Prior to the opening of Studio Novo in West Nashville, just over a year ago, Anna and Santi Tefel had searched far and wide, coast to coast for something new and unique in the fitness field. They knew they’d found what they were looking for when they discovered the Lagree Fitness Method.
“Anna and I come from an athletic background,” said Santi. “She played soccer in college and I played tennis in college, and we’re not 30 anymore, so obviously we can’t work out in the same way we were working out in college.”
“That’s the reason we decided to bring this to Nashville,” added Anna, “because it’s unique and it appeals to everyone. It appeals to every body type and fitness level. Looking at what’s out there in LA and in NY, this one we just kept coming back to because it’s such an amazing method.”
Named for its inventor, Sebastien Lagree, the Lagree Fitness Method blends cardio, Pilates, and strength training within a single, 50-minute group workout. Each individual is provided a personal workstation (a “Megaformer” machine) in which the participants are guided by a group leader through a series of poses and movements that strengthen the body core while toning muscle.
According to the New York Times, the Megaformer is “a wobbly carriage that can be pushed and pulled, lunged on and squatted down to, the machine challenges those atop it in ways that traditional Pilates may not.”
“It’s appropriate for people of all ages,” said Anna. “It’s appealing to people in their 20s who want quick and awesome results, and then it’s also great for older people who may have knee issues or hip issues because it’s zero impact on the joints, so it’s for men and women, it’s for athletes and non-athletes, it’s something that we felt like we could embrace and bring to Nashville.”
It would appear they’ve succeeded. The West Nashville location has become so successful that the Tefels have opened a second location, this time in Cool Springs. According to Anna, the West Nashville location hosts 7–8 classes per day, and in Cool Springs, “we’re working to build our clientele there, so as the demand picks up, we’ll be adding more classes and getting to the point where we have six to seven classes a day there as well.”
O&AN’s Mike Moore recently visited Studio Novo. “Being a guy who loves cardio, who does Bootcamp or Crossfit-like workouts, and who lifts six days a week,” he said, “I knew that this style of a workout was going to be completely new to me. I am not a flexible guy at all and I found it extremely difficult to do some of the workouts, which is a good thing! Most guys are turned away from these kinds of workouts because they think that if there are no weights involved they won't build muscle, but that's not the case with this class. You are locked in a single position with lots of resistance to stretch and build the muscle for minutes at a time. I was always told that the only way for your body to really change is to get out of your comfort zone and change out your workouts with things you have never done before.” Lagree certainly fits the bill.
“Every instructor is very strict about getting everybody in the right form,” said Anna, “to make sure they’re getting their money’s worth and get the best and most effective workout as they can.”
“Every [client] comes in and they have their own machine,” said Santi, “and they’ve got a Novo coach in there who’s got a very thorough certification and training background in this method. It allows an opportunity for the coach to pay specific attention to each client, whereas at some of the other studios it’s like once you get past that ten to fifteen mark it’s kinda hard to manage a class and really get your money’s worth. For people who are really serious about working out but don’t want to spend $75 an hour for a personal trainer, this is a really good option.”
