Pilates industry hits $120 billion

The New Statesman reported on September 2 that Pilates has become a $120 billion global industry, framing a method once associated with niche studio culture as a mass-market fitness business. The magazine traced the practice’s origins to the Isle of Man, where founder Joseph Pilates developed parts of his system while interned during World War One, according to the report. Australia is one of the clearest current growth markets. Club Pilates said it has reached 40 studios in Australia in three years, while PerthNow reported that Love Athletica will open its first Western Australia studio at Nedlands Square next month. Those announcements point to continued studio rollout in a market where reformer Pilates has moved from specialist offering to mainstream fitness category. (newstatesman.com) ### Where does the $120 billion figure come from? The New Statesman used the $120 billion figure in a September 2 feature on Pilates’ global rise and its historical roots. The article linked that growth to the commercial spread of Pilates well beyond its original rehabilitation and conditioning context. The New Statesman also located the story’s origin on the Isle of Man, where Joseph Pilates was interned during World War One. (businessfranchiseaustralia.com.au) That historical point has become part of the modern branding around Pilates as operators and media outlets revisit the method’s backstory while the business around it expands. ### How fast is the Australian studio market growing? Club Pilates said in a recent Australia-focused brand update that it had reached 40 studios in the country in three years. (newstatesman.com) The same report said another 60 studios were in the pipeline, giving a concrete measure of how quickly one major chain expects the market to absorb new locations. Business Franchise Australia has also described Club Pilates as part of the world’s largest Pilates brand, with more than 1,400 studios globally, and said the company had secured a deal with U.S.-based operator Riser Fitness LLC to open 40 new Australian studios over four years. Those figures show the local push is tied to a larger franchise model rather than isolated independent openings. (businessfranchiseaustralia.com.au) ### What is opening in Western Australia? PerthNow reported that Love Athletica will open its first Western Australia studio at Nedlands Square next month. The outlet said the East Coast operator is entering Perth as competition intensifies in the city’s Pilates market. The Nedlands opening gives a second data point alongside Club Pilates’ national expansion: growth is coming both from international-style franchise networks and from Australian operators extending into new states. (businessfranchiseaustralia.com.au) PerthNow identified the site specifically as Nedlands Square, underscoring how suburban retail centers are becoming part of the rollout map. (perthnow.com.au) ### Why are chains and landlords paying attention now? Club Pilates said its Australian studios are positioned as community-driven spaces serving a broad range of ages and fitness levels, not only experienced practitioners. That mass-market framing helps explain why the format is scaling through franchising and why operators are emphasizing repeatable class systems and standardized equipment. (perthnow.com.au) PerthNow’s report on Love Athletica showed the same expansion logic at the local level: a named retail destination, a scheduled opening month and a branded studio concept entering a new state. Together, those details show Pilates growth being measured in leases, pipelines and openings, not only class popularity. (businessfranchiseaustralia.com.au) ### What happens next in this rollout? Love Athletica’s first Western Australia studio is scheduled to open next month at Nedlands Square, according to PerthNow. Club Pilates, meanwhile, said 60 additional Australian studios are in its pipeline, suggesting more openings remain ahead across the country. (perthnow.com.au)