For Orangetheory, Science-Backed Training Isn’t Just for Olympians

The group fitness giant uses heart-rate data to create truly personalized workouts, giving members a taste of what it’s like to train at a high level

The Paris Olympics are underway featuring the world’s top athletes, but Orangetheory Fitness (OTF) wants workout enthusiasts to know that high-level, science-backed training isn’t just for those competing at the highest levels of sport.

One of the world’s largest and fastest-growing boutique fitness brands , Orangetheory combines heart-rate-based interval training with advanced heart-rate monitoring for both elite athletes and everyday fitness enthusiasts alike.

Scott Brown, vice president of fitness at Orangetheory , spoke with Athletech News about how the fitness brand designs its programs to drive member success.

“We utilize a functional, total-body approach in most workout designs,” Brown told ATN. “This means we’re training the body to improve its capabilities across endurance, strength and power while blending our exercise selection with a balance of the major movement patterns.”

Real Data, Effective Workouts

Orangetheory’s appeal, for many, lies in the adaptability and precision of its functional total-body approach: participants can customize their workout to their individual fitness levels.

“The beauty is in the adaptability where the member and the coach can dial up or down specific components to reach specific goals when needed,” Brown said.

OTF’s use of metrics is well-known in the fitness industry. Each workout is tracked with a heart-rate monitor, and members receive performance summaries in their mobile app, including their heart-rate zones.

“We have a wide variety of data and metrics to help each member learn more about themselves and monitor what matters to them,” Brown added. “For those who want to dive deeper, they can use a dynamic heart rate graph where you can scrub the timeline and see what your heart rate was compared to the output on the treadmill and rower, plus see how your rate reacted to the floor exercises .”

Next-Level Personalization

While many fitness programs use heart-rate data, OTF uses this data to create personalized workouts.

“Our MaxHR algorithm tailors maximum heart rate calculations based on individual performance data gathered during classes rather than relying solely on generic age-based formulas,” Brown explained. ‘

Orangetheory members receive heart rate zones uniquely calibrated to their fitness levels, leading to more effective training.

“Our system goes a step further by using this data to create a truly personalized workout experience for each member,” he noted.

Compete Against Yourself

OTF also runs a series of fitness benchmarks throughout the year so members can track their progress. The benchmarks connect to the principles of endurance, strength and power, and are frequently updated in the mobile app.

“For many members, all the details are not important; just that when they started, they were unable to jog a mile, and now they can,” Brown said. “We can also use the benchmarks as proxies for the members with athletic goals to focus on specific physiologic traits we want to improve like anaerobic power, VO2 max, and lactate thresholds.”

As the Olympics drive interest in intense fitness training, many studios hope everyday people will push their athletic limits.

“My personal hope is that more and more people embrace the athlete’s journeys and find motivation in their dedication and determination,” Brown concluded.

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