Pump iron even if you’re old, says first US gym owner

Jack LaLanne, a brawny showman who towed boats while swimming handcuffed to encourage Americans to get healthy, is believed to be America’s first fitness club owner, back in 1936.

Jack LaLanne, a brawny showman who towed boats while swimming handcuffed to encourage Americans to get healthy, is believed to be America’s first fitness club owner, back in 1936. He invented much of the exercise equipment seen in gyms today, including the ‘jumping jacks’, named after him. He has now released a book titled Live Young Forever, in which he discusses how to stay healthy in the twilight years...

1. Pump iron: It stabilises joints, boosts metabolism and burns fat.

2. Eat a high-fibre diet: “If I put inferior foods in my body today, I’m going to be inferior tomorrow; it’s that simple,” he writes.

3. Ladies, get going! Back when most health clubs catered only to men, LaLanne was encouraging women to do it, too.

4. Do those clothes fit? Scales are not an accurate measure of fitness. The better gauge is how your clothes fit, and how strong you feel, cites the publication.