It’s January. It’s cold and grey and I’ve been feeling in a bit of a fitness rut. Besides the campus gym I haven’t really stepped out into the fitness world in Guelph. But my options are limited here. There’s less going on than in Toronto where I spent sabbatical and even less going on than in London.
Sarah and I tried out Zwift at the Bike Shed on Saturday and on my own I went and tried out Orange Theory.
I’ve always been a bit of an attention deficit disorder exerciser. I like to have lots of options. And lately it’s been feeling like it’s just a matter of giving things up: running, soccer, Aikido and CrossFit.
Snipe racing is new but it’s winter.
Enter Orange Theory. I first noticed them in London and there’s one in Guelph. I knew the format. Like CrossFit it’s a group workout, a mix of cardio and strength training. I have friends who go and think it’s fun.
I stopped in on Friday for a demo class. I was equipped with a heart rate monitor and my name and heart rate appeared on a screen in the gym. The instructor asked about my fitness background and got points for not even once mentioning weight loss.
As for the class itself, there was a nice gender mix, mostly women but some men. I used the rowing machine and the spin bike instead of running on the treadmill for the cardio bit. I alternated 400 m segments of rowing with 1 mile efforts on the bike as prescribed by the workout of the day. The classes are 1 hour long and that felt just right.
The strength training was mostly chest and triceps using the bench, dumbbells, and the TRX. Each person got their own station. Unlike CrossFit there was no competition and no team efforts. There was no measuring or comparing. I have mixed feelings about that but right now, that works for me.
The instructor also got points for showing me where the heavier dumbbells live!
What did I like? As with personal training it feels good just to show up and have some one else plan the workout. I liked that about CrossFit too. I like the cardio and strength training mix, again like CrossFit. The group vibe works for me. I like that it’s month by month so I could sign up for the worst of winter, say January through March, and then say goodbye and head outside again. It also works with my limitations right now.
I could do without the calorie counts. Yawn.
Have you ever tried Orange Theory Fitness? Love it? Hate it? Tell us your story!
Here’s the results of my workout emailed to me after the class. Lots of time in the green cardio zone but also I was just learning my way around.
i have been doing Orange Theory for about a year. I go one to two times a week. I really like it. The work outs vary and are never boring. The instructors are great and the music provides incentive to move quicker. I would never push myself to the same intensity if I worked out solo. It has provided me with good foundation for other activities like running and cycling. So far I’m still enjoying it….although I can barely move after Saturday’s workout which consisted of a lot of lunges!
Nailed it. If you ever want to try or write about virtual training I’d love to be your test pilot. I have a virtual fitness program that guarantees results. Happy new year.