Tried And Tested: Trialling The Peloton Fitness App
I’ve had an on-off relationship with fitness apps in the past.
I credit 28 by Sam Wood for getting me into a gym routine and keeping me sane during COVID lockdowns. I tested out Keep it Cleaner, in a way that I sometimes test out dating apps: I pledge to myself I’m going to stick with it even in the grim times, I do really well for two days, and then I forget about the app’s existence.
I’ve tried Nike, I’ve downloaded Strata swearing to God I’ll take up running, and though it’s not an app, I’ve spent a good chunk of my time with Adriene and Benji watching Yoga with Adriene.
So when I was offered a trial with Peloton, I was curious. I didn’t know a lot about the brand, other than the fact that Sex and the City‘s Mr. Big really liked his Peloton workouts before his unfortunate demise. But as someone who’s been trying and struggling to incorporate more solo gym time in, instead of just going to the same reformer pilates class every week, I was keen to figure out if Peloton would be the app that’d kick my butt into gear.
My old PT used to say to me “summer bodies are created in winter!” with a crazed glint in his eye that made me distrust everything else that came out of his mouth. But this is how I found myself, post-Splendour, downloading Peloton during a week off work to really see if I could make a commitment to myself.
Unlike Mr. Big, I made it through to report on my findings. So if you’ve been curious about whether Peloton is the app for you, let’s dive into it.
Here’s what it was like trialling the Peloton fitness app.
Pros:
1. You can use it absolutely anywhere
The gym, your bedroom, the beach, my sweet Gold Coast AirBnb from my holiday. I’m ultimately a gym class junkie and I need to book in classes to keep me accountable, but as an app to use on a holiday if you don’t like to break your routine, Peloton is perfect.
View this post on Instagram
2. There’s a wide variety of workouts ranging from five minutes onwards
It’s hard to make excuses not to work out when there are literal five minute videos for time-poor people. And trust me, once you knock over one five minute video, you’ll probably just do another, and maybe even another! It’s addictive!
3. Plus, the challenges add an extra motivational layer
Signing up for a challenge is kind of like that “signing up for a gym class knowing you have to force yourself to go” vibe. It’s an extra dose of accountability to keep you motivated. And you can also do live classes, so it’s kind of like making that same gym commitment, except you don’t even have to leave home!
Cons:
1. It’s very American
No shade to my American pals, but they’re just so much more enthusiastic about things in life compared to us Aussies. It’s hardly a bad thing, but it can be a lot at 7am in the morning when someone’s yelling at you to keep up the good work and it’s the middle of winter in Australia and you haven’t got warm enough to get out of your dressing gown yet.
View this post on Instagram
2. I could not figure out for the life of me at some point how to quit a workout
I eventually got there, but one time I was at the gym using the app and decided I’d try a 45-minute full body workout. 10 minutes in, I realised all I wanted to be doing was maybe a 20-minute full body workout and so I went to quit the workout and it took me so long to try and quit that I subjected myself to finishing the original workout. This is hardly a bad outcome at the end of the day, in all honesty, it was quite a smart way to keep me going.
3. You can do workouts without equipment but some of them require things you may not have
From an actual bike to heavier weights, if you’re doing the workouts at home or on holidays, chances are you’re not going to have the equipment needed for some of the workouts. While this is fine because there are enough body weight workouts, it does mean you’ll be sifting through avoiding certain workouts that look fun because of a lack of equipment.
TL;DR — things to know:
Ease of use: Super easy! Download and get going. It’s all very simple.
Cost: $16.99 / month.
Perfect for: Those who want to work out but don’t want to commit to gym memberships and/or may be doing the digital nomad life and travelling around; it’s a motivating enough app to keep in your pocket. Literally.