How it works
Orange Theory is a different model from most other gyms - it is definitely a model that works for me. Instead of the gym being a supplier of expensive athletic equipment, Orange Theory, as a gym, provides the entire experience. When you sign up, you will also purchase a heart rate monitor. As a side note, when you do this, they allow you to select your name that will show up on the workout board. Since John and I did this together, we were Momma Bear and Baby Cub. It was kind of fun to have nicknames at Orange Theory so come up with something fun that will make you smile. You will need it when you reach the Orange Zone!
The workout is 55 to 60 minutes. At the beginning, you choose if you want to start on treadmills ("treads") or rowers. At the beginning I started on treads but later found that if I started on the rower and did weights first, my heart rate was more responsive during the treadmill workout. So, now I do the rower and weights first so I can get my splat points on the treadmill (more on that later).
About 15 people sign up on treadmill and 15 on rowers. Your heart rate zone is projected on the screen from the start. Most people start in the gray zone which is under 60%. I somehow seem to always idle high and my heart rate jumps into blue in the low 60th percentile most of the time. Funny thing is that it lowers once I start exercising.
Whether you start on treads or the rower, the goal is to get your heart warmed up or into the green zone. The green zone starts about 70% of your max heart rate. (OT has already figured your zones out for you when you registered. You just need to focus on the colors on the monitor). If you are out of shape, it doesn't take much to get to the green zone. If you are really in shape, it takes a little more work.
Let me stop here and say that is what I like about OT. John and I would work out together. He can do a 4:45 minute mile. I can barely do a 15 minute mile on a good day with the wind blowing in the right direction. However, when we work out together, he and I both have the same goal - getting into the green zone. His speed is much different than mine, but heart rate is the great equalizer. It measures effort, not ability. So, my colors on the monitor look the same as everyone else's colors as long as I am working as hard. Notice I said working as hard, not running as fast. Big difference. Critical difference for me.
Once you hit the green zone, the goal of the entire class is to get you into the Orange Zone which is about 84%-90% of your max heart rate for 12 to 20 minutes. OT claims that getting in this window will give you extra caloric reduction by way of afterburn the next day. For every minute you are in the Orange Zone, you earn a SPLAT point. A SPLAT point is just what it sounds like - a little orange splat. You want 12 to 20 per workout. It might sound easy, but, as you get more into shape, it gets more challenging to get your body in that zone. Sometimes, you will work out and give a good effort and not get splat points. That is ok if you are still working hard and not slacking. It just means your body is changing and adapting.
So, back to the workout. The workouts are different every time but, generally, you will spend half the time on the treads and half in a rower/weight room combination. On the treadmill, OT has a "base" pace which is a comfortable pace where your heart rate is likely in the green. Then, there is a "push" pace where your heart rate is getting closer or entering orange. Finally, there is an "all out" pace.
During your workout, your instructor calls your pace. For instance, he or she will call out "1 minute push pace followed by a 30 second all out." This means you will push yourself up near or into the orange zone for one minute and then give your best effort, reaching higher into the orange zone for 30 seconds. When you are done, your instructor will give you 30 to 60 seconds to relax and breathe at a slower pace while preparing for the next phase.
Notice I did not say that your instructor calls out a specific speed. You can do this as a walker, jogger, or runner. No one cares. Each person is looking in the mirror and at the monitor to worry about his or her heart rate. Whether you are walking or running matters little to the person next to you who is trying to gear up for the orange zone. For that reason, John and I had a blast working out together. He would literally be going 12 mph (the fastest the treadmills can go) and I would be going 3 mph walking with little incline. Despite the difference in our speeds, our heart rates could look exactly the same on the monitor. How awesome is that! Again, the heart rate system is the great equalizer.
If you started on treads, you then move to rower/weights. Don't get freaked about weights. They start at 5 pounds. If you can't do 5 pounds, your instructor will modify the exercise for you so you don't use weights but can work up to weights. You are given exercises in blocks to do, sometimes with a row distance on the rower added on. Again, this is your own pace. Exercises are often modified for different levels. For me, I often need the exercise taken down a notch. For John, the instructors often added something a little more complicated to make it challenging for him. No matter what your fitness level is, they can find the best exercise for you. Exercises range from using TRX straps, ab dolly, weights, floor exercises, benches, push ups, burpees. Don't worry if you can't do these. Modifications are ALWAYS available.
Rowing can be a bit of a trick. Just make sure someone shows you the form. It is not hard, but takes a bit to catch on. You need to keep your back straight on the rower. Since you are not by mirrors for this part, it can be tricky. You can feel like your back is straight, but realize it wasn't when it hurts a bit later. With practice, it comes naturally. I actually took a side class on this to learn to to this better.
If you are starting out where I was, the first week you will try to tell yourself that this was not for you and that you can't do it. Don't listen to that voice. It is lying. It is for you and you not only can do it, you WILL do it. After a couple weeks, you begin to feel the difference in your body and mood and even in your self esteem. It is quite satisfying to see the difference in your progress as you start to jog at higher speeds than you started or you find you can finally hold a plank for 30 seconds. After that, it becomes a challenging kind of fun.
