In January of 2012, John Foley sparked an innovative idea to advance the fitness industry. Little did he know this idea of his would come to impact almost 4.5 million people all over the world. The New York based company is composed of an inclusive community of instructors to help members build strength and character, in and out of the gym. The company emphasizes the importance of getting stronger with a community by your side.

Peloton consists of classes on the treadmill ranging from walking to HIIT classes, cycling classes, and strength classes tailored to a particular muscle group, or an overall body burn. They also offer yoga and stretching classes, always emphasizing the importance of recovery. As a peloton enthusiast myself, I can attest to the many benefits the company has had on my life in the year I’ve had it. Time is something our society competes for daily. I love running classes, especially a quick 30 minute interval run. I also love an effective strength workout on the mat. I usually pair a run with a 20 minute lower body or upper body strength class. The tread boot camp offers both of these workouts in one, splitting up time on the tread and the floor. Alternating between sprints on the tread and a demanding strength session on the mat, I am sure to get the most out of my workout each time I start a boot camp, one of my favorite classes to take.

Peloton is extremely accessible because you can skip the hassle of driving to a gym or signing up for a class and instead start the workout when you want and where you want. They even offer outdoor running classes and no equipment classes making it extremely hard to make excuses for skipping your workout. One of the prominent benefits of joining the Peloton community is the freedom to choose a class as short as ten minutes if you’re short on time, to as long as sixty minutes. Regardless, both options provide you with an effective workout. Senior Audrey Weber has been working out with Peloton since March of 2020. “My favorite type of class is bodyweight strength. I like these workouts because they’re usually only 20 or 30 minutes, but still really effective. They’re also really useful when traveling because you don’t need to rely on equipment, since your body is really the equipment. I feel like not enough people use or are aware of this offering on Peloton, but it’s definitely a category of class worth checking out in my opinion,” Weber said.

With an incredible coaching staff, each bringing something different to the mat, tread, or bike you’re bound to find someone you like that can provide you with incredible workout experience. The company welcomes coaches from all different backgrounds and ages––an element that is very important to keeping members engaged and eager to workout. Not only do they coach you through movements, they coach you through mental fatigue, perseverance, and offer other life advice that applies to all aspects of life. “How you do anything is how you do everything” is a line from Peloton tread and strength instructor Jess Sims. She repeatedly reminds us that the small things we practice make a big difference in our lives. One of my favorite instructors is Adrian Williams. Whenever I begin one of his classes, he sparks energy and motivation in me, along with the other numerous members taking his content.

A unique feature is the leaderboard; although some may call it the dreaded leaderboard. It shows members who are doing the workout in real time with you and their specific output for the workout. On the treadmill the leaderboard pushes me to some of my fastest speeds, chasing the person’s output in front of me. For those who are motivated by competition, the Peloton leaderboard is for you. But don’t worry, if competition hurts more than it helps, you can turn off the leaderboard completely.

While the benefits may be worthwhile, they don’t come without a lofty price. Often the price is justifiable when multiple people are frequently using the membership, but when the number of users on the membership decreases, as well as the workout frequency, the steep price may begin to outweigh the benefits. Peloton is a smart investment if you’re looking to consistently increase your overall health and wellness. “Overall, I do think for my family it has been a very worthwhile investment because every kind of workout we used to do at the gym––biking, strength, cardio, classes––can now be done at home for a similar price,” Weber said.