We Are Orlean Fitness

Orlean Fitness didn’t start in a glorious moment, it started when I got injured.

If you know me, you know the story… a lifelong athlete, fitness coach, la-di-da, I’ve said it. You can find more articles I’ve written that’ll tell you more.

Success, year round training, blood, sweat and tears. The whole thing.

I was immersed in that world. Looking backwards, there was a clear thread that led to this moment.

But what happens when your back is against the wall?

As much as I encourage people to be proactive, sometimes it is the most difficult moments where we embrace the truth we need the most.

That’s when Orlean Fitness was born.

I found myself in sports rehab, working with the sports medicine team and physical therapists, trying to get back on the field.

That moment of pain created clarity.

My purpose was shifting. I realized: no matter what I do in my life, I’ll need to be strong, healthy, and alive in my body to do it.

I always knew that I move with ease, clarity and a deep commitment to sports and fitness…. it felt natural that I could help others to do the same.

A lot of people, before they even meet me or experience the brand, have a bad taste in their mouth.

Not because of me, but because of the fitness industry. I didn’t know this when I got started. It came so easy to me.

Until I was injured and became a trainer myself, I didn’t truly internalize how much of a struggle this is for so many people.

My message to you is, you’re right, and you’re valid in how you feel.

Please allow me a minute to share my experience in getting started and what I’ve gone through.

To start, fitness is not taught in schools at all, the credentialing system is a failure and will push people through in a weekend.

There aren’t even enough people in our society to stand up and do this work, honestly, and there are more people that need it, but aren’t even educated on it to know that they need it.

Put 500 people, every hour, on the hour, 24 hours a day in each certified trainers class, not even the good trainers who truly know what they’re talking about, just the ones who are certified, you still won’t meet the needs of the population.

I’ve seen the whole game: The steroid-fueled nut jobs, the bro science shouting olympics, the cookie-cutter programs pretending to be personal, the group classes that mix all fitness levels, from my friends who got injured from a lack of proper programming and were discouraged, the fake testimonials, the photoshopped abs, and watching the hustle culture sell hustle to old ladies, to the people who promote moderation to peak performers and burnout to beginners.

I've done corporate fitness and wellness at hospitals where doctors smoke a cigarette outside on break. I've had trainers invite me to get drunk after a day of training. I’ve been rejected from gyms, told I don’t “fit the vibe” when I wondered who did, if not this lifelong athlete with a six-pack who shows up early and has trained his whole life?

My first internship was for a fat trainer and I had to pretend that this was normal. I've had to beg people I love to take their health seriously.

I’ve fought some of my clients on the belief that this isn’t just for athletes, that this is for your health and for your life.

You name it, I’ve seen it, and I’m done pretending it’s okay, from fake certifications, to the events I did with people who had no certification or background in the slightest, to technology “coaching” people, to influencers selling powders they don’t even use, with supplements that don’t even get tested, this whole thing is theater.

Luckily, I enjoy entertainment, so I laugh at these people directly and as disrespectfully as I possibly can.

From the emphasis on bodybuilding for everyone when there are a million ways to be active, to the yoga people who think a pigeon pose cures cancer, this industry is absolutely hilarious. At the same time, it’s off-putting and it doesn’t do what it should.

In my life as a millennial, quickly, I've seen the bookstores turn into Amazon, I watched Blockbuster turn into Netflix, I watched taxis turn into Uber, I've watched my local town and community turn into social media, the rise of sports gambling and the loss of true fans, the amplification of fitness on the internet coupled with an increase in chronic disease, obesity, mental illness and laziness, where this generation put more kids in a position to play video games than participating in youth sports at the local park, where we spend more money on healthcare with worse outcomes.

The world did not improve. Easier is not better. The world advanced, so they said, but ultimately, getting back to roots is what I know so many people are craving, even if they can’t put it into words.

The world is fragmented and filled with technology that gives the curated feeds, the perception of a more connected world, and the idea that better is on the horizon. We’re not more connected. We’re more fragmented, addicted, and lost.

Our contribution to this is to build the people who literally build the world, from the school kids and teachers, to the architects and engineers, to the builders and developers, the entrepreneurs and athletes, our brave military and all the families and communities that keep people moving and everything functioning.

At Orlean Fitness, we’re not here for the trends or the talk.

We build momentum.
We take initiative.
We push boundaries.
We earn our fitness.
We value authenticity.
We master our craft.
We move as a team.
We win before we begin.

This is our way. If that hits, you’re probably one of us.

It's for the men and women who still believe in greatness in life, for the families who fight to stay together, and are stronger together, for the kids who just want a friend to hang with, a game to play, and a park to go to, to the communities that move together and the competitors who want a real win, not a manufactured one.

You're not asking for luxury, you're asking for clarity. You want clothes that fit, food that fuels, music that moves, a home that feels good, friends who show up, a life that means something. You know that beyond all this madness, it’s a lot simpler than the BS that’s out there.

This isn’t fake, noisy or soulless.

We’re the rebellion against the government programs, the school system, the healthcare system and the technology that wishes to replace our humanity.

It’s the places and spaces, the experiences, the connections, the stories we tell, and the brand we represent.

When it’s all clicking, and you’re aligned, strong and steady… at Orlean Fitness, we say It’s All Working Out.

Eric Orlean
Founder of Orlean Fitness