21 Things To Know If You Just Got A Peloton (Or Are Thinking About Getting One)

They are all incredibly talented, but they also have very different styles and approaches. It's worth test-driving several until you find the ones you connect with most! I found the easiest way to do this is to filter out everything but the beginner classes. All of the instructors have them and you get a sense of what they're about. They're funny, they're inspirational, and somehow they never run out of things to say.

Here's an example of why the right instructor matters: Let's just say I'm not known for my strength and I was actually dreading the arms portion of a workout with Cody Rigsby. He told a story while we were working with the weights and I laughed the entire time, barely even noticing when I had completed the entire section. MAGIC, I TELL YOU.

Yup, I'll say it again: You don't actually need any Peloton equipment to use the app. You can queue up the cycling or running classes on your phone, laptop or desktop, or even TV — then just use a regular stationary bike or treadmill. You might not get all the nifty little metrics that go along with it, but it still works really effectively. (Or opt for no- or low-equipment classes, like dance cardio, bodyweight, or yoga.)

If you're thinking about giving the app a try, Peloton is offering a free 60-day trial for the month of January. (That's twice as long as their normal free trial, which is 30 days.) After that, a digital membership is $12.99 a month.

If you're distracted by the leaderboard or clock watching (guilty as charged), just double-tap the screen and ta-dah! It's all gone. Just you, the bike, and the instructor. You can also choose keep certain metrics and hide some of the others, because maybe you really DO need to see how much time is left in the class.

Just want to listen to the music? Crank it up! You can adjust the volume of the instructor and vice versa. It's just another way to customize exactly what you want. You'll find this feature pop up when you hit the volume buttons on the side of the bike tablet. Or, check out the tutorial on the Peloton website.

It's not just about giving high fives to rando people on the leaderboard. You can find people who share your interests by adding hashtags to your profile, following the Reddit community, or joining different Facebook groups.

I found this very impressive and pretty comprehensive list of groups to join and there is literally something for everyone on it!

Once you've mastered the on-demand rides, start adding the live rides to your routine. You just get a different energy when you know it's happening live. Treat the live rides like you would any IRL scheduled class. Sign up, get there a little early to stretch, and then go for it. Bonus: you don't have the awkwardness of staking out your spot in the locker room like you would in a real studio.

If you're looking for that coveted instructor shoutout, Reddit's Peloton Wiki has some tips! The top three: Take a live ride on your birthday or a milestone day, have a username that is easy to pronounce, and go for classes that have fewer live participants in them.

It doesn't matter what your motivations are for getting a Peloton (for example, perhaps, like me, you took up stress baking during a global pandemic). You made a commitment to yourself and that takes hard work.

You'll get badges in your profile for your milestones in each category (cycling, running, walking, Tread bootcamp, bike bootcamp, strength, stretching, yoga, meditation, and cardio). You'll get badges for completing daily and weekly streaks, as well as participating in special challenges and special events. They're nice reminders of the work you've put in.