Riser Fitness

What Riser Fitness does

Riser Fitness, LLC is the largest franchisee in the Club Pilates system and operates a network of 113+ boutique Pilates studios across eight U.S. states (California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Minnesota, Utah, Arizona), Mexico (as master franchisee), and Australia. Founded in 2013 by Keely Watson Lombardi and headquartered in Irvine, California, the company delivers standardized Reformer-based Pilates instruction through Club Pilates' 500-hour certified instructor program to individual fitness consumers via monthly membership subscriptions. Beyond greenfield development, Riser runs a structured franchise-acquisition program, purchasing existing Club Pilates studios from franchise owners for cash with no financing contingencies, and provides a reliable exit pathway for sellers.

The business is asset-light in technology but capital-intensive in real estate, with studio economics driven by site selection (a dedicated VP of Real Estate has executed over $1 billion in transactions) and instructor quality across a 700+ instructor network. Riser's growth has been financed primarily through structured debt from Fortress Investment Group, totaling $140M+ across two facilities in October 2024 and April 2025, supporting both U.S. densification and international expansion. In April 2026 the company signed a landmark 127-studio, five-year development agreement with Xponential Fitness (Club Pilates' parent, NYSE: XPOF), the largest development deal in Xponential's history, granting exclusive territory rights across six western states and consolidating Riser's position as the system's largest operator by committed units (340+ licenses).

Revenue mechanics are primarily recurring monthly membership subscriptions, supplemented by transactional income from franchise-acquisition resales. The customer base is mass-market and highly distributed (individual consumers aged 18-85), with no enterprise contract layer and no disclosed per-member pricing. The company's value proposition to its two-sided market combines accessible, low-impact Pilates for end consumers with fair, fast cash exits for franchise sellers, while its defensibility rests on exclusive territory grants, scale economics, and a leadership bench drawn from Club Pilates, KPMG, and 24 Hour Fitness.

Name

Riser Fitness

Legal name

Riser Fitness, LLC

Website

https://riserfitness.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Riser Fitness is the largest Club Pilates franchisee, operating 113+ studios across eight U.S. states, Mexico, and Australia. Founded in 2013, the company generates recurring revenue through monthly memberships and franchise studio acquisitions, backed by $140M+ in growth capital from Fortress Investment Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boutique Fitness Studio Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Pilates Instruction (Mat & Reformer) (HSADACAB)

Keywords

• Boutique fitness
• Pilates studios
• Reformer Pilates
• Fitness franchise
• Studio memberships

Headquarters

HQ city

Covina

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Studio Memberships: Riser Fitness generates revenue through monthly membership fees from Club Pilates studio members. Members pay recurring subscription fees for access to Pilates classes using Reformers and other equipment.
2. Studio Acquisitions: Riser Fitness purchases existing Club Pilates studios from franchise owners, consolidating them into its portfolio. The company offers competitive prices in the secondary market with cash purchases and no financing contingencies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Riser Fitness operates Club Pilates boutique fitness studios as the largest franchisee in the Club Pilates system, offering Reformer-based Pilates classes to individual members through monthly subscription memberships. The company expands through new studio development and strategic acquisitions of existing Club Pilates properties across exclusive development territories in the western United States, with master franchise rights for Mexico.

