top of page

I Survived Hell Week at OrangeTheory Fitness

As we head towards Halloween, one thing was scarier than any ghost... my first Hell Week with OrangeTheory Fitness!

Each OTF studio hosts 'Hell Week' in the days leading up to Halloween, where you run from the spooky season and test your mental and physical strength with a week of higher intensity workouts.


Hell Week is coming around for the eighth year, and has "kicked the butts of anyone brave enough to try it and tough enough to survive it." as the OTF blog says. "It’s pushed members to trust that their bodies are more capable than they realize, that they’re ready to run faster and lift heavier than ever before."


This week did kick my butt, and for those who sign up for the challenge there's an extra celebration at the end! If a member completes five workouts in eight days, they earn a limited-edition Hell Week T-shirt or tank to add to their workout collection. I didn't sign up for the competition, so no shirt for me :( but I still did the workouts so I got all the sweat benefits. Hell Week was more challenging than the average OTF class but it's always a good idea to push yourself and see what new limits your body can handle!


Each year Hell Week is different, but here's a little taste of 2021's workouts:

Day 1: Phishing for Rest Tread Block 1

  • 45 sec base @ 4% incline

  • 45 sec base @ 5% incline

  • 45 sec base @ 6% incline

  • 45 sec base

  • 1 min all out

  • 1 min walking recovery

Tread Block 2

  • 45 sec base @ 5%

  • 45 sec base @ 6%

  • 45 sec base @ 7%

  • 45 sec base

  • 1 min all out

  • 1 min walking recovery

Tread Block 2

  • 45 sec base @ 6%

  • 45 sec base @ 7%

  • 45 sec base @ 8%

  • 45 sec base

  • 1 min all out

Row Block 1, 2 and 3 4 minutes each

  • Repeat twice: 300m row + 20 x shuffles, 20 x high knees

  • Row for distance

Floor Block 1 4 minutes

  • Next exercises are non-stop

  • 5 x clean to front squat

  • 10 x front squat

  • 15 x neutral half thruster

  • 20 x TRX pull up

  • When finished, repeat power sit ups until time

Floor Block 2 4 minutes

  • Next exercises are non-stop

  • 5 x clean to front squat

  • 10 x front squat

  • 15 x neutral half thruster

  • 20 x TRX bridge row

  • When finished, repeat knee tucks until time

Floor Block 1 4 minutes

  • Next exercises are non-stop

  • 5 x clean to front squat

  • 10 x front squat

  • 15 x neutral half thruster

  • 20 x TRX high row

  • When finished, repeat crunches until time

Day 2: The Burpee Breach Tread Block 1 Run for distance like the wind

  • Reset your distance

  • 2 min run for distance

  • 30 sec walking recovery

  • 90 sec run for distance

  • 30 sec walking recovery

  • 75 sec run for distance

  • 30 sec walking recovery

  • 1 min all out run

  • 30 sec walking recovery

  • 45 sec all out run

  • 30 sec walking recovery

  • 30 sec all out run

Tread Block 2 Get ready for inclines while you run!

  • 1 min run for distance @ 1% incline

  • Increase incline every minute through 10% incline

  • 2 min run for distance @ 1% incline

  • Try to beat your distance from block 1

Floor Block 1 9.5 minutes

  • 2 min x ultimate burpees + 30 sec x iso squat hold

  • 90 sec x burpee + bicep curl and shoulder press + 30 sec x iso squat hold

  • 75 sec x burpee + bicep curl + 30 sec x iso squat hold

  • 1 min x burpee + 30 sec x iso squat hold

  • 45 sec x full burpee + 30 sec x iso squat hold

  • 30 sec x burpee (without the pushup)

Floor Block 2 12 minutes

  • 3 rounds of: 30 x bench hop over, 20 total x alternating step up &10 x squat jack

  • Go to the rower in order of finishing the floor and then:

  • See how many rounds you and your partner finish of 100m all out rows

  • Final 2 minutes all out rows


Day 6: Meltdown Tread/Floor Block - 23 minutes

0.1 mile all out run

  • 4 each x single arm clean to press

  • 4 each x bench plank single arm low row

  • 4 each x single arm snatch

  • 4 each x half kneeling single arm to lateral step up

0.15 mile all out run

  • 6 each x single arm clean to press

  • 6 each x bench plank single arm low row

  • 6 each x single arm snatch

  • 6 each x half kneeling single arm to lateral step up

0.2 mile all out run

  • 8 each x single arm clean to press

  • 8 each x bench plank single arm low row

  • 8 each x single arm snatch

  • 8 each x half kneeling single arm to lateral step up

0.25 mile all out run

  • 10 each x single arm clean to press

  • 10 each x bench plank single arm low row

  • 10 each x single arm snatch

  • 10 each x half kneeling single arm to lateral step up

  • Reset and run for distance

Row Block 1

  • 4.5 minute row for distance

  • Record your distance

Row Block 2

  • Reset your monitor

  • 90 sec push row

  • 1 min base row

  • 30 sec push row

  • 30 sec base row

  • 30 sec all out row

  • Try to beat your distance from block 1

Row Block 3


Reset your monitor

  • 20 sec all out row then 10 sec recovery row x 9

  • 15 sec all out row

  • Try to beat your previous best distance

Row Block 4

  • Reset your monitor

  • 10 sec all out row then 20 sec recovery row x 9

  • 15 sec all out row

  • Try to beat your previous best distance


bottom of page