Orangetheory Fitness — Local services in Charlotte

OTF is great if you need a guided workout. I was a member for a couple of years, then quit and attempted to work out on my own with apps—I just couldn’t do it consistently so I re-joined recently. I make decisions all day long, and love just being able to show up and do what they tell me without thinking too much. The workouts always change, and are fast-paced, never boring. I also like there are dedicated “stations” and although sometimes in a full class it can feel a little close, you always have room. (The University location is often less crowded than others I’ve been to, and the layout means there is a little more space here as well.) It’s a good mix of strength and cardio, and I’ve found that the strength portion often resembles things my PT had me doing. In fact, going to OTF consistently has helped me build enough strength to keep my hip issues at bay and not need PT. I had never done anything with weights or used a rower before OTF, and found I really enjoy those things. I wish I had discovered the importance of working against resistance when I was younger—it is great for building strength and for stress relief. The whole workout is set up to use their proprietary heart rate monitors and they encourage you throughout to pay attention to what zone you are in. This is super helpful in the beginning though after awhile you’ll start to get a sense of your effort without that feedback from the monitor. (If you have an Apple Watch you can do the same thing with the Orange Zones app, though you won’t see your stats on the screens or be able to track your speed and distance on the treadmill and rower.) They’ll encourage you to buy the monitor, though you can often find people on Marketplace or Reddit selling used ones for a lot less. The ads online make it look like OTF is for already-fit people in cute Lulu gear. In class there is actually a huge diversity of body size, fitness level, gender, age, and race/ethnicity. Everyone is there working on their own thing, and you can easily tailor the workouts to what you need if you’re dealing with an injury or are new to exercise. And come as you are, it’s not a fashion show. (I do recommend good shoes as that will make a HUGE difference in how you feel, as well as a solid sports bra for those who need it.) There’s no competition against other people, and if you worry about having your stats up on the screen don’t—everyone else is too busy focused on their own stuff to care what your stats are. I do wish they had more of each weight (the size of weights alternate by station and although you are supposed to share, if everyone wants 20# there aren’t enough to go around.) There are classes every day, though a lot of the less popular class times (mid-morning and 4pm) have been cut recently, which can make scheduling a challenge. 🤞they bring those back one of these days. There are some gimmicky things you can do throughout the year (challenges to do x workouts within a certain time frame to “win” a t shirt, etc.) that you pay extra for. The membership itself is pricey, so I don’t do those things but other people may find it motivating. There are also these test days they call “benchmarks” where you do a particular challenge and record your results. I deeply dislike these and avoid them when I can—they give me uncomfortable flashbacks to those Presidential Fitness Tests in school (y’all 80s kids remember that.) If you’re on the fence about joining there is an OTF subreddit where people post all kinds of tips and encouragement, along with a template of each day’s workout if you’re the kind of person who wants to know ahead of time what you are in for. If this sounds like something you’d like to try, come check it out. They give your first class free and are super welcoming to...

I joined OTF June 2022 so I wanted to wait ONE full year before I left a review so I could really leave a well rounded opinion.

I’ll start by saying that at the time I joined I had gained about 30 lbs over my normal base weight due to “life”. I know “HOW” to work out as I am prior military but haven’t done it in years or made a lifestyle out of it. I started with an unlimited membership because I was determined to be at a healthy weight. I went about 5-6 days a week starting off. I am a woman in my mid 30s, so weight is not as easy to lose as it was in my younger days. At first my sole focus was getting off the weight I had gained that made me unhappy.

Fast forward 1 year later, I dropped my membership down to 8 classes a month, which I go two days a week. You know why? Because the other 4-5 days out of the week I am disciplined to workout by myself! By myself! I have never done that in my life. The only reason I am able to be disciplined now is because of orange theory!! The workouts are always different and I wear my OTF connect when I workout on my own to track progress.

When I first started I could literally only walk 3mph on the treadmill (if that) and at 4mph I felt I was about to pass out. Today, minus 25 lbs of the gained 30, I can run! Actually run! Not only at OTF but on my own several days a week. As someone who came into OTF at a really dark place in life, I am filled with gratitude every time I go. There have been times after completing a workout that I wanted to cry tears of happiness and joy because where I started one year ago was by far not where I am today. I want to also note that I am not focused on weight anymore as this has just naturally become a part of my lifestyle thanks to OTF.

This is not just a gym! This is a family! You encourage the person next to you even when you feel like you want to give up. No one is going to allow you to quit on yourself. Not the coaches or other members.

Working out in general has been a stress reliever. And Orange Theory has literally changed my life! Especially mentally. For anyone who wants to start but doesn’t know how to, this is def the place to start! When I first joined and I worked out and something was challenging I would tell myself internally “I can’t do this”. Now…. in my head I am saying “I DONT QUIT”. This minor shift in mindset has helped me through my workouts.

May sound a little CLICHE but thanks……

Jean , Simie, Kenisha, Simie, Cara (and all the other kind ladies who work at the front in the mornings). Thank you! You don’t realize you change...

First and foremost, I want to say overall my time at Orangetheory has been a positive experience for the most part. I started in Wilmington, NC and what I loved most about my gym was the staffing was nothing short of professional, courteous, and welcoming. They knew everyone by name and treated everyone like family.

Moving to Charlotte, I was expecting the same experience. And again, for the most part I was pretty satisfied. Since joining the University location I’ve seen a good amount of turnover, which is fine. However, lack of knowledge and inconsistency became an issue for me. Some of the staff weren’t as knowledgeable about policies, so communication was not consistent. When expressing this feedback, the manager Chris was very rude and condescending.

We pay a pretty penny to join this gym. Professionalism is the bare minimum that I expect when paying this amount to workout here. I am not entitled by any means, I work very hard to maintain a membership here. Chris told me if I try to help you, I put myself in a bind and get in trouble with my higher ups. Or you signed a contract, you knew what you were signing up for… Not once did I complain about policies or paying my dues. My feedback was in regards to miscommunication and to not place responsibility on the consumer for what happens behind closed doors. What happens between you and your manager is your problem, not mine and trying to make me feel bad about it, isn’t ok.

As a manager, as well as someone who works in customer service, I was extremely displeased with the way I was spoken to. Especially, as a loyal client as myself. A part of being a manager is being able to take constructive criticism and respond respectfully. What you decide to say about me behind closed doors or amongst your peers is none of my concern.

Since Chris did not care to hear my concerns or provide me with the contact information I asked for, I want to share my thoughts here in hopes that someone may read this and feel inclined to...