What Is Lagree? The Megaformer, the Method, and Your First Class

Lagree is a high-intensity, low-impact workout done on a machine called the Megaformer, where you move very slowly against spring resistance with almost no rest, so your muscles stay under tension for the whole class. It looks like reformer pilates, but it is its own method, created by trainer Sebastien Lagree, and it feels closer to a strength workout: most people shake within the first few minutes.

Below: how the method works, what the Megaformer is, what a class feels like, how Lagree compares to pilates and solidcore, what results to expect, and how to survive your first session.

Where Lagree came from

Sebastien Lagree, a French-born personal trainer working in Los Angeles, started building the method in the late 1990s. He wanted a workout that was as intense as heavy training but easy on the joints. He started from pilates-style movement, slowed it down, removed the rest, added bodybuilding ideas like time under tension, and then designed his own machines to support it. The first one, the Proformer, came out in the mid-2000s. Later versions became the Megaformer, and Lagree Fitness now sells several models, including smaller ones for home and boutique use (Lagree Fitness).

People often call it "Lagree pilates," and studio schedules sometimes file it under pilates. Lagree himself has been clear that it is a separate method. That distinction matters for your first class, because if you walk in expecting a reformer class, the pace will surprise you.

What is a Megaformer?

The Megaformer is a long machine with a sliding carriage in the middle, a fixed platform at each end, and springs underneath that set the resistance. It looks like a larger, more industrial reformer. Compared with a pilates reformer, it has:

• Two platforms instead of one footbar, so you can work from either end and move quickly between exercises.
• Heavier spring loads that you adjust with a dial or by hooking springs underneath.
• More handles, bars, and cables for standing, kneeling, and plank work.
• A wider carriage built for lunges and side-to-side movement.

"Megaformer" and "Lagree machine" mostly refer to the same family of equipment. You will also see unbranded "Lagree-style" or "Megaformer-style" machines from other makers. Studios that license the method from Lagree Fitness use its machines and training.

How the Lagree method works

A few rules shape every class:

• Slow tempo. Movements usually take about four counts out and four counts in. Going slowly removes momentum, which makes light springs feel heavy.
• Time under tension. You hold each exercise for about 45 to 60 seconds or more and move straight into the next with little or no rest.
• Muscle failure. The goal is to work a muscle until it can barely keep going. Shaking is expected.
• Low impact. No jumping, no heavy weights on your spine. Resistance comes from springs.
• Short classes. Most classes run 40 to 50 minutes, and some are as short as 30.

The shaking you feel is your nervous system recruiting more muscle fibers as the first ones tire. The Hospital for Special Surgery calls it a yellow light: fine briefly, a reason to back off if form breaks down or you feel pain (HSS).

What a Lagree class feels like

Expect about 10 to 15 people, each on a machine, with an instructor walking the room and calling exercises and spring changes. A class usually moves through the body in blocks: legs and glutes (lunges on the carriage), then core (planks and crunches with names like "bear" and "wheelbarrow"), then obliques and arms, then legs again. The order moves fast, and there is little downtime for water.

The first class is usually the hardest workout people have done in a while, even fit people. Runners and lifters often find the slow pace humbling. Plan on sore legs and abs for two days.

Lagree vs pilates vs solidcore

Is solidcore Lagree?

Not anymore, though they are close cousins. Solidcore started in 2013 using Lagree's Megaformer machines under a licensing deal, and the two companies later ended up in a legal dispute after solidcore rebranded the machines (Washingtonian). Today solidcore runs its own branded classes and equipment. The class experience is similar: slow tempo, constant tension, dark room, and a lot of shaking. If you like one, you will probably like the other.

For a fuller comparison of the two methods, see Lagree vs pilates. If you are new to pilates itself, start with pilates for beginners.

Lagree results and benefits

There is very little independent research on the Lagree method specifically. The general principles it uses are well supported: resistance training to near fatigue builds muscular endurance and strength, and the CDC counts muscle-strengthening work two or more days a week as part of a healthy routine (CDC). What people usually notice:

• Weeks 1 to 2: heavy soreness, then less of it. Spring changes and exercise names start to make sense.
• Weeks 3 to 6: you hold planks and lunges longer and use heavier springs.
• Months 2 to 3: clear strength gains in legs and core. Visible changes depend on diet, sleep, and consistency, as with any training.

Calorie numbers you see online for Lagree vary widely and are mostly estimates from studios or fitness trackers. A hard 45-minute class burns roughly what other intense strength classes burn, and the exact number depends on your size and effort.

Who Lagree suits, and who it does not

Lagree works well for people who like intensity but want to protect their joints, people who get bored with slow classes, and lifters who want a different stimulus. It is a harder starting point if you are brand new to exercise, coming back from an injury, or pregnant. In those cases, start with a beginner pilates or barre class, or ask the studio for a fundamentals session, and check with your doctor. The machine has a learning curve, so the first two or three classes are partly about figuring out where to put your feet.

Your first Lagree class

• Book an intro or beginner class if the studio offers one.
• Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early to get shown the machine and the spring settings.
• Wear grip socks (usually required) and fitted clothing.
• Use lighter springs than you think. The tempo makes everything heavier than it looks.
• Drop to a knee or take a break. Instructors expect it. Rejoin on the next exercise.
• Bring water and a small towel. Carriages get slippery.

Most studios charge more for Lagree than for mat classes because of the equipment and small class sizes. Intro offers are common, so check before buying a single drop-in. Our guide to types of workout classes compares cost and intensity across formats.

Where to try Lagree near Portland, Maine

btone fitness on Commercial Street in Portland runs Megaformer classes based on the Lagree method (Mainebiz). It is listed with its address on our Portland pilates directory, alongside the reformer studios if you want to compare the two in the same week.

Full disclosure: Corvi is our app. You book Lagree with the studio, then check in on Corvi to count classes toward milestones and see when friends are going. It is free, and having someone expecting you helps on the days your legs are still sore.

Common questions

Is Lagree the same as pilates?

No. Lagree borrows from pilates-style movement and uses a machine that looks like a reformer, but it is a separate method created by Sebastien Lagree. It is slower and more intense, with almost no rest, and it aims to bring muscles to fatigue. Pilates focuses more on control, alignment, and precise core work, at a lower intensity.

Is Lagree good for beginners?

It can be, with the right expectations. The machine takes a few classes to learn, and the intensity is high from the start. Book a beginner or intro class, arrive early, use light springs, and rest when you need to. If you are new to exercise or recovering from an injury, a beginner pilates class is an easier first step.

Is solidcore the same as Lagree?

They are related but separate. Solidcore launched in 2013 using Lagree Megaformer machines under a license, then rebranded and went its own way after a dispute. Both use slow tempo, constant tension, and spring resistance, so the classes feel similar. Solidcore is a single company, while Lagree is a method licensed to many independent studios.

How often should you do Lagree?

Two to four classes a week works for most people, with rest or easier activity between hard sessions so your muscles can recover. Beginners should start at two a week while the soreness settles. Pair Lagree with walking, cycling, or a mobility class for a balanced week, since it covers strength and endurance more than cardio.

Find your next class: compare Megaformer and reformer studios on our Portland pilates directory, or join Corvi free to track every class you take.