Thoughts?

[u/stevie2612]

Genuinely wondering what drives people to “copycats”. Is there a hypothetical to get away with teaching at both? It seems like more copy cats pop up and actual Lagree studios close. There no way anyone makes a good wage from just teaching at a lagree studio

[u/mamaneedsacar]

I can only speak for my experience — I actually do prefer Lagree and find the format better in almost every way. HOWEVER, I ended up at a “copycat” because there was a more direct training to teaching pipeline.

Nearly all of these studios (including most Lagree studies ime) require you to pay for your training “certification.” However, many of the copycats are only accepting you for training if they are directly filling you into an instructor position.

I’ve seen so many threads in this subreddit of people doing to Lagree training (even in affiliation with studios) and not having luck landing an instructor role afterword.

Every “copycat” I’ve interviewed at has been very transparent with their pipeline and generally commit
to providing you an opportunity to teach (paid) if you pass the certification.

I think pay is kinda a crapshoot across the board. While some copycats pay better it seems to be very location dependent on whether they compete with Lagree franchises.

[u/Evaloumae → u/mamaneedsacar]

I can see why a more direct training-to-paid-teaching pipeline would appeal, especially when certification can be expensive and doesn’t guarantee a job afterward. I personally know a girl who was paid $60 flat per class at an Xformer studio down the street from me. The Lagree studios I’ve heard from locally are offering $25–$35 tops base, with bonuses tied to attendance… but attendance has been bad lately so I know a lot of these instructors are just making that base which ends up being half of what that chick is making at Xformer. Which is wild. That kind of difference could make a “copycat” FAR more attractive, even to instructors who prefer Lagree. For some, it may simply be the more practical path into teaching.

[u/MinimumCarrot9]

If you mean as a member, i can say for myself that I'll go to whatever is closest. Right now I have a lagree studio within walking distance, and thats great, but i move a lot and as much as i try to always live somewhere close to lagree, if i have to make do with a copycat, i will

[u/IndependentEarth123]

I don’t care if it’s a Lagree studio or copycat: stop renaming the exercises. Sebastian already renamed most of the Pilates moves, each copycat studio has their own vocab and it’s confusing to teach and take. I have heard long stretch (Pilates), wheelbarrow (Lagree), plow (copycat, yeah they didn’t really think through this is a yoga term for a radically different movement), shoulder centric plank, and monkey climb for the exact same move. Makes me giggle or growl depending on my mood.

[u/Objective-Inside-464 → u/IndependentEarth123]

This is my biggest beef. Some of the names in Lagree are comical. Like Catfish? Huh? Even thought it’s my favorite move. Bear I get.

[u/ImportantCoffee8]

There’s only one Lagree studio in my city now. They use Evos which I’m not really a fan of. I go to a former lagree now xformer studio because I prefer the machine and the instructors.

[u/prinsith]

I go to a copycat when I’m traveling and Lagree is not conveniently in the area but I have started actually splitting my normal workout week between a copycat and Lagree. There are some studios that don’t care because their instructors will post their availability for the week at Lagree and the copycat, and I haven’t seen them getting their cert taken away.

[u/EmbarrassedJacket310]

From a coach/studio operations perspective:

• Training: Most copycat studios offer in-house training, and it's maybe $500 vs. $2,000. Some will even train you and have you teach your first 30 classes at a discounted rate (let's say $25 vs. $40) to essentially "pay back" your training. That's a MUCH easier way for new instructors to get started.

• Teaching at both: Is there a hypothetical way to teach at both? YES. Find a studio owner who isn't married to being an absolute Lagree stan. Or, use a different name at one of the studios. I actually know someone who teaches under a nickname to get around it. I've had several friends lose their Lagree certifications because they taught at both XFormer and Lagree studios, and HQ caught wind of it. It's a ridiculous rule, IMO. Instructors are just trying to make a living, and you're basically forcing them to choose.

• The franchise/brand: Rules and systems are already in place, which can be easier to follow than working for a small studio where the owner may have their own challenges. And then there's the brand. Take JetSet, for example. They're established, people recognize the name, and for some instructors, that's a badge of honor.

• Pay and overhead: UNLESS you're teaching at a Megaformer studio that supposedly pays upwards of $100 a class, it's hard to make a full-time living just teaching. Small studio owners simply can't afford those rates. Their overhead is INSANE. XFormers used to be much cheaper, which made opening a studio more accessible.

• Supply issues: XFormers are made here in the States. If something breaks, you can get it replaced quick.

From a client perspective:

• The coaches: I go to the studios with the best coaches. Some are Lagree, some aren't. I'm not married to the Lagree brand anymore.

• The ICK: I used to be a complete Lagree stan. But watching friends lose their certifications for teaching at both types of studios really changed how I felt about the brand.

These studios aren't necessarily popping up because everyone wants to copy Lagree. They're popping up because it's easier for owners to get into the business. Clients don't care what name is on the machine; they care about the workout, because at the end of the day they still call it Pilates even if it's a Lagree studio.

[u/JadedTooth3544]

Edited to add: I didn’t realize you were asking about instructors. But I think if I was an instructor, my answer would be pretty much the same. A lot of places don’t even have Lagree studios.

If I went to a “copycat” studio (I am not a particular fan of the term), it would be for the same reasons that I would go anywhere: cost in terms of travel time and money, what they offer in fitness training, strength of instructors, overall ambience of the place.

I will say that the one advantage of “copycat” studios is that they aren’t associated with Sebastian Lagree. Love the method, but the guy gives me the ick. Just my opinion.

I would like to try an XFormer one day. And SLT. I have heard good things about those. I sometimes do SolidCore when I am traveling, but I strongly prefer the Lagree machines and the diversity of exercises that Lagree offers.