Jack LaLanne
At just 15 years old, Jack (also known as The Godfather of Fitness) got interested in diet and exercise and began studying Henry Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body. About six years later, he opened his first health spa in Oakland, California, and got heavily invested in bodybuilding, chiropractic medicine and weightlifting. LaLanne designed the world's first leg extension machines, pulley machines using cables and weight selectors—all of which are now a standard in the fitness industry. He swam the length of the Golden Gate Bridge, set a world record for 1,033 pushups in 23 minutes, and single-handedly towed boats filled with people. His thinking was considered ahead of his time and, in 2002, he received his own star on the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame.
