PR on Your Peloton

The Hubby and I got our Peloton in December of 2020. We were so excited to join the craze and make positive exercise choices finally. Since our gym would periodically close due to COIVD, we were looking for something more consistent. Jon and I are both very competitive, and we loved the concept of “riding against” others on the leaderboard.

The Peloton bike is a great machine that pushes you, creates a beautiful community, and allows you to show up for yourself every time you get on. For nine weeks, I rode on average 4-5 days. At the beginning of those nine weeks (April 27, 2021), my PR was 216. At the end of the nine weeks (June 22, 2021), my PR was 401! That’s HUGE (if I do say so myself).

Let’s get a few things straight here. There are a few things when riding your bike that just MATTER. Let me explain:

The class you select matters:
Okay, let’s be super transparent: the class you select matters. You won’t be able to PR on your Peloton by selecting a slow jams ride or a classical ride. It always helps when choosing a course from their list of on-demand content with a great playlist to keep you pumped and motivated.

Your level of hydration matters:
I think this is probably one of the most overlooked aspects of riding. When you’re not hydrated, your body cannot perform at its best level. I usually throw two SmartWater water bottles on the bike when I ride. #1 I love that it has electrolytes, and #2 I love the size. I’m a massive fan of large water bottles. The last thing you want is to run out of water, and you still have 20 minutes left on your ride.

Your level of consistency matters:
Each week I aim to ride our bike 3-5 times (the more times, the better). Making this commitment enabled me to see the results I wanted – not just physically, but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually as well (I’ve had a lot of coming to Jesus moments) on that bike, ha!). Little by little, class by class, I saw my endurance increase. I didn’t feel as winded, and I LOOKED FORWARD TO GETTING ON THE BIKE. The more consistent I was, the more comfortable I became on the bike. Not just with riding the bike but also navigating the user interface. Above all else, consistency showing up for myself helped me to PR on our Peloton.

Having a “good mental space” matters:
A “good mental” space will be different for everyone because we all have different needs. For example, the day I hit 401, during a 30-minute ride, I had tears in my eyes. Why? Because before I got on the bike, I decided that I was going to PR that day. I know it sounds crazy, but I was so determined to beat the previous version of myself.

The instructor you select matters:
It’s going to be different for everyone. I ride well with Ally Love, Cody Rigsby, Olivia Amato, Tunde, and my girl, Kendall Toole. I love their pump-up can-do attitude. They’re encouraging, inspiring and I feel connected to them each time I ride. Plus, Ally Love somehow eerily knows when I’m groaning as she mentions a Tabata section and puts me in check. So while I gravitate towards these instructors, maybe you’re feeling a ride with Robin Arzon, Alex, or Jess King! After that, it’s up to you.

How you ride matters:
This “matter” is probably the biggest one of them all. How you ride determines your PR. For example, to achieve a 401 PR during a 30-minute class, I would be riding in third position (standing) the whole time with insanely heavy resistance. For 30 min, I committed to pushing my body farther than I had in my nine weeks of consistently riding. It burned, and it felt amazing all at the same time.

When I achieved my goal, I knew my rides would be recovery rides for the next few days. You have to manage the expectations of your body when you want to PR. Every ride can’t and shouldn’t be a PR ride. The Peloton bike is a great machine that pushes you, creates a beautiful community, and allows you to show up for yourself every time you get on.

Here are the exact class details of my 401 PR ride on our Peloton:

My PR Class: 401
Class: 30 min HIIT & Hills Ride
Instructor: Ally Love
Total Output: 401kj
Distance: 9.98
Calories: 547
Avg Cadence: 40 rpm
Avg Speed: 20mph
Avg Resistance: 71%

How do you PR? What’s your PR? How do you like your Peloton? Let me know in the comments below!