According to an article in Men's Health magazine in Oct 2012, the fittest man of all time is US swimmer Michael Phelps. As with all things from Men's Health, don't expect it to be all scientific. They define fitness as not just about how much you can lift or how fast you can run, or how many records you have broken. It is about what else you do with your body - the legacy you leave behind. That is reflected in the listing of Jack LaLanne in the top 10 - not a great athlete himself, but he inspired many to be the greatest they could. See more on the World's Fittest Athlete.

Men's Health Top-10 Fittest Men of All Time

  1. Michael Phelps, swimming
  2. Bruce Lee - martial arts
  3. Arnold Schwarzenegger - body building
  4. Jack LaLanne - fitness ambassador
  5. Herschel Walker - American Football / MMA
  6. Jim Thorpe — track and field / decathlon
  7. Christiano Ronaldo — soccer/football
  8. Lance Armstrong — cycling
  9. Manny Pacquiao - boxing
  10. Bjorn Daehlie - x-country skiing