New Orangetheory Fitness Studio Gets 'Physical' in Willowbrook

By AMIE SCHAENZER 

Orangetheory is more than a fitness fad, it’s an emerging fitness concept that is fastly becoming known as the “best one-hour workout in America.” Orangetherory Fitness is a one-of-a-kind workout broken into intervals of cardiovascular and strength training, using a variety of equipment including treadmills, rowing machines, SBT suspension training and free weights to tone your body and gain energy throughout the day.

Patch caught up with former registered nurse and healthcare corporate executive Jacquie Fowler, who is preparing to open an Orangetheory Fitness Studio in Willowbrook, which will be the fifth in Illinois.

PATCH: Tell me a bit about Orangetheory and why you decided this area could benefit from a Orangetheory studio.  

JACQUIE FOWLER: Orangetheory Fitness is dynamic group personal training.  It is a one-hour total body workout.  Half the class is endurance work and the other half is strength and power.  It is based on the science of heart rate zone training.  Every participant wears a heart rate monitor during the workout and can monitor their effort on large television screens throughout the studio.  Each workout is designed to spend 12-20 minutes of the total hour in Zone 4 (the Orange Zone!).  As a result, members experience the "afterburn" and continue to burn calories for up to 36 hours after their workout!  A Fitness Coach provides guidance throughout the workout ensuring an optimal result that is customized to each person.  Our members are seeing phenomenal results - weight loss, toning, strengthening.  Simply put, it is the "best one-hour workout in the country.”  It is the most efficient workout I have ever done and in today's busy world, we are all looking for efficiency in everything we do.

PATCH: Where is the new studio?  What will it offer? When are you planning to open?

JACQUIE: Orangetheory Fitness is conveniently located at the corner of 75th Street and Route 83 (Kingery Highway) in Willowbrook. The studio itself is approximately 3000 sq ft and will offer 55 classes per week for all levels.  We will begin offering classes to our members at the end of April. Our grand opening will be the middle of May.

PATCH: How long have you lived in Hinsdale? Before opening this studio, what did you do professionally? Have you ever owned a business before?  

JACQUIE: My family has lived in Hinsdale for almost four years.  I started my career as a registered nurse and, after completing my master’s in business administration, I set out to transform the healthcare system in countries all over the world.  While I have always been an avid exerciser, my passion for fitness soared to new heights over the past three years following my “retirement” from the corporate world to spend more time with my family.  During this time, I immersed myself in a wide variety of fitness activities (running, boot camps, swimming, interval training, strength and conditioning, etc). When I tried the Orangetheory Fitness workout in April 2013 while in Newport Coast, CA, for a girlfriend's weekend, I knew I had found my calling.  It put an end to my search for the “perfect” workout and reunited me with my lifelong commitment to the science of health and wellness.

PATCH: Besides your Willowbrook studio, are there any other Orangetheory studios in this area?  

JACQUIE: Yes, there are over 80 Orangetheory Fitness studios across the country and another 100 in development!  There are currently studios in Naperville, Orland Park, Evanston and Wheaton.  My studio will be the fifth studio in Illinois.

For more information about the new Orangetheory Fitness Studio in Willowbrook, classes and hours, contact Jacquie Fowler at  jacquiefowler@comcast.net