Fitness trends are an ongoing phenomenon, with new methods of weight loss and fitness promotion popping up constantly. Some rise to immense popularity, while others trickle away as the hype doesn’t catch on.
Rising involvement in workouts such as SoulCycle, CrossFit, and HIIT (high intensity interval training) have become commonplace to many as attentions gravitate towards efficient workouts with quick results.
One such up and coming workout trend on the rise is Orangetheory Fitness studios, which claims to help clients burn up to 1000 calories per workout. You may have seen those random orange bicycles in and around Brampton over the past couple of months, it’s all part of Orangetheory’s campaign as they prepare to open up in the city.
The concept is fairly straightforward: clients attend hour-long sessions where they strap on chest monitors that broadcast their heart rate onto monitors on the adjacent wall.
Through a hyped up environment facilitated by upbeat tempo music and fitness coaches who both monitor and encourage, participants both novice and veteran, get to work.
The goal is for each client to spend a targeted 12-20 minutes at 84% (or higher) of their maximum heart rate (zones that, on a scale of 1-5, are referred to as the ‘Orange’ (4) or ‘Red’ (5) zones).
This goal is largely achieved through the use of three exercise methods in the 60 minute sessions: treadmill, rowing, and weight lifting.
As posted on their website, the concept behind Orangetheory’s fitness program is that of “Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption,” or EPOC, which aims to produce an “afterburn effect”.
The afterburn effect stipulates that for 24-36 hours after a session, the participant maintains an increased metabolic rate, resulting in a supposed calorie burn of 500-1000 per workout, depending on how much time of the desired 12-20 minutes is spent in zones 4/5.
This apparent substantial calorie burn per session has led to a rapid increase in the number of passionate and devoted clients served by Orangetheory fitness, and enthusiastically share their happiness on the website.
However there has been some criticism: the fitness methodology is stagnant—they stick to one workout that all clientele follow, regardless of one’s familiarity with exercise or pre-Orangetheory fitness level. This method may not work for everyone.
Despite this, the number of dedicated clientele and steadily increasing locations speaks to a large volume of satisfied customers: the first ever Fort Lauderdale location in 2009 grew to 200 plus in 2015, and an expected 350 plus by the end of this year.
The studios provide three different gym plans, all of which are a charged at a monthly rate with no contracts: Orangetheory Basic, with 4 sessions per month; Elite, with 8 per month; and Premier, with unlimited per month. Additional sessions for Basic and Elite are available at additional cost.
While the cost of these plans are not listed on the website, the Brampton location is currently offering a pre-opening rate which can be requested by contacting them.
All in all, it seems like Orangetheory Fitness has a reputation for fast results on a large scale, and the opening of the Brampton studio will enable our community to come to its own conclusions about the effectiveness of this exceptionally in-demand exercise plan.
Orangetheory Fitness Brampton will be coming soon to 35 Resolution Drive, Unit J08, L6W 0A6.