Reformer Pilates vs Lagree: which should you try?
Both put you on a spring-loaded carriage, and a class costs about the same. Lagree Fitness says its Megaformer is not a Pilates reformer; its inventor calls his machines an evolution of one. What differs is the machine, the tempo, and how much research stands behind each.
Sources checked : 30 statements on this page, each matched to its source's own words (published studies, official websites, Health Club Management, University of Utah Health and others). How we check
Short answer: Choose reformer Pilates for a precise, century-old method with the larger body of research, mostly on back pain. Choose Lagree for slow, high-tension strength work on a Megaformer, a machine Lagree Fitness says is not a Pilates reformer, with no trials behind it yet. Prices overlap: a single class cost $35 to $44 at seven Megaformer studios on October 27, 2026, and $25 to $52 at Club Pilates. If you are injured or pregnant, get cleared first; one Lagree chain asks for a doctor’s clearance after surgery.
Both methods put you on a carriage that slides against springs, and both are low-impact. The differences are the machine, the tempo, and the evidence.
Reformer Pilates comes from Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century and is built around control and precision. Lagree is a newer method built around time under tension: slow movements, long sets, and as little rest as the machine allows.
Reformer Pilates vs Lagree at a glance
| Reformer Pilates | Lagree | |
|---|---|---|
| Machine | Reformer: carriage, springs, footbar, shoulder rests, straps | Megaformer: longer, with platforms and handles at both ends and no shoulder rests |
| Origin | Joseph Pilates, early 20th century | Sebastien Lagree; first machine, the Proformer, in 2003 |
| Is it Pilates? | Yes | Lagree Fitness says no; its inventor calls the machine an evolution of the reformer |
| Tempo | Controlled, varied repertoire | Slow, often 4 counts out and 4 back, with few transitions |
| Class length | 50 minutes at Club Pilates | 40 to 50 minutes at the studios checked |
| Single class | $25 to $52 at Club Pilates, by location | $35 to $44 at seven Megaformer studios |
| Research | Many trials, mostly on back pain | No trials; two 8-person case series |
Is Lagree Pilates?
The company and its inventor answer differently.
Lagree Fitness says: “Lagree is not Pilates, reformer Pilates, or a modern variation of Pilates.” Its Megaformer “is not a Pilates Reformer.”
Sebastien Lagree, in an interview with Health Club Management, describes the lineage from the other side. He became a Pilates instructor in 1998, opened his first studio in 2001, and in 2003 built his own machine, the Proformer, “a huge reformer with platforms and cables”. He says he removed the shoulder rests and added handles, and that apart from the springs and the rolling carriage, “everything else in my machines was an evolution from the original.”
So the honest short version: Lagree began on Pilates equipment and grew into its own method on its own machine.
The machines side by side
| Megaformer (Mega Pro) | Studio reformer (Balanced Body) | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 125 by 35 inches | 92.62 by 26.5 inches |
| Springs | 8 | 5, with up to 46 resistance settings |
| Ends | Platforms with handles at both ends | Footbar at one end, shoulder rests on the carriage |
Sources: Lagree Fitness and Balanced Body.
On both, the springs can resist or assist a movement. On a standard Megaformer you change your own springs between exercises; Lagree’s remote Lightning system, which removes that stop, needs compatible machines and studios.
How hard is Lagree, and how much rest is there?
Lagree is built around time under tension. Lagree Fitness says an instructor will typically start at “4 counts to move the carriage out and 4 counts to move the carriage in”, and sets run a minute or more.
“No rest” is the rule rather than the whole story. Lagree’s own pages say the original method had about 25 transitions a class and that “each transition is hidden rest”, and on standard machines students stop to change springs.
Expect to shake. In Lagree’s own example, “90 seconds into a five-minute Elevator Lunge” is where “The shake begins.” Whether Lagree is harder than Pilates is a matter of format: Lagree Fitness itself writes that “‘Harder’ is not necessarily the best comparison.”
What each class costs
Prices as each studio published them on October 27, 2026.
