I am more than halfway through my third Orange Theory Hell Week. The first year I participated I didn’t know what I was getting into. Last year I didn’t plan on participating, but decided even Hell Week was better than a week of workouts in a sparse hotel gym. This year I signed up early because I might as well make it my last-week-of-October tradition. If that’s the way it’s going to be, I need a plan for how to survive Orange Theory Hell Week.
How To Survive Orange Theory Hell Week
Know what you are getting into. The first key to surviving Hell Week is knowing what you are getting into. During the last week of October, the Orange Theory Fitness studio workouts have a Halloween-theme and may or may not be harder than usual. If you complete at least 5 of the 8 workouts you earn a t-shirt. (Some studios have other contests and prizes.)
Plan your Hell Week workouts. If you don’t usually go to Orange Theory every day, you will need to plan when and how to fit in your 5 workouts over the 8 days of Hell Week. If you go to a busy studio like I do, it’s a good idea to sign up for classes early. I also suggest spreading out your workouts instead of doing them all on consecutive days.
I booked these classes in September
Make the Hell Week workouts your own. Yes, the fun of Hell Week is pushing yourself through the tough workouts and seeing that you are strong enough to survive, and that t-shirt won’t be very meaningful if you just phone it in, but you still have to respect your body and know your limits. This is really the key to how to survive Orange Theory Hell Week. If you’ve recently recovered from an injury, feel a twinge when you do a certain exercise, just can’t stand another burpee, or don’t feel safe running that fast at that steep an incline, it’s OK to modify the workout. You can use lighter weights, do fewer reps, take a break for a few seconds, dial back the treadmill workout–or ask the coach for a modification that will still challenge you without risking injury.
Fuel and refuel. Nutrition is important when you’re pushing yourself through hard workouts day after day. Having a snack an hour or so before class will give you enough energy to push through to the end, and eating a balanced snack or meal afterwards will help your muscles recover. I’m not awake an hour before my 5 am class, but I have a rice cake with peanut butter on the way, and I refuel with cottage cheese and fruit–and Starbucks–as soon as I can afterwards. 😉
Stretch, roll, and rest. Another key to surviving Hell Week without getting injured is to take time to stretch and foam roll. I’m not very good at this, but I have been vigilant with stretching my calves and feet after class, and using the foam roller at night. I’m also trying to go to bed earlier. While I can get through one day with a 4:15 am alarm on too little sleep, I can’t fake it all week.
If you’ve been thinking about checking out an Orange Theory Fitness studio near you, they have a clever offer for next Sunday, November 4–the day we turn our clocks back. Orange Theory wants you to use that “extra hour” to try a free class–but be careful, you might get hooked like I did.
Weekly Wrap
Knowing Hell Week was coming, I took it a bit easy at the start of the week. On the other end, I added two Orange Theory classes after a business trip got rescheduled and it looked like rain would keep me off my bike anyway.
Monday: 3.3 Scooby Miles + strength workout
I had to wear gloves!
Tuesday: Rest Day
Wednesday: The Burpee Ring
Thursday: The Final Distance Destination
Friday: The Haunting Hills
Saturday: The Carnival of Burning Souls + CPY2 with Deborah
A little Prisma fun on our photo …
When Deborah told me she was doing CPY2 Saturday morning, I knew it would be the perfect antidote to four consecutive days of OTF. The instructor led us through a relatively slow sequence, which gave my muscles lots of time to warm up and stretch out. My arms didn’t need that many chaturanga though ….
Sunday: 14.5 mile round-trip bike ride to cheer on MCM with my MRTT group.
So glad I saw Erika!
Join me in the Weekly Wrap link up hosted by Holly and Wendy. It’s a great way to stay motivated and accountable.
Make sure you start November on the right foot by joining Deborah and me for the November Ultimate Coffee Date next weekend. We’ll open the (link-up) doors on Friday, and keep the coffee brewing all weekend.
Are you dressing up for Halloween? Or did you for any Halloween parties this weekend?
![The Ultimate Coffee Date](http://got2run4me.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ultimate-Coffee-Date.png" "The Ultimate Coffee Date")
Hell Week certainly looks like it’s named appropriately LOL That said, I”d love to give it a try, but there aren’t any OTF’s in my area. #excuses 😉
You would kill Hell Week! Bwahahahha.
well, I cannot say I find this at all appealing! Good for you! Glad we got to meet up for yoga
Yoga was fantastic. Have fun in Napa!
I’m thinking this would be 5 of my bootcamps in 1 week. I’d have to train for it. We do have OTF here but I’ve never gone since I have bootcamp…
Your bootcamps sound pretty awesome too.
Yikes! Sounds like a week you have to train for!
It is pretty intense.
OK, so you know I’d be hitting up Starbucks right after class as a treat for surviving one Hell Day. It’s so cool you biked to MCM to cheer on runners. I’m glad you spotted someone you recognized too. Can I be the third wheel at your next yoga class with Deborah? Thanks for linking!
Not out-eating my workouts is a big challenge. We’d love to have you join ust And maybe we could figure out “third wheel pose” for our photo. 😀
wow. That’s amazing/intense. Congrats!
Luckily? my OTF won’t open on time otherwise free might be a hook
They usually offer a free week when a studio opens, and they always offer a free class — there’s no escape!
hah. If it ever opens
I’ve never been to Orange Theory, but we do finally have one locally. I might have to check it out. AFTER hell week!
Okay so Hell Week is definitely the correct name for what you described – wowsa! We have an Orange Theory fitness in a neighboring city but I haven’t checked it out yet.
Wow, these sound really tough! That definitely makes sense to need a plan to get through it 🙂
Love that pic of you and Deborah.
There would be a lot of Starbucks to survive Hell Week.
Good for you on getting it done.
Hell Week sounds fun! And awful! But fun! Great survival tips!
I will be dressing up for Halloween. Nothing major, but little man and his friend are going to be dinosaurs, so we are just going to keep in that Jurassic World kind of theme.
This whole past weekend has been all about Halloween and fall. And then on Wednesday, the classes are having a Mad Scientist Day and in the evening, we will trick or treat. It’s going to be fabulous!
That sounds like so much fun! I love Halloween and hope soem kids make it up our hill!
I love the creativity OTF has with their classes. Is hell week especially popular? Or do people shy away from it?
It’s very popular – you know how we are about swag. 😉
Sounds intense!!! But I bet you feel awesome afterwards!
Awesome and exhausted!
I’ve never done an orange theory workout but I keep hearing about it! Im not sure I’m dressing up this year. I’ve made 3 out of the 4 costumes this year and I’m feeling burned out haha.
I’ve never heard of Orange Theory hell week but it sounds intense! I mean, even just regular Orange Theory sounds intense to me. Great job getting it done!
This actually sounds cool and like something I would definitely do!!! We don’t have OT but I may just suggest something like this (theme weeks on occasion) to my gym!!
No Halloween here – we celebrate St Maarten in 11/11 (the kids do anyway!)
It’s a lot of fun! What is St. Maarten and how is it celebrated?
You lost me at Burpee Ring! LOL! Good for you for taking on such an intense challenge!
And how great that you spotted Erika at MCM!
So many burpees!!
Great post. I haven’t been to OT, but I can only imagine what hell week must be like there!