Sebastien Lagree Alleges Florida Studio Swapped Megaformers for Alibaba Knockoffs

A federal patent suit against St. Petersburg’s Studio Physique is the latest chapter in founder Sebastien Lagree’s defense of unique fitness method

In the booming world of boutique fitness, several wars are brewing: classical Pilates versus modern, franchise versus independent, authentic machine versus lookalike. But few founders guard their turf like Megaformer inventor Sebastien Lagree, who holds more than 200 patents and now has a Florida studio in his crosshairs.

Lagree Technologies, the patent-holding company, has filed a federal lawsuit against Studio Physique LLC and its owner, Christine Field, a former longtime Tampa Bay sports broadcaster.

The suit alleges the St. Petersburg, Florida, studio willfully infringed 23 U.S. patents by swapping licensed Megaformer machines for overseas-sourced copies while continuing to market its classes as Lagree workouts.

The 46-count complaint, filed last month in the Tampa division of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida by Lagree Technologies and Maximum Fitness Incorporated, alleges Studio Physique signed its license with Lagree Fitness in February 2015 and bought and used genuine Megaformer machines for roughly a decade. 

But in July or August 2025, according to the filing, the studio stopped ordering equipment from Lagree and instead purchased machines through Alibaba that Lagree alleges are copies of its Megaformer M3K+ model, manufactured by Hunan Lanri Technology Co. in China. 

The machines arrived at the St. Petersburg studio in late August 2025, the complaint alleges, and were promoted to clients on Instagram as “upgraded Megas.” 

Though often lumped in with Pilates by the uninitiated, the Lagree Method is a high-intensity, low-impact strength and endurance workout performed on the Megaformer, a spring-tension machine Lagree developed. Lagree Fitness dedicates entire pages of its website to the distinction, declaring that its method swaps Pilates principles for bodybuilding techniques and that the intensity defines the workout, which it says Pilates lacks.

Lagree representatives visited the studio on Sept. 11, 2025, and concluded the machines were unauthorized copies, according to the complaint. Lagree terminated the license by a cease-and-desist letter on Sept. 29, citing a material breach.

The Florida suit is the second legal action Lagree entities have brought against Studio Physique. A related case is pending in federal court in California, where Lagree is appealing a preliminary injunction ruling to the Ninth Circuit.

Lagree has never been shy about litigation. In one high-profile instance, Lagree sued Solidcore founder and serial entrepreneur Anne Mahlum in 2015 over disputes tied to the licensing and branding of its Megaformer machines. Mahlum countersued, pivoted to building her own machines and eventually the two parties arrived at a confidential settlement.

Mahlum sold Solidcore in 2023 to investment firm Kohlberg & Company. It was then acquired by private equity firm L Catterton in September 2024.

“Innovation only works when it’s protected,” Lagree said in a statement regarding the new lawsuit. “I’ve dedicated my career to creating equipment that delivers a unique fitness experience, and we’ve invested heavily to develop and patent that technology. We have a responsibility to protect our intellectual property, our licensed studio owners and the consumers who expect an authentic Lagree workout.”

In a podcast episode earlier this year with Athletech News, Lagree described chasing operators who treat his name as a category rather than a brand.

“It’s not a generic name,” he said, noting that studios using the Lagree name without genuine Lagree equipment need to buy a license, and that buying the license while running copycat machines “doesn’t work either.” 

He tied knockoffs to safety, saying unauthorized copies lack the patented engineering behind his machines. In the same conversation, Lagree added that his brand now operates in 75 countries and is negotiating with major chains, including one he said has 1,500 locations.

Studio Physique didn’t immediately respond to Athletech News’ request for comment.