***** From Richard’s staff. We thought you’d like to see this.https://t.co/oHYFxPkErf

— Richard Simmons (@TheWeightSaint) July 14, 2024

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“Connection and caring in fitness? It’s all in the dirt…with Richard Simmons!”

I threw my hands up, disappointed. And I meant it.

Now, I’ve never sweat it out to the oldies with Simmons, but as someone who, for a time, based my whole existence around being a fitness instructor, I recognize how he helped to pave the way for both connection and self-love in the group exercise environment.

His death, which occurred on July 13, just one day after his birthday, has put me down a rabbit hole of old videos and episodes of his 1980s television show. The New York Times chose the perfect clip to link to in his obituary. Upbeat and glowing, Simmons enters the stage with a handful of students. “And these are my honest-to-goodness teachers,” he introduces, the authenticity stinging my heart.

It is the truest emotion I’ve felt in the fitness community in a long time. But we just don’t see it anymore.

When it comes to fitness, social media reigns supreme and it is full of narcissism.

“Look at me! Look at what I can do!”

Also, “Look at my butt!”

Let it be noted, I am a pole dancer. I see butts all the time and am not offended by them. I am offended that cheeks carefully placed within the camera’s frame are made to look like happenstance. But we are not that gullible, are we? We know that it is a carefully chosen angle likely with several takes to get it “right” and the most aesthetically pleasing filter.

Today, non-functional and non-useful movement parades through feeds. “I do straddle splits with a loaded barbell!” we learn. “I did this competition and won. Do you see? I am a winner.”

They want us to know and understand that they only do great things.

Affirmations shouted by “celebrity” cycling instructors feel empty to me. If they help someone, that’s great, but I do wonder how much they actually care about helping people.

Can they feel connection like Richard Simmons did when he had his audience wear Groucho Marx masks while doing aerobics, shouting, “If you all don’t look ridiculous!”? And they hooted, smiled, and jumped around, perfection be damned. They were having fun.

He embraced silliness and vulnerability. As a silly person who laughs at the hiccups of my own journey, it’s painful when someone says to me, “You should post the good things. Not you struggling.” In the world of social media, the only struggle that is rewarded is that of a swift accomplishment at the end of a 30-second video.

I have weathered the ups and downs of acquiring difficult skills with my physicality over the years. And I’ve found that most of the time, unfortunately, accomplishment is preceded by struggle of more than 30 seconds in duration.

Even today’s “vulnerable” posts come across as inauthentic and curated. Voiceovers and quotes are meant to display perfection and knowing it all, versus the actual pursuit of oneself. It makes me sad. There are plenty of trainers and coaches out there who still genuinely care, and I am glad to learn from them every day. But I don’t think they are as vehemently rewarded as the narcissists who know how to curate a social media feed much better than they know how to connect.

Richard Simmons was criticized for crying and showing emotion in his classes, and well, I wasn’t there. I don’t know the extent of it or any weirdness that may have occurred. However, my impression of him is that he cried due to how deeply he felt about his story and influencing others’ fitness journeys.

To all the fitness instructors, trainers, and coaches who genuinely care, who learn from their students, and who measure each individual result over likes—thank you. Thank you for continuing to pursue a field paved by celebrity trainers who rose through authenticity.

Let us remember that perfection is not reality, silliness feels good, and in the words of Simmons, “Every day we live we are getting closer to our death. Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to enjoy your life to the fullest every single day. Get up in the morning and look at the sky…count your blessings and enjoy.”

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