- A favorite of many celebrities, the Megaformer is like a Pilates Reformer on steroids.
- It uses spring-based resistance to provide a high-intensity, low-impact workout.
- I tried out the Megaformer workout class and it was really tough even for a fitness reporter.
To me, the word “Megaformer” conjures up images of monster robot toys for children advertised in male voices.
But this is no child’s play.
The Megaformer is a similar but improved fitness machine to the Pilates reformer. Created by star athlete trainer Sebastien Lagree and patented in 2006, the Megaformer uses spring-based resistance to stress the body over a sufficient amount of time under tension.
Lagree has a long list of celebrity fans that reportedly include Jennifer Aniston, Meghan Markle, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Lopez, Michelle Obama and Kim Kardashian. The workout originated in the US but is now available in the UK, where the boutique fitness studio industry is booming.
According to Research and Markets, the global boutique fitness studio market is currently valued at $55.16 billion and is expected to reach $79.66 billion by 2029. Demand for luxury workout methods remains strong, at least in the UK’s biggest cities, despite the cost-of-living crisis.
I’m a health and fitness reporter who works out with a mix of strength and cardio most days of the week, but the Megaformer was tough. I’d done reformer Pilates before, and plenty of barre classes, but I hadn’t done a low-impact, high-intensity workout like Pilates in several years since moving out of London.
The burn was real and I felt it on my inner thighs for days afterwards. I don’t normally do a Pilates style workout, so this class was a good reminder of how important it is to vary your workouts for overall fitness.
The gym was luxurious yet minimalist., Club-style studio included
Currently, there are several fitness studios in London that offer Megaformer workout classes, both of which cost 35 pounds (about $45). I went to Studio Fix in Kensington, an affluent area with no shortage of bougie boutique gyms, but other classes at that gym cost 25 pounds (about $32).
The entrance is minimalist, modern and industrial (think exposed pipes on the ceiling) with gold and chrome accents.
I checked in for my class at the reception desk and took a quick look at the protein shake menu. At £7.50 ($9.50) a pop…it’s a luxury you can live without.
The changing rooms were stocked with Dyson hairdryers and straighteners, deodorant, dry shampoo, hairspray, hair ties, and Aesop toiletries.
Unlike the gym’s other brightly lit studios, the Megaformer studio is decorated with mirrors, red lighting and has no windows, creating a club-style atmosphere.
The machines look pretty mind-boggling: they’re huge, with various handles and straps and moving “carriages” with various markings that slide back and forth.
I got to the venue early so Andrea, the class instructor, taught me and the other beginners the basics. She told me and my five classmates (shiny, slim women in their 30s and 40s) that it might be difficult on the first try. And she wasn’t wrong.
It’s a stressful time
The class started with core training, which felt pretty easy at first, but as the core training went on and on, my abs quickly started to tire and burn. There were lots of pikes, planks, and pulses.
Megaformer training involves many small movements as well as large movements with a wide range of motion, and each movement must be performed very slowly to maximize tension (lunges (4 seconds down, 4 seconds back, etc.) Sounds easy, but it wasn’t.
As Lagree himself once told me, moving slowly means you can’t use momentum to lift weight.
“You’re activating more muscle fibers, so you’re more responsive to your training. If you only do explosive movements, you’re primarily activating only the fast-twitch fibers, which are responsible for building muscle.”
Andrea yelled instructions throughout the class and demonstrated each move so I never felt clueless. I welcomed the breaks she took to demonstrate each move at the beginning, otherwise there would have been zero breaks.
After the core section was done, we moved on to the lower body, using straps and cables to perform a variety of exercises on one side, then repeat on the other. None of the exercises required long periods of time, but they were still long enough to get the burn. Many of the exercises looked easy, but were surprisingly painful in a good way. Working my muscles in ways I was not used to made them burn and start to tremble.
The last section of the workout was upper body. This was the easiest and shortest, but I wish it had been longer.
The class was too expensive to attend regularly.
The class flew by and I felt proud of myself afterwards and my body felt great because of the stretches and movement.
The areas that were particularly painful for me that afternoon and for the next few days were my inner thighs, a reminder to not neglect them in my own training.
It also reminded me of the importance of diversity in athletics. Even if you squat twice her body weight, you won’t be able to pulse her 15 second lunges on the Megaformer without doing that.
Higher weight strength training and cardio are also important, so while I wouldn’t do just the Megaformer class, it’s a good addition to your workout regime if your budget allows.
When we asked Studio Fix founder Najeeb Abounar why Megaformer training is more expensive than the rest of the studio’s training, he revealed that he has a licensing agreement with Sébastien Lagree for the use and training of Megaformer. He explained that it was because they were tied together.
“We are also bringing in master trainers from Europe to certify all our instructors in the Lagree method,” Abnaal said.
Unfortunately, the price is too high. But if I had the money, I would definitely go again.
