I’m not an athlete by any means. I drag myself to the gym, try to eat a balanced diet, and generally walk everywhere. I don’t have, nor do I claim to have, the looks, style, or class of Meghan Markle, Kim Kardashian, or Jennifer Aniston.
So, with some trepidation, I decided to attend my first Lagree class. Lagree is a type of exercise class that is very popular in LA and among many A-list celebrities.
Working with spring-based resistance, the Megaformer allows for extremely intense training with very low impact on your joints. So it’s a win-win. Love Lagree has been open in Cardiff Bay for just over a year and is run by Lorraine Jenkins, who also has another Lagree studio in Cowbridge.
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I attended a popular class starting at 9:30 a.m., but it was full and I had two beginners with me, so I cautiously looked up at the machines. At first the machine looked pretty scary, but the idea of moving on with it made me pretty sure I was going to jump off the machine and end up in a heap on the floor.
The training was intense – Credit: John Myers
Thankfully, once you’re on the machine, it’s not as scary as it looks. In fact, the controls were easy and my fears of falling were quickly alleviated. Find out about the latest happenings in Wales by signing up to our What’s On newsletter here.
The training itself was incredibly intense. This is no walk in the park. It felt like I was using every muscle in my body, especially my core and hips, core, arms, and legs, and soon I was shaking with the effort.
I attached to the machine in different ways in different positions – squatting, stretching, lunging, planking – and it was very quick with very little rest between exercises. Lorraine was fantastic, helping me locate exactly where I needed to be and providing clear and concise instructions.
Lorraine was incredibly kind – Credit: John Myers
Soon I was sweating, my meager muscles trembling from the effort. I was so grateful to the fans who were there, and when Lorraine called out to me that I had only 10 seconds to get to the position I was desperately trying to grab, I whispered a few times, “Thank God.” I muttered.
Overall, it felt more like a proper full body workout than the cardio I do at the gym. I feel like I trained my whole body and pushed myself.
Largree is perfect if you’re looking for a serious workout that doesn’t involve jumping or running. This means that the impact on your joints can be minimized. My feet are already hurting so I’m sure they’ll be sore tomorrow and if I’m lucky I’ll wake up looking and feeling like Kim K.
