Orangetheory Fitness Arlington – Ballston

I absolutely LOVE this place! The workout is different every time so I never get bored. I’ve been burning over 600 calories every time and have already noticed progress in the last 6 weeks.
The instructors are very professional and helpful. I mainly go to Grant’s classes and he is AWESOME. He is a great motivator and manages to circle the room constantly to correct form and provide modifications or amplifications. I highly recommend the Ballston location.

Yes. it is expensive, but I needed a kick in the butt, and this was it. Also, the staff is very nice and helpful.
The one downside is that you have to work out with people who sometimes don’t understand the kindergarten concepts of sharing space and putting things where they belong. Don’t get me wrong – there are many considerate people who frequent this gym – there are just some who are so precious that they need to be reminded of how to share and clean up.
Staff will sometimes remind people not to leave things out – so they understand it can be an issue – they might want to do this for every class.

Came here with some friends on a Monday night. Loved the place, but wow, Joshua is just too much.
If I end up moving to the area, I’ll probably end up joining Orange Theory. No way in hell I’ll be coming on a Mondays though. I hate to rant, but this sideways man-​bun wearing guy just irks me. Can’t handle it.
That said, cool spot, recommend every other day of the week.

I’ve had membership at OT for about a month now and I’ve only been to one ballston class and the rest at Dunn Loring. When my friend & I signed up, we had negotiated a deal with Shayna (the studio manager) who was also the instructor for my free class at the Ballston studio. The deal was $ 109/​month for 8 classes + free heart rate monitor. We told her when we would stop by to sign up. When we got there, Shayna was teaching a class and my friend and I dealt with someone named Danielle Tamulis. Right off the bat, her demeanor was just nonchalant, I explained the deal that we had negotiated with Shayna and even showed her the email that Shayna confirmed that we would be able to receive the discount + free heart rate monitor. Danielle says ‘this email doesn’t indicate anything about free heart rate monitor’. She goes into the class and asks Shayna and Shanya responds by saying that she doesn’t remember the free heart rate monitor but is willing to give us the $ 109/​month deal. Now, had we known that Shayna would NOT honor the deal when we actually went out of our way to ballston studio, we would have signed up at Dunn Loring OT for only $ 99/​month for the 8 classes. By that point, it seemed Danielle just did not want to deal with us anymore and when I walked up to the counter to show her the email, she pretended to IGNORE us and proceeded to scan documents and talk to the other guy working the counter (who I must say is very friendly). I tried to get her attention several times and it got to the point when the guy behind the counter pointed out, ‘hey maybe you should help them first’. I show her another email that Shayna sent us and she basically mumbled ‘alright fine, if that’s’ what it takes for you to sign up then i can just give you the free heart rate monitors’ like she was doing us a favor and was tired of dealing with us. WHEN IN REALITY, EVERYTHING WAS CLEARLY STATED IN THE EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE WITH SHAYNA. Shayna may not have remembered the deal that she had negotiated with us and she was prob really busy since she was teaching a class when Danielle asked, but it was our experience with Danielle that just left us wondering why we even signed up with the ballston studio.
We sign up, and we did not receive a welcome packet, or confirmation papers at all. We left empty handed. My friend who signed up at the Dunn Loring studio, received a welcome packet, water bottle, towel (all for free). We received a welcome email from the Ballston studio but Danielle did not explain anything about signing up for classes online in person. I had to call Dunn Loring studio where the studio manager was so kind and friendly and explained how to sign up online.
My friend and I get back to her apt and we notice that Danielle gave us both size SMALL heart rate monitors. I’m a size small but my friend is not. My friend calls the studio again and speaks with Danielle who basically flat out told her that ‘most people fit into the size small heart rate monitor’ which is why she gave us both a size small. Wtf? It’s clear that my friend is not a size small and the fact that she said that most people fit into that size who sign up for OT is extremely offensive. My friend had to go out of her way to switch out the heart rate monitor another size the next day.
The ballston studio itself is extremely crowded. The workout is still great and Shayna is a great instructor but it seems the studio is a lot more hectic and def not as clean as the other studios such as Fairfax and Dunn Loring. The Dunn Loring studio which I’ve been to for all of my classes are extremely organized, a lot bigger and much cleaner. I’ve cancelled my membership for now but if I do sign up again, it will definitely be with Dunn Loring.

Do not join Orangetheory! If you attempt to cancel your membership, they will continue to charge your credit card for additional months. I finally changed my credit card & they harassed me via text & phone calls for 3 months & just recently sent me to collections.

