A Fun Workout Class You’ll Become Totally Obsessed With: The Peloton Bike
Hey girl!
Remember back in 2019 when that “controversial” Peloton commercial was ALL the rage? For those out of the loop, it basically shows a woman whose husband gifts her one for Christmas and the internet BLEW UP with all kinds of backlash against men forcing their wives to workout. LOL. Peloton has come a very long way from 2019 and is arguably one of the most sought-after, popular, and well-respected exercise programs. And it is now my absolute favorite fun workout class that I may never be able to go back.
Table of Contents
First, Let’s Talk About the Peloton Controversy
Okay, I have to address this controversy because our culture nowadays seriously irks me with how much people get offended over literally everything… First off, ever stop to think that maybe this woman asked for a Peloton for her Christmas gift? Even if she didn’t, how do you know they didn’t have a private wife-to-husband convo discussing that they both agree to stay in-shape for one another to maintain their overall sexual chemistry?! Every couple is different. And BTW, my boyfriend and I are BOTH getting Pelotons when we get a house because we love them AND we both prioritize maintaining our figures! If you don’t, then that’s your business. K?
Oh, and Another thing…
And regarding the ad’s so-called “privilege.” It’s literally only $1,400. You don’t have to be a millionaire to afford that. Have you ever heard of budgeting? I swear when I’ve sat down to go over budgets with people for business, I’ve found that some people are actually spending close to $800 A MONTH just on ordering takeout food instead of cooking. No wonder people think they can’t afford things that are actually good for them.
But let’s get back to the bike.
My Introduction to Peloton
Yes, I realize that I was just raging over my love for Orangetheory Fitness in one of my recent blogs. While I still believe Orangetheory is one of the best gym memberships and ideal for socializing with a real trainer and fellow gym goers in-person, I have literally fallen IN LOVE with Peloton. I’ve even come to realize it’s actually the best at-home workout everyone should use, unless you have access to one of the few in-person studios in New York.
Read my blog, “Learn to Love Working Out With Orangetheory Fitness.”
I happened to get exposed to Peloton bikes by accident. Prior to moving into my new Chicago apartment in late 2022, I had never thought much of considering Peloton and had just been told by others they were “stupid expensive.”
The workout to spice things up
But luckily, I quickly discovered my apartment’s state-of-the-art gym actually has two Peloton bikes. And one day, after feeling bored of just lifting weights and using the treadmill, I decided to give the bikes a try.
Anyone with access to our apartment gym can set up a free Peloton account to start using the bikes, so that’s what I did. And OMFG…I’ve been OBSESSED ever since. The trainers and the music combined have made this the most fun workout class I’ve had since doing Orangetheory, all from sitting on my butt for half the time!
And don’t get me wrong, you’re sitting as you bike for most of the time, but it is anything but easy (if you actually push yourself). Like anything, this workout can be as easy or hard as you want it to be.
I Officially hit 50 Rides
I’m even at a 16-week streak and earned an achievement badge for 50 rides taken since starting on October 2, 2022 — just two days after moving into our new place!
What to Love About Peloton Workouts
The main concept to love about biking on a Peloton is the set-up and that it’s low-impact on joints. Since you’re basically sitting down for most of the workout, it’s actually more motivating to go harder (especially during the lifts where you stand up) because you can always sit back down and take a break if needed. And I don’t mean this from a lazy point-of-view; I have actually pushed myself SO hard on the bike that I often feel like I might faint! This isn’t a typical reaction for most people, but I’m currently eating in a calorie deficit so sometimes I forget to eat beforehand because I’m absentminded LOL. But thankfully if I get a bit lightheaded, I can just sit and pedal slower to catch my breath. Genius!
Outside of options to rest when needed, the best parts about the Peloton that makes this an incredibly fun workout class are the amazing trainers, bomb playlists, short workout options for every schedule, variety to filter through pre-corded and live classes, and actually getting stronger if you push yourself.
Iconic and personable Trainers
All of the Peloton trainers have different personalities, so it’s easy to find someone or even a few that get to know and can really enjoy for a fun workout class. You might think that you can’t make a connection with the instructors since everyone outside of New York only sees them virtually, but some of them are so personable that they’re kind of like influencers you love to keep up with!
My Favorite Trainer — Kendall Toole
Okay, so I might have a small obsession/girl-crush here, but Peloton instructor Kendall Toole is ICONIC. Out of 50 classes, I’ve taken her class 17 times, which is like 35% of all my classes! I feel like Kendall and I are besties even though we’ve literally never met, LOL.
