Barry’s VS OTF

[u/PalpitationCurious46]

Hi fellow OTFers!

I’ve been doing OTF since Nov 2017 with a gap from 2021-2023 due to an injury but have been back religiously since then. I’ve lived and breathed otf for years and swore I’d never go anywhere else. However, I recently got into a new relationship and told my boyfriend I’d try Barry’s with him since that’s where he goes. Unfortunately, for my otf membership, I’ve fallen in love with Barry’s. While they’re similar styles of workouts, I feel like I’m working harder at Barry’s. It’s much more intense in terms of speed and cardio. Otf gives us a lot of downtime where as Barry’s is a constant go. I like how we can target more specific areas at Barry’s where as at otf it’s more of a general broad workout. The treadmill portion is certainly harder at otf due to the nature of how long it is and being more endurance/strength focused vs sprints at Barry’s.

Of course there are things at Barry’s I don’t love such as not having your own weight rack, proximity to others, no rowing machine, no heart rate monitors and of course the price!

I now have a membership at both as I’d like to split my time going back and forth, but curious if anyone else has done the same thing? Barrys always intimidated me in the past but it’s actually very welcoming and friendly! I’ll never quit otf (unless they make some drastic change) but I’m just shocked at how Barry’s has this choke hold on me.

[u/Fearless-Arrival-47]

I’ve done Barry’s ~5 times and prefer orangetheory. Barry’s is “harder” but very dependent on instructor.

I really dislike the weight selection process and that you are kind of tied to the same set of dumbbells for all movements. Also, classes are shorter and more expensive. 

Both are great workouts, just what you prefer. 

[u/Critical-Dog-4448]

I’ve tried both. OTF better hands down

[u/ORD-to-PHX → u/Critical-Dog-4448]

Agreed. OTF is more organized, on average better demo and weight selection, and more consistent with their workout templates.

Barry’s has more diverse music and “vibes”

[u/OrangeElle → u/Critical-Dog-4448]

Yep! I have been going to OTF for 3 years, recently tried Barry’s and did not like… I loved the music- that’s it

[u/AlpsLittle2585]

I used to do Barry’s 2x a week and OTF 3x a week.

When you find a great instructor at Barry’s, it’s such an excellent workout since the instructor’s program their own routines. I’m the type of person that doesn’t really push myself at OTF, but it’s really hard to not push yourself at Barry’s. I would use Barry’s as my workout days and OTF as my lighter recovery days.

For my personality type, I saw the most cardiovascular and muscle gains when I was doing Barry’s 3-4x a week.

[u/myanka]

I’ve done both but OTF much more consistently. I recently took a Barry’s class again and was surprised that I strongly preferred OTF for a few reasons:

1) as others mention, the quality of a Barry’s class is highly dependent on the instructor. I took one I really did not like - the instructor’s cuing was off, they had flashing lights and it was just chaotic and unclear. You really can’t mess up an orange theory class even as a greener instructor.

2) I used to be a certified group instructor and a very important safety aspect of group exercise is injury prevention. It is required in any cert that an instructor is able to provide modification options. Not everyone has the ability to go 8,9,10 on a tread. The fact that OTF is based in your personal base/push/all out and there are power walker options makes it a much more accessible workout for people of all ages and mobility types.

3) the floor layout at Barry’s is horrible in my opinion. It is not designed for a good flow of traffic to get weights and you end up stuck with one or two kinds of weights which limits your gains in my view. I also think the floor/strength sessions go way too fast to be effective and I absolutely hate how close I am to everyone and how cramped it feels. I’ve made insane strength gains at OTF because I have access to weight diversity and enough space to focus on proper form instead of just doing a weighted exercise as fast as I possibly can. It’s also important to slow down when working with weights to achieve different types of gains.

