6 Tips for optimizing your first Lagree class

You signed up for your first class. You have your grip socks and water. You got to class early and the instructor gave you a rundown of the machine and cues. You even did some extra credit and watched some Lagree Moves videos online. These tips will help make sure you get the most out of your first class on the Megaformer.

1. Pick a machine in the middle

   It might be tempting to pick a spot in the corner of the studio for your first class. There is no judgment and everyone around you that looks like a pro went through their first class at some point and knows how difficult it is. Don’t hide from the veterans - picking a machine in the middle will allow you watch them and adjust your form (imitation is the sincerest form of flattery) regardless of the direction you are facing for a given exercise. It also helps the instructor keep an eye on you as they walk around the studio so they can give you individualized attention.

2. Slow down

   Moving slower makes the exercise harder and more effective. If you’ve done boot camps or certain color-hypothesis interval routines, you may have been racing to get more reps done. High reps are NOT the goal of Lagree. The goal for building lean muscle is time under tension.

   Accept that you are at the mercy of your instructor’s stopwatch and that you will reap more benefits by maintaining a slow pace of motion. Once you find a slow pace, you can use the beat of the music to help you stay consistent.

3. Breathe with each move

   Exhale as your your muscle contracts, inhale as it releases. Deep, long breaths should mimic the slow movement of the exercise.

4. Be mindful of the rest of your body

   Your instinct will be to focus on the primary muscle group: if you are doing a squat, you will naturally be thinking about your legs. Once you get into the flow with a couple reps, mentally check-in on the rest of your body. Are your abs engaged? Is your spine straight? Are your shoulders relaxed? Your instructor will give you pointers on how the rest of your body should be positioned.

5. Take breaks rather than losing form

   Keeping your muscles engaged and quickly transitioning between moves is a core concept in Lagree. However, your muscles can only do so much, especially at first. Your instructor will motivate the class to fight through muscle fatigue, but listen to your body.

   A little bit of shakiness good… you’re here to challenge yourself. But if your glute can’t do another lunge: take a moment, shake it out, grab a sip of water, then get right back into it. Proper form is critical and taking a moment to recover is better than compensating for a spent muscle by doing the exercise with incorrect form.

6. Rest

   This is the easy one. You just finished your first class and you’re pumped to do it again tomorrow...

   We recommend waiting a day after your first class because you will likely have some soreness in muscles you didn’t know you had. Thats a good thing - the goal is to build strength throughout your entire body. Every class will feel challenging, but after a few sessions you will feel stronger, recover faster and have a better sense for the amount of rest your body needs between classes.

Every class at Resistance Lagree Chicago is beginner-friendly and our instructors are trained to provide cues that ensure newbies and pros alike get a workout appropriate to their level. Even if you’ve never tried Lagree Method, you can pick any class on our schedule and we’ll help you get the most out of your 45 minutes.