Les Mills launches new Pilates program to help clubs nail booming category

Les Mills has unveiled a dynamic new Pilates program designed to make it easy for fitness facilities to drive growth by leveraging the red-hot training category.

Crowned 2023’s most popular workout by boutique booking platform MindBody, demand for Pilates continues to grow, with online searching seeing a 50% year-on-year increase*. Championed by influencers and celebrities, Pilates has become a social media sensation, winning legions of Gen Z fans.

LES MILLS PILATES™ is an innovative take on the 100-year-old category, combining its rich traditions with the cutting-edge music, movement and coaching Les Mills is famous for. The boutique program has been crafted to help clubs pull younger members into their studios – and recruit the next generation of rockstar Instructors to teach them.

WATCH: LES MILLS PILATES TRAILER

Key to its impact is the ease with which clubs can add the world-class workout to their timetable. LES MILLS PILATES can be delivered in any studio, without the need for expensive equipment, while Instructors can quickly become certified.

LES MILLS PILATES Co-Creator Summer Bradley said: “Being able to deliver LES MILLS PILATES in any space, with nothing more than an optional mat, means clubs can quickly bring the world’s hottest trend to their studios and engage a broad range of members.

“The program pays homage to Joseph Pilates, blending the best of old with the best of new as we add unique music, beautiful choreography and supportive coaching to offer members an unforgettable experience.

"Anyone who wants to move better and feel better will love this workout. It's a particularly good complement for strength training or high-impact training. There are lots of different options and progressions, so people of all abilities can feel confident and enjoy the benefits.”

Designed to improve core strength and endurance, mobility, and overall wellness, the program includes modifications to accommodate different abilities, ensuring that everyone can participate and progress at their own pace, whether they’re new to exercise, recovering from injuries, or looking for a challenging workout.

The program has been tested and refined 50 times in world-leading gyms to guarantee the best Pilates experience for club members and deliver the results that will keep them coming back.

Research led by Dr Gillian Hatfield, an Associate Professor of Kinesiology at Canada's University of the Fraser Valley, found that LES MILLS PILATES is effective as a low-impact, high-intensity workout to boost core endurance, flexibility, and general wellbeing.

An 8-week study saw young people (average age: 34.6 years) who didn't do regular Pilates or core training take part in LES MILLS PILATES classes twice a week. At the end of the study, the group saw significant improvements, with an average:

• 61% increase in abdominal endurance
• 20% increase in back endurance
• 13% improvement in flexibility
• 13% uplift in general wellbeing^[1]

Bryce Hastings, Les Mills Head of Research, said: “These results show LES MILLS PILATES is a scientifically validated workout that delivers fast results. The effort members put into these workouts will be rewarded in terms of increased flexibility, core endurance, and general wellbeing.

“With Pilates all the rage right now – particularly among younger members – LES MILLS PILATES serves as the perfect addition to the timetable, offering integrated functional core training that supports other workouts, reduces risk of injury and leaves you feeling great.

“By significantly strengthening our core and enhancing flexibility, LES MILLS PILATES helps to build a solid platform for anything we do that combines activity in the upper and lower body, whether that’s heavy strength training, running, or everyday activities.”

To learn more about LES MILLS PILATES, visit: LES MILLS PILATES

*Survey by Health and Fitness Education (UK), September 2023