Orangetheory Fitness — Local services in Philadelphia

So I signed up for an intro class online and was immediately texted by Robert, asking how my needs could be met. I told them my wife and I were interested in trying a class out. I was not responded to, so I text again asking if was able to try a class out. I was told to call and book the class. So I did. I was told to arrive 30 minutes early, I knew this would be a challenge because traffic downtown is crazy. I left fairmount at 8:30am (to arrive for the 9:15am class). We eventually found parking and could not find the place! We looked everywhere, and we had to google it to figure out that it was inside liberty place. No where on the website does it say it's in the mall! So we arrive at 9:05am. The initial greeting by the girl at the desk was fine but it went downhill from there. She gave us this super long "customer intake form" and then started rushing us. She literally said "you were supposed to be here 30 minutes early." word to the wise, immediately guilt tripping a new client is not a great way to get me to sign up for your gym. I explained to her the parking situation and how to body had told us it was in liberty place, her response was "well, it is what it is" - After she started rushing us to get us into hr monitors, I had been admonished enough. She made my wife and I feel very small and guilty for being there. We we stopped her and said nevermind. We had no interest in working out after that experience. I'm sure the gym is fine but there should be some sort of system in place for this. Update: I spoke with OTF's manager on the phone regarding this situation, he was nice and also apologetic, I appreciated him talking to me, and he ensured me he would speak wth the front desk girl. While appreciate this, I hope it's a teachable moment and it doesn't happen to future potential members. Word of advice,...

My home studio. OTF has been a mainstay in my fitness routine since gyms reopened during COVID. I started there wearing masks and working out next to people with plastic barricades - and have stayed ever since. I needed a consistent group workout following Flywheel center city (and the company overall) going bankrupt during COVID. I worked and rode at flywheel as my go to fitness establishment for work, workouts, stress relief, and socialization for 7 years. Without it, I knew I needed an alternative. OTF is it! It’s a great workout. Every class is consistently challenging but doable. As a physical therapist, I like how many different facets of a person’s wellbeing OTF hits. They check every box - speed, strength, coordination, balance, stretching, mindfulness - and they do a great job offering form cues and alternatives like elliptical or bike instead of treadmill, walk instead of run, and different variations of floor exercise. I would never work as hard as I do on my own as I do in class with an instructor and others around me. Thanks for the push!! I recommend OTF to so many patients and friends. I’ve recruited my mom as a member and am working on getting my husband in for at least one class ☺️ I like that every class is different. The coaches are friendly and motivating. The studio is conveniently located. And the app is easy to use to track your stats and...

As an Orangetheory member, I was excited for my friends to try their first class, so I convinced them to go to the Center City location since it was the closest to them. I even sent one of my friends, who is also a member because I had previously convinced her to join, to be there with them and see how the experience went.

I was extremely disappointed to hear that when they arrived, they were treated rudely by both the front desk staff and the coach. They were asked to arrive early so the machines and workout structure could be explained to them, which is standard at Orangetheory. I have brought other friends and family members to try classes before, and at every other location, the coaches have been thorough in explaining the workout, how the machines function, and the importance of the different heart rate zones.

However, this time, the coach didn’t take the time to explain anything. My friends were asked to come early for no reason, and my friend who is also a member had to step in and explain how everything worked. This is not the type of experience I expect from Orangetheory. It was frustrating and disappointing, especially because the welcoming and informative atmosphere is a big part of what makes...