I joined OTF back in late August and I haven't looked back. I have fallen in love with it!
1. THEORY: Orange Theory fitness bases it's classes off heart rate training and maximizing your time in the orange heart rate zone (hence the name). Zones 1 and 2 (black and blue) are for warmup and recovery. OTF recommends spending 25-30 minutes of the workout in Zone 3 (green), with 12-20 minutes in Zones 4 (orange) and 5 (red) to maximize afterburn. You will be required to buy a heart rate monitor through the company with a few different options and price points. I have the cheapest option- the chest strap and I think it is just fine. I put it under my bra strap and hardly notice it.
2. FORMAT: Classes are about 23-28 minutes on the treadmill and then switch to weights/rower on the floor for the remainder of the 55 min class.
3. SCHEDULING: Classes fill quickly! I guess that is a testament to how many people love it! They have a very easy to use app and you can book your classes out a month in advance. I have an 8x a month package which works out to about 2x per week, but not always. It is based on a billing cycle such as the 25th to 25th of the months depending on your join date. You will just have to watch to make sure you aren't going over on some odd months if you try to always go Tue/Thur for example. If you have unlimited plan, then you never have to worry!
4. RECIPROCITY: If you travel, you can use your class package at any other OTF location around the country. If you belong to a regular OTF and try to use it at a premium gym (like DC, NYC and LA) you may have pay a surcharge. I belong to a premium gym (DC) and had no problem booking and taking classes when I traveled to St. Louis for the holidays.
5. MOTIVATION: The music is always bumping, the lights are dimmed with an orange goal and the coaches are constantly praising and motivating! The screens showing your current heart rate zone are really self motivating as well. When I see that I am not in the orange zone but we are working on a time when I should be, I know to push harder.
What are you waiting for? Your first class is FREE!
This post was in no way sponsored by Orange Theory Fitness and I received no product or compensation. I just love them!