Orange Theory Fitness

Hey friends! I am SO excited to share this post with ya'll. Today I am going to be talking about my favorite workout spot, Orange Theory Fitness!

This is the BEST WORKOUT out there...in my opinion at least! There are so many positives about OTF, I don't even know where to begin. I have been going to OTF for about a year and half now. In the first year I have dropped about 7% in body fat and I'm down about 18 lbs. Crazy, right?! I haven't been doing any crazy dieting either. I am just trying to make good food options during the week, letting myself indulge a little on the weekends and routinely going to OTF. I say that's a pretty easy routine!

When I moved to Florida, I was looking for something to help me be more active. When you have to be in a swim suit 9 months out of the year....you need something to get your butt in shape! I had heard about OTF and as per usual...I was a little nervous to try it. Prior to my wedding I had a personal trainer that would tell me everything I needed to do and I LOVED that aspect of it, but the price was insane. I couldn't keep paying for a personal trainer forever and I knew I wasn't disciplined enough to do it on my own. So, I needed something that was a good balance. Luckily at OTF you can try your first class for FREE! I asked Chad if he would be willing to go with me for my first class and he supported me in it and went with me! To sign up for your first class you can head to https://www.orangetheoryfitness.com/ and you can click "Try Us For Free." This link will have you sign up for a free work out and an employee from OTF should reach out to confirm your scheduled class!

About the Workout

OTF is a group personal training workout. You have a OTF "Coach" or "Trainer" that is going to guide you through the ENTIRE workout. You don't even have to think about it....they have the entire workout planned and ready to go for you! You can workout for 1 hour and be burning calories for up to 36 hours! You have 3 key areas to this workout. You have the treadmills, the rowers and the weight room. Each studio usually has 12 treads, 12 rowing machines and 12 suspension unit systems with a ton of free weights with benches. This full body workout focuses on your endurance, strength and your power. The best part....every day is DIFFERENT. I have NEVER done the same workout twice. They are always switching it up with different things to do. Every studio's layout is a little different, but in general it will have some type of set up as the pictures shown below. You can choose what area you want to start in...I love to start on the treads every class because I love to run on fresh legs...after so many minutes in one area you will then switch to the next area. In a workout at OTF...you could potentially see each area only once or you could see each area 3 different times in a workout! Your OTF Trainer will instruct you the entire way!

The thing I love the most is the motivational quotes on the wall. When you feel like you can't go any longer...you can look up at the wall and remember why you started OTF in the first place!

At OTF they use heart rate based interval training. This type of exercise burns more calories after a workout then your traditional exercise. This is why you can burn calories for up to 36 hours post workout. You are asked to wear a heart rate monitor during your 1 hour workout at OTF. They have wristbands, monitors that go around your stomach and one that wraps on your forearm. You can choose which band you think would be best for you. (2 options pictured below; you can purchase these at your studio)

The heart monitor it used for the OTbeat! The OTbeat is the technology behind monitoring your heart rate in the class so you can get real time data as you're working out. By having this real time data up on the TV monitor during your workout...you are able to really push yourself in your or scale it back a notch if needed.

By the picture above...you probably are noticing there are a ton of colors and numbers and thinking what the heck does all of that mean? OTF uses 5 zones to be able to track your heart rate during class. OTF wants you to focus on being in Zones 3, 4 and 5 the majority of your workout to make sure you achieve at least 12 minutes or more in Zones 4 & 5. Why do we want you to achieve at least 12 minutes in those zones? Well, this is going to make sure you keep burning those calories for 36 hours post workout!

Grey Zone - Zone 1 (resting)

Blue Zone - Zone 2 (ok...you're moving)

Green Zone - Zone 3 (alright...im recovering & really moving!)

Orange Zone - Zone 4 (Yes! Keep Burning...you are in the sweet spot! You're earning Splat Points now!)

Red Zone - Zone 5 (WHOA, you are really working!!!)

Okay...so I mentioned "Splat Points"...I bet you are wondering...what in the world is a Splat Point? Well, Splat Points indicate how many of your minutes during your workout were actually spent in the Orange and Red zones. Like I said before, you want to aim for at least 12 to get the full benefits! If you aren't hitting 12 splat points ...talk with your OTF trainer, they can help you get to that range. You can find your splat points listed in the top right hand corner of your "square" with your name on it. The number below that will be the listed calories you have burned during the workout so far. The number 34:20 is the timer for your 1 hour workout. Total Pts at the bottom will be the total number of splat points by everyone in the class so far and calories as well.

Now that you understand a little bit behind the technology..lets talk about your pace. How will you know how to fast to go on the treads? Well, OTF makes it EASY! Let's look at the chart below:

This chart is posted on EVERY tread in the class. You have 3 types of areas you can be in on the treads. Depending on your current level of fitness... you choose what is RIGHT for YOU! You can be a power walker, a jogger or runner. Over time you will see that you will increase from one area to another. When I started I was a jogger and now I am consistently a runner...which is a great milestone for me!

During your workout your OTF Trainer will tell you to start off at your BASE pace to get a good warm up. Depending on whether you are a power walker, jogger or runner...you just follow the chart above. Then they will instruct you to go at a PUSH pace for a period of time with intervals of ALL OUT paces. As I said earlier...it is different every single workout...so the combination of these certain paces will be always changing which keeps me on my toes and motivated because I never know what is coming next.

This chart isn't just tailored to the treads. You want to use this same sort of idea when you are on the rowers as well. They have their own specific charts. You will start to notice you will get better and better at a water rower.

After your workout

A really cool thing that you get after your workout is a combined view of your results from that day's class. This way you can track your progress and see how well you did. You will receive this screenshot below to your email.

It will highlight how many calories burned, how many splat points earned, and how many minutes in each Zone. It highlights your weekly totals, monthly and yearly totals! You also can share your success on social media plat forms to help keep yourself accountable and compete with other OTF friends.

Some questions:

So, what do you need for class? Just a water bottle and bring a towel if you like to workout with one.

How do I become a member? Try your first class for free. Then, decide after that if you want to join. There are 3 different packages you can sign up for. You can do the ORANGE BASIC...which is (4) sessions per month with additional sessions at a discounted rate. You can do ORANGE ELITE (this is what I do currently)....which is (8) sessions per month with additional sessions at a discounted rate. Or you can do ORANGE PREMIER (this is what I will be changing over to after our house is built) ...It is Unlimited Sessions per month.

How do you book a class once you become a member? You should download the OTF app to your phone. It is extremely easy to go in the app and book all of your classes ahead of time. You can also manage your cancellations through the app as well. Make sure you cancel within the expected time window.

Am I only able to go to one location? No! This is the BEST thing...you can do OTF anywhere. If you are traveling for work...you can go into your app and look for the OTF locations in that area and quickly sign up for a class.

Is this a regular gym? Not necessarily...you only go into to workout when you have signed up to attend one of the 1 hour classes. This isn't a gym you go in and workout on your own anytime you want.

Watch the video below to learn even more about my favorite workout!

If ya'll have additional questions, I would love to hear them. Or if you are an OTF lover and you have seen results with it...I would LOVE to hear and see your success stories. Fitness isn't something that comes easy for everyone. Some of us really have to work at it. I think OTF is your next step to making your workouts easy, sustainable and fun!

As always...

With love,

Jor