As someone who has been going to Orange Theory FItness for the past 8 months (since September 2015) I feel like I can now provide a well rounded, updated review.
Any glitches I had been experiencing with my heart rate monitor pod had been fixed a few months ago when they switched me to the newer, flatter model of the pod. A+, 100 percent improvement.
Trainers: I only go to Tim and Joshua’s classes. Not only do they have the hardest workouts but also the best music. In my time going to OTF, I’ve seen new trainers come in and out and I’m sure they are great too but Tim and Joshua are my constants and the reasons why I go. If either of them stopped teaching classes there, I would drop without question.
The Workout: Still just as hard as my first day. The benefits are real. Although I notice that my weight on the scale has not gone down, my body composition has changed completely. I am much more lean and body fat % has gone down as well. The weights I lift now are heavier. My endurance and speed on the treadmill has gotten much better. My form on the water rower is better thanks to the coaching. I time my mile once a week on the weekends on a track, and it has gone down about 2 minutes, almost to my high school speed (when I used to be a year round athlete playing lacrosse and field hockey). My metabolism has skyrocketed to the point where I am eating way more than I used to but not gaining weight.
If you are on fence about starting or continuing your membership I would say begin now and/​or stick with it because in 8 months OTF has been a huge part of my overall fitness journey in an impressively positive way.
The only thing I will say is a pain is scheduling classes and getting off the waitlist now. 6 months ago it was easy. Now it is nearly impossible to get in a class if you don’t book your class like two weeks before on the app. This isn’t their fault though… like, sorry you’re so popular! Lots of people are just catching on the OTF wave and I get it. I try not to get too upset when I can’t get into my usual classes if I didn’t book in advance, but that’s really just a volume issue during peak times (before and/​or after 9 – 5 workdays), not so much an issue with the staff or studio.
Sign up now :)

Orange Theory where have you all my life. In short… I am obsessed with Orange Theory. Prior to joining I was looking for something that included strength training… knowing this is what I need to really see a change in my body. I joined last October and was waiting to write a review until I had positive results to share. I have been consistently going 5 – 6 days a week since January 1. My goal is to lose about 15 lbs. So far I have lost 10 and have toned up and am seeing some nice muscle definition.
The trainers are all great… and I mean all of them. I learn something new each time I come and they all have something different to offer. I have never taken the same class twice and actually look forward to the classes (odd for me). The hour flies by, music is great and I push myself harder than I ever have. I have had issues with the heart rate monitor not working properly and will probably end up purchasing the wrist model. Not a deal breaker for me, I push myself just as hard without it.
The front desk staff is helpful and extremely friendly. Customer service at OT Ballston is spot on for sure. Class are popular so I sign up well in advance so I am able to get in, which is fine.
If you are looking to get healthy, give OT a try… you won’t be disappointed.

So I would say 4.5 Stars only because this place is a bit of a victim of it’s own well deserved success. The classes are too crowded. I’ve been at Ballston since opening. I know they are running a business and they want to maximize revenue — but sometimes getting into the classes I want is a pain, especially when you can’t signup for sessions until your new billing month comes through. If they could just get the new locations set up, maybe it would relieve it a bit — though I’m not optimistic — I think OT will just get more clients instead. Also, the music is very loud for me — though it seems like most of the other people don’t seem to mind — and if it was softer I would only hear myself huff and puff! On the other hand, OT is probably the best workout and gym experience I have ever had — yes, I am a bit older, which means that when I say best I’ve ever had, I’m talking decades of trying things. I stay more committed to this than anything. I engage in longer sustained efforts than ever. I continue to see benefits and increases in fitness and performance with no injury or chronic discomfort in only two visits a week — I don’t think I have ever experienced that before anywhere. Soon I’ll start adding a few additional outside workouts a week — I remain impressed. You know, when I started out it was quite a bit of a hurt mission. After my first session I was physically ill. I was glad I prepaid for a membership before I tried it, because I might not have come back. The following days were very painful. For the next two months, I could not have done more than two a week. Every day between sessions was pure recovery, and I would be going back just as the discomfort was relieving. Then one morning, about three or four months in, I was driving away from class and I said out loud to myself «That was a great workout, I feel so much better.» Which was immediately followed with «Oh sh!#! When did that happen?! When did working out make me feel good? Dammit. Now I’m going to have to keep doing it!» It’s all Joshua and Grants fault.

Love our neighborhood OT. The workouts are fairly high intensity and being hooked up to a heart rate monitor ensures that you get a great workout relative to your fitness level.
The instructors do a good job overall (Grant is my personal fave) and over time learn your name and make it more of a community.
I have tried other fitness fabs and never found that the workout was worth the money or felt self-​conscious. Here you will get the right mix of cardio and strength training in a way that allows you to set your own pace with everyone rooting for you rather than looking you over.
Do yourself a favor and take the first free class. It’s well worth it

I have been going here 2 months now and love it. I get my butt handed to me every session which makes me feel great.
The instructors are excellent and really push you to do your best and make the most out of your workout.
They also do not do contracts, and can stop your subscription at any time with 30 days notice and no penalty.
The only thing that I don’t like is the classes can sometimes be way too crowded. I try to go when I know there will not be a full class but sometimes there is no avoiding it. That means you may not get your pick on what you want to start with, and the floor space will be limited. I am worried that they are taking on too many members.
Happy workout!

