Peloton: 5 Things I'm Liking (so far)

I never said never, but I did take my sweet time in checking out Peloton.

Let's just say it was well worth the wait.

While I am not a certified coach, trainer, or expert, I do know a thing or two about what works for me. I have just enough knowledge (and experience) to be dangerous, and I often times have difficulty with having someone else telling me what to do.  

Alas, the 2-month free trial promotion came along at a time when I was itching to try something different. There's nothing wrong with stepping outside one's bubble of comfort...am I right?

So, I have been "Peloton'ing" for almost three weeks. It's a given that I have barely scratched the surface on all that's available via the Peloton community, but it's been a fun little adventure thus far. 

Here are a few highlights: 

First off, there's the convenience.

Honestly, with the app, there's a huge myriad of sweat potential right at your fingertips. Most of us travel with our phones (or tablets, laptops, etc.), so the app can (and will) travel with you as well. While some may love the ritual and routine of going to a gym, I'm not of that caliber. I've been doing my own thing, in my own place, forever... so the app (and all its nuances) works well for me.

Can you say variety?

I've been utilizing the cycling workouts pretty heavily (umm...of the 29 workouts I've done in the past 19 days, 17 have been with my buddy Sebbe (he's my stationary bike). Recently, I've tapped into more of the strength workouts, and have sampled some yoga and stretching. I'm trying to get my courage up to try Barre...

The instructors are energizing!

Some of these peeps are a bit more chatty than others, and some definitely have a lot more enthusiasm and charisma. But, I have not yet met one that I haven't liked.

Having someone else writing the workouts is a nice change of pace.

I'm a pretty creative person, and I don't have many struggles in finding ways to mix things up with my workouts. But, it is a huge time-saver just tapping the app, and having the next morning's workout(s) selected (and scheduled) in less than 30 seconds. 

Finally, the community is so warm and fuzzy.

I'm fortunate to have numerous fitness friends who are already fully engaged with the Peloton World. There's a great camaraderie of support and encouragement, as well as recommendations of specific classes and/or instructors. I haven't yet dove into any "live" classes, but am hoping to do some on-demand classes with some of my friends...so we can all commiserate (or celebrate) as we sweat  together.

In all fairness, I do have a few issues to disclose:

--Being a self-proclaimed tech idiot (no exaggeration), there are numerous bells & whistles I have yet to figure out on the app. For the most part, the app is pretty user-friendly, but there is just.so.much.

--Since I don't have a Peloton bike (mine is a ProForm), I am not able to accurately match the resistance settings as they're called out during a class. This is not a huge problem, nor a deal breaker, but my bike's 10 levels of resistance leave much to be desired when the instructors are telling us to "dial it up a couple numbers."  

--With all of these classes within reach, it is really tempting to make every bike ride or stretch session part of an actual class. After all, we do get recognized for every class we finish, LOL. I hopped on the bike, Thursday after work, because I just wanted to ride for awhile without the "obligation" of listening to an instructor (though they do have some pretty kick-buttocks play lists). I pedaled for 10 easy miles, all while catching up on social media and texting/chatting with a few friends...and it was nice! I did it for myself, and Peloton was none the wiser.

Anyways, that's what I have for now. I really am enjoying the classes. Much of what I'm doing, via the app, I was kind of already doing on my own...but it is nice to have the Peloton community within reach. I've learned some new strength moves, have seen different ways to incorporate cross-training into my regimen, and have a new appreciation for speed, as well as climbing, intervals on the bike. It's all good!

Have you tried the Peleoton app?  Have you ever done on-demand classes, via a mobile device? If you're a Peloton user, what classes/instructors are your favorite(s)?

I'm linking this with Michelle, Renee, Darlene, Jenn and Zenaida for the Fit Five Friday Link-up.

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