I’ve been part of the OTF cult for about 2 years and I love it. I recently moved and I really miss the coaches at my old studio. One of my favorite things about OTF is the convenience, one solid hour and you’re done. Unfortunately, my old studio is now 45+ minutes away, so going back there regularly isn’t realistic.
I tried a studio closer to me, but I didn’t love it. The layout feels awkward (there’s a partial wall and a column right in the middle), and the vibe just didn’t click. There’s a high chance I’ll sign up anyway, but before committing, I’d like to explore other options.
For those of you who’ve tried other class-based gyms, what would you recommend? I’m curious about Pilates, but I’m open to any suggestions that offer structured, instructor-led classes.
TL;DR: Love OTF, moved, nearby studio didn’t click. Looking for class-based gym alternatives/recommendations before rejoining.
I do a ton of classes outside of OTF. Here’s my feedback.
Club Pilates: a must, extremely complimentary to OTF as it improved my core strength tremendously which in turn helped my running and endurance. I’ve honestly recommended that they should find a way to offer a combo where you get access to both studios.
Solidcore: it’s… intimidating. Steep learning curve but you do get a hell of a workout in. Wouldn’t recommend for beginners.
CycleBar: enjoyable experience, good vibes, studios can be hit or miss so you really want to do your due diligence before signing up (opt for a 4 pack to try several days there rather than signing up after the first class) downside is you don’t burn a huge number of calories. But your legs will be nice and toned, and they do a ok job trying to incorporate in arm exercises etc.
Rowhouse: hard to find but if you love rowing it’s a must. I hit a class there once a week. Absolutely fantastic, great workout. It’s 40 minutes of rowing broken into different blocks, with a core/exercise component thrown in to break up the blocks, great calorie burn and really focuses on your rowing form (they’re air rowers so a totally different experience then the water ergs at otf)
F45: not a fan personally, but my brother swears by it. Here’s the thing, I don’t like timed reps. It feels ripe to hurt yourself. I like going at my pace and form checking. You go from station to station doing lifts and it’s basically “30 seconds of Roman dead lifts, go” “30 seconds of good mornings, go” basically it’s strength 50 on steroids. You do get good gains but there’s a steep learning curve. I still hit a class maybe once a month?
Barre3: this one is toughhhh as a guy. Fantastic workout, I’m dripping sweat when I’m done, my only complaint is that the coach is doing the class with you so… it can throw you off at times. But man you’re gonna feel it after those classes. Great core work, it hits good.
Solidcore left my core sore for a week 😆
Can confirm .... Very difficult workouts. Results bit you earn them
Until you hit Barre3, I was certain you were a woman. Lol. But I absolutely agree with your assessment. Barre classes are deceptively challenging! I miss them.
I disagree with our about F45 - my absolute favorite but there is none around where I live now. Then again, I did it during the pandemic when classes were outside & that probably gave it an extra edge.
O I know it’s a very personal grudge with f45 lol like I said, my brother loves it. The way my brain is wired I prefer the idea of doing a set not amrap. Even when OTF does it I groan.
I was in a really bad headspace when I started F45 and so for me having timed exercises was really helpful — I would just constantly say I can do anything for one minute at a time. I never felt like I could do an hour, but I always felt like I could do the next minute in front of me. That’s legitimately how I survive that period of my life so I guess it holds a special place in my heart.
Totally understandable! It’s how I feel during 30 second all outs :) I’m glad you found something that you enjoyed, and that you’re out of that headspace. The best workout is the workout you get in!
I love Reformer classes, but I have to say my local Club Pilates wasn’t great. For me it came down to the owner/manager. They were kind of mean and had staffing issues. I stayed there for a year or so as a beginner and then left for a different studio. Glad to hear other CPs are better.
I didn't feel challenged by Club Pilates. I enjoyed, it, mostly, but the ROI didn't seem worth it. :P
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I was a very fit beginner, so while I was new to the reformer, the exercises themselves weren't particularly challenging. And the instruction wasn't that good in terms of some basic concepts, I think.
Yeah - I would 100% recommend a local Pilates studio over CP any day!
There was a really good instructor there, but she moved away. There was another really good instructor, but it was hard to get a spot in her class. The local studio I moved to was just more stable and had class options. Then the pandemic hit and I bought a Reformer!
Can I ask how your membership(s) are stacked to be able to do these classes you go to regularly, like Row House and Club Pilates? I mix in Row House and a similar pilates class (Core40), but I use ClassPass for those so I'm really limited in the number of times I can go.
I have one pass through my insurance which gives me 5 CycleBar classes a month, 4 barre3, 4 rowhouse, 8 OTF, 4 club Pilates, and 8 f45 (plus stretchlab and stretch recovery lounge) then I also pay for a premier membership at OTF. I do 2 OTF classes a day plus one other outsider class, so today for instance was tread50 in the morning, 2g at 530 and a barre3 class after. Tomorrow will be a 2g and a 3g with a solid core. Etc.