Music taste, Style, & personality
Her music choice is so dope; she tends to do playlists of metal, rock, and hip hop for an overall high-energy fun workout class. She also dresses like a total bad a** b**** in the most fun outfits and colors! Overall, Kendall has an incredibly funny, cool, and relatable personality all while leading very intense classes. Her intensity is so admirable and makes me feel like I can do anything when she’s coaching me.
fun Facts About Kendall
Anyone who has taken a class with Kendall probably knows she LOVES her iced coffee and sometimes chugs them before a session, which I might start doing myself because man does she go hella hard without even breaking a sweat!
Go Hard or Don’t Take Kendall’s Class
I’m pretty in-shape actually and I like die a little every time I do one of her classes with pools of sweat dripping off me, and I’m just like, how the f*** does she make this look so easy and not sweat?! Kendall also happens to be my BOD GOALS for 2023 as I’m striving to get more toned and stronger rather than just stick thin.
Her Infamous Saying
Plus, I love that Kendall always ends every class with her infamous motivational line that goes, “You are worthy, you are ready. And always remember, they may knock you down, but they can never knock you out.” What a total baddie. Oh, and I won’t EVEN get started on the booty jokes…IYKYK! All I can say is she’s hilarious and if you’re looking for the ultimate intense yet fun workout class, take one of Kendall’s.
Other Amazing Trainers I love TAking
One of my other favorite trainers is Robin Arzón because she’s super motivational and gets really deep in her classes to the point where you start thinking about all you can accomplish in life. Cody Rigsby is also seriously funny and I love him for days where I want an entertaining class that’s a little less intense than Kendall or Robin. Alex Toussaint always has bomb hip hop playlists and is can be pretty motivational too. And Camila Ramón has such a sassy personality that makes for an entertaining and fun workout class. Sometimes the trainers do classes together like this Two for One class below with Camila & Cody for two times the fun!
Bomb music and Playlists
I absolutely love all the heavy metal, alternative/punk rock, and hip hop rides more than any others, and especially a good throwback playlist. I’m all about the oldies… Many people also don’t know that I am actually a HUGE metalhead (fun fact: the only concert I’ve been to live — not counting symphonies — was for the Finnish heavy metal cello band Apocalyptica and their opening act, the Italian metal band called Lacuna Coil). But anyone who knows me knows I have an appreciation for all music and that I like some pretty weird stuff, everything from opera to French pop or Russian rap. So metal is no exception.
My top Genre of choice — heavy Metal
I love the metal rides more than anything because metal drives me to go hard. When I used to hate working out, I discovered pretty quickly that I can do just about any gruesome exercise or run to metal or punk rock and feel completely unstoppable.
Plus, I tend to get the most output points and break my own biking records every time I do a Metal Ride on the Peloton. Outside of Kendall, there are a few German trainers who love doing the Metal Rides as well.
Kendall’s Linkin Park playlist is also one of my favorites as an alternative rock playlist featuring one artist — SO GOOD.
But don’t worry if you’re not a metalhead or a fan of 2000s hip hop and pop songs like myself. There’s all kinds of music for every genre to enjoy a fun workout class, with some of the most popular classes having pop playlists, Top 50 New Hits, or 2000s Throwbacks.
