Orangetheory Fans, You Can Finally Ditch That Sweaty Chest Strap Next Year

• Orangetheory Fitness will roll out Apple Watch support in 2020.
• The Apple Watch integration will eliminate the need for chest strap heart rate monitors.
• OTF fans will have to purchase a $129 device called OTbeatLink to sync their Apple Watch.

Good news for Orangetheory fanatics: Soon you will no longer have to sport a sweaty chest strap to monitor your heart rate during class.

Today, Orangetheory Fitness announced that it will start rolling out a new wearable device in 2020 that will attach to Apple Watch bands and eliminate the need for the armbands and chest straps the company currently uses to track heart rate and performance data while members are working out, according to CNET.

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Called the OTbeat Link, the device will be available at Apple and Orangetheory locations for $129, and snap onto the Apple Watch band, syncing with the wearer’s Apple Watch and transferring performance data. Two iOS apps will also launch: OTassist and OTcoach. OTassist will be a “paperless and deskless” management app so members can check in and book classes, while OTcoach will allow trainers to view members’ performance data and spend 10 percent more time with their clients.

“Member experience has been at the forefront of all that we do since the brand’s inception,” says Dave Long, CEO and Co-Founder of Orangetheory Fitness. “We’re addressing the needs of our members by providing an integration between the workout they do and the technology they use, leading to a seamless fitness experience and healthier life.”The company is known for generating the “Orange Effect” in members, where they continue to burn calories for “up to 36 hours after a 60-minute workout.”

“Apple Watch is designed to help people live a better day by being more active,” said Jay Blahnik, senior director of fitness for health technologies at Apple, according to the press release. “With workout tracking, Apple Pay and a new membership program, we are thrilled Orangetheory Fitness is integrating Apple Watch into a comprehensive experience for their customers.”

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