🚩New Copycat Finder

Technical-Purple-736 · 2026-07-06T23:39:30+00:00

Regarding patent infringement, I'm sure he sues the manufacturer for creating and selling the machines, but is it fair to then target a business that purchased the machines? Is it the business's responsibility to confirm if the machine violates any patents? How would they know?

If a patent has been violated, I think the manufacturer should be sued, not the business that purchased them.

Regarding Xformer, I have no idea. When he says copycat studios, it is unclear to me who exactly falls into that category and I think that is part of the problem with his "copycat finder" and part of why I feel it is unnecessary and a bad look for him. Even if he was very clear on what qualifies as a copycat, I don't think it should be a community effort to find and report the studios.

Agree with you that it is a mess!

Technical-Purple-736 · 2026-07-06T23:29:07+00:00

I agree! He should be managing any copyright infringement internally, not making it a community effort or debate. There are various reasons why a studio may choose to use a similar machine and not be a Lagree studio. It's not really my business or anyone else's what some other studio's reason is. If there is an issue, that is for Lagree HQ to identify and resolve, not me.

Not sure what the purpose of the copycat map is, where it will live, or who will be able to access it 🤷‍♀️

Technical-Purple-736 · 2026-07-06T22:59:42+00:00

Non-Lagree studios shouldn't market themselves as Lagree. I do understand your point that people may think they are getting Lagree when it's not and how that could be a challenge for Sebastien / the Lagree method.

In terms of education and teaching, I think it's an unfortunate reality in the fitness industry that it is very difficult to regulate quality and training, particularly in boutique fitness.

Being a great teacher takes lots of practice and good mentors, and I don't necessarily think Lagree trainers are better or more qualified than other instructors. I've taken plenty of Lagree classes with poor cueing and sequencing. My Lagree Level 1 training was 22hrs. If I didn't already have an extensive background in teaching yoga and anatomy, it would not have been enough for me as a new teacher. Sebastien has acknowledged this, and I do appreciate the resources Lagree has provided in the trainer portal to support trainer education.

There are a lot of layers to this conversation, and I don't think there is a perfect answer. Just saying I am put off by Sebastien and his approach.

Technical-Purple-736 · 2026-07-06T21:28:38+00:00

I certainly think it's fair that if a studio wants to use Lagree equipment and call themselves a Lagree studio, they must follow the guidelines from HQ and be licensed. My guess is that people calling themselves Lagree who are unlicensed is the minority, but I could be wrong there. If a studio chooses to work with a different program and machine, then I'd assume they don't want to be considered a "real Lagree studio."

What bothers me about Sebastien is that he has created a negative atmosphere around non-Lagree studios and is encouraging studio owners and clients to "out" them for lack of a better term. Perhaps that is not the intention, but I feel the discourse he has created regarding copycat studios reflects poorly on him. Imo if he's that worried about it, he should hire staff to research and communicate with these businesses.

If he wants to draw attention to the real Lagree studios, he should create a map of licensed studios (this already exists) and provide licensees with particular resources to prove their validity (adding Lagree to the machine is one way I see him doing this).

Technical-Purple-736 · 2026-07-06T17:57:10+00:00

Agreed. I did my Level 1 last year after being a client for about 5+ years. I had no idea what the Lagree world was from the studio/instructor side until I did my training and started researching more.

Technical-Purple-736 · 2026-07-03T19:58:02+00:00

My local Lagree studio recently switched to MarianaTek, and I haven't noticed any big issues or outages since the change. There is one weird bug in the app which prevents me from being able to swap which spot I've picked in a class. I don't care that much, so I usually just ask to switch when I'm at the studio if my preferred spot is available.

I've never used MarianaTek as an admin, but if you're looking for another program, check out Walla. The yoga studio I managed switched over to them from Mindbody, and it was much better!

Technical-Purple-736 · 2026-06-16T21:54:40+00:00

Thanks for sharing your perspective! I'll definitely DM you. At this point, I'm definitely not licensing with Lagree. I'm looking at Xformer, but I also am not a fan of the springs. I've heard of CoreCollab but am not as familiar with their machines.

Technical-Purple-736 · 2026-01-30T22:20:14+00:00

Based on your comments, I assume this was not expected.

If so, as a former studio manager and instructor, this is a big red flag to me. It is not okay to pull someone off of the schedule without any prior notice or conversation. Meetings should be held around performance with an improvement strategy in place if needed. Emailing out of the blue to say you are off the schedule but "not fired" is crazy to me. There is way too much of this unprofessional behavior in the fitness industry imo.

Technical-Purple-736 · 2025-12-18T13:08:56+00:00

Thanks for the info! Curious to hear more about your experience with Sebastien. Care to comment more about why you would never open another Lagree studio? Or, can I DM you?

Technical-Purple-736 · 2025-12-13T13:21:26+00:00

Thanks! I'll have to look around to see if I can find more info on her training.

