TOPLINE FITNESS The Megaformer

HEADLINE Everything’s bigger in America – including the workout equipment. Cue the Megaformer: a high-intensity, low-impact fitness contraption that is best described as a pilates reformer on steroids. As well as all manner of handles, pulleys, bars and resistance springs, the Megaformer has a big Hollywood following – Michelle Obama, Jennifer Aniston, Sofía Vergara and the Duchess of Sussex are all fans – so it was only a matter of time before Brits were straddling its wobbly carriage.

TIMELINE

Personal trainer Sebastien Lagree created the Lagree Method in 1998, when he started teaching exercises such as squats, lunges, planks and push-ups on a pilates reformer. He opened a studio in the living room of his West Hollywood apartment and started thinking about manufacturing his own equipment. In 2003, after Lagree had maxed out 15 credit cards to pay £120,000 for a prototype, the Proformer (the Megaformer’s predecessor) was born.

SLIMLINE

While the Megaformer may look like a souped-up reformer, believe me the Lagree Method isn’t pilates. Instead it relies on bodybuilding principles to deliver a total-body workout that strengthens, lengthens and tones. And it’s tough – five minutes into my 50-minute Megaformer session my legs were trembling.

OUTLINE

The Megaformer has front and back platforms, with a sliding carriage that moves between them. The machine is surrounded by a stability bar for more control and muscle activation (during my class I learned that the bar is also called the ‘ring of fire’ – and let me tell you, my abs were ablaze). It also features various handles and foot bars, as well as cables for extra stability.

ADRENALINE

Time under tension (how long a muscle is activated during an exercise set) is a key principle. Mountain climbers and those used to fast-paced burpees might struggle the most, as the Lagree Method uses a very slow tempo – minimum four counts to move the carriage out and four counts to move the carriage in. You’ll have to repeat each exercise for at least one minute, and there’s no downtime in between, so prepare to get your heart rate up and your sweat on.

LONGLINE

The Megaformer is designed to activate your slow-twitch muscle fibres – these take longer to contract and don’t fatigue quickly, so are good for endurance activities such as long-distance running. Working these fibres results in the so-called ‘Lagree shakes’. While the shakiness might seem like your body is telling you to take a break, it’s important to push through it (with the right form, of course) as this will lead to muscle breakdown. After a few weeks of classes, you’ll notice that your muscles are being rebuilt stronger, longer and leaner.

LIFELINE

Thanks to the spring-based resistance, this low-impact workout is easy on your joints and connective tissues, meaning you’re less prone to injuries. You can add or remove resistance by adjusting the springs or by repositioning your body following the numbers and lines on the Megaformer’s carriage and platform.

INCLINE There are over 1,000 exercises that can be performed on the Megaformer, each with three difficulty levels. The ‘easiest’

option is to face forward on the front platform (the starter classes are taught at the front). For those a little more advanced, there are the ‘giant’ variations, which are performed on the back platform facing forwards and, for those wishing to do the hardest level, ‘giant reverse’ exercises – done on the back platform facing backwards.

GET IN LINE

Newly opened Studio Fix in West London’s Kensington is one of only two licensed Lagree Method studios in the country. Its 50-minute Megaformer classes start from £30 a session (Mega membership prices range between £320 and £450 a month, studiofix.co.uk). Eye-wateringly pricey, but the high-end wellness destination’s changing rooms have fresh towels, rain showers, Aesop toiletries plus Dyson hairdryers and cordless straighteners.

NEXT WEEK TOPLINE TRAVEL: KOTOR, MONTENEGRO

WANT TO FEEL THE REAL BURN? TRY THE MEGAFORMER