Hello Heroes of History and Stewards of Wellness
posted on May 18, 2020
With all these Instagram Influences out there I wanted to dig back and showcase one of the real O.G. influences of the fitness & wellness culture. This evangelist of wellness went from a self considered sugar-holic to the World Renowned Godfather of Fitness. At 21 he opened one of the first health clubs, at 39 he started what would be the longest (34 years) running television exercise program, at 54 he beat Arnold Schwarzenegger (21) in an unofficial contest, at 70 he was handcuffed and towed 70 rowboats from the Queen’s Way Bridge in the Long Beach Harbor to the Queen Mary (1 mile). If you’ve ever used a leg extension machine, Smith Machine, the weight selector on cable machines, then you have used one of his inventions. This shadowy icon of wellness is no other than Jumpin Jack Lalanne.
Long before Jane Fonda, Richard Simmons, Tony Little and Shaun T, Jack published numerous books and hosted countless TV shows about the benefits of regular exercise and a good diet. Jack was an advocate for everything in moderation when it came to a good diet. He personal was believer in a plant based diet with the addition of fish, vitamins (which he had his own line of) and juicing (The Tiger Juicer if anyone remembers those infomercials). He blamed added sugars and process foods for many of America’s health problems. When exercising, Jack believed in vigorous exercise with weights or body weight movements until muscular fatigue set in. Most Doctors back then believed this would leave him muscle bound and un-athletic and could give men who follow his program heart attacks due to exercise. Well we know now that exercise and movement is one of the best ways to battle against heart disease and Jack regularly did acrobatic feats to prove his athleticism and defeat his critics.
“Dying is easy. Living is a pain in the butt. It’s like an athletic event. You’ve got to train for it. You’ve got to eat right. You’ve got to exercise. Your health account, your bank account, they’re the same thing. The more you put in, the more you can take out. Exercise is king and nutrition is queen: together, you have a kingdom.” Jack LaLanne
At his home on January 23, 2011 the 96 year old Lalanne passed away due to respiratory failure from pneumonia, he had been exercising up til that day.
Do yourself a favor, take some time and check this real influencer out and learn a thing or two from his teachings. Now since you have been siting down too long reading this blog, get up and give me 20 squats!
Get up & Move,
CeJ
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