fter multiple reps of a move called the “fire hydrant”, which involves cocking one leg like an incontinent dog, my limbs are shaking with effort. Then it’s straight into lunges alternated with bicep curls using the weighted cables that spool out of the “Rowformer” – a hybrid gym contraption that combines a rowing machine with a traditional Pilates Reformer.
This year, Strong is pushing into the United States, opening its first international headquarters in Hermosa Beach, California, and more franchises are slated for the Middle East, Asia and Europe.“Yeah, we’ve got a big year ahead,” says Michael Ramsey, co-founder of Strong with his business partner, Mark Armstrong.
The words on the wall say it all. Michael Ramsay is responsible for the internal fitout of Strong Pilates studios. “I jumped on a flight, met the guy who created the machine and did the workout,” Ramsey recalls. “It was excruciatingly tough, but it gave me that big endorphin rush along with all the great movement patterns of Pilates.”After that, things moved fast. In 2019, Ramsey and Armstrong sold their F45 studios and acquired the rights for the Rowformer. “It needed a bit of R&D, but we turned that machine into a profitable business model that was scalable and franchisable,” he says.