Actor Jason Priestley and his wife Naomi will open their first Studio Pilates location in Nashville this fall, and the Australian-based Reformer Pilates franchise is embarking on ambitious U.S. expansion plans.
Pilates is one of the hottest fitness trends this year, and the rise of the exercise method has several franchise brands accelerating their growth plans. Former “Beverly Hills 90210” star Jason Priestley and his wife, Naomi, are the latest entrepreneurs to branch out into the burgeoning boutique fitness sector, opening Studio Pilates in Nashville, Tennessee, early this fall.
The Australian-based Reformer Pilates franchise now has more than 100 studios around the world, and the Priestleys’ studio is part of the brand’s fast-growing U.S. expansion that began in Brooklyn, N.Y. Plans are underway to open three more Studio Pilates studios in Arvada West, Colo., Long Branch, N.J., and San Juan Capistrano, Calif. The franchise owners plan to expand into Canada later this year.
Nashville has become home to NASM-certified personal trainers, Pilates Sports Center instructors, and Mad Dog trainers Jason and Naomi Priestley, who relocated to the southeastern city from Los Angeles in 2021.
The healing and business power of Pilates
Pilates, a popular low-impact fitness method that saw an estimated 12 million people take part in classes last year, up 15% from 2016, has had a huge impact on Naomi’s health and wellbeing – she took up Pilates to help heal a serious back injury that had left her suffering from a hernia, stenosis and spondylolisthesis..
“The herniated discs were made worse by flexion and the spondylolisthesis was made worse by extension,” Priestley explained. “These conditions led to sciatica, and one of the herniated discs was pressing on a nerve root, causing a sharp, electric shock-like pain down my leg.”
Priestley believed that by strengthening the muscles that support your core and spine, you could create space and length between your vertebrae, relieving pain.
“And it worked,” she says. “Pilates taught me proper posture, especially while sitting, which put less strain on my back and joints. It gave me the strength to maintain good posture and stabilize my spine, which helped my body heal.”
Though Priestley still has symptoms in her back, she has found relief from sciatica and severe back pain and is eager to share the power of Pilates with Nashville residents.
The Priestleys’ new Pilates studio will be located in Nashville’s Sylvan Park neighborhood and will feature 16 custom reformers beneath a custom chandelier by the franchiser.
“Pilates has been so important to both mine and Jason’s back health,” Priestley says, “We know first-hand how it can improve daily activity and overall health, and we hope others can benefit from it as much as we have.”
The appeal of franchises
Priestley said he recognised that starting any business comes with challenges and chose Studio Pilates over a non-franchise business because it offers a turnkey solution.
“It’s still hard work, but it gives us valuable time in the evenings to spend with our families,” she says. “With a franchise, they take care of all the back-of-house work so we can focus on serving our customers and delivering great lessons.”
She was also attracted to Studio Pilates’ unique method, which uses a screen to depict movements and allows the instructor to provide one-on-one training through adjustments, corrections and enhancements.
“The classes are open to all levels, making them more accessible to customers,” she said of the brand’s 40-minute class format. “Instructors can make the class harder or easier by offering modifications and variations or adjusting resistance.”
Priestley’s advice for anyone new to Pilates (and who is perhaps feeling anxious) is simple: Start slowly and focus on proper form.
“Listen to your body and don’t push yourself beyond your limits – Pilates can be adapted to suit all fitness levels,” she says. “Progress comes with persistence, so keep at it and enjoy the process. We guarantee you’ll feel welcome and supported when you join our classes.”
Priestley confirmed that she and her husband have plans to open more locations in Nashville in the future.
“My husband and I have joked about opening a Pilates studio in the town where our daughter and eventually our son go to college,” she says. “It would be a fun way to stay close to our kids.”
