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Frequently asked

Questions about Mabel, Lagree, and CORE40.

A plain-spoken reference for clients, studio owners, and anyone curious about the method. Thirteen years inside the work, written the way Mabel actually talks about it.

Who is Mabel Ng Lau?

Mabel Ng Lau is a Lagree Master Instructor, CORE40 Amsterdam studio owner, and operations advisor to boutique fitness studios, with thirteen years inside the method.

Mabel Ng Lau is one of the most experienced Lagree teachers and studio owners working today. She certified as a Lagree instructor in 2013, led studio operations under Dean and Lisa Grafos in San Diego, scaled CORE40 into San Francisco in 2018, and became an international partner with CORE40 Netherlands in Amsterdam in 2021. After thirteen years on the floor and in the office, she now advises other studio owners on how to raise the quality of their operations using standard operating procedures and practical AI.

What does Mabel Ng Lau help boutique fitness studios with?

She helps Lagree and boutique fitness owners build a repeatable studio system by combining documented standard operating procedures with practical AI tools, so quality holds across instructors, shifts, and locations.

She helps Lagree and boutique fitness owners turn a great room into a repeatable system. The work integrates two things most studios keep separate: documented standard operating procedures (how the studio actually runs day to day) and practical AI tools that make those procedures faster to follow and easier to hold. The aim is consistent quality across instructors, shifts, and locations, so the experience members renew for does not depend on who happens to be working that day.

How does Mabel use AI and standard operating procedures in a fitness studio?

She documents how a strong studio runs, then layers AI into onboarding, front-desk responses, scheduling notes, member follow-up, and cleaning checklists so the team meets the standard without adding hours.

She starts by documenting how a strong studio runs, then builds AI into the parts that drain time or drift in quality: onboarding new instructors, front-desk responses, class scheduling notes, member follow-up, and the checklists that keep a room clean and calm. Standard operating procedures set the standard. AI helps a team meet it without adding hours. The combination is what lets a premium studio grow without losing the feel that made it worth choosing.

What areas does Mabel's studio consulting cover?

Five connected areas held to one standard: instructor training, class experience, studio operations, sales and marketing, and financial clarity.

Five connected areas, all held to one standard.
  • Instructor training. Cueing, class presence, form correction, and standards that survive growth.
  • Class experience. Energy, music, tempo, transitions, and the room feel members renew for.
  • Studio operations. Daily systems, front-desk rhythm, and the leadership infrastructure that keeps a room running.
  • Sales and marketing. Acquisition and retention with taste, without generic fitness spam or lazy discounting.
  • Financial clarity. Unit economics and performance expectations that let a premium studio scale without chaos.

Who does Mabel Ng Lau work with?

Boutique fitness studio owners and operators, especially in the Lagree and Megaformer space, who are opening, scaling, fixing retention, or holding quality across multiple locations.

Boutique fitness studio owners and operators, especially in the Lagree and Megaformer space, who are weighing what comes next: opening, scaling, fixing retention, or holding quality across more than one location. If you run a premium studio and want consistency without losing what makes it worth choosing, that is the work.

What is the Lagree method?

Lagree is a full-body, low-impact strength workout performed on the Megaformer. It combines core work, strength, and endurance through slow, controlled movement that fatigues muscles while protecting the joints.

Lagree is a full-body, low-impact strength method performed on the Megaformer, equipment created by Sebastien Lagree. It blends core work, strength training, and endurance into slow, controlled movement that takes muscles to fatigue while protecting the joints. The result is a workout that builds strength and stamina quickly, with very little impact on the body.

Is CORE40 the same as Pilates?

No. CORE40 uses the Lagree method, which shares some core-focused roots with Pilates but runs hotter and harder, layering strength and cardio on the Megaformer.

No. CORE40 uses the Lagree method, which shares some core-focused roots with Pilates but runs hotter and harder. It layers circuit work, strength, and cardio onto the Megaformer for a full-body session. People often describe it as Pilates intensified, though the method stands on its own.

