Debbie Drake – 2015 NFHOF Inductee
Debbie (born 1931) was a true fitness trailblazer. Debbie was the first woman to star in her own daily exercise show. The Debbie Drake Show debuted in 1960 and aired during the morning on dozens of stations across the country. Between that show and its follow-up, Debbie Drake’s Dancercize, she stayed on the air continuously until 1978. Like Jack LaLanne, Drake became one of the country’s first fitness gurus, parleying her fame into guest appearances on TV shows such as The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The David Frost Show, The New Steve Allen Show and What’s My Line?.
Debbie was also before her time as a multimedia star: In addition to her TV show, she published the 1961 book Debbie Drake’s Easy Way to a Perfect Figure and Glowing Health, and recorded albums, including Look Good! Feel Great! and How to Keep Your Husband Happy.
Joe Lupo – 2015 NFHOF Inductee
Joe has been in the fitness business as a personal fitness trainer for over 50 years beginning in California and continuing currently in Miami, Florida. He trained his first client in the late 60's and has never stopped. Joe was born in East Harlem, New York in 1938. Sports and fitness were always his passions. In 1958 he won the Golden Gloves Tournament in Manhattan and went on to a professional boxing career with a record of 19-1-1 and was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame.
Through his career he has trained many musical and theatrical performers, as well as professional athletes like Lenox Lewis and the Oakland Raiders. However Joe's calling was to train ordinary people who he knew must be strong to survive life's challenges. He has been doing so longer than any other person.
His weight training method is used by the Cooper Clinic to help rehabilitate heart attack survivors and his "Joe Lupo 30-day diet" has helped thousands of people lose weight successfully. But his real body of work is the more than 5000 people he has trained in his career.
The Mayor of Miami-Dade County, Carlos A. Gimenez, declared September 16, 2015 as “Joe Lupo Day”
Gary Yanker – 2015 NFHOF Inductee
(Gary (1947-2008) was dubbed America's foremost walking expert by the Miami Herald and NBC’s Today Show and is generally considered the guru of the walking movement. He devoted his life to making walking the number one exercise in America. Gary is the walking editor of American Health magazine, the founding editor of Walking World magazine and the fitness spokesperson for The Rockport Shoes Company. Gary also published and created over 20 books & videos on exercise and walking.
Thomas K. Cureton, Jr., PhD – 2015 NFHOF Inductee
Professor Cureton (1901-1992) is often referred to as "The Father of Physical Fitness," Professor Cureton, who taught at the University of Illinois from 1941 to 1969, lectured at physical fitness institutes around the world. He wrote or was the co-author of 50 books and many articles.
At the University of Illinois he was responsible for the development and leadership of the Physical Fitness Research Laboratory. Dr. Cureton became known as one of the leading fitness experts in the United States. Professor Cureton served on the President's Council on Physical Fitness under five Presidents and received several Council awards. He was also a champion masters swimmer and once held 14 world records. In 1980 he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, FL. He was also research director of the national Aquatic Congress of the Y.M.C.A. for 25 years.
Gilda Marx – 2015 NFHOF Inductee
Gilda (born 1935) was a leader in the fitness and fashion fields. She was the CEO of Gilda Marx Industries, Inc. Her other companies include Christina for Gilda Marx Inc. and Gilda Marx International, Inc. Her products are sold in more than 5,000 major retail stores on four continents, including the Gilda Marx store in New York City, and Gilda Marx Boutiques at Body Design by Gilda studios.
In the early 1960’s, Gilda Marx inspired the aerobics movement when she choreographed movement to music as an upbeat, innovative way to exercise. To introduce others to the benefits of aerobics, she developed a chain of highly acclaimed fitness studios-Body Design by Gilda. In the late 1970’s, Gilda recognized the need for high quality, fashionable bodywear during exercise. She and her husband, Robert Marx, created an exclusive fabric with four way stretch. Using this fabric, Marx designed a line of leotards, called Flexatard, which contours the body in luminous colors. Today she also designs and manufactures trendy, high fashion lines that cross over from exercise and dance to street wear-California Body, made of cotton/poly/spandex; Stars of Tomorrow-children's bodywear line; and Christina for Gilda Marx- active sport and intimate apparel bras and coordinated panties. All four lines features new high tech fabrics, such as Breathables, which keep women cooler, drier, and more comfortable.
Gilda has demonstrated her commitment to fitness and aerobic dance for more than four decades. She authored a book - Body by Gilda, produced “Walk with Gilda”- an audio aerobic walking program and created state of the art fitness programs at her fitness studios in New York and Washington, DC.
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