Orangetheory Fitness

It’s not every day that fitness enthusiasts can say they’ve gone from gym member to gym employee to gym owner. But Jackie Dodig isn’t just another fitness enthusiast, and Orangetheory Fitness isn’t just another gym.

“After I took my first Orangetheory session back in 2014, I was hooked. I became a member and then worked as the manager of the Princeton Orangetheory location while I was in college. Once I graduated, I knew I wanted to stay on the Oranagetheory team, so I purchased the Moorestown studio late last year.”

What sets Orangetheory Fitness apart from other gyms, says Dodig, is the fact that it’s a one-of-a-kind, group personal training workout.

“Orangetheory is a one-hour, full-body workout that is backed by science,” Dodig says. “Every day is completely different. The workouts might focus on endurance, strength or power – or all three.”

The result is more energy, visible toning and extra calorie burn for up to 36 hours. Backed by the science of Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption, Orangetheory heart-rate-monitored training is designed to maintain a target zone that stimulates metabolism and increases energy.

Every person in the class wears a heartrate monitor, and there’s five different heartrate zones most participants will move through during the exercise. The goal, says Dodig, is to work at 84 percent or greater of your target heartrate for at least 12 to 20 minutes.

And the name of that target heartrate zone? Orange, of course. “Getting into that zone spikes metabolism and increases energy – which is referred to as the afterburn,” Dodig says.

Danai Hanrahan
Age 50, Mount Laurel
I love Orangetheory Fitness, mainly because of the results that I have achieved in the past year while turning the dreaded big 5-0. I have lost more than 40 pounds by making Orangetheory my only fitness workout. I was always encouraged by the fantastic and supportive trainers Bryan, James and the entire staff at Moorestown OTF. I have worked out my entire life, but I never did HIIT along with monitoring my heart rate. This has proven to be the most effective use of my time with the greatest reward.

The highly organized and targeted workouts allow members to get fit quicker by burning 500 to 1,000 calories in an hour, but they also help instruct and educate newcomers to fitness or those who might be intimidated by using weights.

“When I went to big-box gyms, I would see all the equipment and be like, ‘Oh, no, what do I even do?’” Dodig says. “But at Orangetheory, I didn’t need to prepare or think about what I needed to do.”

People looking to exercise more or lose weight who find themselves intimidated by the same things are welcomed at Orangetheory, Dodig adds.

“We ask every new person who comes to the studio to arrive 30 minutes early before class so we can go over everything ahead of time,” Dodig says. “They’re not just thrown into the mix. We give them one-on-one attention beforehand.”

And, Dodig adds, she adores Orangetheory because it welcomes all fitness levels. During a class, members could have a marathon runner to their left and someone who’s never worked out before to their right.

“Orangetheory really caters to everybody,” Dodig adds. “We have a lot of little touches. Everyone knows each other’s names, and our trainers definitely know who everyone is. We do a lot of community events, particularly around the holidays, and donate anonymously to local charities. With us, you get excellent customer service and people who really want to make you feel like you’re part of something.”

Bob Millaway
Age 54, Beverly
I love training at Orangetheory Fitness because of the staff – everyone from the ownership all the way down genuinely cares about why you are there and what your goals are. They want to do everything they can to help you reach them. It doesn’t matter what level you start or how far you want to go – they are with you every step of the way to make sure you’re doing it right and that you’re getting the benefit of the afterburn from every workout.

The studio also provides an upbeat environment with fun music and motivational trainers. Each studio is equipped with 12 treadmills, 12 rowing machines, 12 suspension unit systems and plenty of free weights and benches. Sessions are usually limited to around 25 people, though some classes will be as small as 10 members.

For people who want to lose weight, Orangetheory touts an estimated weight loss of three to five pounds per week by attending three to five sessions a week – in additional to proper dieting and nutritional planning, of course, says Dodig. More experienced individuals looking to heighten their performance will see an improvement in power, speed and strength after the first two weeks of attending Orangetheory and working with its dedicated trainers.

Those trainers, says Dodig, are rigorously vetted and prepared to teach at Orangetheory. To even apply, candidates must have their personal training certificate and go through an audition. Then they attend specific Orangetheory training – all 20 hours of it – to become certified by a regional trainer.

Coaches also make sure that members are getting all the energy of a group workout – which has awesome benefits in terms of reaching goals and staying dedicated – in addition to receiving the personalized attention of a private trainer.

“We want somebody who’s passionate about our program and involved in the community,” Dodig says. “We want someone who believes and bleeds orange.”

Jen Campbell
Age 29, Pennsauken
I joined Orangetheory as soon as it opened two years ago, and I can honestly say it’s the best decision I ever made. OTF Moorestown has the most amazing staff I’ve ever met, from the front desk staff who greet you with a smile every time you walk in the door to the trainers who are beyond encouraging and motivating in helping you achieve your goals. I feel they are more proud of me than I am of myself. I recommend this studio to anyone that I come across. Regardless of what your goals are, OTF Moorestown has the most talented and caring trainers to help you reach them.

Dodig and her team aren’t alone – there’s a growing number of people who are “bleeding orange” across the United States, and the trend isn’t stopping.

Since the first Orangetheory studio opening in Florida in 2010, the fitness chain has expanded to more than 400 studios in 40 states and seven countries.

“The Orangetheory location in Melrose, California was recently ranked the best fitness studio in the entire country, and Erin Andrews, the Fox News sports broadcaster, just joined the Orangetheory team the company’s brand ambassador,” says Dodig. “She’ll help spread the Orangetheory method and help even more Americans get fit.”

 

400 Route 38 West, Unit 1400
Moorestown
moorestown.orangetheoryfitness.com
856-581-4801