Do you know who Jack Lalanne is? Let me give you a few hints. In 1936 he opened one of the nation’s first fitness gyms in Oakland, California. He hosted The Jack Lalanne Show between 1953 and 1985. I recall watching some of these as a kid. He invented the Juice Tiger. I clearly remember the infomercial and his stretch jumpsuits. He invented the Smith Machine. Practically every gym has some version of it. He set a push-up record. Over 1,000 push-ups in 23 minutes! Amazing!
Jack Lalanne was promoting health and fitness through his own television show, as a motivational speaker and prolific author years before Jillian Michaels, Gunnar Peterson, Susan Powter, Tony Little, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jane Fonda, Richard Simmons, Steve Reeves and countless others. If you’re not familiar with some of these people, read up on them. For his time, Jack was seen as a bit of an oddity and was known for his incredible feats of strength and endurance. On numerous occasions, he swam in open waters while handcuffed and/or towing boats. Some people saw these as gimmicks. But he was the real deal. Not only did he talk the talk, but he walked the walk.
Energetic, passionate, charismatic and unbelievably fit, Jack influenced generations of people with his commonsense approach to wellness. He preached daily exercise, having a positive attitude and a low sugar diet. Does this sound familiar?
If you have never watched one of his shows before, check out this candid video where he talks directly to his TV viewing audience about unhappy people and their emotional and mental well-being. Enjoy!