Orangetheory Fitness

Last updated
Orangetheory Fitness
Company type Private
Industry Fitness
Founded2010;14 years ago (2010)
FoundersDavid Long, Jerome Kern, Ellen Latham
Headquarters
Boca Raton, Florida
,
United States
Number of locations
1,500 [1]  (2023)
Areas served
 Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Germany, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States
Parent Company Founders (?–2016), Roark Capital Group (2016–)
Website www.orangetheory.com

Orangetheory Fitness (OTF) is an American boutique fitness studio franchise based in Boca Raton, Florida. The first studio was established in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2010 by founder, Ellen Latham. [2] The classes are one hour long and involve two groups, one on the treadmills and the other group working with weights or on rowers. [2] Since its founding in 2010, the chain has expanded, surpassing $1 billion in systemwide sales in 2018, [3] with over one million members in 2020. [4] As of 2023, Orangetheory Fitness has over 1,500 studios throughout 50 US states and 24 countries. [5]

Contents

In 2024, Orangetheory Fitness merged with the parent company of Anytime Fitness. [6]

History

Orangetheory Fitness was founded by exercise physiologist Ellen Latham, Jerome Kern, and David Long in March 2010. [7] It is the successor to a Fort Lauderdale-based Pilates studio, "Ellen's Ultimate Workout", founded by Latham in the late 1990s. [7]

Orangetheory Fitness was ranked No. 415 in Inc. magazine's "Fastest-Growing Private Companies" list [8] and No. 255 in Entrepreneur magazine's 2016 "Franchise 500" list of top franchises in the world. [9] [10] Orangetheory had grown to 350 studios in 7 countries by 2016. That year it received growth equity investment from the private equity firm Roark Capital Group to support its domestic and international growth. [11] Its position on the "Franchise 500" rose to No. 25 in 2019 [12] and No. 43 in 2020. [13] It had 1,200 studios by early 2020. [4]

COVID-19 pandemic response

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Orangetheory Fitness attempted to instill precautions to keep their employees and members safe. On March 17, 2020, all corporate-owned studios were closed. Franchisees were encouraged to follow their lead. [14]

Orangetheory Fitness paused all payments on their memberships during this closure. Corporate studios continued to pay their employees throughout this period. Due to their studios being closed, they developed at-home workouts to give members a way to exercise during this time. [14]

During the closure, Orangetheory Fitness' Medical Advisory Board developed a plan for reopening in order to attempt to reduce uncertainty while also keeping staff and members safe. The new policies implemented follow the guidelines created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which consisted of "temperature checks before entry; reduced class sizes to maintain social distancing; redesigned workouts to minimize equipment cross-contamination; class scheduling modifications to allow for thorough sanitation protocols in between classes; training and implementation of electrostatic cleanings; temporarily closures of showers and towel service; recommended use of face masks by members; and required use personal protective equipment by all staff." [15] Despite reopening their studios, however, the decision was made to continue providing their at-home workouts. [15]

Merger

In late February 2024, it was announced that Orangetheory Fitness would merge with the parent company of Anytime Fitness, Self Esteem Brands, to form a fitness franchise chain that has more than 7,000 locations (over 1,500 from Orangetheory, 5,500 Self Esteem) with combined sales of $3.5 billion. [16] [17] The merger was completed in April 2024. [6]

Overview

Orangetheory workouts are a form of high-intensity interval training, alternating between short periods of intense exercise and long recovery periods. [18] These hour-long sessions are designed to generate excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). [18] Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption is a physiological concept that occurs after an elevation in oxygen consumption as the body returns to its pre-exercise state. [19]

Studios are split into three stations: treadmill, water-resistant rowing machines, and weight training. [18] Attendees cycle between these stations over the course of a session. [18] Workouts are categorized as emphasizing endurance, power, or strength, or a combination of the three. [18] Workout sessions are group exercises led by a coach. Classes are pre-designed and not divulged to attendees prior to arrival. [18]

Members can book classes through the Orangetheory app which displays the location, day and time of open classes as well as which coach will be teaching. Members have the option to book classes at any OTF location around the world. [20]

Technology

Heart rate monitors are to be worn around the chest, forearm, or wrist. All metrics are shown on screens within the studio and for updated studios, they are shown on tablets attached to the treadmills or rowers.

