Women's Sports and Fitness

Victorian women played a wide variety of sports. From swimming to bicycling, from archery to croquet, their interest in fitness was almost as strong as today's woman's.

It wasn't always so. During the Regency, most sports were considered unladylike. Furthermore, fitness in general was not a major concern for men or women. The range of active pastimes available to Regency ladies was rather limited. Most women went for strolls about town, or longer walks when they were in the country. But paying visits or going shopping on foot was considered hopelessly inelegant, so the ton rode in their carriages most of the time, if only to show off the carriage.

Riding was a popular sport for men and women alike. However, female horseback riders were hampered by their long skirts. They also had to ride sidesaddle, which was quite awkward. Nonetheless, women of the ton enjoyed a canter across fields or along country lanes. Aside from riding, few sports were thought suitable for ladies. Seaside resorts offered women's beaches with "bathing machines," cabanas on the water from which bathers could take a dip in the ocean. Swimming was meant to be a leisurely pursuit, though, rather than vigorous exercise.

As the nineteenth century progressed, women began to participate actively in sports. Croquet became all the rage in the 1850's and '60's. The game quickly became so popular that fashion houses introduced croquet outfits specifically for women to wear while playing the sport. Croquet dresses had relatively short skirts: instead of reaching to the ground, they went only to the ankles, allowing for freedom of movement. Thus, croquet helped to make women's clothes more comfortable.

The sedate game of croquet also led to more substantive advances for women. It opened the doors to fitness for thousands of average women, who soon took up a variety of other, more active games. Badminton in summer and ice-skating in winter became favorite pastimes during the 1860's. In the 1870's, women began playing tennis in large numbers. By the 1890's, women were competing in everything from archery contests to golf tournaments. The Olympics allowed women to compete in 1900. Girl's schools introduced team sports such as cricket. School gym classes built strength and agility with gymnastics, dance, and weight training.

Archery, golf, cricket, and gymnastics were undoubtedly favorite women's activities. But none of these sports matched the popularity of cycling. During the late Victorian period, bicycling was the most popular sport for both genders. The earliest cycles were invented around the 1860's, although it wasn't until the 1890's that the sport became Britain's national pastime. Cycling was a truly egalitarian activity. Bicycles were highly affordable, making it possible for thousands of people to take up a sport for the first time. Women and men of limited means could cycle on the weekends, keeping fit and getting a chance to visit scenic attractions.

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