What’s the Difference Between Pilates and The Lagree Method?

Pilates, now one of the most popular exercises in the world, was developed by a man named Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century and focuses on using deliberate, controlled movements to develop muscle strength. Lagree Fitness, on the other hand, was developed by Sebastian Lagree over the last 15 years. Lagree was a pilates instructor before he developed this new fitness method, and recognized that his clients were hoping to get more intense workouts to complement their Pilates routine. He listened to his clients knowing that they felt as though they weren’t getting everything that they needed from Pilates alone and began developing another form of the workout. He began by integrating the benefits of pilates (core stability, flexibility, muscle strength) and infusing them with a more dynamic, low-impact, high-intensity workout. With the realization that he would need a machine to compliment this new workout method, Lagree created the Megaformer, and with that, Lagree workouts were born!

In today’s post, we will be going over the main differences between these two workouts in order to provide you with a better understanding of the newer Lagree Fitness method. If you have other questions regarding Lagree workouts or would like to try it out for yourself, give us a call at The Lagree Method today!

Difference #1: The Machines

While Pilates is typically performed on a machine called the Reformer, Lagree is performed on the Megaformer. The Megaformer has a much broader range of uses than the Reformer and has double the amount of springs which allows for maximum intensity even for the strongest athlete. The Megaformer allows for hundreds of exercise combinations, making each Lagree workout full-body. It also has many more options than the Reformer for adjusting the angle of the movement you are performing, allowing you to target different muscle groups. Overall, the Megaformer allows for more intensity than the Pilates Reformer, getting your heart rate up and stimulating more calorie burn.

Difference #2: The Pace

In Pilates classes, you can expect a workout that targets the core muscles of the body such as the abs, obliques, and the latissimus dorsi (also known as “lats”). With Lagree workouts, however, slow and controlled movements are designed to work multiple groups of muscle at once, while focusing on the core. When you engage more muscles in a short period of time like this, your body burns energy for a longer period of time because your body is continuing to work after the workout is over.

Difference #3: Transitions

With Pilates, you typically take small breaks between each set of exercises. With The Lagree Method, you move quickly into the different sets that make up a class, even though the moves themselves are performed slowly and with good muscle control. These shorter transition times lead to a quicker burnout and a shorter workout that is loaded with benefits.

Difference #4: The Benefits

While there is no denying that Pilates offers some great health benefits — including core strength and stability, improved posture and balance, prevention and treatment of back pain, and flexibility — Lagree workouts offer all of those benefits and more. Pilates, unfortunately, lacks several key aspects of exercise that human beings need in order to achieve maximal physical fitness, which is why many people partner Pilates with another workout routine where they get their strength, cardio, and muscular endurance training in. Lagree Fitness, on the other hand, offers all of this and more, including:

• Improved cardiovascular health

• Increased muscle strength and endurance

• Increased metabolic rate

• Improved body composition

• Enhanced posture and balance

• Delay of muscle loss due to aging

• Reduced stress

• Weight loss

• And more

Difference #5: The Results

With better benefits comes better results, and because this is a low-impact, high-intensity workout, you will see the results much faster with Lagree workouts as opposed to Pilates. Paired with a healthy diet, you will see the fat melt off of your body, a reduction in your stress levels, and increased self-confidence in no time. Not only that, but you will notice more muscle tone and definition, better balance and flexibility, and improve your overall health in much less time than with a typical Pilates routine.

So what are you waiting for? Give us a call at The Lagree Method today to learn more about our Lagree workouts, or stop into our Dublin, OH location today and we would be more than happy to meet with you and show you around our studio. Your first class is free, so try it out for yourself today!