So I am sure by now you guys know that I have been doing Orange Theory’s 8-week transformation challenge. If you’re following me on Instagram then you have probably watched my instastories where I have been showing you some of my workouts. I’m going to be posting updates on my 8 week transformation challenge with Orange Theory but before doing that I thought it would be a good idea to get the basics out of the way and explain, in my own words, what Orange Theory actually is.
For those who don’t already know, Orange Theory is a privately owned fitness franchise. But that’s the super obvious stuff. You’re probably reading this because you want to know more specifics, how it works etc. I have first hand experience so I’ll explain the basics and try to help you understand a bit more about Orange Theory.
It offers group personal training workouts based on high intensity interval training (HIIT) that blend cardiovascular and strength training.
Orange Theory focuses on group training workouts that center around HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) which combines both aerobic (cardiovascular) and anaerobic (strength training) exercise. Each Orange Theory class is set to music and performed in a group environment which helps many people feel accountable and comfortable performing with peers who almost feel like teammates after a while.
Everyone exercising at
Orange Theory wears a heart rate monitor so as to track their progress and see how their body is reacting. The
Orange Theory training concept is designed to stimulate metabolism, increase energy, and provide group support and accountability. The desired result of the training regimen consists of more energy, visible and lasting toning, and extra calorie burn for up to 36-hours.
[4] The science behind this effect is known as
excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).
Each session is lead by an official Orange Theory personal training and goes on for approximately 60 minutes which leads you into the EPOC zone. An average training session should burn about 500-1,000 calories and you can burn several hundred calories post workout due to getting into the zone and achieving an “afterburn” effect. That’s the scientific way of breaking it down – thanks Google! But Orange Theory makes it easy for everyone to understand by using a “splat point” system. Basically, you’re looking to get into either the “Orange Zone” or the “Red Zone” which is based on your heart rate and body reaction. For each minute you spend in the Orange or Red Zone, you earn 1 splat point. If you can hit 12 splat points in a workout, you’ll get the afterburn and say goodbye to a lot of calories post workout even though you’re done exercising. What’s really cool about being part of an Orange Theory class is that, in additional to everything else we’ve mentione, you visual cues allowing you to see, live, where you’re at in terms of approaching or being in the Orange or Red zone and its extremely motivating. Usually when you’re exercising, you’re just kind of doing your best and don’t know “exactly” what you’re achieving in a lot of instances. Particularly for cardiovascular work. Imagine being on a treadmill and having the treadmill let you know that if you pick up the pace just a little bit, you’ll get a big calorie burning rewards. That’s kind of what its like and seeing the goal right in front of you motivates you to do what you need in order to grab it but also gives you a sense of reward almost immediately since you know the work you’ve put in is going to pay off.
That should give you a pretty good idea of what the basics are when it comes to Orange Theory. In my coming blog posts, I’ll focus more on my experiences so please stay tuned and check back as I’ll be updating frequently!
