Pilates vs. Lagree vs. Megaformer: Clearing Up the Confusion

If you’ve been searching for Newport Beach Pilates, you’ve probably seen a mix of terms: Pilates, Lagree, Megaformer, Xformer, modern reformer, strength reformer.

It can feel confusing.

So let’s simplify it.

It All Started with Joseph Pilates

Every reformer-based workout traces back to Joseph Pilates.

He created the original reformer machine — a spring-based apparatus with a sliding carriage — designed to build strength, improve flexibility, and develop deep core control.

That carriage-and-springs concept is the blueprint.

Nearly every modern reformer workout, no matter what it’s called, evolved from that original design.

What Is Traditional Pilates?

Classical Pilates focuses on:

Breathwork
Alignment
Core stability
Controlled, precise movement
Balanced muscle development

Contemporary Pilates studios may modernize sequencing or increase intensity, but the foundation remains control and resistance using springs.

What Is Lagree?

Sebastien Lagree created the Lagree method as a high-intensity, muscular endurance workout performed on a branded machine.

Lagree workouts emphasize:

Very slow tempo
Constant tension
Minimal rest
Deep muscular fatigue
Strength over stretch

It feels more like strength training layered onto Pilates-inspired mechanics.

What Is the Megaformer?

The Megaformer is the proprietary machine used in Lagree studios.

Similarly, the Xformer is another modern reformer variation used in strength-focused studios.

These are branded machines — but structurally, they’re still spring-based, sliding carriage systems inspired by the original reformer concept.

Why So Many Names?

Here’s where it gets interesting.

“Lagree” is a brand.
“Megaformer” is a brand.
“Xformer” is a brand.

And while the programming may differ from classical Pilates, the equipment concept remains rooted in Joseph Pilates’ invention.

It’s similar to how people say “Kleenex.”

Kleenex is a brand name — but most people use the word “Kleenex” to describe any tissue.

The product might not technically be Kleenex.
But culturally, the name becomes the reference point.

The same thing happens with Pilates.

“Pilates” is the most widely recognized term for a spring-based reformer workout — even when the style is more strength-driven or modern.

Where THE METHOD-PILATES Fits In

At THE METHOD-PILATES, we use a custom-made reformer designed to deliver the slow-burn, high-tension intensity people love in Lagree or Xformer-style classes.

Our programming is:

Strength-forward
Slow and controlled
High time under tension
Low impact, high intensity
Deeply core-focused

The experience feels similar to an Xformer or Lagree workout — athletic, challenging, and muscle-shaking.

But we incorporate the word Pilates because:

We are using a reformer-inspired machine rooted in Joseph Pilates’ original concept.
It’s the clearest way to help someone new understand what the class is about.

If someone has never taken a class before, saying “modern strength-based reformer training” can feel abstract.

Saying “Pilates” immediately communicates:

✔ Spring resistance
✔ A sliding carriage
✔ Core engagement
✔ Low-impact movement

It gives beginners a familiar reference point.

At the End of the Day

Whether it’s called:

Pilates
Lagree
Megaformer
Xformer
Modern reformer

They are all evolutions of the same foundational idea: controlled resistance on a spring-based carriage system.

The intensity may change.
The sequencing may change.
The branding may change.

But the DNA is shared.

Just like Kleenex became shorthand for tissues, Pilates has become shorthand for reformer-based workouts.

What Matters Most Isn’t the Label

The real question is:

Are you building strength?
Are you training with control?
Are you challenging your muscles safely?
Are you leaving class feeling stronger?

If yes — the name matters less than the result.

At THE METHOD-PILATES, we honor the roots of Pilates while delivering a modern, athletic evolution of it — using our custom reformer and strength-based programming.

Call it Pilates.
Call it modern reformer.
Call it Lagree-inspired.

At the end of the day, it’s about intentional movement — and results you can feel.

www.themethod-pilates.com @themethod.pilates

With two convenient locations in Costa Mesa/Newport Beach and Huntington Beach.