Called “The Godfather of Fitness,” LaLanne literally hit home with this writer a long time ago. As a young child, foggy memories cause a smile from mornings spent in front of the television set mimicking him leading the way in a precursor of the fitness class. “The Jack LaLanne Show” became the longest running exercise program and was a staple of society for generations.

In a day where doctors and pregnant women found nothing wrong with smoking cigarettes, LaLanne taught the world how to not only exercise, but eat properly. A big proponent of fruits and vegetables, he was frequently seen plugging his inventions on TV commercials and a good amount of households had items such as his Power Juicer.

The next time you’re in the gym and using a Smith machine, leg extension or anything using a cable pulley system, be sure to quietly thank LaLanne for them. He was an innovator and opened his first ‘health spa’ in Oakland, California back in 1936. Jack LaLanne’s eventually became what is now known as Bally Total Fitness, the most popular of it’s kind throughout the world.

Not accepting medical advice against weight training, LaLanne proved that this ridiculous diagnosis not only did not cause heart attacks and loss of sex drive, but actually improved them. He set the standard of everything we have today in the sport of bodybuilding, fitness, figure and even bikini.  Athletes in every category train and diet in a fashion that LaLanne scratched out and we all should be grateful.

LaLanne brought all forms of exercise and introduced it to housewives, the sick and elderly. These people became healthier with his programs and it proved that it wasn’t just for muscleheads.

We will never have another one like Jack LaLanne and his memory will live forever.

At the recent FAME International Championships in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, a familiar sight took place as every competitor was introduced one by one and brought on stage at the commencement of the show. It definitely gave it the feel of a Broadway production and immediately livened up the crowd before their seats even were warm.

These athletes may not be as well known as Jay Cutler or Iris Kyle, but by individualizing them before they did their own routine put a name to the face. It gave the audience a closeness and almost family-like relationship with these men and women. A unique trait, to say the least.

By promoting natural bodybuilding and the BodyProud lifestyle, these athletes also gave the audience hope and a more realistic goal for themselves if they so choose. These physiques, while very impressive, are attainable if one dedicates his or herself to the right diet, exercise program and rest. The proof was right up there on stage under the lights.

Before the awards were given, all of the athletes were again called on stage to be given participation certificates. For many, that was as good as winning their category. A good number of them were competing for the very first time and when they first made that life-changing decision being in a show was a long-range goal. That in itself says a lot.

The top three in every category took home souvenir swords and this was another unique trait in FAME. A medal, crystal or statue is common but how many times have you seen a full-length Samuari sword and sheath being posed with at a bodybuilding contest?

Everyone was a winner at the War Memorial on November 7 – the competitors and audience alike. If you have never attended a FAME event, words cannot do it justice. You need to witness it for yourself.