While initially thought of as an eccentric for advocating weight training he stifled critics with his amazing feats of fitness. At age 42 he set a world record of 1,033 push-ups in 23 minutes on the television show You Asked For It. At age 60 he swam for the second time from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman’s Wharf while handcuffed and he upped the ante by towing a 1,000-pound boat across the distance. He is still going strong at age 95 and advocating the same fitness knowledge that he presented on his television show from the early fifties. Jack LaLanne is a living fitness legend. Don’t miss his incredible bodyweight mastery and priceless fitness wisdom in the videos below.

He was orphaned at a young age, grew up working as a farm hand, and quickly realized all the benefits his body was experiencing from the rigorous daily labor. In his early twenties he was selling an exercise device at the World’s Fair when he caught a glimpse of strongman Eugene Sandow’s strength and posing routine. He was captivated by the perfect lighting glancing off his sinewy muscles. Shortly afterwards he rented out two small studios in New York. To make ends meet he became the world’s first legitimate personal trainer by coaching actors and others to their ideal physique. It was around this time he changed his name from Bernard Mcfadden to Bernarr Macfadden since it reminded him of a lion’s roar and his new last name was much more masculine and authoritative.

Some of his accolades in adulthood include:

-Creating a raw food health community outside New York.

-Discovering Angelo Siciliano AKA Charles Atlas.

-Hosting Britain’s Most Perfect Woman Contest and marrying the winner.

-Opening inexpensive health food restaurants during the Great Depression.

-Publishing the magazine Physical Culture which ran from 1899 to 1949 and currently holds the record for longest running health and fitness publication.

Bernarr’s recommendations for a healthy lifestyle would be to Fast (Bernarr did every Monday) & walk at least three miles a day. (Bernarr would occasionally go twenty miles barefoot while commuting to work) He was also against prudery and believed in the importance of intercourse for all around great health. (Bernarr had nine children)

Check out BernarrMacfadden.com for more insight. You can also read Bernarr’s best work, Vitality Supreme for a taste of his writing and Mark Adams entertaining and informative biography Mr. America:How Muscular Millionaire Bernarr Macfadden Transformed the Nation Through Sex, Salad, and the Ultimate Starvation Diet. An excellent resurrection of the enigmatic fitness legend, Bernarr Macfadden.

that most people would raise their brow at but their hard work, self-discipline, and dedication in the weight room can be appreciated by all. Without these guys exercising to the beat of a different drum we all might be performing an exercise routine from a typical gym class in the 50s. Reading Arnold’s Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding in High School gave me a great knowledge base on proper nutrition and correct exercise technique. Watching him terminate or pump iron on film always gives me the itch to sprint to the gym. Now he’s giving back to the people as the Governator of California. Here are a few videos to celebrate his 62^nd year of being the remarkable Arnold.

The Good – Motivational…

Add some fun & variety to your workout today by performing one set of Arnold Presses in order to honor the Austrian Oak.