In honor of Fitness Formula Clubs celebrating its 35th anniversary, FFC marketing manager Megan Zink had the opportunity to sit down with one of FFC’s long-time charter members, Dr. Gordy Siegel, and learn a little bit about his experience in the community.

This interview has been lightly edited for brevity.

Megan Zink: You’ve been a member of FFC for quite some time. Since then, has it been part of a regular routine for you, or has it kind of ebbed and flowed? First of all, not many people can say they go to the gym on a regular basis, but you’ve been going to FFC for a while.

Dr. Gordy Siegel: It’s a very important part of my life.

MZ: Do you have any favorite kind of workouts? What do you usually do?

DGS: Watch a lot of TV, get a lot to eat – no. I just kind of do a little bit of this, a little bit of that, trying to stay healthy. It’s nice to see the new machines come in every so often. I watch other people to see what they’re doing, and if I think I can do it without killing myself, I’ll try it.

MZ: So do you think going to FFC on a regular basis has changed you, or given benefit to your life?

DGS: I think it’s aged me a lot.

MZ: Backwards!

DGS: I don’t know that it’s changed me so much as allowed me to enjoy life and stay healthy. I would imagine that without it, I probably wouldn’t have some of the advantages I do in terms of health.

Related: take advantage of a special Anniversary Month offer to join FFC in September!

MZ: Has anything notable happened while you’ve been there?

DGS: I remember Sundays – this goes back a while – I was watching a bunch of people play basketball. And one of them looked familiar. And I am NOT a sports person, by the way. You say the name of a team and I might know what sport they play. But that’s as far as it goes.

And there was a guy on the court, and I said to myself, ‘you know, he looks familiar…’ It was Michael Jordan. He used to come over and play pickup games with people at the gym. I guess he had a place on Lakeshore Drive and he would come over every so often – that’s kind of memorable.

It’s just a nice, nice place to go. I’m probably your best advertiser around. Over the years I’ve actually tried a number of different places – I’ve never left FFC – but FFC is just a nice place with nice people.

MZ: That’s part of the reason I started focusing on the stories so much – everyone you meet is just so nice!

DGS: And we span generations. Little kids like you, old farts like me. Everything in between.

I don’t know if Larry told you how I joined?

MZ: No, but I was very curious.

DGS: For years I had said that I should join a gym to be healthy. So then I heard FFC was opening up and I thought, ‘well, you know, I’ll walk over and at least give it a try.’ And I got hooked.

You feel better. I think it’s pretty universal. Days that I go – it’s not just physical – you mentally feel better. In many ways. If I get into a situation where I get busy – sometimes I’ll miss a week – you can feel a difference. Definitely feel a difference. It’s a passion. I fell in love.

MZ: So if you had to name a couple of top favorite things about FFC, what would they be?

DGS: Location. The location is very good for me. I’d have to say the people. And going that early in the morning – it’s not like people sit around and have a social hour. That being said, most of us who are there when the place opens up know each other. Maybe just by first name, but over the years you get to know people. And the more you get to know people, the more you like them. Very few jerks over the years. I guess it’s a combination of the facilities, the people – it’s a good, healthy feeling.

You feel better. I think it’s pretty universal. Days that I go – it’s not just physical – you mentally feel better. In many ways. If I get into a situation where I get busy – sometimes I’ll miss a week – you can feel a difference. Definitely feel a difference. It’s a passion. I fell in love.