Orange theory of fitness What is it and what does it all consist of?

You’ve probably heard of the orange theory of fitness, a form of training created by a franchised chain of gyms, offering nothing more than interval classes for cardio and strength training. The company is based in South Florida and was created by a physiologist Ellen Latham.

The actual study space of gyms that follow the orange theory of fitness generally includes a lobby, a couple of bathrooms and showers, closets, and the main study, where workouts take place. Individuals can pay to take walk-in classes one at a time or pay for a membership subscription by purchasing packages of four to unlimited classes per month.

Each workout that follows the Orange Theory of Fitness includes treadmill work , indoor water rowing, and strength sessions in the weight room. All participants use a heart rate monitor with real-time readings during class. The orange theory of fitness gym spaces are small enough to provide a sense of community, where members and fitness instructors know each other very well. Most classes have no more than 24-26 participants.

Benefits of this training

The most important benefits of this way of training are the following:

  • Enhanced full body conditioning.
  • Sessions with high caloric expenditure .
  • Improved muscular endurance, strength and power.
  • Increased agility and coordination.
  • Speed ​​improvement.
  • Possibility of working and becoming familiar with different types of equipment.
  • Motivation when working as a team.
entrenamiento de la Teoría naranja del fitness

What is the orange theory of fitness training?

A typical Orange Theory of Fitness workout is about 55-60 minutes in length and includes blocks of cardio and strength training intervals with breaks in between.
Training is guided by heart rate, which is a highlight of these types of sessions, as exercise science teaches us that high intensity interval training is excellent for increasing metabolism for up to 36 hours after training.

Participants are divided into two groups , one group starts on the treadmills and another on the indoor water rowing machines. Although participants start in different blocks, each will have the opportunity to experience each part of the training during the hour-long class.

Each workout typically equates to approximately 26-28 minutes on the treadmill or bike and approximately 26-28 minutes in the weight room.

The difference with other types of workouts is that it is based on reaching and then maintaining an “ideal” heart rate. During the 60 minutes of these sessions, participants wear individual heart monitors that display results on a screen in each study, a method believed to foster competitive spirit among athletes. People watch their heart rate rise to 84% of their total maximum heart rate. Reaching this ideal heart rate is known, in fitness orange theory parlance, as hitting the “Orange Zone” or the “Red Zone.”

Orange theory of fitness workouts work by focusing on excessive oxygen consumption after exercise (EPOC) , which basically means that due to the body’s need to replenish oxygen after exercise, it continues to burn calories at a higher rate even when training is over.

The training is different every day, not only so that the participants do not get bored, but also so that the bodies continually overcome obstacles. Sessions can also have a different focus and focus on power, strength, or endurance, depending on the day.
Each class is uniquely structured, which means that the same class is never repeated twice. In addition, there are special events with extended 90-minute sessions and even “tornado” classes in which there are three groups of participants in the room to mobilize a whirlwind of motivation.

Actually, to get started with this type of training, it is best to test before deciding whether to continue or not , since interval training does not like everyone.

After each individual Orange Theory of Fitness class, each participant receives a “Performance Summary” by email. In general, each hour-long class burns between 475 and 600 calories, with 25-35 minutes in the green zone and 12-20 minutes in the orange and red zones – the zones where the heart rate is highest. combined.

The first time you try something new it can be overwhelming, but the great thing about Orange Theory of Fitness workouts is that it allows you to work out at your own level and pace throughout the class. You don’t have to keep up or compete with anyone at all, it’s all up to you. The pace of the classes can be hectic for you, but you’ll be a pro in no time.