9 ways to maximize your workout experience

A little over three years ago while stuck dormant in the pandemic, I decided to use my extra time getting back in shape. As a former cycling instructor and long-time fan of fitness tech, I’d always wanted to try a Peloton Bike, so I took the plunge and ordered my Bike. 3,000+ workouts later, I’m here to share my top Peloton tips and tricks I’ve learned over the past three years so you can get the most out of your workout.

1 Pair the Peloton app with your Smartwatch

Heart rate training can optimize workouts

Heart rate training is an excellent way to optimize your workouts and become more aware of your effort levels during exercise. Pair your Apple Watch or another smartwatch to connect to your Peloton Bike, Tread, or Row to track your heart rate during your workout and view your workout metrics instantly. Plus, it connects with health apps such as Apple Health to close your rings and track health metrics.

2 Stack your workouts to plan for success

Use the Peloton app’s stacking feature to plan your workout

When I first started with Peloton, I’d do one 20 or 30-minute workout at a time and then add another if I was feeling good. Now, I use Peloton’s “stack” feature to create a lineup of workouts on the Peloton mobile app, on the web, or on the Peloton Touchscreen so my 60-90 minute workout is pinged up and ready to go–when one ends the next one is ready to go with one click. You can also stack workouts from different Peloton equipment, such as the Bike, Tread, Row, or strength class on the app.

3 Participate in the leaderboard

Use the leaderboard to compete and celebrate

Peloton offers an interactive leaderboard that allows you to see how your performance compares to other users who are taking a ride at the same time. Or, with one click, you can see how you fare against everyone who has taken the class all-time. You can even give other users high-fives on the Touchscreen when you get a notification when someone else in the class has reached a milestone, such as 10 active days in a row or their 500th workout.

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4 Take a live class

Foster a private studio atmosphere by inviting friends to work out with you

First, choose any live or on-demand class, then click the “invite members” button. Once you invite friends to work out with you, you’ll be prompted to choose a time to schedule the class and everyone you invite will be notified in the app. The class will start at the selected time regardless of when users join so the entire workout will be synced from beginning to end.

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5 Create a private session to work out with friends

Foster a private studio atmosphere

While I enjoy Peloton’s on-demand, library of classes, live classes take your workout to the next level. There’s something about knowing that everyone on the leaderboard and the instructor is going through the same part of the workout with you at the same time all across the world. Even more, if you’re lucky, the instructor might give you a shout-out, especially if you are on a milestone ride. View the live class schedule on the Peloton app, member website, or Touchscreen.

6 Try a Lanebreak Ride

Perfect for video game lovers

If you like video games, you’ll love a gamified cycling class. While I’m a huge fan of instructor-led classes for the format and expertise, sometimes you just want to listen to music and ride. Peloton Lanebreak takes music-driven classes a step further with a gamified experience where you choose your level, earn points throughout the ride via a virtual six-lane track, and tackle challenges like speed pickups. You can choose how hard your Lanebreak ride is by choosing from the levels screen before starting the class.

7 Take a Peloton Challenge

Get inspired and foster accountability

One of my favorite things about Peloton is the community atmosphere they foster, which is hard with at-home fitness equipment. Peloton infuses workouts with a sense of community with exceptional instructors, and live classes–as well as the opportunity to join challenges and earn badges.

You can join challenges such as the annual challenge that levels up every time you get a new goal and advances you from bronze to gold status, a minutes-based challenge, monthly activity challenges, Bike, Row, or tread-focused challenges, and much more. View active, completed, and upcoming challenges by clicking the “Challenges” button at the top of the home screen.

8 Connect with Friends

Find your existing friends on Peloton to cheer them on

There’s no joy like talking with a new (or old) friend and discovering they are also a Peloton enthusiast. Sometimes it can happen in conversation, but there are many people in my contact database I’d never have known were Peloton users unless I found them on the app. Peloton makes it easy to find your contacts. Simply click the “Community” button on the home screen, and you can sync with Facebook and your phone contact database to find people you know. There’s also a new social feed that shows you your friends’ latest workouts where you can give them a high five, bookmark the workout they did, or add it to your stack with one click.

9 Try out the Peloton Guide

Take workout metrics to the next level

The Peloton Guide was the first strength-focused tech device to join the Peloton family, giving users the ability to connect the device to their TV and view themselves working out alongside their instructor while tracking their movements. It’s a great way to improve your form, as you get credit for doing each move correctly. At the end of your workout, you can see what percentage of workouts you did correctly, or “total targets hit.”