A look into Reno’s Orangetheory Fitness, second location to open in summer 2017

The fast growing, high-tech fitness franchise, Orangetheory Fitness, has come to the northern Nevada market.

Orangetheory Fitness studios are different from a typical gym experience. It is a class-based workout where each person wears a heart rate monitor. Nationally certified fitness coaches guide the participants of the class between treadmills, rowing machines and a weight-training station. The heart rate monitors track the individual’s heart rate and the number of calories burned, which are displayed in live time on a number of TV monitors around the studio.

During the 60-minute class, the monitors also display a color-coded system that goes from gray to blue, green, orange and red. The goal is to spend 12 to 20 minutes in the orange zone, which is when an individual exercises at 84 to 91 percent of their maximum heart rate. After each class, members receive a summary of their workout via email or the Orangetheory app.

While the workouts are fast paced, the classes are designed to accommodate any fitness level.

“Everything can be modified,” Alexis Riggs, owner of the Reno Orangetheory Fitness, said. “We meet people wherever they are.”

The Reno Orangetheory Fitness is located at 8056 S. Virginia St., and opened in 2016. The studio is 3,400 square feet and includes amenities such as showers, lockers and more. They currently have more than 650 members.

Reno’s studio is a franchise of Orangetheory Fitness, which is headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla. The company was founded in 2011 and already has more than 570 studios around the world and is continuing to expand their presence.

“They are in an aggressive growth mode,” Riggs explained.

Prior to the opening of the South Virginia location, the closest Orangetheory Fitness was in the Sacramento area. Riggs said it was a challenge to introduce this type of product in a market where not many people had experienced the Orangetheory workout.

Riggs said that the best way for people interested in joining to understand how Orangetheory Fitness is different from other workouts is to try a class. The Reno studio offers one free introductory workout class to any potential members.

Memberships can be used at any Orangetheory Fitness studio. Riggs explained that this is beneficial for members who travel for business or otherwise. Members can sign-up for classes on online, via the Orangetheory Fitness app, or at the studio.

Plans are in the works to open a second Reno location. Riggs has already signed the lease for a space at 1575 Robb Dr., in northwest Reno. The new Orangetheory location is scheduled to open summer 2017.

She also has potential plans to open a third location in the Sparks area. There is no timeline on the Sparks location and Riggs wants to make sure that the two Reno studios are running successfully before adding a third Orangetheory to the market.

Riggs recently moved to Reno after living in Alabama, Louisiana and Georgia for most of her life. Prior, her career was in marketing, sales and publication. However, she always had a passion for fitness and had previously worked as a water aerobics instructor.

“I have always enjoyed working with people and helping people,” Riggs said.

While on vacation in the Reno-Tahoe area in September 2015 with her husband Russ Riggs, Alexis thought northern Nevada would be a great place to make their permanent home.

“I looked at him and said ‘why don’t we retire here,’” Alexis said.

A few months later back in Atlanta, Russ went to try a class at a new Orangetheory Fitness at Emory University. He told Alexis that she needed to try it and they were soon hooked. Russ had wanted to own his own business and Alexis had wanted to get back in the fitness world. Becoming owners of an Orangetheory Fitness studio seemed like the perfect opportunity for them and to settle in northern Nevada. They finalized ownership of the Reno franchise in March 2016.

“It was fast and furious,” she said about the rate in which they moved to Reno and opened the franchise.

Russ continues to work in Atlanta for the time being and runs the financial aspects of the Reno Orangetheory franchise.

“The community has been so great and welcoming,” Alexis said.

When asked about the most rewarding aspect of owning a franchise of Orangetheory, Alexis smiled and said, “The members. We miss them if they are not here and we notice if they are not here.”

For more information about Orangetheory Fitness visit, www.orangetheoryfitness.com or call 775-800-2308.