Product overview

Riser Fitness is a multi-unit franchisee operator of Club Pilates boutique fitness studios, not a software or technology product company. The company's core offering consists of operating Club Pilates franchise locations that provide Pilates instruction services (reformer and mat classes) to members. The company operates as a franchisee under the Club Pilates brand (owned by Xponential Fitness) and expands through new studio development, strategic acquisitions, and international expansion (Mexico, Australia).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Club Pilates Studio Memberships Recurring monthly memberships at Riser Fitness's network of Club Pilates studios, providing access to Reformer-based Pilates classes (and mat classes) for individual consumers seeking low-impact, whole-body fitness. Members range from age 18 to 85 and benefit from certified instructors trained through Club Pilates' 500-hour program.
• Private Pilates Sessions and Specialized Workshops One-on-one private Pilates sessions and specialized workshops offered at Club Pilates studios operated by Riser Fitness, supplementing core group class memberships for members seeking more personalized or advanced instruction.
• Club Pilates Studio Acquisition Program A studio buy-side service for existing Club Pilates franchise owners who want to exit their investment, offering competitive valuations, cash purchases without financing contingencies, and a streamlined due diligence and closing process. Riser Fitness purchases studios in its six exclusive U.S. states and internationally.
• Pilates Alerts (SMS Member Communication) An opt-in SMS alert program for Club Pilates members operated by Riser Fitness, providing enrollment, events, and general program information via text messages (short code 35736). Available across all major U.S. wireless carriers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 700% annual revenue growth for three consecutive years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Xponential FitnesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerXponential Fitness is the parent company of Club Pilates and the curator of boutique fitness brands. Riser Fitness is the largest franchisee in the Club Pilates system with exclusive development rights in six states. The partnership includes a landmark five-year multi-unit development agreement for 127 new Club Pilates studios, the largest deal in Xponential's history.
• Club PilatescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClub Pilates is the world's largest Pilates brand by number of studios (1,400+ open studios globally). Riser Fitness operates as the largest franchisee, holding 340+ licenses across its global development pipeline with exclusive territory rights.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Xponential Fitness: Xponential Fitness (NYSE: XPOF) is the parent company and franchisor of Club Pilates, as well as the curator of multiple boutique fitness brands. As Riser's franchisor and counterparty to its landmark 127-studio development agreement, Xponential is the single most strategically connected peer and provides the most direct read on unit economics, royalty structures, and category trends across the Pilates/boutique fitness sector.
• Life Time Group Holdings: Life Time (NYSE: LTH) operates a national network of large-format athletic clubs offering group fitness, Pilates, strength, and recovery programming. It represents the incumbent, real-estate-heavy end of the operator spectrum and provides a useful benchmark for how multi-unit fitness operators scale, manage member LTV, and execute on premium positioning.
• Planet Fitness: Planet Fitness (NYSE: PLNT) is the largest franchised fitness operator in the U.S. by member count. While positioned in the value segment (vs. Riser's premium boutique), its franchise-driven asset-light model, multi-unit development economics, and franchisee consolidation dynamics are directly comparable to Riser's growth playbook.

Direct peers

• F45 Training: F45 Training (NYSE: FXLV) is a franchised boutique functional-training fitness brand with a global multi-unit operator base. Its franchise economics, unit growth trajectory, and reliance on centralized brand/curriculum from a franchisor make it a structurally similar peer to Riser's boutique fitness franchise model.
• Orangetheory Fitness: Orangetheory is a privately held boutique fitness franchise with 1,500+ studios globally built through franchise development rights. Its premium heart-rate-based interval training model, multi-unit franchisee structure, and group class subscription pricing model are closely aligned with Riser's Club Pilates franchise model.
• Pure Barre: Pure Barre is a Xponential-owned boutique barre franchise operating hundreds of studios. It is a sister brand to Club Pilates under the same franchisor, with comparable class format, premium pricing, female-skewing demographic, and franchisee economics — making it one of the closest direct comparables for unit-level performance.
• YogaSix: YogaSix is a Xponential-owned boutique yoga franchise targeting similar premium, modern demographic. As a sister franchise brand under the same franchisor system, it shares pricing tier, studio format, and franchise development dynamics, providing direct read-throughs on member behavior in adjacent mind-body categories.
• CycleBar: CycleBar is a Xponential-owned boutique indoor cycling franchise operating across the U.S. Like Pure Barre and YogaSix, it is a sister brand under the same franchisor, sharing royalty structure, marketing platform, and franchisee support systems with Club Pilates — making it a relevant comparable for understanding unit economics across the broader Xponential system.
• The Bar Method: The Bar Method is a long-standing boutique barre franchise with multi-unit franchisee operators. Its class format (low-impact, isometric-focused), premium pricing, and franchise-driven growth model closely parallel Riser's Club Pilates operations, particularly for female-skewing, 25-55 demographic and suburban studio formats.

Emerging players

• SLT: SLT is a privately held boutique fitness brand specializing in Lagree-style Pilates on proprietary Megaformer equipment. It targets a similar premium, urban, female demographic as Club Pilates but operates primarily company-owned rather than franchised, providing a useful comparison for premium Pilates pricing power and member retention benchmarks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/riser-fitness
• Instagraminstagram.com/riserfitnessofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Riser Fitness