How Richard Simmons made fitness fun and accessible for everyone, challenging the industry’s exclusivity.
In the late 1970s in Los Angeles, fitness options were limited and exclusive. Jane Fonda’s Beverly Hills studio catered to the slim, while dance studios attracted the professionally beautiful. Muscle-building enthusiasts flocked to Gold’s Gym, dominated by men aspiring to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s physique.
Challenging Fitness Elitism
Amidst this fitness elitism, Richard Simmons burst onto the scene with his inclusive approach. His energetic Richard Simmons workouts, first at his LA studio and later through TV and VHS tapes, invited everyone to join in.
Simmons’s Distinctive Persona
Simmons, who passed away on Saturday at 76, stood out with his frizzy hair, sequined tops, and short shorts. His average-guy look appealed to those who didn’t aim for godlike bodies, according to Daniel Kunitz, author of Lift: Fitness Culture, From Naked Greeks and Acrobats to Jazzercise and Ninja Warriors.
Embracing All Body Types
While others promoted universal fitness, Simmons lived it, breaking barriers for people who felt excluded from existing fitness cultures, Kunitz noted. His inclusive fitness approach and compassionate approach made fitness for everybody.
Despite embracing all body types, Simmons focused on weight loss. He believed that while supermodel looks weren’t necessary for happiness, shedding pounds was key to health and well-being.
Overcoming Personal Struggles
Simmons’s passion for helping others lose weight stemmed from his own experiences. Growing up Richard Simmons overweight in 1950s New Orleans, he faced constant teasing. Before he lost weight, Richard Simmons struggled with his size. In Italy, he found some success as an actor, often cast for his size. “I was Richard Simmons fat, had curly hair,” he told The Associated Press. The Italians thought I was hysterical.”
Finding a Healthier Approach
A turning point came when he found an anonymous note on his car: “Dear Richard, you’re hilarious, but fat people die young. Please don’t die.” This led to a dangerous period of starvation, causing hair loss and illness. He lost weight but knew there had to be a healthier approach.
Simmons’s Inclusive Studios
In Los Angeles, Simmons struggled to fit into existing fitness communities. His flamboyant personality clashed with the macho lifting gyms and feminine aerobics studios. However, he discovered a love for aerobic exercise and dance-based aerobics, finding exercise fun for the first time.
In the mid-70s, Simmons opened Anatomy Asylum in Beverly Hills, followed by Simmons. These studios offered inclusive environment workouts that were part exercise, part entertainment. He often dressed in women’s clothing, adopted quirky personas, and put on a show while teaching.
Simmons’s Joyful Fitness Approach
“He challenged the idea of fitness as a torturous process of self-discipline — because for him it was so fun,” said Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, a fitness culture historian. Bill Hayes, author of “Sweat: A History of Exercise,” added that Simmons “got us to laugh, smile and find joy in exercising.” His joyful fitness approach made fun workouts the norm.
Simmons’s Genuine Compassion
Simmons genuinely believed he was saving lives. In class, he would show autopsy images of overweight individuals to motivate himself, viewing this as an act of love.
His local success soon translated into best-selling books, TV shows, and workout videos. The “Richard Simmons Sweatin’ to the Oldies” series sold millions, featuring everyday people who resonated with a broad audience. Set to upbeat and oldies music, these accessible workouts brought Richard Simmons’s 80s workout style and 90s energy into homes across America through Richard Simmons’s videos.
Simmons’s Revolutionary Impact
Simmons’s approach was revolutionary. He made fitness accessible and enjoyable for those who felt left out of traditional gym culture. His message was clear: everyone deserves to be healthy and happy, regardless of size or shape.
His impact extended beyond physical fitness. Simmons became a beacon of positive energy, encouraging self-love, acceptance, and weight loss. He understood the emotional aspects of overeating and addressed them with compassion.
Throughout his career, Simmons maintained a connection with his audience. He answered fan mail personally and often called people seeking help. This personal touch set him apart in an industry that often felt impersonal.
Simmons’s influence on pop culture was significant. He appeared in numerous Richard Simmons movies and TV shows, from talk shows to sitcoms, always spreading his message of health and happiness. His energetic personality and distinctive look made him instantly recognizable.
Simmons’s Lasting Legacy
Despite his public persona, Simmons was known to be deeply empathetic in private. He often spoke about the loneliness and pain that can lead to overeating, drawing from his own experiences. Richard Simmons’s mother and Richard Simmons’s mom were important influences in his life and approach.
As fitness trends evolved, Simmons remained true to his core message. While others promoted extreme diets or intense workouts, he advocated for sustainable, enjoyable exercise and balanced eating. His richard simmons workout video style focused on low-impact exercise, dynamic stretching, bodyweight workouts, and dance routines that could be done as home workouts with no equipment needed.
Simmons’s Legacy of Inclusivity
Simmons’s legacy extends beyond fitness. He challenged societal norms about body image and self-worth. By embracing his unique style and encouraging others to do the same, he promoted a more inclusive view of health and beauty.
In recent years, Simmons stepped away from the public eye, but his impact endures. The fitness industry has become more inclusive, with a growing emphasis on body positivity and mental health alongside physical fitness.
Richard Simmons’s contribution to fitness and self-acceptance is immeasurable. He showed that health and happiness are achievable for everyone, regardless of size or fitness level. His infectious enthusiasm and genuine care for others made exercise fun and accessible, changing countless lives in the process.
Entertainment, and Spiritual Leadership
As Simmons’ influence grew, he helped shape the modern era of fitness influencers as celebrities, alongside figures like Fonda, Smith, and Steinfeld, according to Dr. Mehlman Petrzela. Uniquely, Simmons infused performance, entertainment, and spiritual leadership into fitness, becoming a blend of comedian and guru.
“He saw himself as fitness’ odd one out,” said Ken Alan, who helped choreograph several of Simmons’ videos. Despite lacking formal training or natural talent, Simmons eventually sought expert input to ensure his teachings were safe and effective.
In today’s climate of body acceptance and discussions about health at various sizes, some of Simmons’ branding now seems insensitive. His “YRUFATT” license plate and self-description as a “former fatty” – potentially an attempt to reclaim the term – can sound harsh to modern ears, noted Dr. Mehlman Petrzela.
We’ve learned that while joy can motivate movement, it can also be the ultimate goal. “Simmons occupies a complex place in my heart,” said Virgie Tovar, weight acceptance activist and author. “He showed unprecedented love for plus-size individuals in fitness, challenging toxic ideals. However, he couldn’t see beyond weight loss.”
Tovar added, “I believe if Simmons were at his peak today, he’d be inspired by body-positive and Health at Every Size movements. He might have led a truly weight-neutral fitness revolution, which would have been remarkable.”
Source:
Danielle Friedman (July 14, 2024). Richard Simmons’s Radical Promise: Exercise Is for Everybody, New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/14/well/move/richard-simmons-exercise.html. Accessed July 19, 2024
Header Photo:
Richard Simmons visiting the Southern Park Mall in Boardman Ohio. 1995
Photo credit: Larry Hachucka, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
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