Have you heard of Orange Theory Fitness? I’ve been working out there for 2 years and finally got Jen to join last month! We love our #otkzoo (Orangetheory Kalamazoo) and wanted to tell you a little about it! I (Amy) am one of those weird people who likes to work out, while it takes Jen a little more motivation to get to the gym. But, we both have Orangetheory fever! Whatever camp you fall into, we think you will love Orangetheory. Here is the Barely B’s Orangetheory workout review.
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Orange Theory Workouts
Early Morning Workout!
Jen: jacket (similar)|leggings| shoes
If you aren’t familiar with Orangetheory, it is a one hour full body workout. Every day is a different workout with a focus being on Endurance, Strength, Power, or all 3. Every class integrates the treadmill, rowing, and floor/weights, but the time you spend on each and the order you do them varies from class to class. It is also worth noting that every single Orangetheory around the world do the same workout each day.
Science Based Workouts
You receive a workout summary after each workout
Orangetheory is based on the science of EPOC, excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. If you challenge your body at the right intensity, your body will work harder to recover oxygen lost during exercise. This revs your metabolism and makes you burn calories long after your workout is over. The Orangetheory workout is comprised of five heart rate zones based on your individual heart rate. The workouts are strategically designed so you spend at least 12 minutes or more in the Orange Zone to get your heart rate between 84 to 91% of your unique heart rate maximum. The Orangetheory website has more information on the science behind the workout. When you wear the Orange Theory heart rate monitor, you see what zone you are in and can adjust your workout accordingly. You set the pace and decide what whether you walk, jog, run, bike, and what weights you lift.
Why Amy Loves Orangetheory
photo from orangethoeryfitness.com
- The heart rate based zones are my favorite part about Orangetheory. They make my workouts really efficient! I know to push myself to make sure I have at least 12 minutes in the orange heart rate zone so I can achieve my optimal “after-burn” post workout. You are in and out in an hour and burned a ton of fat burning calories!
- Music is a great motivator and the Orangetheory coaches always have the best playlists and play the music nice and loud.
- Orangetheory has different challenges throughout the year. You can track your completed challenges, along with your times, on the app. The challenges are fun and if you are interested in beating your last time, they help push you out of your comfort zone. I love that the workouts are different everyday and my poor husband has to listen to me try and explain what we did after a particularly good workout.
- The people at Orangetheory are great! There are all ages and fitness levels. You aren’t competing with anyone but yourself and you are cheering on whoever is next to you that day. High-fives and fist pumps are common after you finish a block because you are just so dang proud you finished it! The atmosphere is inclusive and friendly.
Jen’s Orangetheory Journey
I have done all types of workouts in the past from personal trainers to zumba classes and I liked elements of each, but they never seem to have it all. When it comes to a workout I prefer a fast pace and challenging routine but not overboard that I will regret it the next day. I can’t wake up every morning so sore that I can barely get in and out of my car, but at the same time if I don’t see results then I start to lose interest.
I was going strong in workout mode for a good few years and then it slowly fell out of my weekly routine. The main reason for that was because my workout buddy stopped going to the gym so then I started telling myself things like ” I’ll just skip the class and workout at home after work” or ” I’ll go 4 days next week”. Sound familiar to anyone? I realized quickly that I needed an accountability partner and a good workout program that would check all the boxes to keep me on track.
But that Treadmill!
Amy has been raving about Orangetheory for years and has seen great results. When Amy described Orangetheory she said it is a mix of weights, rowing and treadmill exercises. I’m good with weights and rowing but the minute I heard treadmill and running I was instantly thinking that I would not like it. Running has never been my thing, and I’m pretty sure my personal record on running distance was .75 of a mile.🤣 The other reason I was hesitant to try it was because Amy had been doing it so long and is known for her fitness endurance, I wasn’t sure I could keep up and the last thing I wanted to do was go to a class where I looked like a idiot. Especially if they displayed your results on a TV screen at the front of the class.
Amazon Tank | Leggings | Shoes | Water Bottle
My First Orange Theory Class
In early December, I was telling Amy that another friend and I wanted to kick our butts in gear for spring break and she reminded me that you get a free trial workout at Orangetheory and encouraged me to sign up. I mentioned it to my spring break workout buddy and she was willing to give it a try. We figured at least we would look like idiots together!
We arrived at class and I must say I was a little nervous of what to expect. I didn’t feel nervous, but the heart rate monitor was showing a higher than normal resting heart rate, haha. We started the class on the row machine and then moved to a series of weights and floor exercises and THEN the instructor said the “T” word…Treadmill. I cringed and walked as slow as possible to my machine. As we made our way to the Treads we agreed we should walk and not run, we didn’t want to overdo it this first class. By the way, I think fast walking on an incline might be harder than just running. I’m happy to say we completed the full class and survived!
The Verdict: two thumbs up
My first class stats
The first thing I did when I got in my car was call Amy and tell her how much I loved! I was amazed at how many calories I burned! I was telling her how many splat points I earned and bragging that I exceeded the orange and mainly was in the red zone. Amy explained that as I got more in shape and built up my endurance that I wouldn’t see so much red. Wait… what?…I thought that meant that I was just really working out hard and exceeding expectations. Well, that explains why the instructor kept checking in with me, she probably wanted to make sure I wasn’t about to pass out or have a heart attack. Lol.
I’m happy to report that I now end my workouts with a well balanced mix of the different zones. I’m also happy to report that I love Orangetheory and it truly is a great mix of strength and endurance training. I love the music, the trainers, the workout and the results. I would encourage anyone that is considering Orangetheory to grab a friend and give it a try!
Workout Apparel
Cloudflow | Ultraboost | Cloudswift
We love these shoes for Orangetheory workouts!
Some of our favorite workout items! We have had luck with Amazon workout clothes and we love Lululemon, too! Read about the comparison between Amazon and Lululemon gear here.
DISCLOSURE
In addition to occasional sponsored posts, The Barely B’s uses clickable affiliate links. That means that TBB may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to the buyer. For us to continue providing fashion inspiration, we appreciate you shopping through our links and checking out through the store website, not the store app. This also provides us with valuable information to bring you more of what you like! As always, our opinions are 100% our own and we only recommend things that we truly like or use ourselves. Thank you for your loyal support.❤️
