Community Corner
Fitness Buffs Flock to Newport for ‘Nation’s Best Workout’
The 60-minute Orangetheory Fitness group class combines cardio, strength training and a personal trainer in workout that is gaining national attention.
Exercise enthusiasts who crave momentum and thrive on intense workouts have been showing up in droves at Newport Beach's Orangetheory Fitness.
Touted as the most-effective interval workout in the country, the Orangetheory Fitness group workout consists of a 60-minute interval training session. It is designed to get each person into the "orange zone," or maximum fat-burning zone, which means the heart is pumping at 84 to 91 percent of the person's maximum heart rate. During the class, everyone wears a heart rate monitor, and results are displayed on a large TV screen to help people keep track of when they reach the orange zone.
Louise Austin has been driving to Newport Beach four times a week from Yorba Linda to take the Orangetheory Fitness class.
"I love the intense workout I get and the high-energy of the trainer," Austin, 47, said. "It's really motivating."
The workout combines treadmills, rowing machines, TRX weight bands, weights and floor exercises incorporated to increase the heart rate and maximize calorie burning. Marc Thomas, owner of the Newport studio, said a person should ideally be in the orange zone for 12-20 minutes out of the 60 minute, non-stop class and can burn between 500 - 1,000 calories.
'"The workout increases your metabolism by elevating the heart rate and creates the afterburn. So 24-36 hours after the workout, you are still burning calories," Thomas explained.
To help each person keep track of their progress, Orangetheory Fitness emails members a report card after every class.
"People like to track their results and analyze their experience so they can do better the next time," Thomas said. "The report card tracks calories, maximum heart rate and time spent in the orange zone."
The Orangetheory Fitness class is for people of all fitness levels. Thomas said current clients include everyone from elite athletes to deconditioned people. Austin has lost 30 pounds so far and is looking forward to more.
"It's great because you can work at your own pace, and the results have been wonderful," Austin said.
But Austin isn't the only person who travels far to join the class. While the majority of participants are from the Newport Beach area, the class is also attended by people from as far as Hollywood and has even been covered by the New York Times.
"I do think it's the best one-hour workout in the country. It's about as efficient as you can get in that amount of time," Thomas said. "I defy anyone to find a better workout."
Orangetheory Fitness first hit the fitness scene three years ago. The Newport Beach location, which opened in January at 1040 Irvine Ave., is the only Southern California location. Tustin and Irvine will welcome studios in the fall, followed by a location in Laguna Niguel and other Orange County cities next year.
In Newport Beach, Orangetheory Fitness is open 7 days a week, with 45 classes scheduled every week. The earliest class begins at 5:15 a.m., and the latest class starts at 7 p.m. For membership, pay as you go classes, or more information, call 949-630-0555.
Have you ever taken an Orangetheory Fitness class? Tell us about it in the comments.
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