Mega-Strong: 5 Body-Changing Lagree Moves Worth Mastering
Remember that scene in Clueless when Cher is imparting her wellness wisdom on Tai by introducing her to Buns of Steel? We can all relate to Tai’s frustration when she says to her well-intentioned friend, “I don’t want to do this anymore. And my buns: they don’t feel nothin’ like steel.” That’s because Tamilee Webb’s moves weren’t taught on a Megaformer. On the machine, with the appropriate resistance, it’s impossible not to immediately feel change happening.
“This is how my butt got built,” says Corner trainer Carmie Buhalis, referring to Lagree, the fitness method that combines core, cardio, endurance, and strength training on a spring-loaded machine called a Megaformer. “Coming from yoga, I was very strong,” Carmie adds. “But my butt was flat! Lagree started to change the shape of my body.”
And it’s not just her backside that’s flaunting the undeniable Lagree lift. A tight core, sculpted arms, and toned legs are other welcome side effects. “Now if I could only stop eating all the pasta,” she laughed. But with a kick-ass Lagree routine, who would?
Here, our top picks for classic Megaformer moves worth mastering.
Wheelbarrow
The move: Kneeling on the carriage with your hands on or gripping the sides of the platform, use your lats to push and pull the carriage while keeping a flat back and straight arms.
What it works: Core, arms, lats, upper thighs
Why we love it: Holy abs. Everything shakes in this move, and for good reason: you’re recruiting all the tiny muscles you never knew existed—quite literally bracing yourself—to keep your weight from collapsing forward. The first few times this will seem to require Herculean strength, but you’ll be surprised how soon you acquire it. (No wonder it’s Sebastien Lagree’s favorite.)
Elevator Lunge
The move: Place one foot on the platform and the ball of the other foot on the carriage. Bend the front knee keeping the torso upright, extending the back leg to slowly lower into a deep lunge and rise back up.
What it works: Hamstrings, glutes, quads, core
Why we love it: Because regular lunges just aren’t hard enough… said no one ever! But the nice thing about these is getting to lengthen your back leg and play with depth and range of motion. You can’t help but feeling super graceful even while you’re sweating buckets.
Bungee Kicks
The move: Place hands or forearms on the carriage and rest one knee on the front platform while lifting the bent working leg, pressing a flexed foot against the bungee cord toward the ceiling.
What it works: Glutes, hamstrings, core
Why we love it: Instant butt lift and bonus abs. Because you’re in a tabletop position, your core is working overtime to stabilize your body while isolating the glutes.
Twister
The move: Hold the rear handlebars with both hands, align the feet in front of one another on the carriage and, keeping the shoulders stationary, twist the hips towards one side. Extend the legs to straighten the body then pull the carriage in by squeezing your obliques.
What it works: Obliques, triceps, shoulders, lats
Why we love it: Nothing tightens and tones the waistline like this bad-ass maneuver.
Plank to Pike
The move: Position yourself in a high plank with your hands on or gripping the sides of the platform and the balls of your feet on the carriage. Using your abs, pike the hips to the ceiling by slowly pulling the carriage in towards the hands with straight legs and just as slowly extend back out to plank.
What it works: Abs, shoulders, triceps, lats
Why we love it: Are you familiar with that pesky area below the belly button that no exercise seems to get through to? Well, this one does, and it feels like a new can of your six-pack is being carved with each slow, meticulous rep.
See You at The Corner (We hope not sporadically!)