Thoughts About My First Orangetheory Class

Photo credit: Orangetheory Houston’s Facebook

I love running, I love working out hard, and I get pretty curious about data so I was really excited to try Orangetheory. Your first class is free, so I had no excuse not to give this fitness studio (that seems to be popping up on every corner) a try. I went on Tuesday and overall it was a great workout, but probably not something I’ll rush back to on the reg (mostly because I already have a ton of things I’m doing!). Here’s the breakdown:

Pros

• Sweaty: I got sweaty and was a little sore the next day. Always a good sign!
• Heart Rate: The workout is based on heart rate, so it was fun to see where I was during certain parts of the workout. I don’t usually run with a heart rate monitor so I especially enjoyed seeing that data. At the end, you get your stats emailed to you.
• Encouraging Coaching: Kevin did a great job of walking us through the experience and even with a large class he still gave individualized feedback and pushed the class.

Cons

• Dark & Indoors: I prefer running outdoors and fitness classes with windows and light are definitely more appealing to me. The room was dark, filled with mirrors and the only lights were orange. Just not my style.
• Sales Pitch: I totally understand that by taking a free class I open myself up to a sales pitch, but the one at Orangetheory was just over the top (especially at 6:30 am).
• Lack of Community: One of my favorite things about the fitness community is that I feel part of a community. Despite being a group fitness class, I didn’t feel much interaction between participants (and again, this might just be the side effect of an early morning class or just specific to this location).

While there were things I really enjoyed, it’s not a workout that I’d want to invest $100+ a month in. I could also see this workout being REALLY beneficial for fitness newbies or even people who struggle to get their cardio in. I loved how hard I was able to push myself during the treadmill portion of the class. In fact, this part of the workout made me even more excited to try RacePace, the new running studio opening soon!

Photo credit: Orangetheory Fitness Houston