by Lucy Sokol ‘21

Olney’s Orangetheory Fitness, located on Hillcrest Avenue, has been growing in popularity ever since the local gym opened back in the summer of 2015. Whether you know the studio from family and friends or its vibrant orange lights, Orangetheory has innovative features that could help anyone reach their fitness goals. 

Orangetheory consists of one hour full-body workouts that are led and inspired by certified coaches that make sure you do not overtrain or undertrain. Orangetheory focuses on heart-rate based training that is tracked by technology so members can monitor their results in real-time. How did Orangetheory get its name? There are five different heart-rate zones: grey, blue, green, orange, and red. When in the orange or red zone, a member is using 84 percent or more of their heart-rate capacity. The theory is that members want to spend at least 12 minutes per hour in the orange or red zone to guarantee they will burn more calories post-workout; this theory is backed by the science of EPOC, Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption. 

OT Beat, Orangetheory’s heart rate monitoring system, not only makes it simple for members to see their results in real time, but also gives coaches the ability to coach each individual according to their body’s response. A person’s heart rate is calculated accordingly based off of age, weight, and sex. Over time, for members who are unsatisfied with their heart rate readings, the OT Beat system can take your past heart rate responses from twenty or more classes and recalculate your maximum heart rate. 

“I would say my Orangetheory creates a more intimate setting for its members,” said head coach Tammy Dillman. “From starting off in larger commercial gyms and then transitioning to Orangetheory, having time before and after each class to chat with members reminds me how thankful I am for being able to provide others with the gift of fitness.” From a coaching perspective, each workout is different. With three different stations (the treadmill, WaterRower, and floor), coaches are able to instruct a wide variety of exercises and movements that many individuals have never tried before or were not comfortable with until shown and coached the proper form. 

From pre-booking a class with your favorite coach to scheduling an Inbody scan to measure your fat and muscle mass percentage, Orangetheory is a safe, secure, and social fitness environment where staff and members will support you in every way they can. So, what are you currently doing to get more life out of your workouts?