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When people find out I'm a coach, there's a moment where I'm tested. It happened recently at a dinner with my friend's family. The conversation turned to OrangeTheory, the popular boot camp workout style that uses a variety of weights and cardio supported by technology.
My friend's sister, Katie, went to a local franchise for the last few months and everyone wanted to know what I thought of the training.
I could tell everyone thought I was more into OrangeTheory than the dessert I just demolished.
But my answer surprised everyone—and it's an important reminder when you're trying to find the right workout for you.
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How do I find the right training for you?
I have been training people for over 15 years, including some big names. But when people ask me what I think of their training plan, my first reaction usually surprises them.
I started by figuring out how many times a week someone wants to exercise and how often they achieve that goal.
I call it the oneConsistency ratio, and it's the most underrated aspect of finding the right workout for your goals and your body.
The “best workouts” are the ones that work for you. However, “working for you” is less about reps and sets and more about consistency and sustainability.
If you are given the best program in the world but can only do it at 50 percent capacity for a few months, your results will be overwhelming. If you compare this approach to an “inferior program” that you complete 80 percent of the time for a year, you would get much better results from the hypothetically inferior program.
The reason is obvious: results are about motivating you and working hard. You can always “tweak” later, but consistency (not perfection) always comes first. This includes both your dietandtrain.
But with so many options - from online coaching, digital streaming, bootcamps, apps and one-on-one training - it's not so easy to find what works for you.
Therefore, you should first consider variables that may make it difficult for you to want to exercise.
This includes things like:
What is the training environment?
- Machst du Übungen, bei denen du dich wohl und sicher fühlst?
- Wenn nicht, haben Sie die Unterstützung, um dieses Vertrauen zu gewinnen?
- Haben Sie Spaß an einigen (nicht unbedingt allen) der Workouts?
- Haben Sie das Gefühl, dass es Sie besser macht?
- Ergreifen Sie Maßnahmen und setzen Sie sie um oder finden Sie Gründe, dies zu vermeiden?
- Passt es zu Ihrem Lebensstil – oder bewirkt es eine so dramatische Veränderung, dass Sie es kaum erwarten können, bis Sie mit dem Programm fertig sind?
There are many other considerations, but anything that increases your consistency ratio to around 80 percent (or more) is the sweet spot for results.
Are there things I don't like about OrangeTheory?
You bet, and we'll cover these in more detail below.
But these details are not as important as they appear week after week.
Is OrangeTheory a good workout?
Back to my friend's sister. For the first time in her life, she trained consistently. So I encouraged her to continue as long as none of the movements caused pain.
If you've found something that works, don't worry about the details now. Just keep showing up.
OrangeTheory itself contains some elements that help people from both a consistency standpoint, the environment, and the workouts themselves.
OrangeTheory workouts are a one-hour, full-body experience that combines cardio and weights to improve endurance, strength and performance. And it's all supported by heart rate monitors that measure your progress during exercise and share your results on video boards.
The workouts can support either fat loss or muscle building (depending on how you adjust your diet), and it's really aimed at those who enjoy working in group classes.
I may like working out in dark garages, but many people have difficulty working out in secluded spaces.
Training in a large group, like at OrangeTheory, is motivating and far less intimidating than 1-on-1 training.
As Katie (my friend's sister) shared,
"It was able to teach me exercises that I could use outside of their gym that I never knew how to do before or wouldn't try on my own in an average gym."
And the relationships you develop can help keep you accountable because others will know when you skip.
The camaraderie of group training is an undeniable benefit. Oh, and, for better or worse, whenanyoneYou can see your heart rate on the video screens - like this, you're less likely to call them.
Orange Theory also gamifies the workouts, which can also help with motivation.
During a workout you earn “Splat” points. These splat points indicate minutes spent in high-intensity heart rate zones.
The Orange Theory website suggests that you should aim for 12 splat points every workout to maximize calorie burn (more on that below).
Orange theory getssomethingThings right when it comes to training if your goal is fat loss.
Although half the time is spent on the treadmill (or bike or strider), workouts include strength training. Trainers combine 2-3 strength training movements together, alternating between upper body, lower body and core movements.
Called “tri-sets” or mini-circuits, this is a solid setup for a fat loss workout and one that we use with some Born Fitness clients.
They also combine these circuits with cardio sprint efforts, usually on the rower, before returning to the strength circuit for another set. We also use this strategy at Born Fitness, but only with more advanced clients (and for a limited time, more on that below).
Where the Orange Theory Can Improve
From a training perspective, there are a few areas you should consider before starting an OrangeTheory program. Again, these aren't reasons the approach is bad, just things that might not be a good fit for you.
Error 1: No cycling intensity
When you combine 26-28 minutes of treadmill-based cardio training and 26-28 minutes of high-intensity circuit-based strength training, you will push your body to a high level over a long period of time.
This leads us to my first point of contention with OrangeTheory: it uses maximum intensity as a badge of honor, which doesn't always produce great results.
It's important to be aware of what makes a "great" workout. Yes, intensity is required, but in the right amounts.
Qualifying a workout as “good” only if you burn 800 calories and end up sweating on the floor is a slippery slope. Additionally, for some people, this can lead to earning your food with intense workouts.
You have to train hard and OrangeTheory will teach you how to do it. But high-intensity workouts without modifications not only result in lower returns, but can also lead to burnout and increase the risk of injury.
A pattern I will often use with clients in oursCoaching programconsists of 1-2 strength phases followed by a 4-5 week high-intensity circuit phase. We cycle intensity and calm to ensure you progress and challenge your body in different ways.
Problem #2: A narrow approach to cardio
While high intensity cardio is an excellent tool to improve your aerobics Fitness, that's not itnecessaryTo dramatically change your body.
A new one learnsuggests that high-intensity exercise and moderate-intensity exercise workequallygood when it comes to fat loss.
The meta-analysis (study study) examined 55 different studies to examine the differences between HICE (high-intensity interval training) and MICE (moderate-intensity continuous training).
HICE training had several benefits, such as building aerobic capacity (called VO2 max), oxygenating muscles, and improving overall cardiovascular health.
But if you're just focused on fat loss, both HICE and MICE seem to work equally well.
Problem #3: Difficulty personalizing group training
This isn't specific to OrangeTheory, as most group exercise programs can do a lot of good for the masses, but they do have onepotentialLimitation.
OrangeTheory strength training workouts seem random.
Random workouts can be fun (and make you sweat), but how do you know if you're getting stronger at a particular movement?
And if you combine your strength exercises with bursts of cardio, you're less likely to recover between sets. A shorter recovery time means you won't be able to load the movements set after set to challenge yourself enough to build (or maintain) lean muscle.
Remember, when you strength train during fat loss periods, you want to maintain as much muscle mass as possible and not burn endless calories that could mean you lose muscleand fat.
To do this, you need to gradually do more work (sets x reps) over time. The easiest way to do this is to track your workouts and repeat those workouts over a period of 3 to 5 weeks.
All in all, we can criticize almost every training session. If Orange Theory helps you stay consistent with your training, doesn't cause injuries, and is an environment that you enjoy, then you should be sure to stick with it and see where it takes you.
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BJ has a BS in Health and Human Performance and multiple certifications including Precision Nutrition Level 1 and BioForce Certified Conditioning Coach. During his 14-year coaching career, he has been fortunate to coach a variety of clients. From online customers who want to be in top shape, to CEO Nate Checketts (Rhone) and CEO Marcelo Claure (Softbank) to professional skateboarder Sean Malto. Before starting his training career, he was a research assistant in the sports science laboratory.