Club Pilates Grows in Germany Amid European Expansion

The world’s biggest Pilates brand is pursuing aggressive international expansion under parent company Xponential Fitness

Club Pilates, the reformer Pilates concept with 1,000-plus studios open worldwide, is expanding in Germany and is eying additional growth in countries including the Netherlands and Austria.

Four Club Pilates studios are slated to open this summer in Hamburg and Kaiserslautern in Germany, with additional locations planned for German metro areas by early 2025.

LifeFit Group established the first Club Pilates studio in Germany last spring, while a second studio was opened a few months later in Königstein im Taunus by franchisee Leah Laukien, a partner in European development for Black Forest Ventures. Laukien is now behind the new Club Pilates studio in downtown Hamburg.

“After the opening of the first Club Pilates studio in Frankfurt-Bornheim, which I accompanied during my studies, I fell in love with the Club Pilates concept and got to know Leah,” LLCP Fitness GmbH operations manager Vivi-Ann Agena said. “Since then, we have shared the dream of bringing Club Pilates to Hamburg. As operations manager, I am particularly excited that we will be opening three locations in Hamburg this summer.”

Club Pilates’ Kaiserslautern studio will open on July 27 under franchisee Isabelle Hessel, a former LifeFit Group director.

LifeFit Group also holds licensing rights to Club Pilates in the Netherlands and Austria, and plans to expand in those countries as well.

“The studios opened so far are performing even better than expected. Club Pilates has great potential to establish and expand the network in Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands,” said LifeFit Group chief operating officer Christophe Collinet. “Numerous additional studios with suitable franchisees are in the pipeline for the next few years.”

The popular Pilates brand is also set to grow in France following a master franchise agreement, with additional agreements in development for Ireland, Portugal, Qatar, New Zealand and Switzerland.

Club Pilates is scheduled to set sail next month on a seven-day Alaskan voyage on Princess Cruises, part of a unique partnership that offers cruise-goers Club Pilates classes free of charge.