Is this through Active & Fit? I have BCBS and get 8 OTF monthly through Active & Fit at a discount. I didn’t realize that I could possibly stack all of the others that you have.
No it’s through United, there’s no discount, for $250 a month you get access to everything I listed and more. It’s amazing if you like to work out.
That’s a huge bargain!
Honestly, I would just give it time. Change is hard but if you keep showing up you will adjust and find the new studio starts to feeling home. At least that's what happened to me when I moved states.
I would try Pure Barre. I have done both Pure Barre and Club Pilates and I like PB better. But would recommend you test out those workout since they are very different than OTF.
I joined Life Time Fitness and they're GTX class is very similar except they don't have rowing. For the price, it's worth it as there are TONS of class options and the amenities available. I think when I joined I was paying $10 more than my unlimited OTF membership was.
I’m a Lifetime member now, too. GTX is HIIT with strength floor and tread. They have Alpha Conditioning, which is OTF on steroids with a focus on strength. Cardio strength n that class is skierg, row, assault bikes and tread, but in short bursts. Alpha Strength is Olympic style lifting with some metabolic conditioning.
3 types of cycling classes, a variety of other strength classes (I particularly like Maxout), yoga, recovery areas, wet and dry saunas, hot tubs, lap and play pools, Pickle Ball, and more.
They have free weights, squat and bench racks, cable machines and others. Every kind of cardio equipment you can imagine, 3 kinds of treadmills, at least two different style of cycles, stair master, striders, etc.
Just a few dollars more than my unlimited OTF and so worth it.
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I love pure barre.
Burn Boot Camp is popular here.
If you love the high energy and intensity of OTF I would recommend you try cycling. I’ve been a member over 4 years at OTF and sometimes get burnt out on it. So what I do to switch it up is go to spin and then do some strength50 classes as my weightlifting.
I did pilates for 4 years and have done OTF for 7. Pilates was at a local independent studio where I was very well acquainted with the staff and instructors, who would have no problem customizing the workouts to challenge me. However, I outgrew what I could do on the reformer. My focus is on growing my muscle strength, definition and body recomp and that is just not possible to achieve for me with Pilates reformer alone. Which is why I moved on to OTF. Well now here we are 7 years later and I am about capped out with strength of what I can achieve with the equipment available, so I am also looking for a change to something more strength focused so I can continue my journey. I am less interested in cardio and more focused on strength, but I need some sort of instructor led format. Could I signup at a local big box meathead gym and go lift with the wannabe body builders, yes. Will I actually go and do that, no. I need the accountability of a class schedule/instructor. I am still giving OTF a chance since they have mentioned they are focusing on strength this year, but I don't know what will happen or where I will end up. But I do want to mention in defense of Pilates ... if you are looking to get long, lean muscles or if that is what your body shape naturally is, then Pilates might be for you. That is not me, so probably why I outgrew it after a couple years.
If you live near a Spenga, I highly recommend it. I love OTF, but if I were near a Spenga, I'd go there.
Spenga is spin+strength+yoga. Classes start out with spinning, followed by the floor/weights (including TRX, kettlebells and hand weights). The last part is yoga that ends with a cool down, often with the coach walking around waving a towel doused with calming aromatherapy.
I always left Spenga feeling like I got a good workout, but also a comfortable cool down that isn't rushed.
I am a member of both Club Pilates and OTF.
I do around 4-5 classes/week of each so around 8-10 hours a week.
Love CP as it has helped my knees/core strength tremendously which helps me with OTF.
I would stick to OTF. I literally go for working out.
I think the community factor left after covid.
I’m thinking of trying club Pilates. Wondering how it has helped your knees? (I have a trick knee and uneven muscle strength on my legs). How quickly did you see a difference in core/knees with CP?
I love pilates (doesn't have to be club pilates, lots of indie studios nowadays that follow the same style). I also do megaformer (some names are Solidcore/Bodyrok/Lagree etc) which is more of resistance training. I still stick with OTF because its a good blend of cardio and weights.
You might like CrossFit, check your area for CrossFit boxes. It really has a little bit of everything and can be scaled for any fitness level which is great. I really love the workouts. The coaching at the box I go to is fantastic as well, each box is different though so you might have to look around to find one you like.
My results skyrocketed after going to those classes
I love OTF, but burn bootcamp is my primary gym. I love it for many reasons!! Is there one close to you to check out? A lot of burns are doing one month for $69 now.
I was a founding member at OTF in 2015. I was there for 5 years, and left in early 2021. I went to a local gym and was disappointed in the lack of strength classes, and classes in general. It was a big adjustment for me, but I started finding my groove when I just kept showing up. Then, I went to Body Bar reformer Pilates. I really liked it at first, but there is no calorie burn, I started gaining weight. After a year, I took another class at OTF and signed right back up. It’s been 18months since I’m back, and I’m restless again.