What is a Megaformer?

The Megaformer is the patented machine the Lagree method is built around. Adjustable springs create variable resistance, so beginners and veterans can train side by side in the same class.

The Megaformer is the patented machine the Lagree method is built around. Adjustable springs create variable resistance, so each move can be scaled up or down without changing the structure of the class. It is what lets a beginner and a veteran train side by side in the same room.

Where are the CORE40 studios in Amsterdam?

CORE40 Amsterdam has three studios: Centrum at Weteringschans 130, Zuid at Stadionweg 269, and Noord at Ms. Oslofjordweg 695. Book at core40.nl.

Amsterdam is Mabel's home base. CORE40 Amsterdam runs three studios:
  • CORE40 Centrum - Weteringschans 130, 1017 XV Amsterdam
  • CORE40 Zuid - Stadionweg 269, 1076 NZ Amsterdam
  • CORE40 Noord - Ms. Oslofjordweg 695, 1033 SL Amsterdam

Each location runs on the same operating playbook as the San Francisco studios. You can book at core40.nl.

Where else does CORE40 operate outside Amsterdam?

CORE40 runs six San Francisco studios (Hayes Valley, Marina, Noe Mission, Lower Pacific Heights, Nob Hill, Sunset) plus three in Amsterdam - nine studios across two countries on one operating standard.

CORE40 runs six studios in San Francisco - Hayes Valley, Marina, Noe Mission, Lower Pacific Heights, Nob Hill, and Sunset - alongside the three Amsterdam locations. Nine studios in two countries. Two cities, one standard. The room feels familiar whether you walk into Hayes Valley or Amsterdam Centrum.

What makes CORE40's operating standard different?

Every CORE40 location follows the same playbook for instructor certification, class structure, member hospitality, and front-desk rhythm - consistency is the moat that lets the brand open in new cities without diluting the experience.

Every CORE40 location runs on the same playbook: instructor certification, class structure, member hospitality, and front-desk rhythm. That consistency is the moat. It is the reason the brand can open in a new city without diluting the experience that earns renewals. As Mabel puts it: the standard does not change between cities. The coaching, the greeting at the door, the way the room is held - that is the brand.

Does Mabel work with studios outside Amsterdam?

Yes. Mabel advises studio owners across San Francisco and Amsterdam, and because the work starts with a call and runs on documented systems, location is rarely the deciding factor.

Yes. She operates across San Francisco and Amsterdam and advises studio owners in both regions. Because the work starts with a call and is built on documented systems, location is rarely the deciding factor in whether it makes sense to work together.

Do I need experience to start Lagree?

No. Lagree suits every level - you set the resistance on your own machine, and new clients get a Megaformer walkthrough before class. Check with your doctor first if you have a medical condition.

No. Classes suit every level because resistance is set on your own machine, so you can push hard or work at your own pace. New clients are guided through the Megaformer before class begins. If you have a medical condition, check with your doctor first.

How often should I do Lagree each week?

Three to four sessions a week on alternating days is a strong rhythm for most people. The method works muscles to fatigue, so recovery matters.

The method works muscles to fatigue, so recovery matters. Three to four sessions a week, on alternating days, is a strong rhythm for most people. Listen to your body and build from there.

What should I bring to a CORE40 Lagree class?

Grip socks (required, available at the studio), a refillable water bottle, and comfortable clothes. Skip jewelry and strong scents, and arrive ten minutes early for your first class.

Grip socks (required on the machines and available at the studio), a water bottle to refill, and comfortable clothes you can move in. Skip jewelry and strong scents. Arrive about ten minutes early for your first class so the instructor can walk you through the Megaformer.

How do I book a consulting call with Mabel Ng Lau?

Book a complimentary 30-minute call through the contact page at mabelnglau.com/contact. It is a no-cost conversation to see whether working together makes sense.

Start with a complimentary 30-minute conversation. If you operate a boutique fitness studio and are weighing what comes next, book a no-cost call to talk through where you are and whether working together makes sense. Reach out through the contact page.