Peloton 101- You Bought A Bike...Now What?
So you bought the Peloton bike…now what?
First off, Yay! Welcome to the awesome adventure of Peloton! If you’re like us, you are super excited to get on that bike and get to riding into your future exercise journey! One program that really helps to get an idea of the bike, the terminology, the perfect bike postures and to get to know all of the awesome instructors is to start with the program called, “Mastering the Basics: Cycling.” This is a six week course that will take your riding to the next level. You will learn the basics, work on endurance, and improve your strength. You will also get a glimpse into all of the instructors’ styles, music choices, and personalities.
What are the different rides?
There are so many different rides to choose from! I love pretty much any Artist Series ride…um hello, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Lizzo, The Beatles… Plus they usually have a new Artist that they will highlight every few months. The rides are a blast and you can continue your exploration of the artists into yoga, strength classes, and cardio classes as well.
I am also really getting into the Power Zone Rides. They are guaranteed to make you sweat and build that long lasting endurance you will need for the more challenging rides. There is also a whole five week program called, “Discover Your Power Zones,” that is a perfect intro into the whole Power Zone endurance rides and the reasoning behind it. The Power Zone test is a beast, but you will PR your output for sure in the 20 minute test.
In the My Purse Strings blog, Michelle, an avid Peloton rider, breaks down the most fun and popular rides of Peloton from 2018 until now. I have loved being able to find really cool artist rides that don’t usually show up as the traditional artist series classes. There is a Shania Twain ride that is a blast, as well as a ride that is full of only Arcade Fire songs!
If you’re like me, you are motivated by the music that each ride consists of. You can even check for rides based on the genre of music. Each instructor will curate genre-specific playlists for a variety of musical tastes. They have everything! Hip-hop, classic rock, country, to classical. Also, for all you musical theater fans, they have some pretty awesome Broadway rides! Speaking of music, if you are missing going out to the clubs and getting sweaty on the dance floor. They have Live DJ rides where top DJs join Peloton instructors for some awesome rides, offering current playlists and a club-like feel.
One of my favorite ways to start my mornings is a quick five minute warm up ride, a 10-15 minute climb ride and a 5 minute cool down. It is the perfect way to wake up my body and get my heart pumping first thing in the morning. Committing to a full-on 20-30 minute endurance or heart racing ride is a no-go for me in the early mornings. I find that my best rides and PRs happen on the weekends, around 10 am, when I have had time to move around, stretch, drink my tea, and then get to working out. The climb rides are a quick, super hard workout that will leave you completely breathless…but only last 10 minutes! I can get behind something that I know will be over faster than a commercial segment for TV these days.
For those hard-core workout enthusiasts who miss the Cross-Fit gym or their group HIIT classes, there are plenty of Bootcamp, Interval, HIIT, and Tabata classes that are next level hard but also an amazing workout! They are super challenging, but you burn some serious calories on these rides. If you are up for the challenge give them a shot!
Coaches and their styles
Each coach has their very own unique style. Every person I know who rides a Peloton bike has their own favorite instructors. If you L-O-V-E pop and everything Brittany Spears, you absolutely have to check out Cody Rigsby. He is a fan favorite, and you will laugh out loud during each and every one of your rides.
If motivational pep talks, awesome story telling, and great music are your jam, check out Robin Arzon, Christine D’Ercole, Alex Toussaint, Emma Lovewell, or Tunde Oyeneyin.
If you want to be guided by the music, you have a plethora of awesome instructors to choose from. My personal favorite for their musical playlists is Dennis Morton. I will pretty much take any ride with him as I know his tracks aline perfectly with what I enjoy. He also will carry you right off that bike into some awesome yoga. So, if you like a hard workout and a gentle yoga recovery, check him out for both! If Country is your thang, check out Ally Love or Hannah Corbin. Sunday’s With Love is also a super awesome ride that will get you rejuvenated for the up and coming week, and Ally did a fierce Beyonce ride that can not be missed! Hannah Corbin also has some really fun oldies tracks that she likes to play. I love her Motown and old school R&B music choices.
Olivia Amato will kick your booty in any workout. She is tough! She also has some great Power Zone Endurance Rides as does Matt Wilpers, Dennis Morton, and Christine D’Ercole.
Jess King is your go-to for all things EDM, House Music, and Live DJs. She is a bundle of energy and has an infectious personality that is so positive and uplifting. Kendal Toole is also a great ride if you are looking for some fun tracks to rock out to while riding. They both do a ton of metal rides as well to get your blood pumping.
Jenn Sherman was Peloton’s first cycling instructor. She is the mom you always wanted and the best friend to bitch to while getting a really great work out in. She has some really fun classic rock rides and curates some awesome playlists to work out to. I love her Cover to Cover rides.
Across the pond at the UK studios you can find some amazing instructors. Hannah Frankson, and Leanne Hainsby have some really fun rides. I love Hanna’s infectious optimism and her amazing accent. If an accent is your thing, you might also really enjoy Sam Yo. He is one of my favorites for Low Impact rides. I LOVE his music choices and like an island in the stream, he helps my troubles to just drift away.
Who are your favorite instructors? Want us to give you a follow on the bike? Send us an email at teachingdistillery@gmail.com or find us on Twitter or Instagram and give us a follow!
Bottoms up!