Orangetheory Fitness — Local services in New York

One star off for the workouts, themselves, given that a membership that costs nearly $300/month features classes that have participants spend 1/3 to 1/2 of their class time running on a treadmill. Another star off for a platform that only integrates with a proprietary, $120 heart monitor. A third star off for the 30-day cancellation policy typical of chain gyms, which only exists in the few industries as predatory as this one. And a final star off for my cancellation experience.

I called Orangetheory on May 23, thirty days before my membership would expire, as required. I was told my membership was cancelled and that I would not be charged again. When I was, I called back. This time I was told that I initially called the wrong location, and would have to eat the cost of an extra month despite being explicitly told I was in the clear by an Orangetheory employee. This is because, I would learn, Orangetheory is a franchise of independently operated locations with no central membership management, information not volunteered to me until I was told that the Orangetheory employee that claimed to have canceled my membership did not have the authority to do so.

At this point any reasonable franchise manager would recognize this flaw in the cancellation process and refund me, as most businesses would for services booked in error on the customer's behalf and not rendered. Alas, this one was happy to steal my money, even after acknowledging my attempt to cancel.

Now, I have no doubt that the anti-consumer regulatory environment that allows gyms to operate this way will also allow this location to squeeze an extra $200 out of me. No doubt the proprietor of this gym will respond to this review with a lie claiming they are unable to refund a purchase I clearly did not intend to make. But it's clear to any reasonable person that they are acting in bad faith.

I suppose when you offer an inferior product at a premium price, the only way to make money is to forcefully extract it. Can any enterprise that goes so far out of their way to fleece you really care about...

The team is incredibly friendly and nice and are willing to work with you so you get the most out of your experience and the space is clean and fresh. The team that works here deserve 5 stars 100%... but the reason I can only give 3 is because I felt like some of the sign-up practices didn't sit well with me... When I signed up the stressed a 30 day cancelation policy but do not tell you that when you sign up, you are comitting to two billing cycles because of the 30 days, so there is no 1month trial, you have to commit to two months. Also when I signed up there was no mention that the heart rate monitor bracelet costs extra, I assumed it was part of the monthly rate and I only found out after signing up that you either have to pay an additional $10 per class for it or buy it for $120 extra which I thought was a bit shady since they sell the program with the heart rate monitoring since that is the entire point of orange theory, there shouldn't be an extra cost for it, but at the very least, they should've explained before I signed up that there would be an extra cost. I also felt pressured to sign up for the most expensive unlimited membership level since they asked me 3x if I wanted to switch to that when I clearly said I didn't want to. And lastly I do not like that they describe this class for being for anybody because they just want to sell a membership and rope you into two months, when these classes are in fact very intense and are not for people like myself who have no muscle strength whatsoever and am going from a mostly sedentary lifestyle to starting to workout. Everyone I have talked to about orange theory all say the same thing that it is a very intense, rigorous, high speed and highly demanding class, which was not expressed to me at all when I signed up. So I do not think this is for anybody at any level of fitness, you will benefit more from this if you are already a somewhat...

If you haven’t tried Orange Theory Fitness, you have to. OTF has changed my life. When I started out on my fitness journey almost 5 yrs ago, getting in shape seemed so daunting. I literally couldn’t run a mile without stopping to walk. I had tried other group fitness classes prior to joining OTF, but I always felt so intimidated and anxious. OTF embraces everyone, tailoring the workout to each individual’s fitness capability. The workout is diverse and achievable for everyone, making it a realistic option to build into one’s routine. The physical results are obviously amazing, as I’ve seen my body transform since I started OTF, but the mental benefits are just as powerful (if not more). The workout allows me 55 min a day to genuinely clear my head and just think about breathing and getting through the workout. Everyone deserves an uninterrupted hour to dedicate to themselves. Now about the staff, these fitness professionals are truly best in class. They take a personal interest in everyone, helping you accomplish your fitness goals one class at a time. Although there are usually 40+ people in the room at a time, individual coaching, correcting form or providing alternative options for each exercise is very common (so you get the benefits of a personal trainer without the price tag). One last thing on a personal note, I’ve learned a lot about myself since joining OTF. I’ve learned we can do hard things, that 1% better over 100 days is 100% better (that’s for Coach Nick) and that fitness is a “one day at a time” venture. I’ve met many good friends through the OTF community (coaches and members) and feel so grateful for that. I understand that many may be skeptical, but I strongly encourage you to try it. You won’t be...