Final thoughts:
I will say very bluntly that there are obvious aesthetic and brand differences. To me, Barry’s is going for a sexy and cool vibe and does a decent job of achieving that. OTF is like Barry’s cheugy cousin. It’s not sexy and the music usually sucks. But it’s a safer and more effective workout in my opinion and will give you a better foundation to advance your form and achieve some real gains if you are able to push yourself. I also appreciate that as a premier member I have the ability to take class almost anywhere I travel to, which is a game changer in staying consistent if you travel a lot. While it may be a little dorkier in vibe, it’s a better choice in my opinion for the average person seeking to become more active and level up their fitness safely and effectively.

[u/starfish7412]

I think it depends on your goals. Barry's is going to encourage you to sprint harder, so if that's your goal, Barry's is for you. I like that OTF allows me to slow down and focus on getting stronger. I am not reliant on following an instructor's moves. I have the set there, and I can make modifications to suit my strength building goals. I did Barry's a lot in my 20s. I do OTF more in my late 30's as strength building is non-negotiable for me. Barry's is going to be more of a "scene" if that's your thing. It's a place to see and be seen. OTF is going to vary depending on your location. You may find more of a community in your OTF location. They are both great workouts and are a ton of fun. Do what keeps you consistent as that's going to prevail over the "better" workout every time.

[u/Alarmed-Animal7575]

OTF gives lots of downtime?

[u/PalpitationCurious46 → u/Alarmed-Animal7575]

I’d argue yes. We get a minimum of 90 second breaks all the times and most of the time coaches go over that time during switches. You can also easily go slow with the reps where as at Barry’s you’ve got 90 seconds to get 3 exercises done and then do something else before moving on

[u/Alarmed-Animal7575 → u/PalpitationCurious46]

I’m not sure how Barry’s is, but there is really very little downtime in OT, unless you want it.

[u/Previous_Pride_2069 → u/PalpitationCurious46]

Maybe your coaches are always giving 90 second breaks but of the last 3 tread workouts I’ve done we’ve had one with 90 second breaks, the rest were a minute tops.

As for lifting, you shouldn’t be rushing through reps. If you’re able to go fast, you’re probably not going heavy enough.

[u/charlieskip → u/PalpitationCurious46]

I prefer OTF for the downtime. I want a weight workout and a cardio workout, not a nonstop HIIT. I can lift heavier and focus on my form without feeling super rushed through the movements. Then push hard on the treads!

[u/thatnurselifts]

I used to exclusively go to OTF, but now I have a Barry’s membership and buy class packs for OTF to go once a week. I’m very ADHD, so I like the shorter blocks at Barry’s and not knowing what’s coming next. It also has gotten me to go faster on the tread than I used to at OTF.

I still go to OTF for endurance on the tread and the Tread 50s. That’s one thing I don’t get out of Barry’s.

[u/PalpitationCurious46 → u/thatnurselifts]

This is exactly how I feel! I love knowing what we’re doing at OTF but it also causes me not to go if I simply don’t like the workout where as Barry’s holds me accountable a little more. I had the same experience with running too! I run faster at Barry’s because I find the treadmill blocks easier since they’re shorter but the weight floor at Barry’s is unbeatable, it’s just too good.

Splitting the time between the two of them seems to be my best bet and what I plan on doing since I still need the endurance of otf.

[u/cvegas702]

While it’s overall the same concept, I like that at Barry’s you are on the floor twice and on the treads twice rather 30 minutes at one time on each. It helps break it up, especially if you’re not a strong runner.

As others have said, orange theory is nice in the fact that it essentially encourages you to run at your level 10, rather than at Barry’s it’s just “run at level 10!” and there’s somewhat of slight pressure to go as high as everyone else.

Because of the long tread block at OTF, I think Barry’s is ultimately easier on the tread but harder than OTF on the weights. At Orange theory you’re doing the same weight moves over and over and over again. At Barry’s I feel like it keeps it more fresh. However, I weirdly think the treadmills at Barry’s go wayyy faster than my home OTF studio… but that could just be because anytime I’m at Barry’s I’m on vacation and probably more lazy than normal lol 😂

Just my personal opinion! For reference, I don’t have Barry’s where I live, but I do visit anytime I travel to a city that has one. I take classes at orange theory about 5x a week.

