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| Photo courtesy of Orangetheory Fitness |
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Getting back into a fitness routine after family leave is among my February goals, so I am really focusing on making working out a priority. I was thinking about this in class Tuesday night, and I don’t know if it was the playlist, the motivation or the trainer, but I was reminded that I love making Orangetheory Fitness workouts a part of my training plan.
What is Orangetheory? Orangetheory is a heart rate-based group personal training class. You spend half the class on a treadmill (or a combination of treadmill and rower) and half the class on the floor (or a combo of weight room and the rower), which is outfitted with free weights, benches, TRX straps and other tools. A heart-rate monitor and screen tracks which zone you’re in and how many calories you burn. There are also Splat points that you earn, but to be honest I am not sure even after a year of going to OTF what their purpose is. The theory behind the workout is explained on your first visit, which is free.
Reasons to try Orangetheory Fitness:
- You need extra motivation. Coaches and fellow students are inspiring and helpful. They demo all exercises and come over to make adjustments when I am doing something incorrectly. It helps me get the most out of my hourlong workout.
- You want a personal trainer but don’t want to/can’t pay full price. Orangetheory classes are basically group training sessions. You have someone to guide you but you share with others!
- You get bored with your workouts. I go to Orangetheory never knowing what we will do. Some days are Endurance, some are Strength, some are Power, some are a combination and some are partner workouts. We even do what is called a Tornado during which we switch from station to station every minute! The studios switch up the schedule to kick us guessing, which means you won’t get tired of doing the same workout every time, and they constantly hold challenges and special events. (Mine even had a pajama movie night!)
- You’re short on time. You’ll love it if you want to get in and out of the gym in an hour, including stretching time, but you want a challenging workout. You will sweat and feel the burn at every session.
- You want to see results. I have added muscle in places I have never had before thanks to Orangetheory. I also lost some pounds, though I still have work to do to reach my fitness goals.
Bonus: Convenience. Orangetheory studios are popping up throughout the country. When I travel I look for a nearby location so I can squeeze in a workout. So far I have gone to OTF locations in Arizona, Illinois, Kentucky and Louisiana. I wanted to visit an Atlanta studio but the only class time that worked for me was full. Next time!
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| Photo courtesy of Orangetheory Fitness |
Previous Orangetheory posts:
Thoughts I had during an Orangetheory Fitness class
More thoughts I had during an Orangetheory Fitness class
My first Orangetheory workout
Have you tried OTF? What’s your favorite workout right now?