Franchise Strong Pilates has announced that former English cricketer, Stuart Broad, has come on board as an ambassador to help challenge the traditional perception of Pilates as having a female bias, ahead of a drive for rapid expansion.

The brand has sites all over the world: USA, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Singapore, Philippines, Japan, Dubai and Indonesia, with upcoming locations in South Korea, Malaysia and Bahrain.

In the UK, there are currently three sites in London and one in Dublin, the most recent launch was in Wimbledon, London, earlier this year,

The brand is aiming to find 50 more franchisees to open studios in UK over the next three years.

Broad says: “I wish Strong Pilates had been around when I was playing cricket, as it truly provides both mind and body balance. You have the Pilates element which controls the movement and relaxation in breathing, combined with the aerobic element which pushes the body forward. Strong has kept my mind and body in great nick, so it's exciting to share the benefits with the UK fitness community."

Strong Pilates combines the modality with cardio and strength training with its exclusive Rowformer and Bikeformer machines. New equipment was unveiled earlier this year which enables members to perform exercises such as squats and deadlifts with substantial loads on the Rowformer.

Co-founders, Mark Armstrong and Michael Ramsey, say: "Stuart embodies everything we stand for at Strong Pilates – pushing boundaries and working hard to be at your best. His appointment comes at an exciting time as we announce the opening of 50 upcoming studios to meet the demand of the UK fitness community."