At the end of the workout, you have a short stretch and cool down to bring your heart rate down. Also, the minutes you spent in each zone are projected on the screen. You also get a fun brag email immediately that tells you how many minutes you were in each zone. It also tells you how many splat points you earned. It is fun to see those add up over time!
The workout is 55 to 60 minutes. At the beginning, you choose if you want to start on treadmills ("treads") or rowers. At the beginning I started on treads but later found that if I started on the rower and did weights first, my heart rate was more responsive during the treadmill workout. So, now I do the rower and weights first so I can get my splat points on the treadmill (more on that later).
About 15 people sign up on treadmill and 15 on rowers. Your heart rate zone is projected on the screen from the start. Most people start in the gray zone which is under 60%. I somehow seem to always idle high and my heart rate jumps into blue in the low 60th percentile most of the time. Funny thing is that it lowers once I start exercising.
Whether you start on treads or the rower, the goal is to get your heart warmed up or into the green zone. The green zone starts about 70% of your max heart rate. (OT has already figured your zones out for you when you registered. You just need to focus on the colors on the monitor). If you are out of shape, it doesn't take much to get to the green zone. If you are really in shape, it takes a little more work.
Let me stop here and say that is what I like about OT. John and I would work out together. He can do a 4:45 minute mile. I can barely do a 15 minute mile on a good day with the wind blowing in the right direction. However, when we work out together, he and I both have the same goal - getting into the green zone. His speed is much different than mine, but heart rate is the great equalizer. It measures effort, not ability. So, my colors on the monitor look the same as everyone else's colors as long as I am working as hard. Notice I said working as hard, not running as fast. Big difference. Critical difference for me.
Once you hit the green zone, the goal of the entire class is to get you into the Orange Zone which is about 84%-90% of your max heart rate for 12 to 20 minutes. OT claims that getting in this window will give you extra caloric reduction by way of afterburn the next day. For every minute you are in the Orange Zone, you earn a SPLAT point. A SPLAT point is just what it sounds like - a little orange splat. You want 12 to 20 per workout. It might sound easy, but, as you get more into shape, it gets more challenging to get your body in that zone. Sometimes, you will work out and give a good effort and not get splat points. That is ok if you are still working hard and not slacking. It just means your body is changing and adapting.
So, back to the workout. The workouts are different every time but, generally, you will spend half the time on the treads and half in a rower/weight room combination. On the treadmill, OT has a "base" pace which is a comfortable pace where your heart rate is likely in the green. Then, there is a "push" pace where your heart rate is getting closer or entering orange. Finally, there is an "all out" pace.
During your workout, your instructor calls your pace. For instance, he or she will call out "1 minute push pace followed by a 30 second all out." This means you will push yourself up near or into the orange zone for one minute and then give your best effort, reaching higher into the orange zone for 30 seconds. When you are done, your instructor will give you 30 to 60 seconds to relax and breathe at a slower pace while preparing for the next phase.
Notice I did not say that your instructor calls out a specific speed. You can do this as a walker, jogger, or runner. No one cares. Each person is looking in the mirror and at the monitor to worry about his or her heart rate. Whether you are walking or running matters little to the person next to you who is trying to gear up for the orange zone. For that reason, John and I had a blast working out together. He would literally be going 12 mph (the fastest the treadmills can go) and I would be going 3 mph walking with little incline. Despite the difference in our speeds, our heart rates could look exactly the same on the monitor. How awesome is that! Again, the heart rate system is the great equalizer.
If you started on treads, you then move to rower/weights. Don't get freaked about weights. They start at 5 pounds. If you can't do 5 pounds, your instructor will modify the exercise for you so you don't use weights but can work up to weights. You are given exercises in blocks to do, sometimes with a row distance on the rower added on. Again, this is your own pace. Exercises are often modified for different levels. For me, I often need the exercise taken down a notch. For John, the instructors often added something a little more complicated to make it challenging for him. No matter what your fitness level is, they can find the best exercise for you. Exercises range from using TRX straps, ab dolly, weights, floor exercises, benches, push ups, burpees. Don't worry if you can't do these. Modifications are ALWAYS available.
Rowing can be a bit of a trick. Just make sure someone shows you the form. It is not hard, but takes a bit to catch on. You need to keep your back straight on the rower. Since you are not by mirrors for this part, it can be tricky. You can feel like your back is straight, but realize it wasn't when it hurts a bit later. With practice, it comes naturally. I actually took a side class on this to learn to to this better.
If you are starting out where I was, the first week you will try to tell yourself that this was not for you and that you can't do it. Don't listen to that voice. It is lying. It is for you and you not only can do it, you WILL do it. After a couple weeks, you begin to feel the difference in your body and mood and even in your self esteem. It is quite satisfying to see the difference in your progress as you start to jog at higher speeds than you started or you find you can finally hold a plank for 30 seconds. After that, it becomes a challenging kind of fun.
At the end of the workout, you have a short stretch and cool down to bring your heart rate down. Also, the minutes you spent in each zone are projected on the screen. You also get a fun brag email immediately that tells you how many minutes you were in each zone. It also tells you how many splat points you earned. It is fun to see those add up over time!
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