Latest news with #Lagree
Grazia USA
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Grazia USA
The GRAZIA Guide On What To Do In The UAE This June
Summer is officially here, and with June comes a fresh wave of things to indulge in across the UAE. Think cool indoor escapes, chic brunches, and buzzy new drink spots perfect for nights out with the girls. GRAZIA has your June calendar sorted with the hottest happenings around town. Find Your Form at Abu Dhabi's First Lagree Studio This June, step into Form Studio on Saadiyat Island—Abu Dhabi's first dedicated Lagree space, founded by Emirati sisters Salama and Aysha. Known for its precision-led workouts and strong community vibe, the studio offers daily Lagree and stretch classes, plus immersive pop-ups in unexpected spots like the Abu Dhabi National Aquarium. With a focus on connection and transformation, Form Studio is redefining wellness in the capital, one mindful movement at a time. An Italian feast From June 2 to 8, Signor Sassi brings la dolce vita to Dubai with a week-long Italian feast in honour of Italian National Day. The Menu Tricolore features Caprese Salad, Fusilli with Pesto, Scaloppine alla Pizzaiola, and a trio of dreamy gelati. Want to start the celebrations early? The 'Gioia' weekend lunch—every Saturday and Sunday—is a joyful, three-course ode to Italian tradition with a Dubai twist. Expect creamy Parmigiana, crispy calamari, and the tiramisu of your dreams. Family time ROKA Dubai introduces its new Family Brunch every Saturday from noon in Business Bay. Perfect for parents and little ones alike, enjoy signature Japanese dishes, live stations, and Robatayaki grill favourites for Dhs295, with a premium upgrade option. While you indulge, kids are entertained in a dedicated play area filled with games, activities, and more. With live DJ beats and a vibrant atmosphere, this is your new go-to weekend ritual. Turn up the heat in Abu Dhabi SUSHISAMBA Abu Dhabi turns up the heat every Thursday to Saturday from 9:15pm with Samba Nights—a lively fusion of Brazilian dance, music, and vibrant cuisine. Set against sweeping Corniche views, guests can enjoy live samba performances while indulging in bold Japanese, Brazilian, and Peruvian flavours curated by Chef Edgar Obed. Highlights include the Wagyu Dhabi Roll, SAMBA Seviche Platter, and Seafood Cazuela Clay Pot, all served in a buzzing atmosphere perfect for unforgettable summer evenings. Your Ultimate Eid Glow-Up Step into Eid glowing from head to toe with a complete beauty transformation at Zieda. Start at Zieda Beauty Lounge, where expert Keratin and Protein treatments restore smoothness and shine to your hair, while the Happy Hair Treatment brings deep hydration and bounce. For radiant, firmer skin, Zieda Aesthetic Clinic offers high-tech, non-invasive treatments like EndyMed and Endospheres, alongside IV therapy and contouring facials to leave you refreshed and lifted. Finish your glow-up at Zieda Dental Clinic with a custom smile makeover for a naturally stunning, long-lasting smile. All located at Villa 5, Jumeirah 1, Dubai. A Glamorous Cocktail Revival Inspired by the glamour of the French Riviera, LPM's new Déjà Vu cocktail menu blends 1950s to '90s nostalgia with modern charm. Think 10 editor-style drinks referencing icons like Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin – each with a mirrored non-alcoholic version, plus playful touches like retro horoscopes and a mini silk scarf tied to your glass. LPM Dubai was the first to debut the experience, with LPM Abu Dhabi being the second to roll out the chic new menu, with more locations set to launch it soon. Ripe Market goes indoors Skip the heat and head indoors as Ripe Market relocates to The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi's The Roast by Bubbalicious from May 25 to September 28. Every Sunday, explore a curated selection of homegrown brands—think jewellery, beachwear, home décor, and kidswear—while indulging in the city's most decadent roast. Shopping and sipping? Yes, please. Moonlight Reverie Calling all astrology girls—Moonlight Reverie lands at The Moon Bar, MìMì Meì Fàir, this June. This three-month astrology-led series celebrates each summer full moon with bespoke cocktails, DJ sets, and celestial interiors designed to mirror the moon's mood. Whether it's the sweet energy of June's Strawberry Moon or the wild spirit of July's Buck Moon, every night promises great vibes, divine dim sum, and a dreamy atmosphere.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Morning Live star enjoys fitness class in Cardiff
