Adherence to new year’s resolutions can run thin once springtime arrives. The team at Orangetheory Fitness offers a fresh approach to keeping fit and motivated.
“It. Kicks. My. Butt,” Shelby Clarke says. Her other muscles had something to say about it, too, since they screamed for about three weeks after her first week with Orangetheory. “It was fantastic,” she says of her introductory week, which led her to become a member. Clarke is no stranger to the fitness world, having belonged to two other nationwide fitness clubs, and she appreciates the intensity and group atmosphere of Orangetheory.
Open since January 4, Orangetheory Fitness, which originated in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, offers group fitness programs while pinpointing individual needs and requirements. The theory behind the system focuses on training members to get the most out of their workouts. This translates into maintaining at least 84 percent of the maximum heart rate (orange zone) for about 12 minutes during a 60-minute workout session. Clients are run through multiple intervals meant to achieve the goal. Manager Dan Sebo says achieving that benchmark can foster an increased metabolic rate for 24 to 36 hours after exercising—the afterburn.
The nearly 3,000-square-foot center features elliptical machines, treadmills, rowing machines, stationary bicycles, TRX bands and free weights. Members are fitted with a heart-rate monitor, which displays on flat screens around the studio each exercising member’s name, heart rate, calories burned and time spent in the orange and red zones. Some clients might blanch at the notion of having their workout particulars front and center. Rest easy; Clarke assures that it serves as a positive motivator, noting that weight and other more personal information aren’t displayed on the screens.
Sebo says clients range from those who are “health seekers” to people interested in improving their workout performance. Classes split cardio and strength training 50-50, and instructors try to keep each class fresh with varying routines—repetition should be saved for the weight area, not in the group sessions. One of the reasons behind Orangetheory’s commitment to workout variations is that, while the program encourages clients to climb to the next fitness level, it attempts to steer clients away from the oft-dreaded plateau, where too many people’s motivations crash and burn.
There are plenty of classes to choose from. Fifty-five one-hour classes are offered during the week to members, who can join at various levels, ranging from once-a-week programs to unlimited visits. Sebo assures that clients with differing goals easily blend into the classes. “We like to refer to it as group individual training,” he says. Clarke concurs. “If I want to push myself, I can do that without worrying what someone else next to me is doing,” she says.
With ages ranging from 15 to 60 and up, Sebo says the spirit of Orangetheory promotes camaraderie. He believes kinship through fitness increases the fun factor and personal accountability. “It creates a program that people will stick with,” he says. “With our studio, we emphasize the community,” Sebo says, adding that members are encouraged to get to know each other. Unlike the other programs she’s attended, Clarke says she’s already met fellow members who are eager to set times to meet at Orangetheory to work out together. Additionally, she says the staff adds to the notion of community. “I walk in, and nine times out of 10, they say, ‘Hi, Shelby. How was your day?’ ” Clarke says. “It feels like they’re really intentional in trying to get to know me.”
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Orangetheory Fitness
3523 W. 70th St.
612.930.4630
