By Chris Wild From Mashable

Working out at sea in the golden age of ocean travel

From the end of the 19th century to the beginning of World War II, the shipping route across the Atlantic was extremely popular, driven by waves of European emigrants from all parts of Europe to the United States. Travel on these liners was not a recreational cruise but merely a means of transport between the two continents. The crossing took around five days when these photographs were taken.
Liners were divided by economic class, and for first class passengers, life on an ocean liner was luxurious. With the finest menus and limited opportunities for walking, some method of exercise was necessary. Ships like RMS Titanic had the best of equipment, with rowing machines and parallel bars, weights, Indian clubs and punchbags, as well as static bicycles attached to huge dials, which indicated (virtual) distance travelled.

March 1912
The first class gymnasium on board the Titanic. On the night of April 14, when the ship struck an iceberg, the physical instructor Mr. T. W. McCauley remained at his post and went down with the ship.
IMAGE: POPPERFOTO/GETTY IMAGES

1912
Passengers using “cycle racing machines” in the Titanic’s gymnasium.
IMAGE: UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP/GETTY IMAGES
I was up early before breakfast and met the professional racquet player in a half hour’s warming up for a swim in the six foot deep tank of saltwater heated to a refreshing temperature.
COLONEL ARCHIBALD GRACIE, TITANIC SURVIVOR

1912
The gymnasium on the Titanic. Passengers could ride on a mechanical saddle or exercise “as if in a racing skiff.”
IMAGE: UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP / GETTY IMAGES

Feb. 21, 1911
Edwardians riding exercise bikes whilst wearing day clothes in a gymnasium on board the Cunard line liner, RMS Franconia.
IMAGE: TOPICAL PRESS AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES

1912
Passengers working out in the gym of the Cunard cruise liner Franconia, which was destroyed by a U-boat in 1916. Amongst the equipment is a punchbag and an early cycling machine.
IMAGE: TOPICAL PRESS AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES

1922
Two women using the cycle machine in the gym on board the Homeric Liner, taken over from the Germans by White Star.
IMAGE: TOPICAL PRESS AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES

Mid 1920s
A young woman passenger riding the electric horse in the gym on the liner SS Bermuda.
IMAGE: UNDERWOOD ARCHIVES/GETTY IMAGES

1930
The gym on the Victoria Motorship.
IMAGE: TCI/EYEON/UIG VIA GETTY IMAGES

1930
Gym of the Neptunia Transatlantic Liner.
IMAGE: TCI/EYEON/UIG VIA GETTY IMAGES

1930s
A woman using an apparatus in the gymnasium of the ocean liner S.S. Bremen.
IMAGE: FPG/GETTY IMAGES

1930
The gym of the Victoria Transatlantic.
IMAGE: TCI/EYEON/UIG VIA GETTY IMAGES

1930
On the Victoria Motorship.
IMAGE: TCI/EYEON/UIG VIA GETTY IMAGES

1930
The first class gym on the Liner Vulcania.
IMAGE: TCI/EYEON/UIG VIA GETTY IMAGES

Dec. 1931
Passengers on the Canadian Pacific liner Duchess of Bedford keep fit in the ship’s gymnasium.
IMAGE: TOPICAL PRESS AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES

1932
At the time of the installation of the English liner Queen Mary, workmen in the gymnasium of the ship are setting up exercise bikes, with an enormous meter indicating the distance covered.
IMAGE: KEYSTOONE-FRANCE / GETTY IMAGES

1931
Passengers on the Canadian Pacific liner Duchess of Bedford keep fit in the ship’s gymnasium, with the help of a riding machine.
IMAGE: DOUGLAS MILLER/GETTY IMAGES

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