- Lagree: a single class cost $35 to $44 at seven Megaformer studios in New York, Boston, Greenwich, Hoboken, Chicago and Dallas, from $35 at Urban Lagree in Dallas to $44 at SLT in New York. Our Lagree class guide has the full studio table, with intro offers and memberships.
- Reformer Pilates: Club Pilates publishes a drop-in range of $25 to $52 by location and offers a free 30-minute intro class.
So Lagree is not a premium tier: its single-class prices sit inside Club Pilates’ range. There are fewer Lagree studios (Lagree Fitness reports “more than 600 studios worldwide”, against 1,414 Club Pilates studios at the end of 2025), so the choice near you may decide it.
Our guides on whether studio memberships are worth it and how to cancel a wellness membership cover the contracts.
Which is better for back pain, injury or pregnancy?
For back pain, Pilates is the one with trials. Reviews rank it among the better exercise types for chronic low back pain, on low to moderate quality evidence, and a Cochrane review found “no conclusive evidence that it is superior to other forms of exercises.”
Lagree has no trials. The only studies are two case series of eight people each, without control groups, and one found no significant change in its core-endurance tests (Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2026). Its authors write that Lagree’s claims “are not yet verified.”
After an injury or surgery, get assessed first, whichever you choose. SLT, a Lagree studio chain, says: “If you are recovering from knee, back or shoulder surgery we would not advise taking class until your doctor clears you to do so.” In pregnancy, ACOG lists modified Pilates among suitable exercise and advises against lying flat on your back for long periods, while SLT says it does not advise trying its class for the first time when pregnant.
What neither of them is
Neither is a substitute for cardio or heavy strength training. The Compendium of Physical Activities rates “Pilates, general” at 2.8 METs, light exercise, although a review of trials found that Pilates can improve cardiorespiratory fitness, on low-quality evidence. Lagree’s cardio load has not been measured; the company says a heart rate of 135 “and oftentimes upwards of 200” should be expected. Heavy loads build maximal strength best, and neither method has been tested against them.
Our which class format for which goal guide sorts the studio formats by what each trains.
Which suits which person?
- Reformer Pilates if you want a controlled, precise practice with the larger evidence base, if you are working on back pain with a professional’s go-ahead, or if you are new to machine-based classes and want a free intro class to start.
- Lagree if you want slow, high-tension strength work and long sets, and you have no injury that needs clearing.
- Either if price decides it: a single class costs about the same.
Our first Pilates class guide covers what actually happens in a reformer class, our barre vs reformer comparison covers the neighbor, and our yoga vs Pilates guide covers the other common first choice.
FAQ: reformer Pilates vs Lagree
Is Lagree the same as Pilates? Lagree Fitness says no: “Lagree is not Pilates, reformer Pilates, or a modern variation of Pilates.” Its inventor began as a Pilates instructor in 1998 and describes his machines as an evolution of the reformer, with platforms and handles added and the shoulder rests removed.
Is Lagree harder than reformer Pilates? It is built to be more continuous: slow 4-count movements, long sets and few transitions. Lagree Fitness itself says “‘Harder’ is not necessarily the best comparison”, and no study compares the two.
How much does a Lagree or reformer class cost? On October 27, 2026, a single Lagree class cost $35 to $44 at seven Megaformer studios, and Club Pilates published a reformer drop-in range of $25 to $52 by location.
How long is a Lagree or reformer class? The Megaformer studios checked run 40 to 50 minutes. Club Pilates’ classes run 50 minutes, with a 30-minute free intro class.
Which is better for back pain? Reformer Pilates has the trials: reviews rank Pilates well for chronic low back pain, on low to moderate quality evidence. Lagree has no trials. Get assessed first if you are in pain.
Do I need grip socks? Usually, but not everywhere: Club Pilates and most Lagree studios checked require them, and Urban Lagree allows bare feet.
The bottom line on reformer Pilates vs Lagree
Reformer Pilates is the controlled, century-old method with the research behind it. Lagree is slow, high-tension work on its own machine, with a company that says it is not Pilates and no trials yet. A class costs about the same, so choose by what you want from the hour, and get cleared first if you are injured or pregnant.
If you end up committed enough to consider buying a machine, our guide on whether a home reformer is worth it covers that decision.
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