My first thought was that this workout might involve fruit, maybe picking up oranges without using your hands… sadly there were no actual oranges involved. On the plus side, this one-hour interval workout session is great fun, incredibly energizing and refreshingly varied.
What’s the ‘Orange’ about?
The physiological theory behind the Orangetheory workout is known as ‘Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption’, or EPOC. Everyone who takes part in the class is given a heart monitor – which is nothing new, Speedflex anyone? But the difference lies in that the focus is on maintaining your heart rate within the ‘orange’ zone for 12-20 minutes of the session, so at about 84 per cent of your maximum heart rate.
This program design produces EPOC, which is the workout ‘after-burn’ effect, meaning that their interval training produces a 200-400 calorie increase to your metabolism 24-36 hours after your workout. It’s the workout that keeps on working.
The class
After getting kitted out with your personal heart monitor, it’s on to the treadmill. The sessions are comprised of three components: treadmill interval training blocks, indoor rowing and weight room or resistance training blocks, which I found to be a really great mix of cardio and strength & conditioning.
The sessions were challenging, but you work to your pace. With the running, you set your own ‘jog’ pace and then it was up to you to decide how fast your ‘flat-out’ pace was. This was brilliant as it meant that everyone was working as hard as they could but the session was still completely inclusive to all levels of fitness.
I absolutely loved the rowing machines. The modern design replicates the motion of rowing using water that spins around, giving you a much smoother motion, which I think really helped to improve my technique.
The weights segment was great, and gives you a really satisfying burn. Our trainer made sure to work every muscle in the body, from the triceps to the glutes and quads. If you’re a cardio enthusiast like me, you might not be used to using weights in your regime, so it feels really effective to actively engage all of these muscles.
The Benefits
- Sustainable results. With the sessions only lasting an hour, and the ability to work at your own pace, you should really be able to keep this up. Three sessions per week is more than feasible!
- Weight loss – if weight loss is your goal, the ‘after burn’ effect means you can burn an extra 400 calories even when the session is over.
- Performance – the sessions can help to improve your muscle endurance, power and stamina, so it’s an ideal supplement to sports training and can give you a real boost.
- Hello endorphins – the loud music and energetic trainer can’t help but get your heart pumping. The small group mentality is incredibly positive and you all encourage each other.
The classes are not exactly mind-blowing or revolutionary, the fitness world seems to be saturated with variants on interval training at the moment, but Orangetheory is definitely enjoyable. The classes are fun, lively and challenging without making you dread them.
Orangetheory launched at David Lloyd this August, so visit their website for booking information: www.davidlloyd.co.uk/islington
Natalie Morris, Sportsister
The Women’s Sport Magazine