Lagree Fitness, New Discipline of Formidable Effectiveness for Sculpting Muscles

Inspired by the Pilates Reformer, this new sport is practiced on a machine called the "megaformer" and combines instability and core strength training to engage all the muscles.

What is it?

Look at all the machines in your gym: imagine them all combined into one, allowing you to work all muscles in less than an hour… That's the ingenious idea Sebastien Lagree, a Franco-American, had when he developed this method. Here, the machine is called a "megaformer": it's a clever mix of static elements, a sliding mobile carriage on rails, elastic bands, springs, and more.

Constant Core Engagement

Be prepared: a Lagree class lasts a maximum of 50 minutes, but there's no time to rest. "We switch movements every 2 minutes, with only 5 seconds to transition from one to another," explains Sara Sabir, head of Snake & Twist studios in Paris and a Lagree instructor. Intense! The class takes place entirely on the machine, whose carriage is always in motion: instability and core engagement are therefore constant. The music is loud, the LED lights are slightly dimmed, and the coach, equipped with a microphone, counts down the seconds with a stopwatch to encourage holding the positions: in Lagree, the atmosphere is clearly focused on self-improvement.

Quick Results

You start with abdominal work, then move on to a series of planks. Next, you work on leg muscles, then return to the center with obliques and waist exercises, before finishing with arms: it's a concentrated full-body muscle strengthening session without impact on the joints. All movements are performed with resistance work, provided by springs and weights. "Lagree sculpts muscles and shapes the body really effectively," observes Sara Sabir, "results are quickly noticeable." With 600 calories burned per session, it's also a good ally for weight loss and toning the silhouette.

Of course, Lagree is an intensive sport more suited to those who already exercise regularly. It's an excellent complement to Pilates or yoga, which help with stretching and flexibility, while Lagree strengthens muscles. However, the principle of variable weight loads allows everyone, in good health, to try it, whether a beginner or advanced: in the same class, some work with 20 kg weights, others with 4 kg weights. Interested in trying? Just get equipped for your first session with fitness clothing and non-slip socks, so you don't slip on the machines.