Saturday, November 16, 2013

Jack LaLanne's Lasting Fitness Contributions

Jack LaLanne's Lasting Fitness Contributions

In honor of Throwback Thursday, we'll be bringing you a classic image every week that was important in its time. Our first #TBT honoree is the late Jack LaLanne, known as The Godfather of Fitness. The personal trainer and bodybuilder achieved physical feats that included swimming the length of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge underwater (with 140 pounds of equipment), paddleboarding 30 miles (or 9 ½ hours) from the Farallon Islands to the San Francisco shore, and towing 13 boats (filled with 76 people) one mile in Long Beach Harbor with his arms handcuffed ... at age 62.

But even more lasting than his impressive physical power were the many firsts he brought to a nation that had barely begun to appreciate fitness as we now know it: first to stress the importance of both weight training AND nutrition; first to introduce the nutrition bar and replacement drink; first to have athletes, women, and the elderly work out with weights; first to propose and develop leg extension, calf, and cable/pulley machines; first health and fitness club; first nationally syndicated exercise TV show...and the list goes on and on.

Not only was he a physical force to be reckoned with, but he coined some of the most famous fitness quotes ever, known fondly as "LaLanneisms." Our favorites include:

Your waistline is your lifeline.

Don't exceed the feed limit.

Ten seconds on the lips and a lifetime on the hips.

It's not what you do some of the time that counts, it's what you do all of the time that counts.

Eat right and you can't go wrong.

Anything in life is possible if you make it happen.

Get off your seat and onto your feet.

His words ring true now perhaps more than ever. That's why Jack LaLanne made our list of notable Throwback Thursd ay icons.

Do you have a suggestion for us? Share your photo on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using the hashtag #MHtbt and you may see your idea right here on menshealth.com.

 

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