The Life and Times of Jack LaLanne

Some people have done so much for other people in their entire lifetime that when they leave, they not only leave memories to be cherished, but they leave behind a legacy – something that actually changed the world a whole lot better than when they found it.

Jack LaLanne: The Fitness Buff and Guru

Jack LaLanne was an American fitness celebrity, motivational speaker, lecturer and nutritional expert. He earned his knowledge in fitness and nutrition by studying Henry Gray's book on human anatomy and focused his attention on weightlifting and bodybuilding. During his time, weightlifting was still an emerging technique in developing and improving a person's physical abilities. In 1936, Jack LaLanne opened the very first health spa and fitness gym in the United States and encouraged people to better themselves through weightlifting and bodybuilding. In less than 50 years, over 200 fitness gyms were established bearing his name.

He was the first to design equipments that had become the standards in today's fitness gyms; these include weight selectors, pulley machines using cables and leg extension machines. Jack LaLanne was also the first person to ever encourage women to lift weights, though this made people worry that weightlifting will make women look masculine and unattractive. He tried to reach out to more and more of the American audience through fitness television shows which lasted for more than 30 years. He gave on-screen guides and instructions on how to exercise and keep a healthy and fit body. He also published videos and books on nutrition and fitness and started his career in show business by appearing in films and recording songs with Connie Haines. In his late years, Jack LaLanne marketed his own electric fruit juicers, vitamin food supplements and exercise equipments.

Jack LaLanne's reputation as a celebrity health buff was not confined to the shores of the United States. He slowly became popular worldwide after his series of incredible stunts which he claimed to be his way of encouraging people to exercise and stay healthy. To Jack LaLanne, nothing is impossible and this includes towing a 2000-pound boat for more than 6 miles. His feats and reputation won him several awards like the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Individuals and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Jack LaLanne's 8 Incredible Stunts

Jack LaLanne understood how badly Americans needed to exercise. In his television show, he used facts and statistics regarding the common American habit to encourage people to exercise and maintain and healthy diet. During his adult years, Jack LaLanne felt that it will take more than just a television show to pull people from their seats and start doing a few minutes of jumping jacks.

1. At the age of 41, He set the world record by swimming the whole length of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, underwater carrying equipments weighing 140 pounds.

2. At the age of 43, Jack LaLanne towed a 2500-pound cabin cruiser while swimming the one mile distance of the Golden Gate Channel. But due to the strong currents, he had to swim more than 6 miles to finish the stunt.

3. At 44, he paddle boarded his way from the Farallon Islands to the shores of San Francisco. It was a distance of 30 miles which took Jack LaLanne 9 and a half hours to finish.

4. Nothing can stop him from tugging boats and enduring cold waters, not even age. At 60 years old, Jack LaLanne showed the world that age is just numbers by swimming the distance between Alcatraz Island and Fisherman's Wharf for the second time. Years back, he swam the same distance while handcuffed. This time, he was not only handcuffed but also shackled while towing a 1000-pound boat.

5. In the Bicentennial celebration of the United States, he swam more than a mile in Long Beach Harbor while tugging 13 boats, which represent the first 13 colonies in America, with a total of 76 people aboard.

6. In just a year's time after his previous incredible stunt, Jack LaLanne flew to Japan to perform his next feat. To celebrate his 65th birthday, he did tow 65 boats in Lake Ashinoko near Tokyo while shackled and handcuffed. But these were no ordinary boats; they were carrying more than 3 tons of wood pulp.

7. At age 66, in North Miami Florida, he towed 77 people carried by 10 boats for more than one mile in less than an hour.

8. And for his 80th birthday, he towed 80 boats carrying 80 people while handcuffed and shackled from Long Beach Harbor up to Queen Mary.

Two Fists Up

Jack LaLanne often used to say, “Death would ruin my image.”  But his death was not like he had expected it to be. His reputation and influence will live beyond his years. He is considered to be the pioneer of weight lifting and he was the first person to encourage people to start pumping iron and eat more fruits and vegetables years before it was considered cool. And even at retirement age, Jack LaLanne kept doing his life's work of prodding people off their couches and exercise for better health. He died at the age of 96 at his Moro Bay home on Sunday, January 3. The cause of death according to his longtime agent, Rick Hersh, was respiratory failure.

His wife, Elaine LaLanne, said that she has not only lost her husband but the most loving partner and best friend. They were married for 51 years and she served as his frequent partner in television shows and appearances. Between the 1950's and the 70's, his fitness television show was staple to American viewers. Together with his dog Happy, they encouraged the public to exercise with no other equipments but a chair and a towel.

He was the son of underprivileged French immigrants and was born in 1914. During his early life, Jack LaLanne was addicted to sugar which made him weak and lacking in nutrition. But his diet changed after hearing a lecture by famous nutritionist Paul Bragg, who was an advocate of vegetarian diet, brown rice and whole wheat products. He was able to speak with Bragg in his dressing room where he called him a walking garbage can. Since then, Jack LaLanne began living healthy and practiced his lifetime advocacy of encouraging people to be healthy.

Two years before his death, Jack LaLanne had a heart valve surgery. He left two sons, Dan and Jon, and a daughter, Yvonne.

Sources
aolnews.com
biographybase.com
jacklalanne.com
news.yahoo.com