You all know I’m a huge fan of Orangetheory Fitness. I was introduced to this crazy fun workout about six months ago when I had the opportunity to attend one of their classes with hockey legend and fitness fanatic Trevor Linden. When I got word that the creator of Orangetheory Ellen Latham was coming to Vancouver, I jumped at the opportunity to get my sweat on with her and find out more about how she turned this amazing idea into reality.
What is the concept behind Orangetheory? In a nutshell, it’s a one-hour group personal training, heart-rate monitored, high-intensity workout that is scientifically designed to keep your heart rate in a target zone that spikes metabolism and increases energy or as they call it, “the afterburn”. The result is more energy, visible toning, and extra calorie burn for up to 36 hours. The added bonus? The group classes give you an extra boost of inspiration as you’re all in it together!
We all gathered at Orangetheory’s Coal Harbour location on a stunningly sunny afternoon to meet Ellen and be guided through one of these powerful sixty-minute workouts straight from the source. To say Ellen Latham is a spitfire is an understatement, as immediately upon meeting her, I get amped by her contagious energy as we start our class. The session is a mix of treadmill interval training, rowing and weights. The great thing about these fun and energetic workouts is that you really feel like your group is a team and the energy in the room makes you want to give it your all. The other great thing? You can make it as tough as you want with the motivation of everyone around you and carefully guided by their certified personal coaches.
To say I got my sweat on is an understatement – 52 “splat points” achieved for those in the know! Now that I’m completely pumped on Orangetheory, I get a little one-on-one time with Ellen to talk about how she got started in her basement and now has locations in twenty-one countries around the globe.
Ellen tells me she was let go from her job at the age of forty and started doing pilates classes out of her home, built her client base for about a year, borrowed some money and opened up a small studio. When she realized she needed to add metabolic work to her pilates classes, the concept for the now multi-million dollar company Orangetheory was born.
Ellen, who is a highly trained physiologist explains that the main concept behind Orangetheory is to get that metabolic boost we’re all after. She tells me to think of our metabolism as “100 watt light bulb and after age thirty, every year you start losing wattage”. Being a woman of, ahem, a certain age, Ellen tells me my light bulb is indeed starting to dim, but with Orangetheory classes a couple times a week along with other activities, I can get my wattage back up to 100, boost my metabolism and start losing the desired weight and gaining muscle.
So needless to say, I’m excited to get my light bulb back up to full wattage and am so looking forward to more sweat sessions at Orangetheory! I’m also super excited that a brand-new Cambie Street location will be opening soon!
Listen to my interview with Orangetheory founder Ellen Latham, right here!
