What to Expect When You Join OrangeTheory Fitness

**Full Disclosure: I received a complimentary two-months at OrangeTheory Fitness in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.

Earlier this year, when I started my weight loss journey to get healthy, I was doing a decent job of watching what I was eating but I needed to find a way to get moving in a more beneficial way. I have walked with a friend about once a week for years now but it hadn’t done anything to help me lose weight or inches. In January I went to a free* class at OrangeTheory Fitness in New Braunfels but that was quite the drive! After that, I’d tried a couple of different gyms and fitness centers but nothing felt quite right. I decided I wanted to try a more convenient OTF location and they offered me two months of classes so I could share my experience with you all!

 

I wanted to share what to expect when you join OrangeTheory Fitness so there would be very few surprises (or none at all), if/when you decide to join. If you have any questions after reading through this guide, please ask! I’ll do my best to answer anything you want to know, and if I don’t know, I’ll see if I can get you an answer.

What to Expect When You Join OrangeTheory Fitness –

What is OrangeTheory Fitness?

Orangetheory Fitness is a fitness center that offers group personal training workouts based on high intensity interval training that blend cardiovascular and strength training. Their heart-rate monitored workout is scientifically designed to keep heart rates in a target zone that spikes metabolism and boosts your energy. They call that the afterburn.

Try it Free*:

Participating OrangeTheory Fitness locations offer your first class free so you can decide if it’s a fit for you.

The details: the free* class is for first-time visitors and local residents only and has a $28 minimum value. Certain restrictions apply but visit a studio near you for details.

Before the First Class:

Arrive at the studio about 30 minutes before the scheduled class. You will fill out a form with all kinds of personal and medical information, be fitted for a heart rate monitor, meet the trainer and get acquainted with the equipment.

The Workout:

OrangeTheory workouts are a mix of cardio and rowing/strength work with lots of loud music to keep you going. You’ll spend about half of the class in each area. While you’re working out, you’ll see a screen with your name, heart rate zone color, and splat points. The color is the zone you are working in. Blue is the cooldown/warmup zone, green is moderate zone, orange is anaerobic zone and red is all-out effort zone. Ideally you’ll want to get to and stay in the orange zone for most of the workout.

When you’re in the rowing/strength part of the workout, you will alternate between a variety of exercise sets with or without weights and rowing intervals. The workout is split into blocks, so each segment moves pretty quickly. For the time on the treadmill, you’ll be working in intervals using your base pace, push pace and all-out with walking recoveries mixed in. (Don’t worry, these paces will be explained during your workout.)

• The Equipment –
  • Each OrangeTheory Fitness location has treadmills, water rowing machines, suspension unit systems, free weights and benches, as well as bike and strider.
• The Splat Points – 
  • Splat points indicate minutes spent in the orange and red zones. Aim for at least 12 splat points per class to get the ‘after burn’ which is the goal.

What You’ll Need for Class:

1. A large bottle of water
2. A hand towel (to wipe up all your sweat!)
3. A positive attitude
4. Optional: a lock for the lockers
5. Optional: things you need to shower & change after your workout as there are showers at OTF.

After the Workout:

Your body will continue to burn calories — this is called the ‘after burn’ and is very scientific.

The physiological theory behind the Orangetheory workout is known as “Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption,” or EPOC. Our 1 hour workout is designed to produce 12 minutes or more of intensities at 84% or higher of maximum heart rate (splat points). This program design produces workout “after burn” effect, which is an increased metabolic rate for up to 36 hours after the workout.

Your workout results will be emailed to you after your workout.

Remember to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Water is so important after any workout.

Memberships:

Rates and fees vary based on studio but expect to pay more than a regular gym. You’ll also need to rent or purchase their heart rate monitor. Also, check with your employer to see if they offer a discount.

What Did I Think?

The very first time I went to an OTF, I walked out feeling energized and excited about going back. After spending several weeks at my local OrangeTheory, I felt out of place. The trainers were very peppy and helped when they saw me struggling but I felt like I was being called out for doing things incorrectly and started feeling frustrated. OrangeTheory’s website says it doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or an athlete, the workout is geared toward all people, but I felt like I couldn’t keep up. I think if I had more confidence in my abilities, OTF could be for me but at this point in my life, it’s not.

Would you consider joining OrangeTheory Fitness?