Richard Simmons, who believed fitness is for everyone dies at the age of 76.
With his short-shorts and sparkling tank tops flashy hair and exuberant persona, Simmons created a fitness empire. He encouraged optimism in his workouts, portion control, exercising your body as well as having fun.
Jul 13, 2024 07:50 PM
Richard Simmons made it his life’s work to make exercise fun — for everybody. He’s pictured above in 1984. American Broadcasting Companies/Getty Images hide caption
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American Broadcasting Companies/Getty Images
Richard Simmons made it his career to make exercising enjoyable for all. The above photo is from 1984.
American Broadcasting Companies/Getty Images
Richard Simmons was instantly recognizable with those short shorts, sparkling tank tops, and frizzy hair. He was among many of the original glamorous and well-loved fitness celebrities over the past 50 years.
Simmons passed away from his residence located in Los Angeles on Saturday, his representative told NPR. He was 76. He was 76. Los Angeles police department spokesperson said to NPR that officers conducted a murder investigation at a residence located in the Hollywood Hills. NPR made use of public records to link the address with a home that was owned by Simmons.
Police have not provided an explanation for the death but they did say that there was no suspicion of foul play.
Simmons established an empire in fitness beginning in the 1970s, which included classes, videos, books and products, as well as infomercials as well as his own show. He also made numerous television appearances.
It was also helpful that his entrepreneurial spirit was in line with the development of new technologyor, at least during the 80s. Simmons released fitness classes on cassettes made of VHS to be played back on VCRs. Over his lifetime Simmons produced more than sixty fitness-related videos including “Sweatin’ to the Oldies,” which was sold to more than twenty million copies.
He was raised as the “unhappy, bewildered teenager”
The birthplace of Milton Teagle Richard Simmons, in New Orleans, he described himself as a food compulsion when he was a boy. Some were bullied and mocked at him for his weight.
“I grew up without any physical education,” the man remembers in the NPR program Tell Me More in 2008. “I was 200 pounds in the eighth grade. And when I graduated high school I was almost 300 pounds. I was a very … unhappy, bewildered teenager who couldn’t figure out what I wanted in life and why I had such a strong relationship with food.”
Simmons stated that on his site that he’s had tried laxatives and diets, but ultimately he settled on “a lifestyle of balance, moderate eating and exercise.” His passion was to make exercising enjoyable and enjoyable for everyone.
The year was 1974 when Simmons established his studio at Beverly Hills that catered to those who were looking to shed weight and be in shape. It was originally dubbed The Anatomy Asylum, but was later changed to SLIMMONS. It also featured among the very first salad bars to be found in the area, named “Ruffage.” Simmons was present until the year 2013.
Simmons His training style was energetic and warm. In the commercial to promote one of his most popular “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” videos, he exclaimed, “If you’re looking for an energetic, fun and stimulating, funny and frolicking exciting, motivating and safe workout which is full of kicks, adrenaline, passion, gusto excitement, passion energy and excitement, you don’t need to look further. It’s here!”
There was no other fitness star who had the look of Richard Simmons. In fact, no other person in fitness videos of the time looked like the students who took his classes in the words of the historian Natalia Mehlman-Perzela. “They were all ages, they were men and women. Most notably, a lot would have been considered overweight by standards at the time.”
Petrzela who wrote the book Fit Nation The Gains and Disappointments from America’s Exercise Obsession and believes it was groundbreaking to allow fat people to join fitness in the 1970s and the 1980s. In recent times, however, Petrzela says Simmons has been criticised for shaming fat people.
“That criticism is not misplaced,” she adds. “But I also think it’s so important to see the way that … the important work that he did in expanding people’s sense of whodeserved to exercise, who was welcome at the gym and who was deserving of finding joy through movement and in communities of movement.”
When he was in his late 60s Simmons was withdrawn and quiet in his 60s. Many of his followers were confused as to why this extremely public and a positive person remained quiet and didn’t leave his house. Podcast missing Richard Simmons and a handful of documentaries looked into this mystery. One of them was made by TMZ which aired at Fox as well as Hulu. In a statement from 2022, Simmons tersely thanked his fans. In earlier interviews, such as one on the Today show in 2016 mentioned the health problems and the desire to be alone.
Simmons His method of thinking was very simple. He preached positive thinking as well as portion control, and he recommended working out for a minimum of 30 minutes each day. The message resonated with people who weren’t sure they fit into the conventional world of fitness — or even people who felt like they were the person who was picked last for the team.