The 17 best Peloton classes, according to power users
by Mary Hanbury, Business Insider US
- Peloton has seen sales surge in recent months as more people that are confined to their homes during the lockdown invest in at-home workout products.
- In the quarter that ended March 31, Peloton had a total of 866,100 connected fitness subscribers – customers that have bought either the bike or the treadmill, which marked a 94% increase from this time last year.
- With more people joining the community, we decided to chat with some of Peloton’s biggest fans and longtime users about what classes they recommend.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Fitness enthusiasts around the world have been switching to at-home workout options in droves as lockdown restrictions keep them at home and out of the gym.
Peloton, one of the leading players in the high-tech at-home fitness category, has been one of the main beneficiaries of this, seeing its sales surge by 66% in the quarter ending March 31 as shoppers invested in its bike, treadmill, and workout app.
The company said that it ended the quarter with over 866,100 connected fitness subscribers – the customers that have bought either the bike or the treadmill, which marked a 94% increase from this time last year; Subscribers of its app were also up 64% by the end of the quarter versus this time last year.
With this in mind, and with so many new members on board, we decided to chat with some of Peloton’s biggest fans and longtime users of its equipment about what their favorite classes on the platform are. So, if you’re new to the Peloton community you’ll know what class to test out first.
Here’s what they said (the majority of the classes that were recommended were for use on the Peloton bike):
The way to warm-up
Peloton member Jessica Hebert, who is taken more than 890 Peloton classes in total since joining at the end of 2018, recommends that users take the 5-minute warm-up with Emma Lovewell.
This class, from September 10, 2019 “will set you up for a successful ride,” she told Business Insider.
She described it as “short but sweet…where the goal is just to get you moving at a quick cadence before taking on the next phase.”
Classes to improve your mental health
Part of Peloton’s appeal, according to its members, is that its classes don’t only have an impact on physical health but also your mental health.
Superuser Amanda Segal previously told Business Insider that she had quit seeing her therapist since she got a Peloton bike because it’s had such a positive impact on her mental health.
“I was getting whatever I need through my bike, through the instructors, through the support. I am not a religious person, but they give you that sense of being a believer,” she said.
Member Rachel Cone, who is approaching her 3,300th ride, said she recommends the Tabata and Power Zone classes with Matt Wilpers, Olivia Amato, Robin Arzón, and Ally Love.
“After a year of mixing Tabata and Power Zone rides into my routine, it has made me mentally stronger,” she told Business Insider. While she has days where she wants “to zone out and have fun,” she said, these classes “force you to see what you are made of mentally and physically.”
Read more: Peloton superfans say the $2,000 bike changed their lives and helped them to quit therapy
High-energy workouts
John Mills and his wife have two Peloton bikes and a Peloton tread between them.
Mills has taken more than 1,100 Peloton classes since 2016 and counts Alex Toussaint’s 45 min “Club Bangers Ride,” a bike class that takes place every Saturday and Jess Sims’ 30 min “Fun Runs” on the treadmill as some of this favorite classes for a high-energy workout.
Meanwhile, Hebert recommends a 30-minute Lizzo ride with Robin Arzón on the bike. This specific class is from August 2, 2019, she said.
“This is one of the most popular rides on Peloton for good reason: mix super high energy vice president of fitness programming Robin with the powerful positive vibes of Lizzo and it’s a recipe for success.
“It’s good for your heart and soul, though maybe not for your neighbors’ ears if you get motivated to sing along,” she told Business Insider.
Classes for hip-hop lovers
As a long-time hip-hop fan, Mills recommended Arzón’s 30-minute “Hip Hop Ride” every Tuesday for others looking for the same.
“Robin has an amazing knack for creating playlists that align well with my memories as a long time Hip Hop fan. She’s also one of the most motivational instructors Peloton has, something that I find of extreme benefit to my workout,” he told Business Insider.
Classes that are all about a sense of community
Segal has been a Peloton member since April 2018 but didn’t truly get hooked on the bike until January 2019; since then, she’s done more than 575 rides, she said.
She recommended Ally Love’s ‘Sundays with Love’ rides. “They are 30 minutes long and can be found on demand under theme rides,” she told Business Insider.
These rides “bring together the community; everyone gets excited about them and it shows a common interest with fellow riders.
“Ally’s ‘Sundays with Love’ hit the soul like nothing I have ever experienced before. We cry together, push ourselves, and feel a spiritual connection that one doesn’t have to be religious to feel. Our bikes, the community is our place of worship!” she added.
Kristina Howard, another Peloton superfan who has completed over 1,800 classes, said her favorite class is the ‘All for One’ Peloton treadmill class from July 4, 2019, which features all of the instructors.
“It was motivating to see all the Tread instructors together and listen to them share personal stories about their favorite memories about celebrating America’s independence.
“What struck me the most about that run was how genuine the instructors’ affection was for one another. It was very apparent that they are truly a family on and off the Tread,” she said.
The class to take if you want to build up your endurance levels
Peloton has a ton of endurance classes but Hebert narrowed her favorite down to one – Matt Wilpers’ 60-minute ‘Power Zone Endurance Ride’ from March 7, 2020.
“The Power Zone training program is wonderful – getting you to build power, speed, and endurance by technique and carefully working to your own fitness level. This class was just a lot of fun, from the music to the commentary from Matt!” she said.
Howard agreed. “These rides are about so much more than the physical workout. It’s about the PowerZone community coming together once a week to put the stresses of life behind and ride together.
“Matt teaches members about technique, pedal stroke, as well as the importance of training smart and proper nutrition,” she said.
The best sing-a-long classes
Peloton bike user Peter Shankman pulled together a selection of the best sing-along rides to do on the bike.
“Great music is responsible for every single personal record I’ve ever earned [on the bike],” he said in an email to Business Insider.
Shankman recommended Jenn Sherman’s ‘Epic Sing-Along Ride’ from May 13, 2018; Christine D’Ercole’s 60-minute 80s ride from May 18, 2018; Denis Morton’s 45-minute 80s Ride from April 15, 2019; and Jess King’s 30-minute ‘Broadway Ride’ from September 13, 2019.
The best cool-down classes
Mills swears by Chase Tucker’s 10 min ‘Post-Run Stretch’ from January 14, 2020. “I literally take this stretch after every run or ride,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hebert recommends a restorative yoga class with instructor Anna Greenberg or a foam rolling stretch class with Hannah Marie.