It’s hard to find time for exercise. Then when you finally do, it’s hard to know if you’re really getting a good workout.

With Coastal Core Fitness, you don’t have to worry about either.

Dina has been going to Coastal Core once a week for the last 6 months and she’d be the first to tell you, your body will let you know it’s working.

She said, “You’re not profusely sweating but you are getting in a DAMN good workout and feel it for days! There were muscles that were sore that I feel like no other workout gets.”

That’s a pretty sterling endorsement!

If you’ve heard about Coastal Core and are a little curious, or even a little hesitant, we talked to Coastal Core founder Liz Collins about the methods and equipment that make this workout unique.

A Little Backstory

Coastal Core is based on the Lagree Fitness Method™, developed by celebrity trainer, Sebastien Lagree. He wanted to develop something that focused on high intensity bodybuilding techniques and low impact movements. It’s also a surprisingly slow workout as you stay in each rep for at least 8 seconds or more. Lagree also developed a new type of equipment, The Megaformer. (More on that later) All these things combined set the Lagree Fitness Method™ apart from just pilates, which it is usually compared to.

Liz Collins started the Lagree Fitness Method™ in 2013. She reflects on her start.

“I’ve always been a bit of a gym rat and have a background in gymnastics. Prior to this workout I did all sorts of exercise regimes - (a lot of days/week) to try to obtain the results that I received from Lagree Fitness. Once started, I was working out less and seeing a more effective outcome from my workout.

My old job in sales in NYC was very high demand, and left me without a lot of ability to control my time, so my workout/life balance was incredibly important. The effectiveness of Lagree allowed me to feel better with less time spent actually working out - who knew! Not to mention I wasn’t only being challenged physically but the mental challenge and the ability to shut outside elements off while on the Megaformer was incredible.”

While a workout may not sound mentally challenging, the balance of hearing instructions, applying them to your needs, making sure your core is engaged, leaves it so your brain HAS to focus and doesn’t have room for the worries you may have walked in with.

Moving to the Shore

How did Coastal Core move from the city to the shore?

“In 2014 I had my first baby girl. As mentioned my high demand sales job (60-70 hrs/week) wasn’t leaving me much time to be a Momma, so my husband and I decided it was time to re-evaluate and leave the city. However, I wasn’t going anywhere without a Mega!

“I thought, if I love this workout so much then there’s no doubt the shore would too!

It was a huge risk and learning curve to transition my career path, but absolutely worth every minute of doubt almost 6 years later.”

Besides the move itself, there was a risk that as a movement that had been in the works since 2001, maybe the Lagree Method had run its course. Luckily, things were just heating up!

“There was a small part of me that was nervous I was hitting the back end of the Lagree Fitness in 2015 when I was opening my 1st studio. Boy was I wrong! So much has evolved and continues to evolve. I’m proud of my instructors for staying on top of the latest recommendations in physical adjustments and positioning to achieve the best results.”

The Workout and The Equipment
“The first Mega was built in 2001 and Lagree continues to make changes to the Mega to make it as smooth and beneficial to transitions and positioning as possible.”

“It’s 10.5 feet long and 250 pounds with 2 stable platforms and a spring loaded carriage in the middle.

The carriage is the key. It moves with you throughout the workout - at times on a light spring load where you have to stabilize and other times on a heavy resistance when you push and/or resist the spring load.”

“The mega is built to adjust to different ability levels. You can change your spring load and/or body position to find more or less support from the machine.

It’s definitely intimidating when you look at it, but after a few sessions you learn to understand the Mega and what it has to offer. The interesting thing about this workout is that the better you are, the more challenging it becomes! This is so important in exercise because it continues to challenge the body and prevent the plateau.”

Dina’s favorite thing about the workout is how attention is given to each side of the body.

If someone asked you which side of your body is weaker, you are probably ready with an answer, because generally your body favors one side to the other. Left your own devices you might think giving the weaker side more of a challenge or cutting it some slack might be in its interests but that’s not what happens in Coastal Core.

“We break down the body, left side and then right, but cue the same spring loads for both. It makes sense that one side is normally stronger than the other but that’s why we often start with (most people’s) non-dominant side which is the left - finishing on the stronger side. Form will be better on the stronger side but both sides should be able to handle the same spring load unless of course there’s an injury.”

This allows the body to naturally even itself out without allowing the stronger side to compensate for the weaker one like it does in our everyday activities.

On Workout Anxiety & A Little Encouragement

Even though Dina’s been hitting that Megaformer for months now, she would tell you, the first time she took the class, she was “super scared” and “intimidated” which, well you’ve seen the Megaformer, it’s a little intimidating. We asked Liz what advice she would give to first timers to take the edge off.

“EVERYONE has a first class!”

“No one comes into this workout knowing how to do it because it’s unlike any other workout out there. Our studio is all about positive reinforcement! We want to motivate you to keep coming back and feel good about all you’ve accomplished on a personal level. It’s hard, I will not say it isn’t but I tell everyone that as long as you’re mentally in it to win it, you’ll find success on the Mega. You have to keep coming back and doing it again- commit to the program and it will NOT fail you!”

If you’re still feeling a little embarrassed about being in a group, don’t worry! Coastal Core has private, semi-private and small group programs available. Class sizes are especially small right now due to pandemic restrictions, so it may be a good time to jump in.

Speaking of the pandemic and other tough times we may face, you may still find it difficult to get into an exercise routine. Is it worth pushing through the ennui and general blah we’re all feeling right now? Liz seems to think so!

“Endorphins are real! If we continue to get out of bed and feel negative about our health it impacts our nutritional choices which continues to impact our overall outlook each day. It’s been so easy to lose our sense of time during the pandemic - I know I have and I fell into a serious rut early on. Once you get into a routine it changes your mindset, you have more energy, make better nutritional choices and small group exercise allows you to have some social interaction which we all need so badly right now.”

Use it as an excuse to see a friend in a Covid safe environment or to see your favorite massage therapist in person (she goes for an early class though, you’ve been warned.) Especially now that the winter thaw is happening there’s never been a better time to get moving, put those endorphins to work. So get out of the rut that some of us are getting to know too well and get to know some of your muscles instead.

Want to try it for yourself? Click here to start your Coastal Core adventure through Mind Body online.

Visit their website (coastalcorefitness.com) to learn more or give them a follow on Instagram at @coastalcore to see Liz and Co in action!

See you in class!