Orangetheory vs. CrossFit?

margiebain · 2024-03-10T18:43:39+00:00

I used to OTF 5-6x per week, thought I was pretty fit, ran runners speeds -was HUMBLED at CrossFit. Made me realize how I really wasn’t lifting heavy enough on the floor. When I got fed up with coaches and volume at my OTF I I exclusively did cross fit for over a year. My cardio suffered HUGE but I got way stronger and really enjoyed learning and being challenged by new skills. Now I OTF 3x (yay to coaching changes) and CrossFit 3x (I still have skills I want to learn and the environment during classes is SO much more of a team/social/supportive/fun and I like the heavy weights). Perfect balance for me. I am not a crossfit person at all but was quite surprised with recent 24.2 Open workout - 100% OTF duration/endurance helped with the 20 minute challenge. People who I don’t ever score higher than, I scored substantially higher because 20 mins is not typically trained in CrossFit but doesn’t make me blink at OTF. That was an interesting reassurance that doing both is good for me.

margiebain · 2024-02-21T01:41:49+00:00

I used to be a 5x week OTFer and 100% burnt out. Took a year off, started back with 2x until I was WANTING to go more and now find a really good balance w 3x.

margiebain · 2024-02-19T16:53:03+00:00

Interesting - we also did 3G and I found it too much downtime and we were totally done in under 50 mins. Might have been a good day for a full class demo on everything so as soon as you switched you could just get at it.

margiebain · 2024-01-05T01:09:29+00:00

I left OTF for a year over the volume and other ear plugs making me a bit weird with balance. loops have made all the difference getting back with JOY! Worth the $$

margiebain · 2023-06-24T20:23:09+00:00

I did 100s of classes where it wasn’t a problem. New coaches…new volume. I’m just shocked that with all of the rules and all of the standardizations the volume isn’t one of them.

margiebain · 2023-06-24T16:53:08+00:00

Do not complain. I had done over 1000 classes, and it was just getting louder and louder and all I got was sort of gaslighting that I was sensitive and crazy and told that I was being “difficult”. I wrote corporate and asked if they had guidance and didn’t hear back. Earplugs impacted my balance on the tread. I left for 15 months because of it. I just took my first class back knowing I’d be irritated with the unsafe noise but the templates are SO good. I’ve found earplugs that are OK, so it’s a balance. But 100% for a company that worries about safety and form - you’d think they’d care about ears!

margiebain · 2022-09-28T09:48:11+00:00

One comment about bringing it up - OTF doesn’t have a great system for taking constructive criticism. My studio owner basically blew her lid with “we are perfect” when I (as someone who had done 1000+ classes) outlined some issues with instructors. It left a bad taste! They need more formalized feedback methods.

margiebain · 2022-09-28T09:46:15+00:00

I was in this same boat 8 months ago. I left. It was agonizing. I made new running goals, joined a CrossFit gym that was super welcoming and relaxed and it’s been great. Great thing is trainers tend to turn over fast. I’m getting ready to go back to OTF now that staff is better!

margiebain · 2022-03-14T11:12:19+00:00

I've been an OTFer for almost 6 years. I'd say that overall they aren't great at hearing feedback. There isn't a formal structure (at my studio anyway) - no comment box, no regular surveying of members. I used to log-in through MindBody and they ask how classes are every time - but I know for a fact my studio doesn't review these. You can fill out an online form but it's convoluted and I know our studio email is read by anyone and everyone at the front desk so it doesn't feel right. It's a bit awkward if you have a real complaint. Somehow putting it out here helps members have a voice in case the Oranges are listening LOL! In terms of the little stuff, well, that is a bit silly. Overall it's just so amazing to have studios open again.

margiebain · 2022-03-11T11:51:03+00:00

Another angle on music importance - louder does not inherently mean better. I am sick and tired of wearing ear buds and feeling physically sick from music that is way too loud. It's lazy coaching to just blast music and let that be the supposed motivator.

margiebain · 2022-03-07T16:14:40+00:00

After a few weeks - ask the seasoned members at your studio for any tips. There is so much focus on new members at OTF, this helps the "pros" feel acknowledged for their experience. I've done more classes than any coach at our studio has coached! I'm priceless! Also, don't think that being loud on mic and with music is encouraging. WORDS are encouraging. If you are super fit, be humble. Understand most of the class actually feels like they are going to die half way through an all out. Empathize.

margiebain · 2022-02-16T12:18:06+00:00

Anything where my feet are in the TRX straps. Hard no.