There are five heart rate zones used in the Orangetheory workout; grey, blue, green, orange, and red. [21]

  1. The grey zone is 0–60 percent of an attendee's maximum heart-rate and is equivalent to an attendee's resting heart rate. [21] [22]
  2. The blue zone is 61–70 percent of an attendee's maximum heart-rate. This is considered a warm-up period. [21]
  3. The green zone is 71–83 percent of an attendee's maximum heart-rate. This is considered an aerobic period of exercise. [21]
  4. The orange zone is 84–91 percent of an attendee's maximum heart-rate and when an attendee may reach EPOC. [21] [22]
  5. The red zone is 92–100 percent of a participant's maximum heart-rate and represents a period of extreme physical exertion by an attendee. [21]

Each attendee has the option to wear a branded heart rate monitor that is synchronized to a screen displaying performance metrics for the entire class. [18] Attendees are encouraged to accumulate "splat points," which are based on the amount of time spent in the orange and red heart rate zones, in order to achieve the EPOC effect. The recommended amount of splat points per class is 12 to 20, depending on your age, weight, and gender. [18] Statistics are delivered to each member after each workout via email and a mobile app. [18]

OTF recently partnered with InBody to give members the opportunity to see their body composition analysis through the InBody Test. [23] The test is performed by standing barefoot on the scale while it measures the weight. It then measures limb weight by standing still with arms out at a 45-degree angle while holding scanners. This 15 second test provides the user with a summary of statistics such as their metabolic rate, skeletal muscle mass, body fat percentage, and more. This test gives more information than a normal scale, allowing users to pinpoint areas of improvement. After completing the scan, users are asked to enter their email to get a copy of their in-depth summary.

Social involvement

Orangetheory Fitness hosts several challenges throughout the year, including the Transformation Challenge, Dri-Tri, Marathon, All Out Mayhem, Hell Week, Orange Voyage, Catch Me If You Can, Inferno, Capture the Flag, [24] and 12 Days of Fitness. [25] These challenges offer members themed workouts and apparel such as t-shirts, hats, or socks, for completing so many days of the challenge. [26]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Physical fitness</span> State of health and well-being

Physical fitness is a state of health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of sports, occupations, and daily activities. Physical fitness is generally achieved through proper nutrition, moderate-vigorous physical exercise, and sufficient rest along with a formal recovery plan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anaerobic exercise</span> Physical exercise intense enough to cause lactate formation

Anaerobic exercise is a type of exercise that breaks down glucose in the body without using oxygen; anaerobic means "without oxygen". In practical terms, this means that anaerobic exercise is more intense, but shorter in duration than aerobic exercise.

V̇O2 max (also maximal oxygen consumption, maximal oxygen uptake or maximal aerobic capacity) is the maximum rate of oxygen consumption attainable during physical exertion. The name is derived from three abbreviations: "V̇" for volume (the dot over the V indicates "per unit of time" in Newton's notation), "O2" for oxygen, and "max" for maximum and usually normalized per kilogram of body mass. A similar measure is V̇O2 peak (peak oxygen consumption), which is the measurable value from a session of physical exercise, be it incremental or otherwise. It could match or underestimate the actual V̇O2 max. Confusion between the values in older and popular fitness literature is common. The capacity of the lung to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide is constrained by the rate of blood oxygen transport to active tissue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exercise intensity</span>

Exercise intensity refers to how much energy is expended when exercising. Perceived intensity varies with each person. It has been found that intensity has an effect on what fuel the body uses and what kind of adaptations the body makes after exercise. Intensity is the amount of physical power that the body uses when performing an activity. For example, exercise intensity defines how hard the body has to work to walk a mile in 20 minutes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elliptical trainer</span> Stationary exercise machine

An elliptical trainer or cross-trainer is a stationary exercise machine used to stair climb, walk, or run without causing excessive pressure to the joints, hence decreasing the risk of impact injuries. For this reason, people with some injuries can use an elliptical to stay fit, as the low impact affects them little. Elliptical trainers offer a non-impact cardiovascular workout that can vary from light to high intensity based on the speed of the exercise and the resistance preference set by the user.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption</span> Increased rate of oxygen intake following strenuous activity

Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption is a measurably increased rate of oxygen intake following strenuous activity. In historical contexts the term "oxygen debt" was popularized to explain or perhaps attempt to quantify anaerobic energy expenditure, particularly as regards lactic acid/lactate metabolism; in fact, the term "oxygen debt" is still widely used to this day. However, direct and indirect calorimeter experiments have definitively disproven any association of lactate metabolism as causal to an elevated oxygen uptake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Step aerobics</span> Form of aerobic exercise

Step aerobics, also known as bench aerobics and step training, is a form of aerobic exercise that involves stepping on and off a small platform.

