Les Mills has launched a four-part yoga series to help gyms compete in the global wellness economy, following a successful pilot that delivered strong results
Les Mills is finding its center with a new yoga series built for clubs.
The New Zealand-based group fitness leader has launched Les Mills Yoga, a four-part program designed to help gyms meet rising demand for mind-body workouts without the headaches of building classes from scratch.
“This isn’t just yoga. It’s a four-part series bringing together powerful coaching and expert programming to open up various types of yoga for every body, every level and every mindset,” Les Mills Yoga co-creator Fraser Beck said. “Activities that nurture mental wellbeing are becoming a top priority for members, so we wanted to make it easy for clubs to provide credible and effective mind-body movement that feels right for them and is easy to scale.”
The launch comes as yoga solidifies its position as one of the most popular wellness modalities in the U.S., particularly as a low-impact, inclusive option that combines movement, mindfulness and stress relief. According to 2022 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 1 in 6 adults practiced yoga in the previous 12 months, with participation highest among women, high-income earners and adults aged 18 to 44.
The Les Mills Yoga program features four 45-minute formats, each grounded in traditional practice but designed with modern fitness needs in mind. No equipment is required, though mats are recommended. The series includes Yin for deep stretching and restoration, Hatha to improve mobility and alignment and Vinyasa, a more dynamic option that builds strength and flexibility through continuous flow. Rounding out the lineup is Les Mills Breath, a breathwork-focused class designed to support clarity, focus and emotional release.
The series was trialed earlier this year across leading Swedish gym chains Nordic Wellness, STC and Actic, with strong early results. According to Les Mills, the pilot achieved an 86 percent satisfaction rate among participants, with 87 percent stating they would recommend the program to a friend and 94 percent rating the instructor quality positively.
“Yoga is a massive opportunity for clubs, but it’s one we’ve struggled to fully grasp in the past,” STC group training manager Sara Bohman said. “We wanted to expand our yoga offering across the estate, add new classes and make it more accessible for our members. That’s when Les Mills came in and made it easy for us, because we were able to educate a lot of instructors in high-quality programming that’s fully packaged and ready to launch. The impact has been amazing, and we’ve seen 100% class occupancy in some of our gyms. It’s helping to reduce the barriers to yoga and get more members into our studio – which is exactly where we want them, as we know it’s the key to great retention.”
Yoga’s rise is certainly playing out across the fitness sector. Xponential Fitness recently reported strong same-store sales and “significant momentum” for its yoga franchise, YogaSix, particularly among younger demographics. To support continued growth, the company has rolled out updated teacher training programs and launched a new mobility-focused class that blends yoga and functional movement. Hotworx is also scaling fast, reporting record-breaking presales and a footprint nearing 800 locations, as the 24-hour infrared fitness brand eyes expansion across the U.S. and abroad.
Up next: Yoga Joint, a South Florida-based heated yoga and fitness brand, is gearing up for national franchise expansion after bringing on Jon Canarick as an investor and board member.
Even outside the studio, yoga’s influence is growing: premium activewear brand Beyond Yoga recently launched Seek Beyond, a new platform and creative campaign with Issa Rae. YogaSix has also expanded its digital reach through a new content partnership with iFIT, bringing studio-quality classes to the connected fitness platform’s six million global members. CorePower, meanwhile, is leaning into wellness tech with a new integration that syncs Oura Ring health data to deliver personalized yoga recommendations and real-time recovery insights.
