Jack LaLanne – A True Fitness Legend

Whenever I am asked how I became involved in fitness the answer is always the same.  At the age of 5, I started watching and exercising with a wondrous person, Mr. Jack LaLanne.  Jack LaLanne’s daily television show introduced exercise, nutrition, and having a positive outlook on life in a way that was almost magical to my young mind.  Jack’s passion and enthusiasm for delivering his message was unparalleled.  At a time when the concepts of fitness were quite new to many, Jack led the charge.  He was one of the first to advocate regular exercise, including weight training, for women often having his wife Elaine joining him on the show.  And with television still in its infancy, Jack’s fitness show was revolutionary.

Jack LaLanne more than practiced what he preached. Up until his passing at the age of 96, he still worked out 2 hours every day.  In his teens and twenties, Jack was an all-around athlete and accomplished bodybuilder.  Soon after he found success as a trainer, gym owner, and a pioneering television personality. In his 50’s, 60’s, and even 70’s when he continued to establish himself as a fitness legend.  He once set a record for doing 1023 push-ups in 23 minutes and then broke it the following year.  He celebrated many a birthday by swimming a mile with his hands shackled, pulling a trail of row boats behind him, one for each year of his life.  And of course, there was his introduction of the legendary Jack LaLanne juicer

Getting regular exercise is something we almost take for granted in this day and age.  Back when Jack first started his show which ran from 1955 until the early 1970’s, it was quite a new concept to many.  Jack encouraged us to get off the couch and join him, promising to change our lives. He taught us push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks.  He taught us to stretch and reach and inhale and exhale. No trainer or group exercise instructor who’s ever lived had more passion for what they were doing than Jack.  The movements were basic and the equipment was simple but the energy and attitude were beyond measure.

Jack’s message of physical culture planted the seed for others to continue forward and spread his wonderful word.  Many times I have had one of my clients recount to me a story of how someone they helped or inspired thanked them for changing their lives.  It all goes back to Jack.  Not only did Jack LaLanne give us the gift of fitness, but he also gave us the more special gift of learning to feel better about ourselves.  It’s a gift many of us have been able to pass on and share.  Jack and his contemporaries paved the way for millions of people to be introduced to and participate in the wonders of fitness and the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.  It was a blessing to have been able to hear and be inspired by his words. It is an honor to carry forth in even the smallest of ways what Jack LaLanne did larger than life.