what is lagree fitness and why Brisbane is obsessed with it
hyrox is having a moment. run clubs are everywhere. yet quietly, on a machine called the megaformer, something more interesting is happening. lagree is high intensity without the impact, challenging without the inflammation, and the kind of workout that somehow makes your nervous system feel better rather than worse. brisbane is just catching on
in a world that's gone fully feral for hyrox and run clubs, a quieter revolution has been happening on a machine called the megaformer.
lagree fitness has built a devoted following in LA, New York, and London for decades, but Brisbane might be finally having its moment!
here's why we're obsessed, and why you might be about to be too.
first, what actually is lagree?
lagree is a high intensity, low impact method of training developed by Sebastien Lagree (a quirky French bodybuilder living in LA) who wanted serious strength results without the inflammation and joint load that comes with traditional weight training.
the megaformer uses spring-based resistance to keep your muscles under constant tension through slow, controlled movements. we're talking full body for 45 minutes, every single class. the movements are deliberate and the pace is slow by design, which sounds deceptively manageable until about 2 minutes in.
it is high intensity but it is not high impact. your heart rate climbs, but your joints are always supported and the slow movement pattern means your nervous system isn't getting the kind of stress spike it takes from heavy lifting or high-impact cardio. you'll finish a class sweating and shaking but not overwhelmed or vomiting in the corner, with a hamstring tear.
why now, and why brisbane
australia has been slow to pick up on lagree, probably because we’re so far away from HQ and the cost to start new studios is high (dealing in USD). what is genuinely exciting for Brisbane is that we're still in the early days here, which means the studios opening now are doing it properly and capitalising on the decades of experience abroad.
at homeroom we have 10 of the newest generation megaformers (Mega Pro) and our instructors are trained directly through the lagree HQ team. as lagree itself continues to develop (it's a live method, always being refined), so does our training.
if Brisbane is the LA of Australia then it feels like lagree is the next amazing thing for us to rally behind.
why this specific moment calls for it
there’s been a huge cultural shift the last decade to focus our Australian lifestyle around exercise and movement. hyrox is cool. run clubs are now a phenomenon. but there's a growing conversation about inflammatory load, nervous system recovery, and what sustainable long-term training actually looks like. a lot of people are training excessively and no longer seeing the results they expected.
lagree sits in a sweet spot that's hard to find: genuinely challenging, genuinely low impact, and genuinely anti-inflammatory. joints supported. intensity high. recovery faster than you'd expect. two to three classes a week and most people find it becomes the thing they actually look forward to rather than the thing they have to psych themselves up for.
want to try it?
homeroom is a lagree studio in woolloongabba - new machines, lagree HQ-trained instructors, and an intro offer designed to let you try it properly before you commit to anything.
Lagree vs Pilates
if someone told you lagree is just pilates on a different machine, this is for you. they may share the same low-impact ethos, but have completely different origins, different demands on your body, and honestly aren’t a threat to each other. in fact they might be better together. here's what's actually going on.
lagree vs reformer pilates — what's actually different
if you've found your way here, you're probably already a pilates girlie (or guy) wondering what the lagree fuss is about. or maybe someone told you lagree is just pilates on a different machine and you wanted to check for yourself.
so let's clear it up.
they come from completely different origins
reformer pilates was developed by joseph pilates in the early 20th century, originally to rehabilitate injured soldiers during world war one. the method was built around controlled movement, breath, and restoring function to bodies that had been through a lot. those foundational principles of careful, intentional, therapeutic, remains the classical pilates brand today.
lagree was created decades later by sebastien lagree, a bodybuilder and trainer who wanted to build a method that delivered serious strength results without the inflammation or joint load of traditional weight training.
where pilates rehabilitates, lagree was designed to challenge. the two methods were never trying to do the same thing.
what each one actually does to your body
pilates is low impact, low to medium effort: longer in range of movement, and prioritises flexibility, mobility, and postural alignment. it's the kind of training your body can handle most days of the week as recovery is gentler, and the cumulative effect builds over time.
lagree is strength and endurance training. the megaformer creates constant tension through slow, controlled movements that keep muscles under a greater load for extended periods. with heavier resistance and slower movements, you’ll find delayed onset muscle soreness appears more regularly in your lagree training life - your muscles need more time to recover, which is why two to three classes a week is what you’ll hear called the sweet spot rather than daily sessions.
one is not harder than the other. they're just asking different things of your body.
both methods are still evolving. pilates has transformed culturally, you’ve no doubt seen the classical vs contemporary wars online.
lagree is a live method, actively updated by sebastien lagree as research, practices and new machines are developeed.
curious about adding lagree to the mix?
if you're already doing pilates and want to see what lagree actually feels like, our intro offer is the lowest-pressure way to find out — two classes in woolloongabba to try it properly before you decide anything.
you'll probably be sore, but isn’t that just the best feeling.