Sweat: Rage against the machines

Remember the 2008 film Tropic Thunder, and how ripped Ben Stiller, playing a narcissistic Hollywood action star, looked in it? The comedian, then 43, achieved that physique by training with Los Angeles-based celebrity fitness trainer Sebastien Lagree, doing a type of workout that involves continuous resistance movements while standing, sitting or lying on a machine designed by Lagree.

The workout is officially named the Lagree Fitness method, but it's known in Hollywood circles as "Pilates on crack". That was how Courtney Cox, one of the stars of the hit sitcom Friends, described it during an interview a few years back. "I thought it was going to be this easy Pilates class, but it's work-your-ass-off tough," she said.

Developed in 2003 by Lagree, the workout has become so popular that the 38-year-old Frenchman is now an international exercise entrepreneur, licensing his routine, and his machines, to more than 60 cities, including New York, Toronto, Seoul and London. Now, it's in Hong Kong, at H-Kore, a new exercise studio in Central opened by British expats Vivienne Fitzpatrick and Vanessa Valenzuela. The Lagree method, which boasts "a shortcut to fitness" in just 40 minutes per session, is perhaps especially appealing in this city, where time is at a premium.

The two women had been doing the Lagree method regularly at a gym in London. After moving to Hong Kong in 2011 they soon found themselves out of shape and missing the workout. They tried various gyms and workouts, but came away unimpressed with the results each time. Eventually, they decided to bring the Lagree method here.

So Fitzpatrick quit her job and the two set to work scouring potential gym locations, contacting Lagree and hiring staff. The process took more than six months.

Lagree, like he does with every new gym that uses his machines, travelled here last month to train the H-Kore's staff … and me.