One of the BBC Morning Live presenters has enjoyed a viral fitness class in Cardiff. Justine Jones, who is from Merthyr Tydfil, went along to a fitness class that has taken social media by storm. Lagree classes, which are loved by celebrities around the globe including Meghan Markle and Kim Kardashian, uses a megaformer, which works using spring-based resistance so you get a very intense workout, which is very low impact on your joints. Cardiff is home to lagree studio, Love Lagree, where Justine did her workout. Justine posted a photo of the Love Lagree studio to her Instagram story. READ MORE: BBC Death Valley's full list of Welsh filming locations READ MORE: BBC One's new comedy Death Valley gets a hammering on X Earlier this year Justine posted a cryptic message to her Instagram. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter. Justine has appeared on Morning Live for different segments from scaling the Principality Stadium to opening up about her panic attacks. She posted a very cryptic message to Instagram as she says she is "starting over". Sharing a quote that reads: "Don't be afraid to start all over again. You may like your new story better." Justine tagged Cardiff as the location and captioned the post "Starting Over" with a purple heart. The post was liked by different celebrities including fellow Morning Live star Dr Punam Krishan and Ruth Langsford. Love Lagree has been open in Cardiff Bay for nearly two years and is run by Lorraine Jenkins, who has another lagree studio in Cowbridge. Our reporter Steph Colderick went along to try a lagree class at Love Lagree in October 2024. She said: "The workout itself was incredibly intense - this is no walk in the park. "All of the muscles in my body felt like they were being used, particularly my core and lower back, as we did core, arms and legs and soon I was shaking from the effort. "I was squatting, stretching, lunging, planking, all into different positions and attached to the machine in different ways, and it was pretty rapid with little to no break in between exercises. "Lorraine was brilliant, helping position me exactly where I needed to be and providing clear and concise instructions." You can read more here.
South China Morning Post
01-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
‘If Pilates and bodybuilding had a baby,' it would be the Lagree Method workout
Sebastien Lagree would like to make one thing clear: 'This. Is. Not. Pilates.' Advertisement The global fitness entrepreneur is talking about the Lagree Method, his patented workout. About 50 studios in Southern California currently license rights to use Lagree equipment, many of which are in Los Angeles. Peer into their windows and you will see machines that look like hulking, extra-large Pilates Reformers – so-called Megaformers – atop which clients are moving between platforms on a modular, sliding carriage, positioning their body parts to execute slow but extra-strenuous squats, rows and lunges. So, like, harder Pilates, yes? No. They didn't feel like they got a workout doing Pilates Sebastien Lagree explains why he began modifying the Pilates method 'It's totally different,' Lagree says on the phone from Shanghai, where he is meeting fitness studios and manufacturers of his machines. 'Not Pilates. That's a misconception I've been trying to fight for the past 25 years.' Advertisement
Los Angeles Times
19-04-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Pilates is a safe and effective form of exercise for all ages and body types. Here are L.A.'s best studios
Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. I'm Alyssa Bereznak, the wellness editor at The Times. Here's what you need to know to start your day: At first glance, Pilates looks easy. At least, that's what I remember thinking in my early 20s when I signed up for a class. You get to lie down, I thought. How hard could it be? The answer to that question, dear reader, arrived through a web of soreness that extended across the long-ignored muscles in my abdomen, butt and thighs the following morning. I had mistaken a serene workout environment for an unserious one. But the 'militaristic precision' of Pilates, as Times contributor Jackie Snow describes it in our recent guide to the best Pilates studios in L.A., is exactly what makes the exercise such an excellent method of targeting the body parts we compromise at our desk jobs. Pilates' many accessories, despite their resemblance to torture devices, are designed to work your entire body, maintaining your skeletal alignment and ideal range of motion for a low-impact, full-body workout. It follows that Pilates is an accessible form of exercise for a whole range of ages (including seniors) and body types. It allows you to be easy on your joints but — I cannot emphasize this enough — not your muscles. As is the case with any new form of exercise, expert supervision can be the difference between an effective workout and an unfortunate injury. Which is why we descended on Los Angeles to evaluate the facilities, instruction and vibes of the countless studios that dot our streets and boulevards. The resulting 26 businesses we highlight in our new exercise guide series L.A. Circuit keep their class sizes small, and therefore provide personalized adjustment suggestions. You can feel confident that any of our picks will be a safe place for you to, like me, realize that Pilates is not as easy as it looks. If you happen to be an