Everyone talks about legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger.

But nobody talks about his mentor Jack Lalanne who redefined fitness forever.

After 80 years of coaching he said “Then I was a crackpot, today I am an authority…”

Here’s his philosophy:

Jack LaLanne was probably the first true superhero of the fitness world.Famous for saying “I wake up every morning with an erection a cat can’t scratch,” and his seven word philosophy on nutrition – If man made it, don’t eat it.

And this…

“Look at my corvette,” he told Joe Kita in an interview. “A ’98 – one of the finest sports cars I’ve ever had. Would I put water in the gas tank? Well, think about the crap people put in their bodies – white flour, sugar, all this processed food. It’s just like using water for fuel.

Jack LaLanne was often called the “Godfather of Fitness.” Not only was he a physical instructor, a bodybuilder, and a proficient gymnast, but he also owned the LaLanne Physical Culture Studio in Oakland, California.

Initially Jack was a vegetarian but eventually realized that increasing his meat intake helped develop musculature, while decreasing carbohydrates was also beneficial.

Not only was he a bodybuilder, strongman, and physical instructor, but he also toured doing hand-balancing acts.

The Jack LaLanne Show became famous, and you can still find videos of it on YouTube. Through this show and the strength feats he performed throughout his life – he was a tireless promoter of fitness and bodybuilding until he passed away at the age of 96. But now his legend continues to teach and inspire.

Jack LaLanne was also an inventor of gym equipment and owned countless gyms. He was a man of firsts in the fitness world and he also walked the walk.

Jack LaLanne’s measurements were:

• Height: 5’7”
• Weight: 175 pounds of pure muscle.
• Neck 17.5 inches
• Waist 28 inches
• Thighs 23.5 inches
• Arms 17 inches
• Chest 48.5 inches
• Hips 35.5 inches
• Calves 15 inches

Jack’s incredible routine in January 1949 was jaw-dropping.

For Shoulders: At home, he did handstand push-ups—six sets of 20 reps. Presses behind the neck ranged from 100 to 170 pounds for 10 reps per set. Then came military dumbbell presses with 75-pound dumbbells—two sets of 15 reps.Front and side dumbbell raises with 30 pounds followed—two sets of 20 reps.

For Back: Bent-over rows with 100-pound dumbbells (45 kilos each!)—four sets of 10 reps. Front lever pull-up 10 reps. He followed that with chin-ups with 90 pounds strapped to his waist for four sets of 10 reps. Then did pull-downs on the lat pulley machine with 80 pounds—three sets of 10 reps.

And then transitioned to chest: with stiff-arm pullovers with 30 pounds—three sets of 20 reps. Next were incline presses with 90-pound dumbbells—three sets of 10 reps. Push-ups on the parallel bars—three sets of 50 reps.

For Biceps: Incline curls with 50-pound dumbbells—four sets of 10 reps. Barbell curls with 100 pounds—three sets of 15 reps.

Legs Hindu jumps—three sets of 40 reps.

Abdominals: Roman chair sit-ups—two sets of 40.

Shoulders, Traps and Neck: Dumbbell cleans with 100 pounds in each hand—three sets of 10 reps and then neck resistance exercises.

That’s a high volume, high conditioning old-school workout that would crush most “fit” people.

“What Lalanne understood, what he espoused, and what he embodied, was the doctrine of pure, hard work. He wouldn’t let you say that it was your job’s fault you are fat, or society’s, or your thyroid’s – and even if it was, it was your job to right the ship.

And in America, where all the rough edges must be ground down so no one’s fragile feelings get hurt, he was an old school reminder that hard work pays off, and that you’re responsible for how you look and how you feel.” BY STEVE JANOSKI

I’ve leave you with this one last Jack Lalanne quote that hits hard – “Every morning when we open our eyes, we wake up, we have a battle on our hands. Either you’re gonna’ win the battle that day or you’re gonna’ lose it, you’re gonna’ have life working for you, or you’re gonna’ be working for life. What’s it gonna’ be?”