship and his 2022 text, Sweat, was named Esquire’s best nonfiction book of the year. Hayes’s photographs have appeared in the New York Times, Vanity Fair, and The New Yorker.
Books similar to Sweat
Related books that explore themes found in Sweat
Kassia St. Clair
How Fabric Changed History. Liveright, 2019.
Kavitha A. Davidson
Dilemmas of the Modern Fan. University of Texas Press, 2020.
Stephen Le
What Our Ancestors Ate and Why It Matters Today. Picador, 2016.
Josh Axe
12 Benefits of Intermittent Fasting and Other Fasting Plans for Accelerating Weight Loss, Crushing Cravings, and Reversing Aging. Destiny Image Publishers Inc., 2020.
Ed Caesar
The Quest to Run the Impossible Marathon. Simon and Schuster, 2015.
Topics related to Sweat book
Explore topics that share themes with Sweat across Lobab's library
Categories Sweat book belongs to
Discover other book summaries in the same categories as Sweat
If you liked Sweat, you might also enjoy
Books on different topics that Lobab readers often explore alongside Sweat
David Goldblatt
A Global History of the Olympics. W.W. Norton & Company, 2016.
Isabel Allende
On Impatient Love, Long Life, and Good Witches. Ballantine Books, 2021.
Olivia Campbell
How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine. Park Row Books, 2021.
Kavitha A. Davidson
Dilemmas of the Modern Fan. University of Texas Press, 2020.
Robert Greene
The 48 Laws of Power. Penguin Books, 1998.
Kate Moore
The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women. Sourcebooks, 2017.
Rob Ruck
The Long and Perilous Journey of Samoans to the NFL. The New Press, 2018.
Toby Wilkinson
The Golden Age of Egyptology. W.W. Norton & Company, 2020.
Kassia St. Clair
The Secret Lives of Color. Penguin Books, 2017.
Can't decide where to start?
With thousands of book summaries across multiple categories and topics, there's always something new to discover. Browse the full library to find your next great read.
Your library
All-you-can-read
Categories
15 categories
Topics
120+ topics
Today's free book summary
Every day, one book summary is completely free to read. Subscribe to unlock the entire library — or just enjoy today's pick on us.
The Science of Storytelling
Will Storr
An innovative and inspiring guide to creative writing that reveals the neuroscience behind the human response to stories and an in-depth analysis of how and why stories are crafted, along with tips on providing rich details and compelling characters that engage the brain.
Library
All-you-can-read
Formats
Text & audio
Free daily
1 book / day
What Lobab readers are saying
Not sure if Lobab book summaries are for you? Here's what our community thinks.
“Lobab is a standout in the world of book summary apps, offering concise, insightful summaries of a wide range of books. Its user-friendly interface and well-crafted summaries allow users to quickly grasp the essence of complex works, making it an invaluable tool for those looking to learn more in less time. Whether for personal growth or professional development, Lobab is a game changer for anyone wanting to expand their knowledge efficiently. Highly recommended!”
Ramogh
Lobab Reader
“Top quality app with plenty of brilliant summaries!”
Benjamin Roche
Lobab Reader
“I found a really great book app that has made reading even more enjoyable ⭐️📚. It is super easy to use, has a lot of books to choose from, gives personalized recommendations, works well with e-readers, has an active community, and is accessible to everyone. I highly recommend it to all book enthusiasts!”
Nedal Ahmed
Lobab Reader