Forty-Year Veteran Wakes Up Fitness Industry
Recently, an epic milestone nearly went unnoticed, until Danny Tschirret, founder of the Muscle Beach® fitness club chain, made a call to Venice, California.
In a conversation with Muscle Beach Venice promoter Joe Wheatley, Tschirret reminded him that the fitness club chain is currently celebrating the historic 75th anniversary of the original Muscle Beach, once located two miles south in Santa Monica.
Because it contained the word muscle, there once was time when some thought Muscle Beach was a haven for male bodybuilders. Tschirret argues, “To the contrary, nothing could have been further from the truth. In fact, it was a mecca for exercise enthusiasts who gathered there from all over the world. Many of the participants were physically fit women who performed gymnastics, acrobatics, ballet, pyramid building, and weight training; activities, which in later years, led to the coining of the word fitness.” He stresses, “It was dubbed Muscle Beach, instead of Fitness Beach, simply because back in 1933 the term fitness had yet to be coined.”
Although most historical sources reference 1934 as the origin of The Beach, Tschirret says the most reliable report comes from the man who backboned it all, the legendary Harold Zinkin. For those not familiar with him, he’s the man who made changing weights easy by inventing the selectorized weight stack. According to the writings of Mr. Zinkin, the first exercise mats were laid on The Beach in 1933. “Because we fully trust the accounts of Harold Zinkin, our company pinpoints and promotes 1933 as the date that fitness was officially born,” Tschirret remarks.
So with 2008 came the historic 75th anniversary of legendary Muscle Beach. Since then, Muscle Beach® fitness clubs the world over have been celebrating the epic event. And thanks to Tschirret’s passion for fitness history, Mr.Wheatley is now planning a celebration that will also take place this summer at Muscle Beach Venice. Tschirret goes on to say, “I invite everyone to join us in Venice, California on the 4th of July as we celebrate this historic milestone, one that no other fitness entity has ever achieved.”
About Muscle Beach®
Muscle Beach®, the flagship brand of Multinational Brands®, Inc., is based on the legendary venue that served as the foundational launch point for the multibillion dollar fitness industry. It’s where fitness legends Harold Zinkin, Jack LaLanne, Joe Gold, Steve Reeves, Joe Weider, and many others, got their start. Its long legacy, deep lineage, storied history, and legendary reputation, have earned it unprecedented recognition, respect, and prestige. The brand was founded by Daniel Tschirret, BSBA, MBA, a 40 year fitness industry veteran, who is currently building it into the most globally dominant fitness club chain of all time.