Orangetheory Fitness To Open In South Tampa

A new workout concept is coming to South Tampa.

Using scientifically proven concepts, Orangetheory Fitness was designed by Ellen Latham, an exercise physiologist and Pilates instructor, who saw too many Pilates-obsessed women getting stronger, but not losing weight. Creating a high intensity interval workout that helps build strength, increase energy and surpass workout plateaus, Orangetheory's classes work to tone and shape your body unlike any other workout.

According to Terry Blachek, franchise co-founder and owner of Orangetheory's Tampa Bay locations, the science behind the program says if a workout can get your heart rate to 84 percent within 12 to 20 minutes inside of a 60-minute workout, you're not only going to burn more calories in the class, but you're going to have an increased metabolic rate for the next 36 hours after the class ends.

Ultimately, this allows you to burn anywhere from 500 to 1,200 calories in an hour with an additional 1,200 burned while your body is in recovery mode. During a normal workout, you burn about 350 to 400 calories.

“In a six-week program, we're seeing men lose anywhere from 40 to 50 pounds while women are losing anywhere from 20 to 30 pounds,” says Blachek, co-founder for Crunch Fitness in New York.

Blacheck has taken Latham's theory and expanded it to the Tampa Bay region, opening locations in St. Petersburg, New Tampa and a new 3,500-square-foot location opening on North Dale Mabry Highway in South Tampa on June 28th. The new South Tampa location offers 15 treadmills, rowers, benches, dumbbells and heart rate monitors, among other things. Showers and changing rooms are also featured.

“This makes sense in South Tampa, and across the nation, because people are beginning to migrate from big box clubs down to small studios -- women are now going to Pilates and Yoga studios for specialty classes,” Blachek says. “We believe people want studios like Orangetheory with a community vibe. The classes are engaging and people know your name.”

Orangetheory Fitness South Tampa offers classes from 5 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Terry Blachek, Orangetheory Fitness