I did the Les Mills classes when I lived too far from Orange Theory. I liked the step classes as a fun dance-like (but not actually dancing) way to do cardio l, and the weight lifting class was similar to a Strength50.
What I like most about Orange Theory is the mix of cardio/running and strength in a single class, and I'm not sure other brands get the mix as well balanced.
When I lived too far from an Orangetheory, I did personal training…they did small group classes focused on weights (think circuit training but personalized to you). I missed the running though.
I’m in a similar spot. I just moved and have a baby and work so otf is not always realistic for a whole hour plus the commute. I’m looking at trying club Pilates as well and a personal training place nearby. I tried F45 but it felt way too chaotic for me. Good luck!
You're not gonna get the good mix of cardio and strength from other class based options IMO. I have a small local class based gym that focuses on strength training. I did that for a couple years but I love running even if it's on a treadmill and missed that aspect of the OTF workout. I would run outside on my own regardless but I also like just getting in a good hours work without having to plan anything. I just go and do what the coaches say.
Do you have class pass options near you? Maybe get that for a month and try out a few places and see if you like any of those.
I had to switch home gyms as well and it just took a bit to get to know the coaches and regulars and now I'm back into it like normal.
I tried Burn Boot Camp. I thought it was a very good workout. It's all weights, other equipment, and bodyweight. More challenging than the OTF floor workouts - no treads/rowers/bikes - we sometimes ran outside in the parking lot, ha. I didn't jive with the studio so I didn't join but I thought it was a good.
Check if you have a Chuze Fitness near you. They have a copy cat OTF class called Team Training that is awesome. I switched a year ago, and pay $32 per month for unlimited classes and gym access (with a pool!).
I loved OTF and did it religiously for 8 years, but after getting the same thing and more at Chuze for less money I just couldn't justify the cost anymore.
Similar peppy and well-coached vibe: Ambition Fitness, Spenga, and Jazzercise. Ambition and Spenga both use the block model that might feel familiar.
Similar High Instensity Challenge with Strength and Power: Any Crossfit or Hyrox studio and some functional fitness gyms.
See if you can experiment with different times too.
I recently transitioned to Cycle Bar after moving to an area where I didn’t click with any of the studios. It gives me cardio, but not the strength portion. I’m still in the process of finding a strength class to attend a couple times per week to get the strength component.
I belong to both OTF and Burn Boot Camp. These two are wonderful. Lifetime is good too. In my experience, SolidCore, Club Pilates, and Pure Barre are so hard to get in to… and you won’t get the same cardio burn.
I started doing mat Pilates & then pure Barre for low impact stuff to add onto otf. While both are great and have definitely given me more core strength, they don't scratch the cardio itch at all. Though tbf i haven't done the more intense class formats at pure barre yet. I generally recommend both!
I've tried solidcore and liked it a lot but man it's expensive so i never signed up. They're also often near an otf so i imagine if otf is 45 min away so is solidcore.
I always hear great things about class pass, it might be worth doing that and trying out different things for a bit!
Wondering how it’s going with Pilates for low impact + otf? I have an autoimmune disease so I’m looking for some low impact workouts but I love otf so much (just need a lot of recovery with it). I’m also postpartum so need the abs. I did pure barre in the past but agree that I need intense cardio because I miss it
I really enjoyed mat Pilates honestly more than PB! It's not obvious at all when you're modifying unlike at PB. And you'll be familiar with some of the moves from PB, there's a good amount of overlap. The place i went to in Dallas had class packs so i usually just bought as needed to supplement
One of my OTF coaches left for another group fitness gym. I had both memberships for a bit, and for a bit I had paused OTF to focus on lifting. But my schedule has since changed and i was no longer finding joy in the lifting classes and came back to OTF. I will be starting Pilates soon to see how that is (I have back injuries that prevent me from doing heavy lower body lifting). F45 wasn’t my jam, Barry’s cardio is too intense so if I went I’d do double floor but coaches/templates can be hit or miss and it’s expensive AF. Yoga or barre could also be good alternatives. Some friends also do Lift Society or FitStop.
My brief OTF break was a good thing (we had a LOT of personnel changes at my home studio) and I’ve been enjoying it since I’ve been back, while exploring other complementary options.
I get flashbacks to Barry’s whenever we’re doing inclines. I remember the cues were 10% incline at 5-8 mph. Wait, whattttttyt? That was the starting point.
the price is different but i love Barry’s. Soulcycle is fun but idk as an every day thing. if you live in a city with a lot of classes class pass is cool because you can go to a bunch of different studios i did that when i was in New York. also when i lived in Santa Barbara their golds gym offered spin, boxing, kickboxing and a step class. the instructors were sooo into it and i had a blast in those so if you’re open look to see what classes gyms near you offer. i’ve also done and really enjoyed corepower before. i’m sure there’s tons of smaller locally owned pilates studios wherever you are so definitely don’t be afraid to try things out! also give your otf a chance that it might grow on you as you build a new community there. good luck!
You are on the Orangetheory Fitness sub Reddit… fyi