Fitness franchise STRONG Pilates – which has taken Australia by storm over the last 3 years – is set to open its first UK studio in Islington next month, with locations in Holborn and Fulham to follow shortly after.
Co-founded by Australian fitness experts, Michael Ramsey and Mark Armstrong, STRONG Pilates is a unique fitness method which combines pilates with strength-based training. The successful duo identified a gap in the market for high-intensity, low-impact exercise.
First launched in 2020, STRONG Pilates has expanded rapidly and there are now 21 studios operating throughout Australia and New Zealand. Ambitious international growth plans will see that number grow to hundreds of studios across Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, the US and the UK within the next 4 years.
Strong pilates is becoming increasingly popular among those looking for a serious fitness plan that spares no detail. This intensive practice focuses on improving motor coordination, balance and strength through specific exercises.
Strong pilates is a powerful form of exercise that emphasizes body awareness, mindful movement, and breath control. This kind of pilates provides health and fitness benefits while focusing on personality-based athleticism.
When practising strong pilates, you’re engaging in fitness with low-impact movements that build strength, balance, core stability and coordination all at once.
Not only will you strengthen your muscles from the inside out but you’ll also improve posture, and reduce tension and stress through the practice of pilates breathwork.
In September 2022, ClassPass©, the largest health club aggregator globally, named Pilates as the fastest-growing genre in Australia and New Zealand following a 250% growth in Pilates class reservations in the previous 12 months.
In the UK, there are currently more than 12 million people practising pilates with more than 70% of fitness enthusiasts opting for pilates over yoga.
This, combined with HIIT Training, which in the UK has increased by more than 25% over the past year, is the driver behind the UK being the first global market for the STRONG Pilates brand.
At the helm in the UK will be former Australian International Cricketer John Hastings as UK Managing Director, backed by Matt Berriman, a serial entrepreneur and investor.
Hastings is excited about the opportunity: “We identified a gap in the international market for a fitness offering like STRONG Pilates, particularly given the rapid growth within the pilates space.
This is an opportunity to balance high intensity with controlled strength training – something the UK market has been demanding for some time now.”
The first studio, headed up by sisters Eller and Chou (pictured) as Franchisees will be based on the Pentonville Road in Islington and officially launches on the {24th} of February.
Talking about this new venture, Eller said: “We have both always dreamed of doing something together since we were young. We explored so many different avenues, but nothing felt like it aligned with who we were as people.
Once Chou started to work as an instructor for STRONG we knew this was the right path as we had both found something we loved and truly felt passionate about, which was people and movement.”
Chou added: “Working in both fitness and Pilates I was fortunate enough to attend both strength and conditioning classes and Pilates for free. I quickly realised that if I was a paying client this would have been expensive.
I believe STRONG has bridged the gap between the two and it is what is currently missing in the market. We are so excited to bring the first of many STRONG studios to the UK and our ambition is to build a big STRONG community and deliver the best product and overall experience for our STRONG humans.”