New to the Peloton App? Try These Classes First.

So, you’ve downloaded the Peloton App — what now? With literally thousands of classes in the app library, figuring out your very first class from so many choices can be tough! You can click around and try things at random, figuring out your preferences when it comes to types of exercise as well as instructors, and that’ll work as a start. But we’ve also compiled this handy cheat sheet below: our picks for the best classes to start with based on the time you have available and what you may be looking to do. Happy training!

If you...have 5 minutes and you have no idea how to do a burpee

Good news! If you’re new to working out, we don’t just throw you in the deep end. Instructor Rebecca Kennedy can take you through a whole series of 5-minute basics classes that will introduce you to the foundational exercises you’ll encounter in our strength classes: planks, lunges, rows, squats...you get the idea. Just filter by class length on the strength tab.

If you...have 10 minutes and want to strengthen your legs

Instructor Adrian Williams does not play around. He will have you squatting, lunging, and even leaping sideways (and forwards!) across your mat with heavy weights in this quick Glutes and Legs class from 5/26/2020. You’ll feel every minute, and you’ll probably feel it the next day, too. But then you’ll be stronger on the Bike (if you have one), so be sure to squeeze in some leg work regularly!

If you...have 10 minutes and would love to see some abs around here

Two words: Emma. Lovewell. Her four-week Crush Your Core program is a member favorite for a reason. Whether or not you commit to the program, Emma’s beginner-friendly 4/30/19 session, which she says she did daily when she was a dancer, switches the moves up frequently, so if you hate planks or crunches or bird dogs (but how could you hate bird dogs?), something new is just around the corner. And it might just be those abs you’ve been searching for!

If you...have 10 minutes and have been meaning to try meditation

There are meditation classes on the app that focus on gratitude, happiness, sleep, and more, but instructor Chelsea Jackson Roberts gave Members a real gift with her Breathe In, Speak Up meditation on 6/3/2020. Intended for those who are feeling hurt, anxious, confused, angry, maybe all at the same time, with the civil unrest happening right now, this session allows space for people to sit in those feelings, acknowledge the pain, and hopefully let a little out. A true embodiment of the Peloton motto: “Together we go far.”

If you...have 20 minutes and have some energy to burn

Try Jess Sims’s 20 minute HIIT Cardio from 3/27/20. She talks fast, and she moves just as fast, but you know HIIT stands for high intensity interval training, right? Warning/promise: There will be burpees. There will be plank jacks. But there will also be jock jams! Be ready for a fun challenge — Jess is super-motivating, and sure to become a go-to favorite.

If you...have 20 minutes and know what a skull crusher is

Maybe you love the arms sections in Bike classes and are looking for more. A great level-up class is Robin Arzon’s 20 minute upper body class from 5/11/2020. It’s Robin, so you know you’re going to feel like a queen once the curls, rows, flys, and presses are done. Just make sure you have at least a couple pairs of dumbbells along with your crown — one light and one heavy, whatever that means to you.

If you...have 20 minutes and no equipment

Check out a bodyweight class! If you don’t have dumbbells, we understand. We’ve all been stuck at home, and everybody wants to work out, so guess what? Hand weights are sold out pretty much everywhere. Luckily, fitness instructors are smart and know you don’t need to lift heavy things to get a good workout. Dip a toe in the bodyweight waters with a great, dynamic class taught by consummate pro Andy Speer from 4/23/20. It incorporates pushup variations, side lunges, balance work, and more, and it’s great for any level, thanks to Andy’s careful modifications.

If you...have 30 minutes and need to get some fresh air

Some might call it a contradiction in terms, but if you’ve got running shoes and an itch to get outside, load up Olivia Amato’s Y2K Fun Run from 8/1/19 and get out there! Plan out your course so you’ll be on a relatively flat road the entire time — you don’t want any sneaky hills giving you an interval workout when you weren’t expecting one (Olivia will tell you when to turn on the power for the short intervals). The great thing is Olivia runs with you, so you feel like you’re running with a friend — one who keeps you honest with plenty of reminders about good form. With the upbeat music, this class is the refreshing energy boost you probably need.

If you have 45 minutes and want to feel the flow

Yoga is a great way to de-stress (as well as get some much-needed stretching in if you’re a runner or a cyclist), and the Peloton app has a ton of yoga content available, whether you’ve never stepped on the mat or have practically mastered side crow. For a solid, athletic flow at a reasonable pace for beginners, check out Denis Morton’s 45 minute Best of the Decade Yoga Flow from 12/29/19. Denis takes the time to explain each pose and transition carefully, slightly increasing the pace of the flow as the class goes on to make it more, well, flowy. All this with a great unobtrusive soundtrack of the best of the decade (the 2010s) — if you don’t know him yet, Denis is a huge music fan.

So there you have it: a starting point in the great wide open that is the Peloton App cornucopia of classes. Feel free to poke around, and let us know in the comments if you’ve taken any amazing classes lately!