Not gonna lie. When I first discovered spinning a few years ago, I was obsessed with my studio. It was brand new & beautiful. The energy, LOUD music (preferably rap), sense of community…I never experienced anything like it. People of all shapes, ages, sizes and backgrounds attended the classes, and I even made some new friends. My wardrobe consisted of logo’d merch that I spent way too much money on. With work, kids, extra-curricular activities and life in general being insane, I managed to make it to classes several times a week. I was always trying to keep up and found myself envying the women who could stay at the studio to take 2-3 classes in a row. I could only take one class, feeling bad for being away from my kids and rushing home to be with them. As much as the classes made me feel good and confident, they would also invoke some negative feelings.
I used to see Peloton commercials in the height of my studio days and think, “Ew. Who would want to take spin class at home?!” It was a very strange concept for me, someone who enjoyed being in a live spin class, basically getting my eardrums destroyed. But a part of me always wondered what it would be like to actually not have to leave my house to attend a class. As many of you know, I am a homebody. Sometimes after work, the thought of going to a place where I would feel the need to socialize and smile was just too exhausting. On those days, I would cancel and just go home. It was “too much people-ing” as they say. When it was 25 degrees outside and I didn’t want to leave my cozy house, I would skip a workout. If I didn’t make it to the studio, there would be no exercise that day.
When COVID came in March and we were told to stay home, I panicked. I was very scared, like everyone else in the world. Also, not being able to go to the studio was a major life change. Working out was (and still is) my therapy and just a necessity in my life. A few days in complete quarantine and after doing plenty of research, I convinced my husband that we needed a Peloton. Sweating was essential, and it would be my only outlet. That 30-45 minutes on the bike is an escape from everything. Luckily, he agreed (not that I needed his approval, but wanted it) and we got the bike within a few weeks. And so, my Peloton journey began.
Delivery was flawless and the bike was more compact than I thought it would be. It is currently sitting in our office space and the newness has not gone away. I discovered the instructors I really enjoy in no time (Cody, Alex, Ally, Christine, Robin, Jess King, Kendall, Tunde) and really began to appreciate that Peloton is not just pedaling on an exercise bike at home. It is a whole experience. Like being in a studio, each instructor has his or her own style, music preferences, and overall vibe. Since there is an extensive list of on-demand and live classes, I can always find something to fit my ever-changing mood. If I am really feeling it, I take a 60 minute ride. Sometimes I am good with 20 minute quickie. There are a ton of strength, stretching, cardio, yoga and meditation classes to choose from as well. The variety is incredible.
Besides the extremely motivating & genuine instructors, a lot should be said for the Peloton technology and app. The navigation is impressive and easy to sort. The company takes client feedback seriously and frequently makes improvement updates. Milestones are celebrated and stats are tracked, such as mileage, cadence, speed, resistance levels, etc. Leaderboard names are unique to each rider (some are very clever and catchy) and riders have the option to compete on the leaderboard. Sometimes I hide it if I just want to ride and not have to worry about competing.
No matter what kind of day I am having, I can find a class to suit my needs. The other day I decided to take a few strength classes (barre, body weight strength and arm toning) and pretty much still can’t walk today. So, it might be a good idea for me to take a stretching class and a recovery ride. My husband has also uses the bike almost every day, and he loves it as much as I do. If I talk to someone who is contemplating ordering a Peloton, I seriously recommend it and have only positive things to say. There are finance options. It will fit into a small space. It keeps me strong. It has been a blessing for not only my physical health, but my mental health as well. When COVID is behind us, I believe I will be back in a studio of some sort (I know many of us Pelton-ers want to take a trip to the NYC studio), but who knows. For now, I will enjoy riding from home.
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