especially dedicated athlete in need of an even tougher challenge, try Lagree. (Just don't call it Pilates.) And if all this sounds a bit complicated, there's always yoga. Either way, I hope this helps give you a movement road map as we ease into spring. California could lose millions from Trump's tariffs. Newsom plans to sue L.A. County Sheriff's Department spent $458 million in overtime last fiscal year A mysterious week for wildlife Get ready for the L.A. Times Festival of Books More big stories Get unlimited access to the Los Angeles Times. Subscribe here. This little-known earthquake fault has been quiet. But it can unleash devastation across SoCal. Below California's famed beaches, mountains and metropolitan areas lies a sinister web of earthquake faults — some so infamous that their names are burned into the state's collective consciousness. While not a household name like the San Andreas, the Elsinore fault is part of a larger seismic zone that experts fear and believe more people should know about. More great reads How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@ Going out Staying in What politician popped up at Coachella? Plus nine other questions from our weekly news quiz. Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on
Los Angeles Times
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Don't call it Pilates. Inside the exercise trend that's like ‘if Pilates and bodybuilding had a baby'
Sebastien Lagree would like to make one thing clear: 'This. Is. Not. Pilates.' The global fitness entrepreneur is talking about the Lagree Method, his patented workout. You may be familiar: About 50 SoCal studios currently license rights to use Lagree equipment, many of which are in Los Angeles. Their door shingles boast his name: There's Lagree 213 in downtown L.A., Lab Lagree in Glendale and Live Lagree in Brentwood, to name a few. Peer into their windows and you'll see machines that look like hulking, extra-large Pilates Reformers — so-called Megaformers — atop which L.A.'s fittest are moving between platforms on a modular, sliding carriage, positioning their body parts just so to execute slow but extra-strenuous squats, rows and lunges. So, like, harder Pilates, yes? No. 'It's totally different,' Lagree says on the phone from Shanghai, where he's meeting with fitness studios and manufacturers of his machines. 'Not Pilates. That's a misconception I've been trying to fight for the past 25 years.' To set the record straight, Lagree is eager to go back to the beginning. With his chiseled jaw, sonorous voice and bodybuilder's frame, Lagree could be the love child of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Fabio Lanzoni. He grew up in Paris and, after earning a master's in business from Seattle University, he moved to Los Angeles in 1998 to become — what else? — an actor. To support himself, he worked as — what else? — a personal trainer at a West Hollywood gym. His preferred mode of exercise was bodybuilding, but his work had him teaching Pilates on the Reformer, an exercise that was new to him. After sessions, he says, clients would often want to do more cardio. 'Because they didn't feel like they got a workout doing Pilates. I said 'Is it OK if I modify the method?' Because they're not feeling anything.' Lagree added hand weights and incorporated compound gym movements like push-ups, squats, lunges and planks on the Reformer. Eventually, he bought four Pilates Reformers and began teaching out of his living room. He'd been in L.A. just three years at this point, but many of his students were Hollywood makeup artists, stylists and private chefs to the stars and word got out. Soon celebrities were showing up to his home studio. David Schwimmer, Gabrielle Reece, Molly Sims and Elizabeth Hurley all visited his West Hollywood apartment before he got kicked out. 'I didn't have a license. It was all underground,' Lagree says. In 2003, he opened his first commercial studio on Melrose Avenue — he called it Pilates Plus — but says the Pilates machines 'couldn't handle the workout I teach.' He decided to design his own supersized version of a Pilates Reformer, and in 2005, the Proformer was born. It had added cables as well as platforms and foot bars on either end, allowing users to target different muscle groups such as the chest, triceps and shoulders. 'People just loved the Proformer,' Lagree says. 'We got inquires to open studios, so I decided to license out the system. And it took off from there.' But Lagree soon felt the need to distance himself, altogether, from any association with Pilates. 'In 2008 I changed the name because 'Pilates' was misleading — it wasn't that.' The Megaformer debuted in 2010. Whereas the Proformer was a hunk of steel that weighed nearly 500 pounds, the original Megaformer was 200 pounds lighter and came shipped in two parts, so it traveled easier. The design was simplified too, with a narrower carriage that had holes on the rear edge, providing better stability as well as varying grip points. The foot bar was redesigned into split handle bars, allowing for even more versatile exercise. 