The founder of our modern fitness movement, Jack LaLanne died this past week at the age of 96. You have to admit, the guy looked good for 96 years old!
For more than 70 years, LaLanne taught about the benefits of strength training and eating a healthy diet. What he started decades ago has turned into a multi-million dollar industry. The sad part about it is that despite his beneficial teachings, Americans continue to struggle with weight issues.
It was in 1936 that the nation’s first health club opened. At the time it served as a place to not only workout but contained a health food store and juice bar. Eventually he went beyond the walls of his gym to hitting the screen with his workout program, “The Jack LaLanne Show.” It ran from 1951 until 1985.
Despite the good in what he was trying to teach America, many doctors went against him. They claimed that weightlifting could lead to heart attacks and that it would even affect a person’s sex drive. Wow, have times changed.
LaLanne went on to prove that age doesn’t matter when he was 40 years old and swam the length of the Golden Gate Bridge. He did this with air tanks that weighed 140 pounds. Then when he was 60 years old he swam over a mile with his legs shackled and pulling a boat that weighed 1,000 pounds.
But it didn’t end there. Even when he was in his 90’s he continued to workout everyday. Eventually it was respiratory failure, complications from pneumonia that took his life. For many, he was the source of all things healthy.
Hopefully his legacy will continue on. He is definitely an inspiration to me. I might think that being in my 40’s is tough but he has demonstrated that it doesn’t matter what age you are…you can always embrace a fit lifestyle.
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