Since posting why I joined Orangetheory Fitness (OTF) nearly two years ago, I received an overwhelmingly amount of positive feedback. Additionally, a number of readers then reached out asking for further details on the OTF experience.
As readers continued ask more questions, I realized there was a need to explore different areas of not only OTF, but related personal fitness experiences.
Background
About a year ago, I posted a one-year snapshot of how many I calories burned, how many splat points I earned, and other performance-related details.
This led to a series posts covering the different aspects of OTF. A few, among others, are listed here.
Running
It’s All About That Base (Pace)! aimed to give readers, whether they tried Orangetheory or not, a basic foundation.
If you want to know how to improve your endurance and abilities as a walker, jogger, or runner, knowing your base pace is key.
Rowing
Let’s Get Rowing! covered perhaps the least familiar exercise for a number of OTF participants. Even outside OTF, rowing machines scare some people. It shouldn’t – rowing is a great exercise!
I eventually received a few messages and follow-ups from readers on how they’ve changed their mindset. Some said they enjoyed rowing the most now out of the entire OTF workout.
This is great to hear. Not only is the rower a great part of the workout, it really can test your overall strength, endurance, and power.
Dri-Tri
Finally, in How to Win (Your Personal) Dri-Tri, we explored strategies to win OTF’s premier strength and endurance test given every 6 months. While there are different versions of Dri-Tri now, the full remains my personal favorite.
We did cover additional areas of workouts, such as Hell Week; we also explored ways to find balance and to recover. These last two are just as important as going to the workout itself.
As some readers asked for more frequent progress updates, this is meant to be a brief monthly series recapping the month’s activities. In addition, we’ll highlight some of the data I collect and record after each OTF workout.
This Month’s Results
As mentioned previously, I strongly believe:
you need to be able count, quantify, or measure something in order to effectively gauge progress.
I track the following key elements:
- (1) Calories Burned
- (2) Average Heart Rate / Zone
- (3) Splat Points
As always, please do not compare these numbers, results, and other details to your own performance; they are for reference only.
Here is a further review of each category.
1) Calories
While I do enjoy seeing the calories I’ve burned bankroll and add up after each workout, I don’t consider this category to be my primary area of focus. Tracking calories is important.
But my actual weight is less important than balancing my ability to effectively run, row, and lift things up & put them down.
2) Average Heart Rate / Zone
I’m usually able to stay in the orange and red zone a long time. But some other people around me are going just as fast or hard and are nearly 10 percentage points below me. Damn their youth and abundance of energy! Just kidding (kind of).
Overall, I’m happy with the progress I’ve made. It’s useful to compare yourself to others, but it shouldn’t dictate the way you feel or how you evaluate your own progress.
3) Splat Points
The goal of each workout at OTF is to try to spend at least 12 combined minutes in the orange and/or red zone. I carefully monitor my progress during a workout to see how hard I’m working. Some days I don’t get 12, but that’s okay.
Lessons Learned this Month
Another month of OTF has been both exhilarating and exhausting. As my endurance and conditioning built up, I found myself being able to go harder and longer. I was able to accomplish the following this month:
Completed 23 workouts in 30 days
Rowed over 50,000 meters during OTF’s Rovember Challenge
Tried a new OTF Chicago studio
Ate some damn good chicken wings with friends multiple times
Despite the progress, it’s also important to rest and pace. I nearly injured myself a couple of times in prior months. I was stupid. It’s important to listen to your body and adjust accordingly.
I still average 5 times a week, but there is usually a day or two where I take things a little easier – at least part of the workout. If I hit my 12 splat points, for example, I might jump on the bike for a block instead of spending another 5 minutes on the treadmill. More recently, I’ve thrown in power walking at inclines to spice it up.
Overall, I continue to reflect on what actions have made my experience better and helped me be happier – both in fitness and other areas of my life:
Show Up – Plan Ahead
Schedule your workouts in advance. It might be hard to do this weeks or months in advance, but it’s possible to do it for the week ahead.
Bake it into your calendar, and you’ll have no reason not to go.
Shut Up – Get it Done
Focus. Stop complaining and making excuses. Getting to the workout is the hardest part.
Once you’re there, take 1 set or 1 block at a time. Each workout is part of a larger process, but each is unique and part of the adventure.
Buddy Up – Make a Friend
Working out with friends is fun. They don’t need to be your childhood BFFs. Meet some new people. Grab a buddy from work.
On your own? Say hello to someone when on a jog. Offer a friendly nod to another runner. Whatever is your thing.
As one of our former coaches would say:
“fitness is funner with friends. Show your neighbor some looooovvvveee; their heart hurts just like your’s does.”
Party Up – Reward Yourself
Don’t go overboard or do anything stupid. But you need to reward yourself along the way.
Enjoy a couple of beers; grab dessert. Whatever you enjoy, indulge a little bit.
Looking Back – and More Importantly – Ahead
I’m having fun. Not every day is a “YES! I want to get up at 5:30 to go workout before work!” But it’s a lifestyle choice.
Consistency is key. It’s the little things that count toward progress.
You just need to remind yourself that there is only one person holding you back.
Readers, what are you trying to become? How are you working toward a better version of you? What is your WHY?
Related:
A 10-Year Reflection: To Gym or Not to Gym?
Orangetheory Fitness: Post-Hell Week & Change
Post-Fat Kid Circle of Self-Circumvention
Our favorite free financial tool is Personal Capital. We use it to track our net worth, manage our spending & savings, and to monitor our investments. It’s simple and free to use.