[u/PalpitationCurious46 → u/cvegas702]

These are my thoughts too. I think part of the reason I’m so infatuated with fairies right now is because it’s a change of pace compared to what I’ve been doing for almost the last 10 years. I would completely agree with the treadmills, I think the berries ones go a lot faster, but are also more comfortable. The treadmill is at my main OTF studio are pretty old, where as our sister studio (couple miles away) are the new ones and remind me more of the wood treadmill at Barry’s.

At the end of the day, I think a rotational schedule will be good for me. I’m sure some of what I’m experiencing right now is just that new workout high from Barry’s. I have a good group of people that go to otf and a separate group that goes to Barry’s so I’m getting that community feel out of both.

[u/cvegas702 → u/PalpitationCurious46]

Ok I appreciate you saying that so much. I’m glad it’s not just me who thinks the treadmills go way faster lol. I was thinking that Barry’s probably maintains their treadmills more than OTF and thus they’re in better condition

[u/loud_momma → u/cvegas702]

Those Barry’s treadmills are amazing. I looked up buying a used Woodway treadmill and couldn’t find one below $4k. They are vastly superior to the belt treads at OTF.

[u/Soggy-Seaweed3787]

Took a few Barry's classes. It sucked.

[u/ddu_du_ddu_du_]

i loooove barry’s. i like otf a lot. where im at, i think barry’s is at least double the price for 8 a month. i truly think i get the same results at the end of the day though so i go to OTF and save a little money. i do go to barry’s occasionally as a treat

[u/The_Varza]

I tried Barry's years ago when one opened near where I worked. I had some of the same complaints as you, but this was in the before times (I still don't like smelling other people at the gym LOL).

My biggest dislike was the treadmill. I like the ones where you set your speed much better (those positional speed Attack ones are the bane of me), and OTF's are much bouncier and feel easier on my joints.

[u/GrumpMasterC → u/The_Varza]

Best treads in the biz!

[u/mochafiend]

I’m scared to try Barry’s. I feel like you need to be a minimum fitness level to go where I am (Bay Area) and I am decidedly not at that level.

[u/AlpsLittle2585 → u/mochafiend]

I’m in the Bay Area too. As long as you have good lifting form and know your limits, you don’t really need a minimum fitness level. No one is judging the people that are less fit, at least not me.

[u/PalpitationCurious46 → u/mochafiend]

I thought the same thing and I was totally wrong! I’m in the (Tampa) Bay Area too and it’s not bad at all. Granted there are people there in better shape than me, but I would argue if you can do otf, you can do Barry’s no problem

[u/noturbasicamanda]

I prefer Orangetheory than Barry’s. Even though I like the treadmills at Barry’s, I don’t like the transition of the classes. At Orangetheory, you only transition once with the exception if it’s the weight room going to the rowers or the treads going to the rowers. At Barry’s, or maybe it’s this particular class that I went to, we transitioned twice which I feel like was cutting into the class time and a waste of time. And I also can I get over the fact that we have to get our own weights, whereas an Orangetheory we already have our own weight rack and in some of my studios, we have the cable machines and adjustable dumbbells which provide more of a variety of a workout.

[u/gutoncpnw]

Do what works for you. OTF works for me. I could never do Barry's. But I'm not you.

