Sunset Harbour Lagree Fitness Studio: Megaformer Miami Beach

Sunset Harbour already has more boutique workouts per block than almost anywhere in Miami-Dade, but only one of them is run by the man who invented the machine. The Megaformer Studio at 1759 Bay Road, Unit 104, is the single Florida location of Sebastien Lagree's own studio company, a 16-machine room tucked into the corner of Bay Road and 18th Street. Classes last 50 minutes, the first visit starts a two-week trial, and the walk to a smoothie or a slice afterwards is under five minutes.

The studio's directions are refreshingly specific. Look for the corner of Bay Road and 18th Street and the white and red building of Tremont Towing, because the Megaformer unit is right next to it. Street parking is metered along Bay Road and 18th Street, and when those spaces are full, the Sunset Harbour parking garage is the fallback a block away. Cyclists can lock up on the street and walk straight in.

Sunset Harbour sits on the bay side of Miami Beach, west of Alton Road, so it is quieter than Collins Avenue and far easier to drive into before work. From Brickell the trip is usually across the Venetian Causeway, and from Mid-Beach it is a quick run down Alton Road.

Lagree arrived in Los Angeles from Paris in 1998 and opened Pilates Plus on Melrose Avenue in 2003, according to the Los Angeles Times. He kept modifying the reformer until it became a different tool: first the Proformer in 2005, then the Megaformer in 2010. Today his company sells machines and licenses worldwide, while the Megaformer Studio brand runs only a handful of its own rooms in Los Angeles, Arlington, Austin and here in Miami Beach.

That matters on the machine. Instructors here learned through the Lagree teacher training that the company hosts several times a year, and the studio's policies page says it only takes trainers who completed that program. Expect the original exercise names, the original slow tempo and a lot of cueing about keeping the carriage still while the legs burn.

Every slot on the Miami Beach schedule is the same format, Full Body Megaformer, 50 minutes long. Weekday mornings run at 7:15, 8:20, 9:30 and 11:00, with a noon class on several days, then two evening classes at 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm from Monday to Thursday. Friday is mornings only. Saturday runs hourly from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm, and Sunday keeps three late-morning classes at 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30.

Only 16 machines fit in the room, so a full class is genuinely full. On a recent Monday, Hannah taught the three early sessions, Annelee Kiliddjian took the 11:00 am and noon slots, and Gabrielle Anastasio led both evening classes, which gives a sense of how instructors cluster by time of day. If you like one teacher's pace, book the same block every week.

A useful way to judge your progress is to watch the spring settings. Instructors will often call for a lighter or heavier load between blocks, and beginners are allowed to stay light while regulars add tension. Classes move through the platforms in a set order, so the first visit is mostly about learning where to put hands and feet. By the end of a two-week trial most people stop looking at their neighbours and start keeping the slow count on their own.

Miami pricing is set separately from Los Angeles and comes in slightly lower. The Miami 2 Week Trial Membership costs $89 and begins on the day of your first visit, not the day you buy it, so you can purchase ahead and start when you are ready. It cannot be shared. A single class is $40 and does not expire, a 5 pack is $175 and a 10 pack is $300, both valid for one year and usable for guests.

Memberships need a commitment. Unlimited is $279 a month on a three-month term, 12 classes a month is $264 on a three-month term, and 8 classes a month is $216 with a six-month commitment. Tall grip socks are $16 at the desk, water is $4 and a can of Celsius is $3.85, so bringing your own socks saves money on the first visit.

New clients need to be in the studio ten minutes before class for an introduction to the machine, and the policy is firm: newcomers who arrive after the start are not admitted. Returning clients have a five-minute grace period only if nobody is on the waitlist. Cancellations need 12 hours' notice or the credit is forfeited, and members also pay a late fee.

Grip socks are compulsory, bare feet and regular socks are refused, and shoes never touch the platforms. Phones should be silenced and put away before the warm-up. Bring a water bottle that is not glass and a small towel, because the bay humidity and the slow holds make this a sweaty 50 minutes even in winter.

The payoff of training in Sunset Harbour is how much is within walking distance. Lucali, the Brooklyn pizzeria with a Bay Road outpost, sits just up the street for a post-class dinner, and the cluster of juice bars, coffee counters and salad shops around 18th Street and Purdy Avenue covers breakfast.

For a cooldown walk, head east across the Collins Canal to the Miami Beach Botanical Garden beside the convention center, a free and shaded loop of native plants and a Japanese garden. The Collins Canal and the bayfront views along Purdy Avenue make a pleasant ten-minute stretch for tired legs.

Address: Megaformer Studio Miami Beach, 1759 Bay Road, Unit 104, Miami Beach, FL 33139, at the corner of Bay Road and 18th Street. Phone and texts: (786) 460-6651. Class: Full Body Megaformer, 50 minutes, 16 machines. Trial: $89 for two weeks. Single class: $40. Booking through the Megaformer website or app. Cancellation: 12 hours.