Aerobic conditioning is the use of continuous, rhythmic movement of large muscle groups to strengthen the heart and lungs. Improvement in aerobic conditioning occurs when athletes expose themselves to an increase in oxygen uptake and metabolism, but to keep this level of aerobic conditioning, the athletes must keep or progressively increase their training to increase their aerobic conditioning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Health club</span> Place which houses exercise equipment for the purpose of physical exercise

A health club is a place that houses exercise equipment for the purpose of physical exercise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of exercise</span> Overview of and topical guide to exercise

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to exercise:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce protocol</span> Test of physical fitness and cardiac health

The Bruce protocol is a standardized diagnostic test used in the evaluation of cardiac function and physical fitness, developed by American cardiologist Robert A. Bruce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crunch Fitness</span> Membership-based fitness and training gym

Crunch Fitness is a U.S.-based brand of over 400 franchised and corporate owned fitness clubs located in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Costa Rica, and Australia. Founded by Doug Levine in 1989, its current Worldwide CEO is Jim Rowley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anytime Fitness</span> American multinational fitness center chain

Anytime Fitness Franchisor, LLC, doing business as Anytime Fitness, is an American franchise of 24 hour health and fitness clubs that is based in Woodbury, Minnesota, United States. The company operates over 5,000 franchised locations in 50 countries. In 2014, Anytime Fitness was named the top franchise of 2014 by Entrepreneur magazine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebound exercise</span> Type of elastically leveraged exercise

Rebound exercise is a type of elastically leveraged low-impact exercise usually performed on a device known as a rebounder—sometimes called a "mini-trampoline" or "fitness trampoline"—which is directly descended from regular sports or athletic trampolines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ElliptiGO</span> Exercise machine manufacturer

ElliptiGO, Inc. is a manufacturer of stand-up and elliptical bicycles headquartered in Solana Beach, California. Elliptical bikes combine the motion of an indoor elliptical trainer with the outdoor mobility of a traditional bicycle. They are a type of treadle bicycle, powered by treadles, rather than pedals mounted directly on the crank arms. Treadle drive trains were historically intermediate between highwheeled penny-farthings and the bicycle chain; Elliptigos, like some other later treadle bicycles, use both treadles and a chain.

Rock My Run is a mobile running/fitness app founded in 2011 that provides running and workout music in the form of DJ mixes. It is owned by Rock My World, Inc., a health and fitness technology company based in San Diego, California. The app allows users to listen to these professional DJ mixes on their smartphone while running or working out to enhance and motivate their performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peloton Interactive</span> Exercise equipment manufacturer

Peloton Interactive, Inc. is an American exercise equipment and media company based in New York City. The company's products are stationary bicycles, treadmills, and indoor rowers equipped with Internet-connected touch screens that stream live and on-demand fitness classes through a subscription service. The equipment includes built-in sensors that track metrics such as power output, providing users with real-time feedback on their performance and leaderboard rankings to compete with other users.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">F45 Training</span> Australian-based fitness studio franchise

F45 Training is an Australian franchiser and operator of fitness centers based in Austin, Texas. It has over 2,000 studios in over 60 countries across Australia/Oceania, North America, South America, Asia, Europe and Africa. The fitness franchise was launched in 2011 by Adam Gilchrist and Rob Deutsche. It was ranked the fastest growing fitness franchise in the US in 2021, one of the fastest globally. It has around 2,000 studios worldwide, including approximately 500 studios in Australia and about 1,000 studios in the United States as of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacki Sorensen</span> Originator of aerobic dancing