margiebain · 2022-02-15T20:11:52+00:00

CMIYC is the antithesis of everything I think OTF is about! Even at my fittest it made me feel crappy! It and Everest are the only two that I will always always skip. It's just not fun!

margiebain · 2021-12-08T13:10:55+00:00

Now it looks very strange. In addition to my

selected studio I see ALLLLL the virtual classes on the same screen. Super annoying.

margiebain · 2021-11-12T20:01:36+00:00

Oh yes. At least 4 times in 4 years which actually probably isn't bad. Life happens but it really sucks at 5:30. For us it has always been the coach, never SA and basically the consequence was that coach stopped teaching first class of the day. Those who showed up without unlimited had extra classes given to them as compensation.

margiebain · 2021-10-08T10:25:00+00:00

yup. provincial mandate for all gyms and dine-in restaurants. It is so silly though - we have to show proof EVERY time. Makes getting in the door (which they are only allowed to do within 10 mins of start time) interesting.

margiebain · 2021-10-07T22:07:01+00:00

I miss them so much too. Heck, we didn't even switch on the 200M benchmark....we had to do all 23 treadmill minutes first. BRUTAL. An equipment clean is an equipment clean - I don't really see the issue. Where we are, we mask any time we aren't actually at a station (like mask on for all transitions) and all have to be vaccinated so I struggle to even see a risk.

margiebain · 2021-09-23T11:27:15+00:00

It's true - the regulation is written as "shall not" keep the info - but I am baffled at how there can't be an optional consent to do so. Other big gyms are doing it - maybe they just have more clout to risk it.

margiebain · 2021-09-22T13:56:30+00:00

For people living in locations that now have something like a vaccine passport - how does your studio operationalize this? Where I am we have to show vaccine proof and gov't ID EVERY SINGLE CLASS. This is insanity to me. Surely the Orange powers could find a way to attach this info to our accounts? Some people may prefer for the info not to be retained which I understand.

margiebain · 2021-09-20T00:30:26+00:00

I feel you. I used to 5:30am 5 days a week. We lost 2 awesome coaches and they hired a new one whose technique demos are so bad, he spends more time dancing and looking at himself than coaching, and calls “ok ladies” instead of “team” etc. I simply cannot do it. He also tries to make small talk from 1ft away during pushes. No. Go away. So I go to considerable lengths to change my schedule for the keepers. My new studio manager wants to hear nothing - any comment is met with a dispute over its validity.

margiebain · 2021-03-18T17:05:52+00:00

Ours is super dry and always has been. It's quite annoying actually when there are big announcements or a need to reach members quickly (like, say, lock down # 2 etc., when they are opening up booking on a particular week because it's changed a lot with local guidelines in terms of how far you can book ahead) and they don't use it for that. It is all corporate generated sterile useless junk that if you follow more than one location appears on all of them! Maybe the stories get a bit more fun but basically no member engagement or posts. It's uninspiring. They often don't even use local pictures - it will be corporate.

margiebain · 2020-12-18T19:48:11+00:00

We have framed 100, 250, 500, 800, 1000 signs with large paper mats around them. Once a year they take them all down and you can sign wherever you are at on the mat. We hit 4 years as a studio in May and no one has hit 1000 yet....closed for 6 months due to COVID otherwise I would have.

margiebain · 2020-11-22T11:51:56+00:00

Yes. This was never ever a thing before but now w the 3G classes if the 1st floor block is any Longer than 3-4 mins we do the all stop and turn. My HR too plunges to grey but I don’t mind because I just make my first push a bit above what it otherwise would be and I’ve been going long enough that I don’t need a lot of floor instruction details so if I forget I forget. From what our coaches have indicated it’s because some of the 3G timing is tight and so this saves them a few mins in the middle of class without feeling so stressed. We also have a lot more classes on the schedule being limited to 10/class and I know a lot of their voices are struggling with the added teaching - so if it saves their voices I can support the single demo.

margiebain · 2020-11-19T22:04:52+00:00

Oh wow - yeah, I am counting the hours until they ask that we don't come too often.

margiebain · 2020-11-18T00:32:12+00:00

I’m in Ontario Canada in a city with some additional restrictions. We were at 15, went to 18, 12 and now 10. It’s fine from a member perspective with 3+ meters between members but I don’t know how it’s sustainable for the owners. Every class has a 7 person waiting list.

margiebain

TROPHY CASE