'The split handle bars, it allows you to do so many more movements,' Lagree says. 'It changed the game.' Over the next decade, demand for the Megaformer became so intense that the sole California manufacturer couldn't make the machines fast enough. In 2019, the Lagree Method was named the fastest-growing fitness trend in the U.S. by the exercise-booking app ClassPass. By 2023, exacerbated by post-pandemic supply chain issues, there was an 18-month wait to receive a machine. Lagree has since moved the manufacturing operations to China and Vietnam, reducing the back-ordering windows. Lagree experiments constantly, tweaking his exercise method and machines. He says he has amassed 200 patents. In addition to the original Proformer, there's also been the EVO and EVO II, the Supra, the Miniformer and Miniformer Pro, the Microformer and Microformer Pro — the last four meant to maximize space. The Megaformer, too, has gone through about a dozen iterations, a dizzying alphabet scramble that includes the M1, M2, M2S, M3, M3S, M3K, M3K+, M3X, M3E, M3. Each features design tweaks. A change in spring location in one model, for example, allows users to transition between exercises faster; more holes in the platform or carriage of another model allow users more anchor points to grip while exercising. 'The machines evolve with the method to further distinguish us from Pilates,' says the company's community relations director and senior master trainer, Heather Perren. 'Lagree is a science-backed method, a live method.' Through it all, the Megaformer has remained the star of the enterprise, a behemoth at the center of the most intense non-Pilates, Pilates-adjacent exercise out there. How different, really, is it from a Pilates Reformer? Both machines use carriages and spring tension — the springs are easier on the body's connective tissue, making exercise low-impact. But that's largely where the similarities end. Pilates, which was invented for rehabilitative purposes and which focuses on core strength, flexibility and balance, is generally low-intensity; the Lagree Method is high-intensity. It combines strength training, cardiovascular exercise and muscular endurance, with exercises performed at a very slow tempo, so muscles experience more time under tension. Many of the exercises are done kneeling or standing up. It's not unusual to see participants sweating and huffing, their limbs trembling, at the end of a set. 'It's like if Pilates and bodybuilding had a baby,' says Natalie Grimsley, owner of Plankhaus in Santa Monica, which teaches the Lagree Method as well as mindfulness workshops. I stopped by Lagree's West Hollywood studio on a recent afternoon and was struck by the size of the Megaformer. It's a massive contraption, like a Pilates Reformer on steroids. It's more than 10 feet long and weighs 395 pounds (by comparison, the more petite Pilates Reformer generally weighs up to 150 pounds.) The carriage's panels are numbered, so you can precisely position your feet and hands to execute exercises correctly. Place your knees on 0 and your hands on 1 and 3, for example. Now you're in the proper alignment to do a modified plank. A bit intimidating? Yes. But I gave the workout my best shot. Still, it was so intense at points, I did not make it through the entire 50-minute session. Deep house music filled the room, which was dimly lit and bathed in lavender light. About 20 women, many of whom looked like aspiring actors, knelt on the numbered panels, while hinging at the waist and pulling a cable to execute a tricep press. They moved surprisingly slowly and deliberately, and the exercise got increasingly difficult. We'd been forewarned: A red neon sign by the bathroom glowed 'It's Not Pilates It's Lagree.' 'Sliiiiide, ignite your core, use your butt cheeks,' instructor Sam Rabon said. 'Slower, deeper, a little more intention!' 'It's a total package, very effective,' Rabon told me after class. 'We were standing up a lot — definitely not Pilates.' Two days later, my thighs and glutes still ache. Lagree now has four of his own studios in L.A., in West Hollywood, Brentwood, Studio City and Santa Monica, and one in Miami. Seven hundred licensed studios — in 45 countries — pay $3,990 annually to use the Megaformer and teach the method (that doesn't include the cost of buying or leasing the machine). 'But there are so many copycats out there who don't want to pay for the license,' Lagree says. 'They buy copycat machines that don't work as well and call it Pilates. 'Oh, it's Pilates, but more intense.' That's where the confusion is coming from, the people in the gray area.' It's not like Lagree hates the P-word — he thinks Pilates is valuable, especially for restorative purposes. 'I've always promoted the benefits of Pilates,' he says. 'I tell people you'll get the best results if you mix and match Pilates and Lagree.' Then he sighs heavily, adding: 'They're just different — we're not Pilates.'
