The Man and His Programs

Slate explains that nobody would have been able to get a body like LaLanne’s with the workouts he promoted through his daytime television program. They were very low in intensity without requiring much time, whereas LaLanne put in hours of strength training to achieve his body. The "Los Angeles Times" explains that LaLanne's ongoing routine included two hours each day, during which he performed pool exercises for one hour and weight training for one hour. Nonetheless, an NPR interview with him notes that he didn’t promote the idea that people should be like him, but that they should be themselves and try to include exercise within their own lives.

Jack's Philosophy

Jack's main message was that everybody can be healthy and fit. He would say that you can achieve this goal through consistent exercise, a diet of natural foods and moderation in your lifestyle. He used creative phrases to get these messages across, including "Eat right and you can't go wrong" and "It's not what you do some of the time that counts, it's what you do all of the time that counts." Overall, he thought that exercise did not require a lot of extra tools or equipment. He just said it should be consistent.

Jack's Own Exercises

Jack LaLanne created many exercises and exercise programs on his own that he labeled with creative names such as "trimnastics" or "slimnastics" to appeal to his audience of housewives. Some of his exercises include "Get up and Get down," where you lie down and get up over and over, "Posture Improver," where you pretend you are holding and cracking a walnut between your buttocks by firming the muscles, and "Lower Body Firmer," where you perform leg scissors while lying on the floor on your side.

Jack's Exercise Recommendations

Jack promoted small numbers of simple exercises such as jumping jacks, leg scissors while sitting in a chair, and pulling your knees into your chest while lying on the floor. Instead of performing a certain number of reps, he explained that he would exercise until his muscles couldn't do any more. He would tell women to perform one to four knees-to-chest movements or five to six jumping jacks at a time. The various exercises in his show formed a half-hour exercise session.