Jacki Sorensen is the American originator of aerobic dancing, popularly known as aerobics. Inspired by Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper's 1968 book on aerobic exercise, she created for women an aerobic dance routine to music in 1969 in Puerto Rico, teaching U.S. Air Force wives. She expanded this concept into a teaching method and studio franchise, Aerobic Dancing Inc., that rose to 1,500 locations and 4,000 instructors teaching 170,000 students in 1981 at its peak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fitness (Apple)</span> Mobile application developed by Apple

Fitness, formerly Activity, is an exercise tracking companion app by Apple Inc. available on iPhones running iOS 8.2 or above for users with a connected Apple Watch, later expanding to all iPhones regardless of Watch connectivity with the release of iOS 16. The application displays a summary view of user's recorded workouts from the Apple Watch or supported third-party apps and exercise equipment, as well as acting as the home for all Apple Fitness+ content.

References

  1. ↑ "Orangetheory Fitness location count". Orangetheory. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  2. 1 2 Valverde, M. (2014, February 19). "Orangetheory Fitness in healthy expansion mode". Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL), p. 1D. Available from NewsBank
  3. ↑ Dominic, Anthony (February 4, 2019). "Orangetheory Fitness Exceeds $1 Billion in 2018 System-Wide Revenue". Club Industry. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  4. 1 2 Bondy, Halley (January 2, 2020). "Fired at 40, comeback at 54: How Ellen Latham built fitness giant Orangetheory". NBC News . Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Orangetheory® Fitness Taps Grammy Award®-Winning Director Dave Meyers for Latest Advertising Campaign". February 28, 2023 – via Club Industry.
  6. 1 2 Michaels, Laura (April 3, 2024). "Orangetheory, Anytime Fitness Parent Complete Massive Merger". Franchise Times.
  7. 1 2 Lima, Debora (April 17, 2016). "Fort Lauderdale-based Orangetheory Fitness grows 'like wildfire'". Miami Herald . Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Orangetheory Fitness: Number 415 on the 2015 Inc. 5000".
  9. ↑ "Orangetheory Fitness: Number 255 on Entrepreneur magazine's 2016 "Franchise 500" list".
  10. ↑ Herold, Tracy Stapp (6 February 2015). "Top Fastest-Growing Franchises for 2015".
  11. ↑ Vemuri, Chitra (February 17, 2016). "Roark Capital Pumps Growth Equity Into Orangetheory Fitness". Wall Street Journal.
  12. ↑ "Orangetheory Fitness: Number 25 on Entrepreneur magazine's 2019 "Franchise 500" list".
  13. ↑ "Orangetheory Fitness: Number 43 on Entrepreneur magazine's 2020 "Franchise 500" list".
  14. 1 2 Orangetheory® Fitness to Close All Corporate-Owned Studios Amid COVID-19 Pandemic. (2020, April 5). Medical Letter on the CDC & FDA, 436.
  15. 1 2 Orangetheory Fitness studios reopen. (2020, May 20). Journal Record
  16. ↑ Halter, Nick (February 29, 2024). "Anytime Fitness parent company merging with Orangetheory". Axios.
  17. ↑ Terry, Liz (February 29, 2024). "Orangetheory and Self Esteem Brands are to merge to form a 3.5 billion business". Spa Business.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Hosie, Rachel (March 3, 2019). "Why the world is obsessed with Orangetheory, the heart rate-monitoring workout that hit $1 billion in sales in a single year". Business Insider. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  19. ↑ Lecovin, Geoff. "(EPOC) Exploring Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption". blog.nasm.org. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  20. ↑ "How Do I Book A Class". Orangetheory Fitness.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Group, Sinclair Broadcast (2016-04-01). "Orangetheory takes science, fitness to the next level". DC Refined. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  22. 1 2 Yi, Nicole (2018-06-04). "Orangetheory Fitness: What the 5 Different Zones on Display Mean". POPSUGAR Fitness. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  23. ↑ InBody. "InBody Partners with Orangetheory® Fitness to Advance Technology Offerings with Body Composition Analysis". Cision PR Newswire.
  24. ↑ Al, Eliass (2022-10-19). "OrangeTheory's Capture the Flag Workout [Guide]". Ectomorphing. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  25. ↑ Al, Eliass (2022-10-15). "OrangeTheory's 12 Days of Fitness 2022 [What You Should Know]". Ectomorphing. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  26. ↑ Orangetheory Fitness. "Seven Events to Flex Your Competitive Muscles". Orangetheory Fitness.
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