Orangetheory Fitness debuted in the Oxford fitness community on Aug. 24.
With numerous gyms and fitness programs already in Oxford, owners Joe and Summer Pegram knew they had to establish a different type of workout system to succeed in business.
“It’s a great concept. Everyday is different— heart rate monitor based. You’re instructor led,” Joe Pegram, owner, said. “(It’s) so different from anything I had ever seen or done.”
Orangetheory’s medical technology and use of heart monitors are two things that differentiate the center from other fitness gyms and programs here in Oxford. The 60-minute workout is designed to raise the client’s Excess Post Oxygen Consumption, abbreviated EPOC, to a certain level for a particular duration of time. The heart monitor worn during the workout allows the client to check and see his or her heart rate, which is indicated by colors and numbers on TV monitors located around the gym.
“What sets us apart is definitely the whole heart rate monitor base system that we have, which you can see your heart monitor and heart rate and calories burned in real time,” Caitlin Kottenstette, a front desk associate at Orangetheory, said.
The workout is divided into two parts. The first section mainly involves treadmills. The second section involves a combination of TRX bands, rowing machines, free weights and various cardio and abdominal exercises. Utilizing the color-coded heart rate system on the TV monitors, instructors are able to push and encourage participants to reach certain EPOC levels and workout to his or her fullest. Each workout is different every day and is used globally in all Orangetheory Fitness studios.
“The interval training is in five heart rate zones, and the instructor is telling you where you want to be during for those couple of minutes or minute,” Pegram said. “The idea behind it is the EPOC, so your body and your heart rate is fluctuating how they tell it to during the class.”
After the class, the body continues to burn another 300 to 400 calories over the next 24 hours.
Collin Pautz is one of the main trainers at Orangetheory Fitness and works every day to push his clients to achieve their best workout potential.
“Here, we make sure that you get the most kind of engaged, and most high paced and active one hour workout that you can’t get anywhere else,” Pautz said. “Here, we will push you harder then you could push yourself at any other gym.”
The Orangetheory Fitness franchise began more than five years ago with its first location in Miami. Since then, the company has grown nationally with 373 locations in the United States and globally in seven different countries. Recently, it was listed by Entrepreneur as one of the top 50 growing franchises in the country.
Oxford hosts approximately 22 different gyms and fitness studios, ranging from yoga studios, 24-hour fitness gyms, CrossFit, kickboxing, barre and pilates studios, cycling classes, boot camp programs and more.
Pegrams said he saw the need for something new by introducing Oxford to Mississippi’s first Orangetheory Fitness.
Pegram is a local commercial real estate agent, and was originally looking for store tenants in the shopping center where Orangetheory is located.
After researching the company and trying a few classes in Memphis, he decided to open Orangtheory along with his wife. A lot of planning and research went into the opening of the Oxford location, as Pegram used the advising and partnership of the Orangetheory Fitness Memphis, Tennessee owners to help.
Their cliental includes both Ole Miss students and community residents.
Many University students enjoy the student discount the program has to offer. It’s the first and only Orangetheory Fitness studio to offer a student discount, nationally and internationally.
“I’ve never had a person walking out of one of these classes and say they absolutely hated it,” Robert Smith, Orangetheory Fitness employee, said. “Everyone loves these classes after they try them.”