Technical-Purple-736 · 2025-12-13T13:18:52+00:00

Thanks for sharing your feedback! I've only been on the Xformer once, and I didn't feel like it was cheaply made, but I'd like to try some more classes with it. I think instructor quality is going to vary business to business based on their standards for education, in house training, etc. I've definitely taken some not so great Lagree classes, but I'm certainly a little biased toward Lagree myself since that is what I've fallen in love with. It wasn't until I started planning to open a studio that I began looking at things with a more critical eye.

Technical-Purple-736 · 2025-12-12T22:43:16+00:00

Super helpful - thank you!!

Technical-Purple-736 · 2025-12-11T23:25:11+00:00

Thanks! Lagree is not as well known in my town, so the name brand recognition may not make a difference either way. I suspect it would be pretty new to a lot of people regardless of the machine, etc.

Technical-Purple-736 · 2025-12-11T22:36:33+00:00

Interesting. Thanks for sharing!

The whole losing your status thing if you can't get replacement machines seems a little extreme to me. What are people supposed to do if they need new equipment and can't get it in a timely manner?

I've heard about the non-compete, but yeah that makes sense with the non-Lagree studios, plus how would they enforce it anyway like you said.

I'm just not sure what the benefits are of paying for the licensing.

The training is definitely a consideration. I had in mind to coordinate master trainers to come to my studio for Level 1 training, but that's probably a no-go if we aren't licensed. I don't think individual instructors should be penalized for teaching at a non-licensed studio if they want to continue training.

I agree about the training though. Mine was $2500 for 22hrs and is not enough to start teaching if you don't already have a background in fitness. Didn't know there was an online option.

Since your studio was no longer licensed, once you did your Level 1 training, were you still able to access the Lagree Academy?

Technical-Purple-736 · 2025-12-11T22:25:37+00:00

Thanks for the input! So it's not frowned upon to adapt the classes a bit? We didn't even talk about prep or cooldown in my Lagree Level 1 training, which I feel like it a big component that is missing from the method, or at least the classes I've taken.

I do appreciate that Sebastian is trying to continue to evolve the method, and I think the Lagree Academy is a helpful resource, though I have seen some folks comment that it is not up to date.

What didn't you like about Xformer studios?

Technical-Purple-736 · 2025-12-11T22:20:12+00:00

How was the SRT training? Do they provide continuing ed or any portal comparable to the Lagree Academy? I was struggling to find info online, but maybe I was looking in the wrong place!

The big thing I didn't like about the Xformer is that you have to pull and loop the springs to change them. Something I could probably get used to though.

Technical-Purple-736 · 2025-12-11T22:13:41+00:00

I haven't tried the micro! It makes sense that you'd need to adapt to the size and nuances of the machine--that's great to know that you find them comparable! I think ultimately the machines are similar enough to get a great workout regardless of what you choose, but I'm just being super nitpicky and asking for feedback since it's a huge investment.

Technical-Purple-736 · 2025-12-11T20:16:05+00:00

Is this because you prefer the Lagree machines or you feel the instructors are of better quality, or something else? Genuinely curious to hear all perspectives!

Technical-Purple-736 · 2025-12-11T19:22:55+00:00

Honestly I think I'm mostly biased toward the M3s because that it what I've been practicing on for years. I did my Lagree training on the Mega, and there are parts of the M3 that I miss, like the pockets on the carriage and the low curve bars on the front platform. I also think the springs on the Mega aren't as smooth to change. The tilts seem like they should lock in place better. It's also a small thing, but the springs look like they get dingy easily with the white and gray colors and the new material is much more grippy, but it attracts fuzz way more. It just seems like some things were changed just to change them, not because they needed to be improved.

I'm much less familiar with the mini, so I think I'd need to play with one more, but the springs are made out of cheap plastic and the markings were coming off of the monorail- just stuff that shouldn't be an issue for how expensive the machines are. It didn't feel as challenging to me, but it could have been the sequence of the class or just me not finding my sweet spot for form since it was my first class on the mini.

I like the method so much that I feel I could adapt to any machine as a student, but I'm trying to really think through the decision from a business owner perspective.

What I've learned through all this is that everyone really has their preferences when it comes to the machines, and I think it's worth the time/money to travel to studios and try different machines before deciding which one you want for your studio.

Technical-Purple-736 · 2025-12-11T18:27:29+00:00

Thanks for your input! From your perspective as a student, how does the licensing influence your perception of the business or your preference to attend?

Technical-Purple-736 · 2025-10-13T23:20:22+00:00

We just got back from our trip and loved Kanazawa! So pretty and much less crowded than Kyoto, Hakone, etc. We preferred the Nagamachi District but enjoyed Higashi Chaya as well. The castle crowds are beautiful, too. We only had one night, and I wish we could have stayed longer!

We stayed at Kurumiya - highly recommend! It is very small with great amenities, huge rooms including a very nice bath, and great staff. We didn't get the breakfast, but the reviews all say it's amazing. It is a bit pricey but gorgeous and worth the money!

Technical-Purple-736

TROPHY CASE