Research has always been at the very heart of the Monark Exercise brand, as well as the notion that physical fitness is the key to personal well-being. The original Monark cycle ergometer was developed in the 1950s, in collaboration with Per-Olof Åstrand, a Swedish professor of physiology, who’s recognized as one of the backbones of the science of exercise physiology in the mid-20th century. Until the early 2000s, Monark Ecercise worked closely with Åstrand. Today, Monark exercise is continuing the Åstrand legacy, not only through research based product development, but also by sponsoring research projects related to physical fitness.