Lagree vs. Pilates: What Fitness Instructors Should Know

Lagree and Pilates get compared a lot. While both methods share roots in controlled movement and core-focused training, Lagree vs Pilates is not a small distinction. They’re built differently, taught differently, and come with different demands on the body and your liability as an instructor.

If you’re teaching one, cross-training in the other, or simply answering client questions, here’s how to explain the difference clearly and confidently.

Where Each Method Comes From

Pilates dates back to Joseph Pilates and was originally developed as a rehabilitative system. Traditional Pilates emphasizes control, breath, alignment, and precision. Whether you’re teaching mat or reformer, the goal is efficient movement that supports long-term strength and mobility.

Lagree is a newer method, developed by Sebastien Lagree. While it borrows equipment inspiration from Pilates, the technique itself is performance-driven. Lagree combines slow tempo, time under tension, and constant muscle engagement into a single high-intensity workout.

In short, Pilates focuses on movement quality and balance. Lagree focuses on muscular endurance and fatigue without impact.

Equipment: Similar Look, Very Different Feel

The equipment used in both methods is where confusion usually starts. Pilates often uses reformers, towers, chairs, barrels, and mats. Resistance is adjustable, and movements can be scaled for rehabilitation, athletic training, or general fitness.

On the flip side, Lagree uses proprietary machines like the Megaformer. The carriage, springs, and platforms are designed for long, continuous sequences that challenge stability, strength, and coordination all at once.

From an instructor’s standpoint, Lagree equipment leaves less room for improvisation. Programming is structured, and transitions are intentional, so cueing needs to stay clear and closely tied to what’s happening on the machine.

Intensity and Class Experience

Pilates can be gentle or challenging, depending on the class and client. It’s often used for post-injury recovery, prenatal support, or foundational strength.

Lagree, on the other hand, is consistently intense. Classes are slow and deliberate, but the work is exhausting by design, with minimal breaks and constant muscle engagement. Shaking and fatigue are part of the experience.

This difference matters when managing expectations. A client who walks into a Lagree class expecting a calm Pilates session is usually in for a surprise.

For instructors, lagree vs pilates also means pacing yourself differently. Lagree teaching demands sustained energy, constant observation, and sharp corrective cues across a room full of fatigued bodies.

Risk, Responsibility, and Instructor Liability

Lagree’s intensity, equipment, and sustained muscle fatigue increase the chance of strain, falls, or form breakdown, especially with new clients.

Pilates, while often lower intensity, still involves equipment, spring resistance, and hands-on cueing that can lead to injury if something goes wrong.

No matter which method you teach, you’re working with real bodies, moving parts, and physical exertion. That’s why professional protection isn’t optional; it is part of running your career responsibly.

Why Teaching Lagree or Pilates Requires the Right Coverage

Whether you teach Lagree, Pilates, or both, instructor insurance helps protect you if a client claims they were injured during a session. The key is making sure your coverage actually matches the method you teach.

With NACAMS, instructor coverage is designed specifically for movement professionals and includes:

• Professional liability for teaching-related claims

• General liability for non-instructional incidents

• Coverage that follows you across studios, gyms, and private sessions

Even the most attentive instructors can’t control every outcome. The right insurance gives you a safety net, so one unexpected incident doesn’t derail your career.

Get Covered Before You Step on the Floor

Lagree vs. Pilates isn’t about which method is “better.” It’s about understanding what you teach, how it impacts your clients, and what responsibility you carry as the instructor in the room.

Before you cue the next plank or slow-count transition, make sure your business is protected, whether that means Pilates Instructor Insurance, Fitness Instructor Insurance, or a combination of both; the right coverage matters.

Get insured through NACAMS and teach with confidence, no matter which method you’re known for.

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