Queens Lagree Fitness Studio by Ditmars: Lagree NY Astoria

Outside of Manhattan's SLT rooms, Lagree in New York City mostly means one place: Lagree NY, a single-room studio at 27-11 23rd Ave in Astoria, two blocks from the last stop on the N and W trains. It is a neighborhood studio in the truest sense, with 11 Megaformers, a founder who still teaches the Monday morning classes, and a regular crowd that walks over from the Ditmars side streets. Every class runs 50 minutes on the Megaformer, and the shaking starts early.

Lagree NY was founded by Laurie Benenati, who spent her career in corporate America as an accountant before deciding to open a studio of her own. According to the studio's About page, a friend introduced her to the Lagree method in California, and after years of knee pain and several surgeries she was looking for a workout that was hard on muscles but gentle on joints. A 2019 Boro Magazine feature dates the Astoria opening to October 2017.

Benenati later added a second studio in Garden City on Long Island, but Astoria is the original, and she is still on its schedule. Her listed favorite move is the Dancing Bear, a crawling plank that travels the carriage and lights up the shoulders. The bench around her includes Marie Nguyen, who spent more than 20 years as a graphic designer before turning to fitness, plus Angela Sarro, Ariel Kao, Mandy MacDonald and Malia Krahn on the regular rotation.

The studio runs the Megaformer M3K+ and keeps its menu simple. Megaformer: Lagree All Levels is the standard 50-minute total-body class, low impact but relentless, with slow lunges, planks and core work that hold each muscle under tension for minutes at a time. Megaformer: Lagree Foundations is a slower-paced version for first-timers, anyone returning after a break, or people who want to learn the station names properly.

If you have never been on a Megaformer, book a Foundations class first. In late October 2026 they appear on Sunday at 11:30 am, Monday at 9:00 am and Monday at 7:00 pm. The first-timer page is honest about what to expect: shaking and taking breaks is normal, mild soreness for one to two days is common, and instructors offer modifications on every move. Lagree NY repeats the line that Lagree is not Pilates, and the pace proves it.

The weekday schedule starts very early. On Tuesday and Thursday the first class goes at 5:30 am, which suits nurses and commuters heading into Manhattan, and most weekdays run from 6:30 am or 7:00 am until late morning, pause, then pick up again from about 4:00 pm with a last class somewhere between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm, depending on the day. Friday adds a midday block at noon, 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm. Saturday runs from 8:00 am to a 1:00 pm class, and Sunday spreads from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

With only 11 machines, the after-work slots and the Saturday 9:00 am and 10:00 am classes fill first. The first-timer page recommends booking ahead or joining the waitlist, and unlimited members get 30 days of early booking access, which is how regulars lock in their favorite times.

New clients can buy 2 Weeks Unlimited for $99. It is a one-time purchase that starts on your first visit, and it is the best way to find out whether the method sticks. Studio credits for the Astoria packs can only be used at Astoria, not at the Garden City studio. A single class is $39 and expires one month after purchase, a 3-class pack is $117, and a 5-class pack is $179.

Bigger packs stretch further. Ten classes cost $339 and last six months, and twenty cost $629 with a nine-month window. Monthly plans run on a three-month commitment with 30 days of notice to cancel: $135 for four classes, $240 for eight, or $349 for unlimited, which also includes one guest pass a month. One-on-one private sessions are 50 minutes and cost $135 each or $625 for five.

Arrive 10 minutes early for your first class so an instructor can set you up on the machine. Late arrivals on a first visit are not let in and lose the credit. Grip socks are required in every class, and the studio sells them at the front if you forget. The studio asks for comfortable, form-fitting workout clothes that let you move freely through deep lunges and long side planks.

The cancellation window is 12 hours. On packs, a late cancel or no-show loses the credit. Unlimited members and the two-week deal pay a $15 late-cancel fee or a $25 no-show fee instead. Book through the Lagree NY app or the website. If you want a private session, email the studio, and remember that privates have a 24-hour cancellation window rather than 12.

The studio sits on 23rd Avenue between 27th and 28th Streets. From the Astoria-Ditmars Blvd station, walk south on 31st Street to 23rd Avenue and turn right; the studio is a short walk past 28th Street. Drivers can reach it from the BQE or the Grand Central Parkway and look for street parking on the surrounding residential blocks.

After class, head west toward the East River and Astoria Park, about a ten-minute walk. The park runs along the water beneath the Hell Gate and Robert F. Kennedy bridges, with a riverside path that is ideal for loosening up shaky legs. Back on Ditmars Boulevard, the strip near the station is lined with Greek bakeries, cafes and tavernas, so a frappe and a spanakopita are an easy reward.

Address: Lagree NY Astoria, 27-11 23rd Ave, Astoria, NY 11105. Phone: (917) 396-4771. Email: info@lagreeny.com. Subway: N and W to Astoria-Ditmars Blvd. Classes: Lagree All Levels and Lagree Foundations, 50 minutes, 11 Megaformer M3K+ machines. New client offer: 2 weeks unlimited, $99. Single class: $39. Cancellation: 12 hours for classes, 24 hours for privates.