A Hopeful Future for Exercise
Photo Credit: ORION PRODUCTION / Shutterstock.com
By Ilah Ross
Jack LaLanne, the man who shaped the 50s with his message about the importance of exercise and healthy living, passed away on January 23, 2011. Throughout the 34 year run of his fitness television program, The Jack LaLanne Show, he impacted millions and led an exercise movement which overtook the American public. However, his impressive legacy did not end with his passing at the age of 96.
Chris LaLanne, the great nephew of this iconic figure, possesses the same infectious passion for exercise and healthy living as his great uncle, and he too has impacted countless individuals with his work running LaLanne Bootcamp in Castro Valley, California. Chris, who studied exercise and nutrition at San Diego State, began his fitness career by working as a personal trainer. In 2008, he opened one of the first Crossfit gyms in San Francisco and successfully led a tight-knit Crossfit community for eight years. In 2017, he opened LaLanne bootcamp in Castro Valley, which he ran for three years. Though the COVID-19 pandemic forced LaLanne Bootcamp and other gyms and businesses worldwide to close their doors, it did not prove to be a challenge too daunting for Chris to overcome. In March, LaLanne Bootcamp shifted into an online format, an entirely necessary pivot to survive as an exercise business, and in doing so, adapted to a COVID-19 world in a way which redefined what gyms are and how they function.
On his new LaLanne Bootcamp app, Chris LaLanne has created a holistic approach to exercise.
“I’m not necessarily just doing things like a workout or a plan; it's more of a holistic one-on-one makeover of your entire lifestyle,” LaLanne said. “I’ll be honest, this has been far more fulfilling for me than allowing people to just take a class, and then going back to their life. Now we can work on your whole day and get results in a very efficient and far more intimate way. Going online has opened me up to a completely new avenue in how I help people.”
However, despite the many benefits of being online, there are certain aspects of working out in person that cannot be replicated on an app. The community created in an in-person setting is not only important for gym members, but coaches too.
“I’m a people person and so going to work and driving to the gym was something I did forever, and I miss it, I really do,” LaLanne explained. “But nowadays we just don’t have a choice, we need to pivot and see the opportunities available or create one of our own.”
There are also many challenges regarding the motivation of participants which an online format presents. When faced with the choice of working out in a group setting with a supportive coach just a few feet away, versus following an online class in the basement, many will opt for the in-person approach.
“Most people, naturally, are going to want to see other people and go to a class or a gym. It’s a social experience,” noted LaLanne. “So replicating that is difficult because you’re at home all by yourself.”
There are many parallels between the stories of Jack and Chris LaLanne. Both men worked to create positive change in their communities, and both chose to go about their work in creative and unconventional ways. In the ever-changing industry of fitness and health, the story of the LaLannes provides insight into the importance of creating a unique approach to exercise, and challenging the status quo.
“Now that I’ve closed my gym and I’m no longer leading groups or individuals in the flesh, I’ve been thrust into this online setting which is allowing me to reach more people in a more authentic way, just like Jack LaLanne did on the television in 1953,” LaLanne said.
Despite the many challenges the pandemic has presented, LaLanne has maintained a positive and enthusiastic mindset which allowed him to adapt his business in this evolving world, and has provided a way for his message to reach countless individuals around the globe.
“I have opened myself up to the entire world by going online, and so I’ve now been able to help people from all over the US and even abroad, which is amazing,” LaLanne said.
Just as Jack Lalanne was a pioneer of fitness in the ‘50s, Chris Lalanne has become one of the brave individuals paving the way for his business and others as they shift to an online environment, while maintaining that healthy living and exercise are both possible and necessary aspects of our daily lives in a COVID-19 world.
