Fitness guru Richard Simmons is officially closing his studio with an emotional farewell

Fitness guru Richard Simmons is officially closing his studio with an emotional farewell

After more than four decades of teaching, training legend Richard Simmons closed the doors of Slimmons, the LA training studio he opened in 1974, earlier this week. For many of the fitness icon's followers, the move comes as no surprise - but it still marks the end of an era for the countless lives he changed, both in and out of the studio.

For years, Simmons has been a passionate cheerleader for his followers, encouraging people from all walks of life to be more active, eat smaller portions and take care of themselves through his iconic workout videos and television appearances. The Sweatin' to the Oldies creator shared the news of Slimmons' closure with fans through an emotional Facebook post, saying it was finally time to take his own advice. “I’m kind to myself and put myself first,” he said.

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While the news may not have come as a surprise given the star's rare sightings over the past two years, attendees at Slimmon's latest studio class told Entertainment Tonight that the room was "filled with emotion" despite his absence. The once outgoing personality - once a household name and frequent talk show guest - was recently the cause of tabloid speculation that he had become a "recluse," with rumors that he had been taken hostage by his longtime housekeeper. But after a hospitalization in early 2016 for dehydration, Simmons turned to the media to dispel any rumors that he was trapped in his home or was in declining health, attributing his absence from the spotlight to a knee injury.

But ahead of the final years of mystery, Simmons sat down with Shape's editors to talk about his own weight loss journey and the mantras that motivate him. After going from 200 pounds to the fitness guru he is today, Simmons has always been a positive force, for better or worse. His enthusiasm and flamboyant approach - from those tiny striped shorts to his bedazzled tank tops - have often made the 68-year-old an easy target for pranks. But regardless of the criticism, he always remained true to himself and never deviated from his promise: that healthy eating and exercise can (and should!) be fun.

So if Jillian Michaels is the living room workout queen of today, Richard Simmons is a friendlier, feistier version from another time. His dance-like step aerobics routines have inspired generations of Americans to “sweat it out!” in their living rooms, and my family was no exception. Some of my earliest memories with my grandmother are soundtracking his Sweatin' to the Oldies collection, listening to Simmons pep up his videotaped class while my grandmother and I kept up with Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley.

Ginny Saylor | Live strong triathlon

After adopting a healthier lifestyle in her fifties, it was this larger-than-life personality that helped kick-start my grandmother's passion for fitness. Over the next few decades (and well into her 70s), she took Simmons' fun approach to training to the next level—learning to kayak, do triathlons, and regularly take spin classes—all while battling multiple forms of cancer. Although I admittedly don't make it to the gym as often as I should, those early lessons with my grandmother and Richard Simmons helped teach me the earliest lessons of training: that it can be fun, it can be silly, and that all shapes and sizes are welcome.

So thank you to the man who has truly dedicated his life to inspiring others to “Get Up and Move!” They have truly made a difference in countless lives over the years, and we can't wait to see what's next.