I joined OTF because I felt like I was spending a lot of time at the gym and not seeing the results I should. I have always been a little of a gym rat, but was ready to pack better workouts into less time. I fell in love with OTF immediately. It is an amazing workout in just 55 minutes or so. The heart rate monitor keeps me honest about how hard I am pushing myself, and I always come out of class having had a fantastic and super efficient workout. I think I have tried virtually every workout there is – and this is the best.
About this location — I really cant say more nice things about it. The set up of the gym works well and the trainers are awesome! Tim, Grant, Josh and Shayna are my favorites. The front desk staff is always really helpful and nice. I have emailed tons of questions and they always respond quickly. My only gripes are the 12 hour cancellation policy can be tough and the $ 12 fee for late cancels is annoying. Although the $ 12 fee has gotten me to class a few times when I might have otherwise stayed in bed, so its not all bad. Of note, they allowed cancellation at any time during the recent snow storm with no charge. I really appreciated that and had to late cancel at least two classes over the last week because of the weather.
All in all, this is a great place… and if you are even slightly considering trying it… do it. You wont regret it!

Best workout for your time. I joined when it was new so that I would get motivated to work out. Scheduling the class ahead of time keeps me committed. I haven’t lost any weight in the 6 months I’ve been doing it (I only go twice a week and then do something else another day), but I am so much more toned (and isn’t that what’s most important). The trainers really keep me motivated and push me. I’ve tried CrossFit (which I don’t particularly like), Bodypump classes (which I like), personal trainers, and working out on my own. This is by far the best workout I’ve ever done and I’m a little addicted. This location has become super popular, for a good reason, but there are plenty of classes. I schedule several weeks in advance.

Orange Theory Fitness is absolutely wonderful, and hands down my favorite place to get an awesome workout. I’d like to start out by saying this is coming from someone who previously hated working out, ESPECIALLY in classes. Orange Theory changed that. If you want to reach any sort of fitness goal, whether it be lose weight, gain muscle, or just stay healthy, OTF will help you get there in a fun, engaging and NO JUDGMENT environment.
Here’s a breakdown of a regular Orange experience:
Sign-​Up Process: This part is super easy, Orange offers a bunch of plans and schedules to fit any amount of classes you’d like to take, like buying a certain set of classes or paying monthly for unlimited classes. Signing up for an actual class is even easier. You can text, call, use the Orange app or just talk to anyone at the front desk at Orange. Cancelling a class you can’t make works the same way. It couldn’t be easier.
Front Desk: I love these guys! I workout early in the morning, and the friendliness of the staff at Orange always gets me woken up and in a good mood. They are all very knowledgeable and are super responsive with helping folks out before and after classes.
Workout Experience: Orange Theory Fitness has definitely the HARDEST workout that I’ve done (I’ve tried regular gyms, boot camps, and personal workout sessions). It is the toughest but also the most fun! The trainers at Orange Theory are amazing! If you get any trainers like the ones I’ve had (Shayna, Grant, Josh, Tim) you are guaranteed to have an incredible session. They make the workout fun, and are always attentive and ready to help out with form and other advice to make sure you get an effective (and healthy) workout. With great music, fantastic trainers, and a nifty heart rate monitor, it makes for one crazy workout!
In summary, if you are frustrated with the workout experiences you’ve had in past, and want a place that makes fitness awesome, OTF is your number one choice.

I went to my first training session at Orange Theory this week and did really enjoy the atmosphere and format of the class. Everyone who worked there was really very friendly and helpful. I had forgotten my water bottle and AJ at the front desk was quick to give me one. I burned just over 600 calories, which is awesome. The trainer, Taylor, made sure to take the time to explain the results posted on the screen to me. I had some hiccups with the heartrate monitor falling off, etc. Definitely something to get used to.
My one and only issue were the lack of showers. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait for one. But, they are small so once you’re out of them, you have to fight to keep your feet dry because the floor outside of the shower gets wet. Additionally, I wish there was a mirror in the shower! Instead, I started to put my makeup on in the bathroom, but felt bad hogging the only bathroom in the place… So, not the most convenient for me when I’m trying to get ready for work. Otherwise, had a great class and experience!

