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How to Become an Orangetheory Coach?

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How to Become an Orangetheory Coach

Orangetheory coaching is not only a career but an opportunity to impact other people’s lives. For this reason, even high-profile athletes with promising athletics careers, such as Jordan Gray, still find Orangetheory trainer jobs fulfilling.

However, it is evident that getting a job as a coach at a popular fitness corporate is not easy. The good news is that the requirements are manageable, especially with a passion and talent or skill for the fitness industry.

So, What Do You Need to Become an Orangetheory Coach?

The most important requirement for Orangetheory coaches is a NCCA-approved personal trainer or group trainer fitness certification from an OTF approved education company such as:

  • American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
  • National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
  • National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
  • American Council on Exercise (ACE)
  • Athletics and Fitness Association of America(AFFA)
  • National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT)

Either of these certifications will first get you CPR and AED certifications. Then, one will need NCCA-approved personal trainer or group trainer certificates, all necessary for Orangetheory trainer applications. 

In most cases, Orangetheory trainers are also required to have at least one year of experience as trainers, preferably group trainers. However, there are instances where a franchise picks up fresh talent, as long as they have the certifications and prove to be good at transforming people’s fitness lives.

Another most important requirement is going through the OTFit certification program, which Orangetheory offers to all their coaches and employees. They take the certification at Orangetheory, which is exclusive for Orangetheory employees and prospects.

The OTFit certification program takes one week, which is full of intense training exercises, activities and education.

Finally, the prospective coaches go through the most challenging part, the part where only your personality and courage will help you. This is the microphone exam, where one is required to take control of the microphone and guide a class. Usually, this happens in small classes, which to me is best for beginners. At the microphone, you are required to take on the Orangetheory training methods, as well as incorporate the persona that makes you a unique world-class coach.

Qualifications required in addition to certificates

  • Intermediate knowledge of physiology, exercise technique, and body mechanics
  • Ability to multi-task and stay organized
  • Positive, motivating and effective interpersonal communication skills
  • Desire and capacity to train all fitness levels
  • Excellent communication and customer service skills
  • Must be able to safely lift and move up to 40lbs
  • Have a functional knowledge of heart rate based training

If you have what it takes to be an Orangetheory Fitness coach. then Visit Orangetheory’s Careers page to apply now.

What are CPR and AED Certifications?

Generally, CPR is the short form for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, while AED is the short form for Automated External Defibrillator. These two courses are basic in fitness training because they help understand how to save a person’s life in case they require first aid in a class.

Exercise in Orangetheory is rigorous, with all the workouts being high-intensity interval training. If a person has a respiratory attack or an acute cardiovascular challenge in class, the combination of the two classes helps one perform first aid before the medics come in. For this reason, they are the most important certifications for any aspiring trainer, Orangetheory or otherwise.

These courses can be found at your local fire department, university, or directly through the following organizations: American Heart Association (AHA), American Safety & Health Institute (ASHI), American Red Cross (ARC), EMS Safety Services, Emergency University, American Safety Training Institute (ASTI), National Safety Council (NSC) Etc. Also, major fitness training institute provides AID and CPR courses.

What is NCCA Accredited Certification?

NCCA is the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, which certifies personal trainers and sets standards for the field of personal fitness trainers. Therefore, when going for personal training, you must confirm that NCCA accredits the college since this will be key to your success in the industry.

The following organizations currently offer NCCA-accredited personal trainer certification programs:

Is NCCA a Good Certification?

Yes, NCCA is a good certification. Actually, other than Orangetheory, almost all the renowned fitness gyms require that you have an NCCA accredited certificate for consideration. Therefore, the accreditation keeps you safe in your fitness career.

Besides, you will always feel confident in your training career when you have the best certification backing, even when you are self-employed. It gives you command over what you do and the people who work with you.

How to Get an NCCA Accredited Personal Training Certification

NCCA personal training certifications require the following;

  • That the person is 18 years and above
  • That the person completes CPR and EAD certifications successfully
  • That the person already has and presents a government identification document; national ID, passport or driver’s license

The accrediting firm offers various personal training certifications. You can choose a couple to start with before getting more. The certifications include:

  1. Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)
  2. Certified Group Exercise Instructor (CGxl)
  3. Certified Yoga Instructor (CYI)
  4. Certified Indoor Cycling Instructor (CICI)
  5. Certified Strength Training Specialist (CSTS)

During your Orangetheory coach application, you will be required to have a minimum of CPT (Certified Personal Trainer) or CGxl (Certified Group Exercise Instructor) certifications from NCCA. The certifications, in addition to EAD, CPR and trainer courses, are quite expensive, so you can start with the most important ones.

How Much Does Personal Trainer Certification Cost?

In general, the cost of a personal trainer certification varies depending on the institution. The range is also wide so that you can consider the most convenient. However, you also have to consider one that is most readily accepted in most exercise gyms, such as NASM, even if it is among the most expensive options. Also, note that different certifications cost different from each other.

Anyway, here are a few of the NCCA-approved certification colleges and their package cost:

  • American Council on Exercise (ACE): $595 to $890
  • National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM): $699 to $1999
  • National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA): $355 – $950
  • National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT): $199 to $499
  • National Council on Strength and Medicine (NCSM): $485 to $535

Are Orangetheory Coaches Certified?

Yes, Orangetheory coaches are all certified. Although, at the same time, the need for experience is variable in different franchise management, the certification cuts across all Orangetheory studios. The coaches already have CPR and EAD certifications. Additionally, they have at least a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) or Certified Group Exercise Instructor (CGxl) NCCA certifications.

Furthermore, the coaches have undergone immersive Orangetheory in-house training certifications, which solidifies their position as OTF coaches.

What Makes a Good Orangetheory Coach?

A good Orangetheory coach has the following characteristics;

  1. They are certified personal or group trainers.
  2. They are trained in first aid and have EAD and CPR certifications.
  3. The trainers have unique training personalities that bring out the best in trainees.
  4. They have a way of making trainees take up one more exercise challenge until the 60 minutes of OTF training are complete.
  5. They are always jovial, never bringing any personal issues and moods into class.
  6. They ensure that all the class members feel part of the class and that no one is left behind.
  7. They ensure that people want to come back to their class and even bring referrals.

What Does an Orangetheory Coach Do?

Orangetheory coaches are the core of OTF theory and training, delivering the corporate dream of the company. For this reason, they are required to have the highest level of integrity and performance.

An Orangetheory coach is required to fulfill the following responsibilities;

  • Deliver exercises to an outstanding level to the clients.
  • Ensure the class can suit all fitness levels for the 60 minutes it takes.
  • Motivate members to navigate successfully through all the stages in the class.
  • Help the members to achieve their personal goals.
  • Know and demonstrate the use of all the OTF equipment and accessory pieces.
  • Understand the science behind the relationship between heart rate and fitness.
  • Ensure that the members exercise in the right body form to prevent injury.
  • Be a team player and a committed part of the Orangetheory community.

Bottom-line

Orangetheory Fitness is a chain of gym studios, which means it must require multiple fitness coaches. As a matter of fact, there are always adverts for OTF coaches every few weeks. For this reason, it is a viable prospective position for trainers. Even better, an Orangetheory coach gets the advantage of impacting lives in a scientific-backed environment.

OTF trainers are required to be certified with the first aid courses in EAD and CPR, as well as training courses approved by NCCA. Then, the Orangetheory training takes approximately a week to complete, while a successful mic test will get you on stage in OTF training.