{"id":9922,"date":"2019-12-17T22:03:54","date_gmt":"2019-12-17T22:03:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/healthylivinglondon.com\/?p=9922"},"modified":"2019-12-17T22:03:56","modified_gmt":"2019-12-17T22:03:56","slug":"tried-tested-orangetheory-islington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthylivinglondon.com\/london-health-fitness-reviews\/tried-tested-orangetheory-islington\/","title":{"rendered":"TRIED & TESTED \/\/ ORANGETHEORY ISLINGTON"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Orangetheory is a fitness franchise which offers strength and cardio HIIT workouts. It swept through the US and now has 1,150 locations, and since its launch in 2010, it has since expanded into 23 countries, including 3 locations in London. Eliza went to see what all the hype was about at Orangetheory Islington. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sweaty
After a particularly sweaty session!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d walked past Orangetheory Islington<\/a> many times along Upper Street. I’d heard about it from one of our writers, Hannah, who really enjoyed her experience<\/a>. I\u2019d also chatted to them when they had a pop-up stand in Highbury Fields. I even had a friend who often went. So why did it take me YEARS to get down there? Quite honestly, it was the branding. And the name. It just didn\u2019t appeal to me. It wasn\u2019t\u2026 exciting.I stalked the account on Instagram also and again, I wasn\u2019t inspired (Instagram definitely sways how I choose where to workout).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even when I was given passes for this review, it took me\nseveral weeks to get down. I just didn\u2019t prioritise it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I finally made it to a session (9.30am on a Monday\nmorning), I\u2019d booked it on the spur of a moment, calling them instead of using\nthe app (which I had a little trouble getting registered on initially) and\nrushing in just as the class was starting. A super friendly member of staff gave\nme a whirlwind introduction, place a heart-rate monitor on my arm and before I\nknew it, I was IN! Nathalie was our instructor and she whizzed through the\ndetails, before I\u2019d even gotten my bearings (my fault for turning up late). The\nclass was divided into two, with half on the treadmills and half on the rowers.\nEach had their own workout. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting with the rowers, we switched between completing a\nset distance before dashing to the floor to complete strength exercises. As time\nprogressed, our sets became more challenging. I\u2019m used to working mostly with\nhome gym equipment such as bands so working with heavier weights felt good!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d never thought of rowers as being a particularly strenuous\npiece of equipment and rarely used them when I had gym membership many years\nago. However, it turns out I just had bad technique. Each time Nathalie tweaked\nmy technique, the rower suddenly got harder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before long, it was time to switch to the treadmills. I\u2019m\nnot the kind of person who ever gets the urge to go for a run (unless I\u2019m\npregnant and then I desperately wanted to run. Weird, right?) so part of me was\ndreading this bit. Strangely, I got into it. When it was time to push it, I\nreally did push it. I competed with the women on either side of me and more importantly,\nmyself. My head went into a place it didn\u2019t realise it could access. I focused\non my breathing. My breathing had gotten me through pregnancy and now it was\ngetting me through this. I was running faster than I had in many many years. I\nwas proud of myself. I enjoyed pushing myself. I was proud that my pelvic floor\nwasn\u2019t letting me down either! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That class was one of the toughest I had ever done. It wasn\u2019t until the Friday after that my legs stopped aching. I also had aching intercostal muscles. But it was thrilling. I had a proper high for days after. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Orangetheory
“Keep burning” – literally. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Orangetheory Technology and Science<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

During your workout, your profile displays one of five colours, each of which signifies a different heart rate zone, based on the information your heart rate monitor records. It\u2019s the time you spend in the orange and red zones, (where you feel either uncomfortable or are going all out, respectively) which get you your SPLAT points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"SPLAT
Week One’s scores – this one was so tough!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Orangetheory
Week Two’s scores – there was a lot less running so SPLAT points were harder for me to get<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Orangetheory
Week Three’s scores – a real balance of weights and running<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

SPLAT points are important because Orangetheory is based on the science of EPOC \u2013 excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. If you can challenge your body to a certain intensity, your body works harder to recover oxygen lost during exercise and it\u2019s this \u2018orange effect\u2019 which makes you burn calories even after you\u2019ve stepped off the treadmill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As well as SPLAT points, you\u2019ll also see your heart rate,\nthe calories you\u2019ve burned and percentage of maximum heart rate. In my first\nsession, I burnt 576 calories and picked up 34 SPLAT points; you\u2019re advised to\ntarget a minimum of 12 SPLAT points. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve since between twice more to Orangetheory and had a different, yet positive experience each time. The second time, our coach, Nathalie, had us focused more on sustaining our pace. I was a bit disappointed it wasn\u2019t as high intensity as before, but I was pleased that I still managed to nail my 12 SPLAT points. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The third time, Mavis was our coach, although sadly, Mavis\nis heading to Ghana in the New Year for alternative adventures. During the\nfirst part, I again opted to start on the rowers (I think starting with the\ntreadmill might kill me!) and this section ended up being mainly weights based,\nincorporating a series of 3 sets, each with up to 3 exercises in, with steadily\nincreasing reps. I was flattered when Mavis complimented my technique. The\ntreadmill section was hard \u2013 we were asked to sustain certain paces over set\ndistances and my legs were just so tired! I much prefer running in shorter\nbursts of 30 \u2013 45 second sprints, rather than running distances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I like about Orangetheory<\/h4>\n\n\n\n