Les Mills sees 700% rise in users in the Middle East during Coronavirus crisis

June 22, 2020

Fitness platform Les Mills has experienced a 700% rise in users in the Middle East and 800% rise globally since the beginning of the Coronavirus crisis, according to Glen Stollery, Chief Executive of Les Mills International in the Middle East, India and Africa.

Known for its 30-minute high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts shot in high production and virtual reality settings, the New Zealand-based company's brand is distributed across 20,000 clubs around the world.

In the Middle East, it attracts an audience of 24-43 year olds of which 85% are female.

Speaking to Arabian Business, Stollery said the company’s core business, its live group exercise classes, has suffered due to gym closures as part of governments’ COVID-19-related safety measures.

However, its Les Mills On Demand platform has seen a massive rise in uptake with an average of 25,000 people joining per day.

Stollery explained "our core business is actually live group exercise classes, so in that respect, because we have about 20,000 clubs that distribute our product all around our worldwide - so if you’ve ever done a body pump class in a Fitness First or Gym Nation, those are our classes - in that retrospect we have been affected.

“(And we've been) quite fortunate that we’ve got a number of strings to our bow and we already have an existing online platform that has really great content on it and that’s seen a massive spike, because everyone is home-bound at the moment. So our core business has been affected significantly but this other part has seen a massive uplift. We’re kind of in both camps."

Les Mills four most viewed programs in the Middle East since the pandemic have been Body Combat, Body Pump, Les Mills Grit and Body Balance.

19th June 2020 - Dubai Sports Council allows fitness centres to operate at full capacity

19th June 2020 - Expo 2020 Dubai site to be delivered this year

17th June 2020 - Dubai gyms close permanently as Coronavirus impacts UAE fitness sector

30th May 2020 - Dubai lifts restrictions on fitness centres

7th April 2020 - Two-thirds of the world’s fitness clubs are currently closed

3rd April 2020 - Les Mills and the Y partner to deliver free content for members and employees

29th March 2020 - Les Mills and TVNZ partner to deliver fitness classes during COVID-19 lockdown

27th March 2020 - Les Mills delivers free digital solutions to help clubs overcome Coronavirus

6th March 2020 - IHRSA publication seeks Fitness Industry support for Global Goals

29th December 2019 - 1Rebel partners to open gyms across the Middle East and North Africa

3rd June 2019 - Fitness First Middle East looks to become region’s ‘most admired brand’

19th March 2019 - Les Mills and Netpulse partner to launch on-demand solution for fitness clubs

23rd November 2018 - Les Mills Asia Pacific names new Chief Executive

7th June 2018 - Les Mills announces global partnership with Stages Indoor Cycling

8th March 2018 - Les Mills announces global launch of enhanced SMARTBAR

17th October 2017 - Hugh Jackman backs Les Mills and UNICEF Workout for Water event

18th December 2016 - Les Mills offers insight into running successful virtual fitness programs

24th January 2016 - Fitness First marks 10 years in the Middle East

3rd December 2012 - Anytime Fitness to open 100 gyms across the Middle East

Asking a small favour
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

The news we publish at www.ausleisure.com.au is independent, credible (we hope) and free for you to access, with no pay walls and no annoying pop-up ads.

However, as an independent publisher, can we ask for you to support us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine - if you don't already do so.

Published bi-monthly since 1997, the printed Australasian Leisure Management differs from this website in that it publishes longer, in-depth and analytical features covering aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues management.

Subscriptions cost just $90 a year.

Click here to subscribe.