My All-Time Favorite Playlists
| Playlist Name | Instructor(s) | Artist or Song Highlights |
| 30 min Metal Ride | Kendall Toole | Slipknot, Korn, Lacuna Coil, Nova Twins, Rage Against the Machine, and Rob Zombie |
| 30 min Metal Ride | Charlotte Weidenbach | Slipknot, Metallica, Evanescence, Bring Me the Horizon, Bad Omens, and In Flames |
| 30 min Club Bangers Ride | Alex Toussaint | Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Tyga, Miguel, Beyonce, Britney Spears, and Black Eyed Peas |
| 45 min Club Bangers Ride | Alex Toussaint | Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Keyshia Cole, Diddy, Cardi B, Britney Spears, Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, and Bad Bunny |
| 20 min Reggae Ride | Kendall Toole | Bob Marley, J Boog, Sparky Rugged, and Sizzla |
| 30 min Bad Bunny Two for One Ride | Camila Ramón & Cody Rigsby | “Chambea,” “Tití me preguntó,” “Efecto,” “La Noche de Anoche,” and “Yo No Soy Celoso” |
| 30 min Hip Hop Ride | Camila Ramón | Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, Saweetie, Trina, Nicki Minaj, Yo Gotti, Snoop Dogg, and Mims |
| 30 min EDM Ride | Kendall Toole | “Mad World,” “Gimme Gimme Gimme,” “Thong Song,” “Hot In It,” and “Unholy (ACRAZE Remix)” |
| 30 min HIIT & Hills Ride | Kendall Toole | Limp Bizkit, Lenny Kravitz, Bring Me The Horizon, Nova Twins, Arctic Monkeys, and Queen |
| 30 min HIIT Ride | Kendall Toole | I Prevail, Meet Me @ The Altar, jxdn, Bring Me The Horizon, 2WEI, Tommee Profitt, and Mayday Parade |
| 30 min 2000s Ride | Kendall Toole | Missy Elliot, Yung Joc, Dem Franchize Boyz, Bubba Sparxxx, Lil Wayne, Soulja Boy, Savage, Flo Rida, and Ciara |
| 45 min 2000s Pop Ride | Kendall Toole | P!NK, Hilary Duff, Lindsay Lohan, Beyonce, The Pussycat Dolls, Hoku, Britney Spears, and Destiny’s Child |
| 20 min Hip Hop Ride | Robin Arzón | Big Sean, A$AP Rocky, 2 Chainz, Missy Elliott, and 50 Cent |
Short but powerful workouts
Average times for classes range between 15-45 minutes. I typically take the 30 minute classes (that’s my sweet spot) because I can push myself hard while improving my endurance, typically riding just over 7 miles and burning 200-250 calories. I don’t take the shorter classes much anymore like I did when I first started off, but even when I do, I find myself PROFUSELY sweating more than I do on the treadmill or weights.
Because these are such short fun workout classes, I can pair a biking session with arm or upper body weights for a balanced workout. I typically aim for an hour of exercise 5-6 days a week. There will be some days though that I get a lot of walking in around that city where I might just do a short Peloton class and call it a day.
A Fun Workout Class with So much variety
You can filter for just about any type of class by trainer, music genre, length of time, difficulty, class language, and even body activity. There are thousands of pre-corded classes where the trainers are in an empty studio and just talk to the virtual audience. And there are also recorded in-person classes where there are actual bikers with them in the studio, which can be fun to watch.
Tip for Beginners: When starting out, I highly recommend taking one of the Advanced Beginner Rides which explain everything about the bike and workouts.
Seeing an incredible improvement in strength
What’s been most incredible in doing the Peloton is seeing myself get SO much stronger. When I first started, I had to stand and bike (also called performing “lifts”) any time I got to 40 resistance. Now I can sit and pedal fast all the way through 45%. Plus, I’ve been able to stand and bike at 50 while maintaining 80 cadence. Doing the Peloton has helped me build leg strength almost more than only lifting weights, which I credit to my consistency of taking the classes.
I also noticed that I can lift higher weights for leg workouts now — I’m up to using two 50-lb dumbbells for the reverse/Romanian deadlift. AND when I walk on incline for the treadmill I can average 8-10% incline without holding onto the rails for 30 minutes at a time! All thanks to this fun workout class that I’ve been doing a couple times a week.
More than Just Biking
Peloton may be known for its bike, but there are other ways to enjoy a fun workout class with them. Avid runners and walkers can also opt for a Peloton Treadmill instead. And if you’re a big fan of rowing, grab a Peloton Rower and do your workouts that way. Or there’s also the option to buy the Peloton Guide Device for at-home workouts without a machine. All of these come with the same experience of using the trainers and having music.
There’s also additional equipment Peloton users can buy from their website. Bikers can grab a pair of their special clip-in biking shoes for the clip-in bike pedals. There’s also a bike mat for those who sweat a lot and yoga mats. Heart rate monitors are available, along with free weights, ear buds, water bottles, and replacement parts for the machines. Also the Peloton apparel shop is pretty swanky and worth checking out.
Get Started on Your Journey to Fitness
Convinced you need a Peloton bike yet? Of course you are! Head over to their website and grab a bike and download the app to get started. Or see if a gym near you has one like mine did.
And whether you’re new to Peloton or already have one, remember that starting a new exercise can come with some injuries. Be sure to keep your body injury-free and learn how to recover properly with proper warm-ups and cool-downs.
Read my blog, “A Pulled Groin from Biking — How to Avoid Plus Recovery Tips.”
Oh and when you sign up, add me as a friend with Username: Ashlea777 because I have 0 friends right now, welp. Cheers to getting in the best shape of our lives with a fun workout class that’s changing the fitness game!
Sincerely,
