Balance the Grind was invited to FS8 Shellharbour to experience the brand’s signature approach to movement, with a special class led by FS8 Global Ambassador Cristina Chan. Fresh from celebrating its 100th studio opening — and with its first-ever Hamptons pop-up bringing the Australian-born concept to one of the world’s most iconic summer destinations — we went along to find out what’s behind FS8’s growing global following.
There’s no shortage of ways to work out right now. Reformer Pilates continues to dominate the studio fitness space, strength training has become an increasingly important part of our wellness routines, and mobility and recovery are finally getting the attention they deserve.
FS8’s answer is refreshingly simple: why choose just one?
We recently visited FS8 Shellharbour to experience the workout for ourselves, joining a special session led by FS8 Global Ambassador Cristina Chan.
So, what exactly is FS8?
Born in Australia, FS8 takes elements of Pilates, yoga-inspired movement and strength-based toning and brings them together in one low-impact workout.
It’s a formula that appears to be resonating well beyond its home market. In just five years, FS8 has grown from a single Australian studio to more than 100 studios across 18 countries, recently celebrating the significant milestone of its 100th studio opening.
The brand is also popping up in some unexpected places. This northern summer, FS8 has opened its first-ever Hamptons pop-up studio, taking the workout to the popular New York summer destination and giving both locals and visitors the opportunity to experience the concept outside a traditional permanent studio setting.
Behind that growth is a relatively simple philosophy: build a body that doesn’t just perform well in the studio but moves better in everyday life.
As Jo Gomez, Director of Athletics, Pilates for FIT House — the company behind F45 Training, FS8 and VAURA — explains, FS8 was created to offer a more holistic approach to strength of both mind and body.
Its signature 3-in-1 format combines reformer and mat Pilates to build core strength and alignment, yoga-inspired movement to support mobility, flexibility and mindfulness, and resistance-based toning to develop functional strength.
The result is a workout designed to deliver the benefits of several different training modalities without having to schedule separate Pilates, strength and mobility sessions throughout the week.
The verdict
What we liked most about FS8 was that it didn’t feel as though it was trying to be Pilates, yoga, or traditional strength training.
It borrows intelligently from all three.
You leave feeling as though you’ve worked — particularly through the core and stabilising muscles — but also more mobile and connected to your body than you might after a conventional gym session.
For people trying to balance strength, flexibility, mobility and mindfulness within an already busy week, the 3-in-1 proposition makes a lot of sense.
And with FS8 now surpassing 100 studios globally, expanding across 18 countries and experimenting with destination concepts such as its first Hamptons pop-up, this Australian-born fitness brand clearly has ambitions well beyond the reformer studio.
Our biggest takeaway? Low impact doesn’t have to mean low intensity — and building strength doesn’t always require moving faster or lifting heavier.
Sometimes, it’s simply about learning to move better.
