I like to think of myself as fairly fit. Or at least I did before trying my first Lagree class. It took just one highly slowed down crunch on the edge of my Megaformer (the amped-up reformer-like contraption on which the workout is based) for my body to start involuntarily shaking. “That’s the sign that you’ve activated your slow twitch muscle fibres,” the instructor says as she notices my sweaty and very shocked face. “Get used to it.”
Despite being named the top workout on ClassPass last year and boasting a list of celebrity fans that include Michelle Obama, Kim Kardashian, Sofia Vergara, Jennifer Aniston and the Duchess of Sussex, there’s been no licensed Lagree studio in London — until now.
Last month, entrepreneurs and fitness gurus Mona Halawi and Nour Abu Hamdan opened MAD Lagree Studios, bringing Hollywood’s favourite workout to King’s Road, Chelsea. Having initially started with four classes a day, they have already increased to seven due to the demand. “We have people coming all over London especially for the class,” says Abu Hamdan. “This morning one client travelled over an hour for one before starting work.”
But what exactly is it? First and foremost: it’s not pilates. It may revolve around a similar-ish looking machine, but uses completely different training principles. Founded by Sebastien Lagree in 1998, it relies on the bodybuilding method of time under tension which removes all breaks from a workout and as a result targets all facets of fitness: balance, cardio, flexibility, core, endurance and muscle building.
“It’s literally circuit training but instead of jumping from one station to another you’re on one machine jumping from one movement to another,” explains Abu Hamdan.
On the surface, a Lagree class is full of pretty standard workout moves. An average session will have you doing planks and crunches, lunges and donkey kicks but — and it’s a big but — with a twist. You have to do each move as slowly as you can while navigating resistance from the Megaformer.
“The longer you keep your muscles under tension, the more you’re accessing your very deep muscles to strengthen them. You’re not only building strength, you’re building endurance for your muscles,” Abu Hamdan says of its unique, whole-body sculpting benefits.
With many Lagree movements incorporating the use of 600 muscles at once, it’s no wonder the Lagree method claims to give a bigger burn than a F45 class (which I can confirm). But although you will spend most of the high-intensity workout shaking and sweating, its low impact nature has made it a popular alternative to workouts like HIIT.
I found the workout to be so beautiful. It’s similar to yoga because you’re forced to be present and aware of your body
As for Abu Hamdan, she was first introduced to the exercise style through one of her yoga students in Lebanon. “At the time I wasn’t interested, saying, ‘All you need is your body and a mat like a typical yogi,’” she laughs. “For a whole month he was pestering me to come with him. He ended up booking me a spot in the class and it was only after I realised he had paid for me that I went.”
She was instantly hooked. “I felt muscles I had never before felt in my body,” she continues. “It was a bit disorienting the first time — even as someone who’s in the fitness industry. It’s not an easy workout but once I became more confident with the machine I found the workout to be so beautiful. It’s similar to yoga because you’re forced to be present and aware of your body.”
Having connected via Halawi’s husband (who Abu Hamdan went to university with), the pair discovered their shared love of fitness and began conceptualising MAD Lagree Studios. “We were hooked on it and we’re shocked that there isn’t a studio,” Halawi explains, before adding that construction started back in February before they officially opened in May.
She adds: “ââWe’re very humbled by how welcoming people are. When we opened up we didn’t have a bar, just a bunch of boxes piled up here and our clients would literally be like, ‘We were just waiting for this to open so it doesn’t matter — as long as the workouts are good, we’re fine.’”
Now with their beautiful marble bar installed and the studio fully up and running, there’s a sense that they’re about to go stratospheric. “We’ve converted a lot of people already,” agrees Abu Hamdan, who can now add me to their growing devotees.
MAD Lagree Studios currently has an introductory offer of three classes for £60, and a £340-a-month fee for unlimited classes.
