Jack LaLanne's Workout

The legendary Jack LaLanne developed his workout over a lifetime. And his vitality and strength at his advanced age is proof he knows what he’s doing. Jack LaLanne’s workout has one significant rule, and we should begin with that: Start easy, do what you can, and increase your workout gradually. If you don’t follow this rule, you are likely to injure yourself and become discouraged.

Jack LaLanne’s workout includes cardio, and he pushes hard with his cardio. Throughout Jack LaLanne’s workout, he keeps challenging himself. He changes his routine every three to four weeks to keep his muscles guessing (and growing).

Jack LaLanne’s workout includes using weights. Many people think he only does calisthenics, but that’s not true. He actually invented many of the workout machines now popular in gyms. LaLanne goes to failure sometimes, but not every time. He works out every day, but he works out different general muscle groups on different days.

Jack LaLanne’s daily workout is about two hours long. That includes both strength and cardio. Two hours total.

Jack LaLanne’s workout is the result of a lifetime of experimenting with what works and what doesn’t. If you want his energy, vitality, and physical fitness, do what he does. Just make sure you start slow, and gradually build up to it. Your body can only build at a certain rate, and to push your body to grow faster than it can grow will cause injuries. Be patient and consistent with your workouts. As long as you keep improving, you’re doing enough.

Of course, Jack LaLanne’s workout isn’t the only key to his immense vigor. The other half of the equation is what he eats, so you should know about that too. His diet is low in fat. He eats a fair amount of lean protein. He eats fruits and vegetables.

Jack LaLanne eats very few grains, no flour and no sugar. He eats no red meat or chicken. His lean protein consists of mostly egg whites and fish. He says he eats no milk products, but he puts a little half and half in his morning smoothie. He takes vitamin and mineral supplements. And he drinks wine.

Change your diet to be closer to his and you’ll have good fuel for your workouts. But if you’re going to ramp up your exercise routine to bring it closer to Jack LaLanne’s workout, remember his first and most important rule: Start easy, do what you can, and increase your workout gradually.

Adam Khan is the author of Principles For Personal Growth, Slotralogy, Antivirus For Your Mind, and co-author with Klassy Evans of How to Change the Way You Look at Things (in Plain English). Follow his podcast, The Adam Bomb.