The Les Mills story is one of creativity, inspiration, energy and passion. It is a story of an extraordinary New Zealand family – the Mills family - and of a remarkable “global family” for whose members our programs form a large part of their lives.
Here are some of the highlights of this remarkable story…
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1960s-70's
New Zealand athlete Les Mills competes in four Olympic Games. Les also competes in the Commonwealth Games, along with wife Colleen and children Phillip and Donna. |
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1968
Les and Colleen open the first Les Mills gym in Auckland. |
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1980's
Phillip Mills returns from studying in the USA to join the Les Mills gym business and start developing group fitness programs. |
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1990
BODYPUMP™ created (under its original name, Pump). |
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1995
BODYPUMP™ trialled in Australia, pioneered by industry leader Bill Robertson. |
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1996
BODYPUMP™ demonstrated at Australian FILEX convention. |
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1995-7
First international distribution agents appointed. |
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1997
Les Mills International founded in May. |
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1997
BODYPUMP™ renamed and showcased globally by first International Master Trainers including Emma Barry, Steven Renata, Pete Manuel, Cathy Spencer and Mike McSweeney. |
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1997-8
BODYATTACK™, BODYFLOW™, BODYSTEP™, RPM™ launched internationally. |
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1999
BODYCOMBAT™ launched internationally. |
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2000
First Les Mills Global Summit held in Opio, France 2000. |
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2001
Les Mills celebrates 5,000 licensed clubs. |
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2001
BODYJAM™ launched. |
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2001
Second Global Summit in Itaparica, Brazil 2001. |
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2002
Third Global Summit (first to include instructors) Espinho, Portugal. |
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2003
Les Mills celebrates 8,000 clubs worldwide. |
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2003
Les Mills credited by IHRSA’s Club Business International magazine with “doing for group exercise what McDonald’s did for hamburgers.” |
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2004
Fourth Global Summit held in Opio, France. |
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2004
Les Mills celebrates 9,000 clubs licensed worldwide. |
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2004
Phillip Mills named 2004 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. |
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2005
Les Mills International named New Zealand 2005 Services Exporter of the Year. |
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2006
Les Mills celebrates 10,000 clubs licensed worldwide. |
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2006
Launch of BODYVIVE™. |
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2007
Les Mills surpasses the milestone of 11,000 licensed clubs, with BODYPUMP™ licensed in more than 10,000 of these. |
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2007
Les Mills International named New Zealand 2007 Services Exporter of the Year. |
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2008
The fifth Global Summit held in Auckland, New Zealand. Nearly 700 agents, trainers, sales and operations staff and Les Mills International staff were re-united and re-inspired in the city where it all began. |