An fara shirya shi ne daga lauya Robert Dover tsakanin 1612 da 1642, tare da wasu bukukuwan da suka biyo baya har zuwa yau. Ƙungiyar Olympics ta Birtaniya, a cikin takardar neman gasar Olympics ta 2012 a London, ta ambaci wadannan wasanni a matsayin "farkon motsa jiki na farkon wasannin Olympics na Birtaniya".L'Olympiade de la République, wani bikin Olympic na kasa da aka gudanar a kowace shekara daga 1796 zuwa 1798 a juyin juya hali na Faransa ya yi ƙoƙari ya yi koyi da wasannin Olympics na dā. Gasar ta ƙunshi nau'o'i daban-daban daga tsohuwar Olympics na Girka.
da dama daga cikin wasannin Olympics na Girka na dā