Jack Lalanne - The Godfather Of Fitness

Info: Jack La Lanne turns 93 on September 26, 2007, and is often called the "Godfather of Fitness".   He gained worldwide renown for his success as a bodybuilder, as well as his prodigious feats of strength such as doing a 1000 pushups in 22 minutes or being handcuffed and swimming treacherous ocean currents while towing 10 boats filled with people. He has won numerous awards, including the Horatio Alger Award from the Association of Distinguished Americans, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Jack admits it was not always this way. "As a kid," he flatly states, "I was a sugarholic and a junk food junkie! It made me weak and it made me mean. It made me so sick I had boils, pimples and suffered from nearsightedness. Little girls used to beat me up. My mom prayed… the church prayed." It was at the age of 15 when he heard pioneer nutritionist Paul Bragg speak at the Oakland City Women's Club in the San Francisco Bay Area that Jack finally realized he was addicted to sugar. Bragg promised Jack if he would exercise and eat a proper diet he could regain good health. Jack listened attentively and was fiercely determined to walk away from that lecture ready to build a totally new Jack La Lanne.

 He discovered that the Berkeley YMCA had a set of weights and began experimenting with them and before long, Jack was able to attain the muscular, healthy body of his dreams. "I became a voracious reader and I absorbed everything that would help me to improve myself. Gray's Anatomy was my bible. During college, I studied pre-med to become a medical doctor and I also went to chiropractic college and graduated; however, I was more interested in helping people by convincing them to take preventative measures, before they became ill." Resolving to help others find the secrets to health and fitness, La Lanne opened the nation's first modern health studio in 1936 on the third floor of an old office building in Oakland, California, paying $45 per month for rent. Jack was a mere 21 years old. "I was 40 years ahead of my time," he said, "but by then I knew more about the workings of the muscles in my body than most doctors. People thought I was a charlatan and a nut," Jack says. "The doctors were against me - they said that working out with weights would give people heart attacks and they would lose their sex drive. Women would look like men and even varsity coaches predicted that their athletes would get muscle bound and banned them from lifting weights. I had to give these athletes keys so they could come in at night and work out in my gym. Time has proven that what I was doing was scientifically correct - starting with a healthy diet followed by systematic exercise, and today everyone knows it. All world class athletes now work out with weights, as do many members of the general public, both male and female."

Over time, Jack began to formulate a basic approach to physical fitness and nutrition. His methods would be scientifically sound as he developed the first prototypes of exercise equipment presently available in contemporary health spas. His inventions include: the first leg extension machine and the first pulley machines using cables, and the first weight selectors. He was the first to have women work out with weights and he also encouraged the disabled and elderly to exercise for health. "There are 640 muscles in the human body," Jack explains, "and I take every one of them into account as I plan each exercise routine."

Jack's reputation began to spread and by the early 1950's, he was given the opportunity to utilize the new medium of television to reach even more people. Ever the innovator, Jack used television to reach out to millions of Americans everywhere with his gospel message of get out of your chair, work out and feel better. He was magnetic and the public responded! His motivational message spread across the country like wildfire and his show was an instant nationwide hit! Jack La Lanne believes in daily, vigorous, systematic exercise and proper diet. "My top priority in life is my workout each day." Jack lives by what he says to others, and he has been doing it for over 75 years. Much of what Jack has advocated through his teaching and beliefs has become common knowledge today. Today's doctors and fitness experts all acknowledge daily systematic and proper diet as the principle keys to a longer healthier life.

Jack's wife, Elaine, has written four books including Dynastride, Fitness After 50 and Fitness After 50 Workout, as well as a juicing book called Total Juicing. Jack has millions of fans all over the world who have followed his philosophy and have benefited from his teachings. Jack's book, Revitalize Your Life, is geared toward improving your looks, health and overall well being.

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Info: Jack LaLanne is an American fitness, exercise and nutritional expert, celebrity, lecturer, and motivational speaker. LaLanne has been referred to as "the godfather of fitness."

LaLanne gained worldwide renown for his success as a bodybuilder, as well as his prodigious feats of strength. He has won numerous awards, including the Horatio Alger Award from the Association of Distinguished Americans, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Born in San Francisco, California, the son of French immigrants, Jennie Garaig and John La Lanne. LaLanne admits that as a child he was addicted to sugar and junk foods. He was very troubled and prone to rages, which led to his attempting to burn down his family's house, as well as chasing his brother with an axe. At age 15, he heard Paul Bragg give a talk on health and nutrition. Bragg's message was very simple, but had a powerful influence on the troubled boy. LaLanne decided to focus on his diet and exercise habits. He studied Henry Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body and concentrated on bodybuilding and weightlifting, which, in the 1930s, was uncommon.

LaLanne originally planned to enter the field of chiropractic health care to become a Doctor of Chiropractic,  but in 1936 decided to open his own health spa in California and encourage clients to better themselves through weight-training. He designed the first leg extension machines, pulley machines using cables, and weight selectors, equipment which is now standard in the fitness industry. He was the original inventor of the Smith machine. He also encouraged women to lift weights (in spite of the fact that at the time, it was thought that this would make women look masculine and unattractive). By the 1980s there were more than 200 health clubs bearing his name. LaLanne eventually licensed all his health clubs to the Bally company, and they became known as Bally Total Fitness. Today he is no longer associated with any gym but is still actively pumping iron.

Between 1951 and 1984, LaLanne presented fitness and exercise advice on television. "The Jack LaLanne Show" was the first ever television program devoted to exercise. Critics said the show would be off the air in six weeks, but it lasted 34 years. He has also published books and videos on fitness and nutrition, appeared in films, recorded a song with Connie Haines and marketed exercise equipment, a range of vitamin supplements, as well as two models of electric juicer.

Jacks' feats of strength are legendary and include herculean labors at every decade of his life such as being handcuffed and towing 10 boats full of people for several miles through strong ocean currents or doing a thousand chin-ups in 22 minutes.

The recipient of numerous health and fitness awards and profiled on ESPN and interviewed on NBC's Today Show by Katie Couric, Jack remains as physically fit and active today with his lovely companion and wife Elaine.