I was never into working out. I struggle with not knowing how to maximize my workouts and would go to the gym at my apartment and experience no results. My wife introduced me to Orange Theory and it changed my life.
After about a month of working out, completing eight classes, I am already seeing progress on my body. I see the outline of abs on my stomach (my ultimate goal) and in only eight hours of working out.
Orange Theory Ballston has the ultimate staff. From the moment you walk into the studio, you are greeted by friendly staff. The coaches are great at running around the class and correcting everyone’s posture. They try to improve and give you attention so it feels almost like personal training.
The thing that sold me on OTF in the end was that the team didn’t push a plan on me. They listened to what I wanted and made suggestions to meet my personal goals. I love OTF!

Pretty cool! It sort of has a Crossfit feel, but longer duration (one hour) and less intense. I think that Orangetheory works for a broader range of fitness needs. Our instructor was awesome, wish I could remember his name. They have EDM pumping the whole time, definitely amps you up. I went for the free session on Thursday. It’s VERY awesome that you can see your heart rate on the bigscreen the whole time. They also send you an email workout summary after each session.
I’m pretty impressed, really thinking about signing up. I think this has 5 star potential, the only area of opportunity I saw was it would be nice if they had a second instructor in the classroom to assist people who are struggling with posture and understanding the free weight moves. They have it up on the TV, but nothing beats having someone walk over and help you if you’re doing an exercise a little wrong.
If I sign up I’ll update the review.

So far, so good! I usually go during my lunch break, «tryna» get way from the cubicle cage, so I can only speak for Tue/​Thu noon classes. Both coach Devone and coach Elaina are great! They do have different coaching styles but both are great motivators and very helpful. Both explained the different colors/​zones and what each does, etc… so you have an idea of how hard you’re working. Their music selection is also excellent.
Although the membership is a bit pricier than regular gyms, please keep in mind that this is not a «gym» where you just go and do your own thing. In this workout, you have someone showing you what to do if you need clarification and most importantly, pushing you to work harder. I find the membership A LOT more cost-​effective considering personal training sessions (even when shared with others) usually run at least $ 70/​hour in this area. Personally, I prefer to be pushed past my limits so having a coach helps tremendously and it’s also nice to have other people suffering along with you. Misery loves company, right?
I would recommend trying it out. It’s definitely a judgement-​free zone if you’re worried about snooty Arlington people. :)

I had no idea what to expect going into this. I’m fit and an avid solidcore, barre, Pilates enthusiast, so I figured how hard can this be? Really f-​Ing hard in a good way. You are hooked up to a heart rate monitor that shows your calorie burn, BPM and zone you are in which keeps you pushing yourself. I hate running, but I found myself pushing harder than I thought I was capable of. When it was done, I had burned 570 calories ! Definitely coming back!

YUP, I ‘M ABSOLFREAKINLUTLY HOOKED! …THE BEST FREAKIN group training/​circuit training I ve EVER experienced.
The staff is EXTREMELY knowledgeable… (Josh is the head trainer… A.MAZ.ZINNNNNG), friendly and willing to help with question, putting on your heart rate monitor or anything else you may need.

I burned 750 calories in an hour. Winner winner chicken dinner — I think I found my pre-​wedding kick-​my-​ass workout!
Workout:
–Treadmill: Walking in, there was no real introduction provided other than «you will switch sides at some point». We all just started running hoping this was the right thing to do. Similar to using treadmill at gym listening to loud music but you are in a group (slightly boring)
— Rowing machine: Did not use.
–Weights area: Crowded. I constantly felt like I was accidentally taking someone else’s weights or in someone else’s turf in the TRX zone. They ran out of smaller weights (5, 8, 10 lb weights) and most people in my group were women who needed these smaller weights. Variety kept me challenged.
Instructors: Friendly, no judgement zone. Treadmill was basically «on your own» with minor instructors on when to «sprint» or «push». In weights area, instructor was willing to provide modifications (at some point I had to ask for a modification by going up to him) but not proactive with modifications (unfortunate).
There was a «TA» for the class, Joshua, who was incredibly helpful. He ran around turning on fans for the treadmills (A LIFESAVER) and helped with form and modifications the whole time.
Facilities: Clean and new. Lockers available (though these seemed to fill up). There were water fountains inside the room but not in waiting area.
–I only spotted two showers. This could be a serious issue for morning classes since the class fits ~35 and everyone is drenched in sweat by the end. Not a problem if you live next door, but may be an issue for us drivers. I just hope I don’t end up sitting next to someone at work to went to OTF and then couldn’t get into the shower in time…
Parking: If the evening, you can park in the Ballston mall for $ 1. This is directly across from OTF
SUMMARY:
Soreness level: ⁹⁄₁₀ (not sure I could survive anything higher)
Price: Good pre-​opening prices before ⁷⁄₁₅ especially compared to other unlimited options ($ 159/​month unlimited)
Getting-​in-​shape-​potential: I think anyone who does this a few times a week will easily get in better shape (weight loss and building muscles)