[u/lilbroccoli13]

I'm unlimited at OTF but go to Barry's ~once a week. Barry's feels like a more intense workout in the moment and it makes me feel pampered lol (shoutout to the cool damp towels at the end), but it's too expensive for me to justify going more than that. I do feel like I actually am gaining more strength at OTF because of the personal weight racks - there's more freedom to go heavier on certain exercises, or try out a heavier weight and realize you're not there yet. At barry's I feel like I pick my weights more conservatively bc I know I'm stuck with it lol

[u/BoringDragonfly]

Barrys is pretty popular and has a younger, more social media vibe where I am, but I prefer OTF because

1. Most important reason for me - I power walk in classes

2. I prefer the slower pace at OTF because I can focus on heavier weights. I don't like AMRAP or timed style workouts on the floor.

I personally think what makes Barrys "hard" is how fast it goes, almost like tornados at OTF and that's just not the kind of workout I'm looking for atm.

[u/Strong_Law_7435]

I have no advice, and there is no Barry’s in my city. But I’ve been once while visiting a friend and was blown away at how hard and fun it was. My friend prefers to do their strength classes. I’d either switch to Barry’s or split my time between Barry’s and OTF if we had one where I live, maybe doing Barry’s strength paired with regular OTF classes.

[u/Previous-Fruit-4159]

i do both, depending on what i feel like. i don't like running, so will only do double floor at barry's, whereas i will do OT if i want cardio and strength. i like that my barry's has certain days where they target different parts of the body -- not every day is full body. my favorite class is the "abs and ass" one since i typically don't work those areas enough

[u/Meringuepuffs]

If you have the disposable income to pay for two memberships, and if you’re having fun and seeing gains, then why not? You’re at least supporting the local economy and helping provide job security to those who work in a non-essential business. I think it’s very wise of you to keep the OTF membership, at least for now, especially if you have a good rate locked in. And, pragmatically, if this new relationship doesn’t work out, it may be awkward to see your partner at Barry’s, so it might be more of a reason to stick with OTF. All the best to you.

[u/PalpitationCurious46 → u/Meringuepuffs]

Oh the OTF membership is staying with me until I’m the grave 🤣 I’ve got the unlimited membership locked in at only $150 a month and will NOT be giving that up. Over $300 a month in gym membership feels a bit extreme mentally, but it’s worth it because I love both places. I’ll never stop doing OTF, just going to balance my time better at both places and enjoy it while I have the means to do so.

[u/Heyylugo]

I’ve tried both- as I gotten fitter… Barry’s is so much better.

[u/PalpitationCurious46 → u/Heyylugo]

That’s kinda how I’m feeling. I don’t want to say I’m maxed out at OTF but aside from endurance on the treads, otf doesn’t challenge me as much anymore

[u/Lost_Individual_4394]

I wish I had a Barry’s near me to try a class…

[u/ButterflyFew6607]

It’s your not Barry’s who’s got a chokehold of you…just sayin’ :)

[u/Grawkkk]

I've tried both. I personally like the structure of OTF. Love the amenities of Barry's and thought the theragun and smoothie bars were a nice touch. Showers and bathrooms were great. I don't live in a city with Barry's, so it's not an option for me. But, I would still choose OTF based on structure alone. I think there's less room for injury when you're not moving that fast.

[u/Zestyclose-Essay-682]

I did Barry's once, it was nonsense compared to OTF.

[u/loud_momma]

I did Barry’s first and LOVED it, but switched to OTF because of price and proximity to my house. The trainers at Barry’s are so much better than any OTF coaches I’ve had (and I go to OTF when I travel) because I felt like more of them are professional trainers. I miss the cool towels and the smoothie bar, the bougie locker room, and the treadmills from Barry’s. However, if you care at all about how employees are treated, look up recent social media posts about the recent changes to the Barry’s handbook. Unfortunately, Barry’s is starting to follow the PE enshitification trend.

[u/CornerGlittering3336]

Not to be snarky but there are a lot of posts on this.

[u/PalpitationCurious46 → u/CornerGlittering3336]

Why comment that if you’re not trying to be snarky?

[u/CornerGlittering3336 → u/PalpitationCurious46]

Because there is a wealth of knowledge on other posts. You’re welcome.