FS8, the fitness concept combining Pilates, toning exercises and yoga from functional training franchiser F45, has opened its first London club. Located in Oxford Circus, the company plans to launch more UK clubs, as well as expand into the US and Canada, over the next twelve months.

Since its launch last year, FS8 has opened 37 studios across Australia – with endorsement from surf star Mick Fanning as ambassador – as well as clubs in Thailand and Qatar.

The F stands for ‘functional’, a nod to its foundations in F45; S for ‘style’, referring to its mix of exercises; and 8 represents the number of elements the creators believe are necessary to form a healthy body and mind: cardio, mobility, posture, coordination, resistance, mental health, balance and flexibility.

FS8 first came to the UK at the Balance Festival in June. The 45-minutes sessions are delivered by in-studio trainers who use a database of 3,000 exercises through FS8tv to remix workouts and design programmes for all fitness levels.

Overall, there are four training pillars: Hybrid (combines cardio and strength), Strength (includes free weights and body-weight exercises), Cardio (to increase heart rate) and Restore (yoga based supporting mindfulness and recovery).

Addressing consumer demand for mindfulness practices while exercising has been key to the development of the FS8 concept and its popularity in Australia.

“With the ‘mindful movement’ category, we noticed a whole demographic of people who understand the benefits of this style of training, but for a variety of reasons had not committed to a studio with these offerings,” said Janina Czado, general manager at FS8. “We looked at why this is the case, and made sure to address it with FS8. Just over a year later, now tried and tested, the FS8 programme showcases the very best of how these fitness styles can come together for an effective and time-efficient workout.”

The team were also motivated to put a different spin on Pilates and yoga which could unlock a new market. “We noticed that despite the Pilates and yoga scene existing within a multi-billion dollar industry, it has failed to undergo a significant evolution since its birth,” said Czado. “We saw an opportunity to inject a fresh perspective on this style of training and make it appeal to a mainstream audience. It’s hard to ignore the growing popularity of this style of low-impact exercise, and it’s our goal to make it more accessible than ever.”

While FS8 is a different concept from F45, Czado says F45 franchisees who also offer FS8 can expand their customer base. “Although we utilise many of the things that have made F45 a success, FS8 has been developed to target a different audience, with different health and wellness goals,” she said. “At F45, we empower our franchisees to own wellness in their communities. By investing in F45 and FS8, two styles of training that can support and complement each other, it offers our franchisees the potential to reach a larger audience.”

The Oxford Circus studio can be found on Great Titchfield St with membership starting at £220 (US$230) per month.

While FS8 takes off, F45 has had a troubled year, with it cutting 50 per cent of its central workforce in June 2022 as CEO Adam Gilchrist stepped down. Its shares have been falling since its IPO in New York in July 2021 and following the recent restructuring they dropped further wiping more than US$206m off the company’s value.

A recent takeover bid for US$385m was made by Kennedy Lewis Investment Management (KLIM) and media reported last week that ambassadors David Beckham and Greg Norman were suing the chain for around US$20m over owed sponsorship payments.

Founded in Australia in 2013, F45 has sold over 2,200 franchises in 63 countries.