megaformer

This week its been all over the news, stories about the Victorias Secret models who are getting shaped by the megaformer. The innovative workout seems to become the ultimate and hippest workout routine to join right now.

Its actually so much fun that once you start this you cants stop coming back. This is how it started for me…

I have this passion for pedicure. I think this is the one self-treat I couldn’t live without. Partially because I need it after all my workouts, and partially because this is the only luxury I give myself which relaxes me and worth the money.

Its was at my pedicure day. And by this time I had lived by the sea in a little surf town north of LA for about 6 months. I had found my studios, my yoga favourite classes, the advanced pilates teachers and all the courses and teacher trainings I tended. Well, at the Spa I met this realtor who introduced me to the coolest, most efficient workout ever. We started talking, of course, this is California, and she introduced me to the method Lagree Fitness. Of course I was sceptical, after all I had years of pilates background. But I got curious, and had been a bit bored the last years in my pilates routine. The same afternoon I booked a class.

I met the studio owner Marcus, and I asked him if this was pilates, he said no. This is something else. You have to put your pilates head on hold and just surrender to the method. So I did. After this day I changed my workout routines in Cali and never stopped coming back. It was like a love relationship, I was inspired and motivated. And I could just after a few session notice major changes. I even met Sebastien Lagree, by luck when I was training in LA.

Back in Norway this summer I decided to make an approach to get the licence, and just weeks ago we launched the studio Core Balance in Oslo, and of course brought the method to Norway.

Here I am sharing an interesting chat I had with the developer and owner Sebastien over the phone this week:

What motivated you to create the Lagree Fitness Method?

I saw a need for a workout that was both high intensity and low impact for women and men.

What are the ground principles in the megaformer?

Ease of use

quick body positioning

Fits all frame and fitness level

Novice and advanced

multi purpose training prenatal, sport specific, general conditioning

Why and how do our bodies change through the method?

Through the Constant muscle stimulation A.K.A. Time Under Tension. The most effective way to strengthen, tighten, and tone.

Why do you think Low Impact workout are so much better?

Longevity of the body. High impact workout are not sustainable. Your joints will pay the price ultimately.

How does the megaformer concept influence our metabolism?

The constant effort triggers and raises the Metabolism. People will often feel hungry an hour after the workout.

Some people ask if this work is only for pretty skinny people, Victoria supermodels and superstars, what do you answer?

Its for all people. The method was created and has evolved to accommodate all fitness levels, age, women and men. Everyone benefits from the method.

How many days per week do you recommend? for maintenance and to really change your body?

It all depends on the goals and what else is the person doing. I think that a healthy average is 3 to 4 times per week. But many clients do this 7 days per week, they love it!

How many hours /days of restitutions before next workout?

I recommend 48 hrs of rest in between the sessions. More when you first start the workout.

I don’t recommend to workout through intense soreness. Give your body time to heal.

Lagree Fitness is a Lifetime Method, you can do it forever.

How many excercices have you designed, and is there more to come?

The need always come from the students. I get inspired in class.

I have lost track a long time ago. My goal is not just to create more exercises but also to help people do the current ones, correctly.

Where did you come up with all the names? scrambled egg, star pose, spider kicks…?

Can’t really say, the names just popped up in my mind one day. That’s usually how it happens 🙂

How do we work out in 10 years?

You will see that more people will workout in the future for mental, psychological, emotional, and spiritual benefits and less for physiological ones as new technologies emerge.

If you want to read more about the method you can check here:

www.lagreefitness.com

Instagram: @lagreefitness @corebalance.no

If you want to read more about the Victoria Secret models you can check here:

https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/What-Megaformer-41446260

Best wishes,

Monica

Bildet av Alessandro er lånt av www.dailymail.co.uk

For several weeks now I have been testing the Megaformer designed by Lagree Fitness which is a patented method, within the pilates world, but not exactly pilates. I guess a bit easier for men no follow. They don´t necessarily have to pay so much attention to the pelvic floor, but more to strength training. The machines are longer than the reformers, and you can push and pull yourself to more strength. As the intensive classes are only 40 minutes you might squedual them in for a lunch break workout and they are probably easier to mentally commit to because of the 1/2 hour feeling.

Here you can read about the reformer:

Rød løper treningen

It´s a total body workout, and even if the studios have there own way of interpretation of this repertoire they all come down to some common challenges:

low impact
cardiovascular
muscle strength
muscle endurance
body composition
flexibility

The classes focus on core,legs, gluteus, arms, balance and cardiovascular endurance.

My experience at The Fit Buddha is that they are working deeply on one side, exhausting the muscles as much as you can, then including core sequences and at last finishing up on the other leg.

I am sharing some of the moves from todays class. I am sure you will recognize some of the work from the pilates reformer:

Starting out standing with one leg on the platform and one on the reformer.I use no strings (harder) but you can use 1 yellow if you want. Do a serie of straight legs pushing the bed out ands pulling it in for45 seconds. Then squat and stay her for pulses 45 sec.

2. Starting up with leg bended to 90 degrees on the platform, pushing and pulling back leg in and out for 45 sec. Then stay her lower and lift- squaring out the hips,tiny moves, make it burn for45 sec. 1 or 2 yellow springs.

3. Shoulder pull. Work from your abs holdning both hands on the handles, hips squared -for45 sec. stay and keep it statically for 30sec. Lower shoulders. 4 yellow springs.

4. abs and arms. Reversed plank hold breathe and pull back as far as you can using 1 or 2 yellow springs. keep up for 45 sec.

5. Abs and obliques. Placing both feet under the black strap on the bed, hands to neck. Lift your chest as you pull in the carriage working from your core. Neck long. 45 sec. 1 – 2 yellow springs.

6. From here add the obliques work, alternating from side to side. While twisting one hand is reaching and touching the floor, come back to centre and work to the other side. 45 sec.

NOW you are ready for the other leg!!!

Best wishes Monica

Clothes from @casalltraining

Victoria Secret model`s workout

megaformer pilates