The Republic 4 Value of Physical Exercise 《理想国》4 - 体育运动的价值

            For any person, physical exercise is undoubtedly one of the most important elements for remaining healthy, both physically and mentally. In The Republic, Plato also emphasizes the importance of physical exercise in the process of training a perfect Guardian. But what exact benefit does physical exercise have?

Physical exercises can benefit us overall in many ways. Physically, exercising boosts our health, making the CV system more powerful and improving the effectiveness of the immune system. It also enhances our mental faculties. 

            Good mental faculties can be defined as the ability to think clearly and intelligently. Physical activities help to develop this ability in several ways. For example, in a game of basketball, if a team wants to win, it needs to create strategies not only for offense, but also for defense. This process involves the coach and the players thinking effectively, no matter how tense the game is. When to share the ball; when to shoot; when to use zone defense etc. In general, physical exercises, through the process of practice and competition, stimulate a person’s faculties by encouraging bravery, cooperation, hard work, and a calm mind. 

            In the past, many old civilizations valued physical training a lot. The ancient Greeks held the very first Olympic games around 776 B.C.E., and Aristotle emphasized that “our youth should be educated with music and physical education”. The ancient Chinese also valued physical exercise. The philosophical teachings of Confucius encouraged participation in regular physical activity, as it was recognized that physical inactivity was associated with certain diseases. To keep the body in good shape, the ancient Chinese invented the Kong Fu gymnastics and other exercises related to martial arts. In the Middle East, old civilizations such as the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians all realized the importance of fitness to the efficiency and performance of military forces. Thus, workouts were widely encouraged throughout those societies as well.

            Overall, from the past to the present, physical exercise has been widely accepted as indispensable to the health of both body and mind. I think that I am doing enough physical exercise in my own life, and I believe that it helps me maintain a wholesome and cheerful spirit.

    对于任何一个人来说，体育锻炼无疑是保持身心健康的最重要因素之一。在《理想国》中，柏拉图也强调了在培养一个完美的“护卫者”（即士兵）的过程中体育锻炼的重要性。体育锻炼到底有什么价值呢？

    体育锻炼对我们身体整体有很多好处。从身体上来说，运动可以促进我们的健康，使心肺系统更加强大，提高免疫系统的有效性。除了身体方面，体育锻炼还能提高我们的心智能力。 

    良好的心智能力可以定义为在各种环境下具备清晰和理性的思维能力。体育活动可以从多个方面帮助发展这种能力。例如，在篮球比赛中，如果一支球队想赢，它不仅需要制定进攻策略，还需要制定相关的防守策略。这个过程中，无论比赛多么紧张，教练和球员都要进行有效的思考。什么时候分球、什么时候投篮、什么时候采用联防等等。总的来说，体育锻炼通过练习和比赛的过程，鼓励勇敢、合作、勤奋、平和的心智，从而增进一个人的能力。 

    在过去，许多古老的文明都非常重视体能训练。古希腊人在公元前776年左右举办了第一届奥林匹克运动会，亚里士多德强调 "我们的青年应该用音乐和体育进行教育"。中国古人也很重视体育锻炼。孔子的“六艺”哲学理念教诲鼓励人们经常参加体育锻炼，因为我们的祖先认识到，身体不活动可能会导致某些疾病。为了保持身体健康，中国古代人发明了功夫和其他与武术有关的运动。在中东地区，古老的文明，如亚述人、巴比伦人和波斯人都意识到健身对军队效率和战场上表现的重要性。因此，在这些社会中体育锻炼也被广泛鼓励。 

    总而言之，从过去到现在，体育锻炼已经被广泛接受，社会也认为其对身心健康是不可或缺的。我认为自己在生活中进行了足够的体育锻炼，我相信它有助于我保持健康开朗的精神状态。