The Day The Pushups Died: Jack LaLanne, RIP

January 24, 2011
 112,175 pushups completed
 887,825 pushups to go
 5,658 pushups ahead of schedule

Just a quick post to recognize the passing of Jack LaLanne, 96, fitness Guru.  Jack was the original pushups king and devised many feats of strength over the years.  Here are some of his best:  note the ages at which he accomplished some of these.  Just amazing:

Jack LaLanne Feats and Honors

1954 Age 40: Swam the length of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge underwater with 140 pounds of equipment, including two air tanks… an undisputed world record.

1955 Age 41: Swam, handcuffed, from Alcatraz to Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, CA.

1956 Age 42: Set a world record of 1,033 pushups in 23 minutes on “You Asked for It, a TV Show with Art Baker.

1957 Age 43: Swam the treacherous Golden Gate Channel, towing a 2,500-pound cabin cruiser. This involved fighting the cold, swift ocean currents that made the 1 mile swim a 6 ½ mile test of strength and endurance.

1959 Age 45: Completed 1,000 pushups and 1,000 chin-ups in 1 hours and 22minutes. “Happy” is born and The Jack LaLanne Show goes nationwide

1974 Age 60: Swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman’s Wharf, for a second time handcuffed, shackled and towing a 1,000-pound boat.

1975 Age 61: Swam the length of the Golden Gate Bridge, underwater, for a second time handcuffed, shackled and towing a 1,000-pound boat.

1976 Age 62: Commemorating the “Spirit of ‘76”, swam 1 mile in Long Beach Harbor, handcuffed, shackled and towing 13 boats (representing the 13 original colonies) containing 76 people.

1979 Age 65: Towed 65 boats filled with 6,500-pounds of Lousiana Pacific wood pulp while handcuffed and shackled in Lake Ashinoko, near Tokyo, Japan.

1980 Age 66: Towed 10 boats in North Miami, Florida filled with 77 people for over a mile in less than 1 hour.

1984 Age 70: Handcuffed, shackled and fighting strong winds and currents, towed 70 boats with 70 people from the Queen’s Way Bridge in the Long Beach Harbor to the Queen Mary, 1 ½ miles.

Peace Out,
Thunder John

"Bringin' the thunder, packin' the pain, loaded with pushups - makin' it rain!"

"Well I can't remember if I cried -
his feats of strength were bona fide
he swam towing 70 boats against the tide.
The day... the pushups died."