Gyms. Like Marmite you either love them or you hate them. I adore Marmite but I am not a fan of gyms. I’ve tried a few times but I always end up just using the swimming pool. In truth I find them uninspiring, too loud and far too sweaty!
So I guess it was surprising that I was quite excited when I headed off to the new David Lloyd Studio gym in Islington (previously Sequin Park Women’s Gym) to try out the latest fitness craze - Orange Theory group training.
Having spent the week bopping around in my living room to a vintage vinyl workout, this training method from the States was probably going to be a bit of a shock!
All Mod Cons
In a high-tech room decked out with banks of brand new rowing machines and treadmills my group, who are varying between being evidently confident in this environment to seeming somewhat confused, is split into two. One half works on the treads, the other on the floor. At half-time we switch over.
Each participant has a heart monitor strapped around their chest (ladies, make sure you have a comfortable sports bra on or this will not be pleasant) which monitors whether you are in the ‘Orange Zone’ or not. Your readings are being displayed up on TV screens so you, and the personal trainers, can keep an eye on how you are doing.
Keep on running
I spent the first half hour on the treadmills and was pleasantly surprised that it was quite fun. The personal trainer was constantly challenging us to up the pace, or slow down for rest periods, meaning the whole group was working together. Some were power walking (me), and others were running (how do they do that for half an hour!?), but that didn’t matter as we all had to build up and slow down as a group.
Get on the floor
The second half was spent on the rowers (more fun) and doing floor based exercises with suspension straps, free weights and steps. I found this quite confusing - my brain just doesn’t get exercises that quickly and I had to keep hoping someone else was on the same set of repetitions as me so I could copy them.
Maybe in time I would get it but by then I was feeling a bit knackered and sweaty and like a slightly flailing and difficult child (admittedly I had never previously even picked up a set of free weights). Plus I was a bit dispirited that I hardly went into the Orange Zone. I couldn’t work out if this was me being a bit crap at pushing myself, or if I was just fitter than I realised!
I’d like to see if with some familiarity I could grasp the floor exercises a bit better. I didn’t get on with the suspension ropes at all, which was a shame as they looked like fun.
Feel good factor
And I did feel good after, once I’d stopped sweating (which took a while!). In keeping with the claims made about the format, it was surprisingly energising, something I’ve not experienced when I’ve been trying to work my own way around a gym. The group work was motivating and I liked being able to share raised eyebrows or companionable remarks with the others.
So how does this work in relation to my yoga practice? Well I couldn’t see much of the influence of yoga in the workout itself, other than the runner stretches in the floor work, but I did appreciate not being all out, all of the time, and working within my limits (you are advised not to stay in the Orange Zone for too long at first).
It was an unexpectedly good companion to the yoga in my day (I managed to nip off and go and teach a class straight after my workout), and I could see myself enjoying the challenge of a few weeks of this in order to achieve a specific training goal. Especially if I could convince someone to pay for it for me!
