Whether it’s knitting scarves while enjoying a morning cup of coffee or spending the weekend paragliding, our hobbies have many benefits. Studies have shown that our favorite pastimes can lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve social connection—plus, they’re just plain fun to do.
Looking for something new to try during your free time? For some inspiration, we asked some of our instructors to share what they like to spend time on when they’re not in class.
Creating Something
Instructor Sam Yo tackles one LEGO set—which can range from 800 to 7,000 pieces—a month. He used to play with them with his dad growing up.
“I find it creative and meditative at the same time,” he says.
Callie Gullickson, meanwhile, has been avidly cooking simple and quick meals for about three years. She says she got into it because she loves food, spending about seven hours a week in the kitchen.
“I think the fact you can create something delicious and nourishing and it doesn't have to be time consuming or difficult,” she says of what drives her to cook. “It honestly just brings me joy—from getting creative with recipes, going to the store to pick out ingredients, and especially getting to eat it at the end of it.”
Celebrating Movement
Ecstatic dance, which focuses on freedom of movement and self-expression, captivates Nico Sarani, who discovered her hobby through her Balinese yoga community.
“It's a thing! Dancing sober, just vibing to the music, in whichever way you like to move, while everybody around you is respecting your space,” she says. “It's often followed by a sound healing journey or just a moment where everyone just sits or lies down quietly.”
In addition to getting her endorphins flowing, Nico says she practices her hobby because she likes “feeling the music, and letting out what I want to let go of through movement. Movement can be expressive, or fluid and gentle. Being one with the beat. Letting the rhythm move me. Connecting to people by celebrating music and movement together. I also love the quiet moment at the end of the dance.”
Movement also compels instructor Mayla Wedekind to surf, something she’s practiced for ten years.
“I’ve always loved water,” she says. “I was a swimmer when I was young and growing up I did lots of different water sports. When I was traveling in Australia, it was the first time I saw perfect peeling waves and I fell in love [with the sport].”
Unlike cycling, Mayla says the energy of the water makes it unpredictable. “There are no other sports in this world where you play in a moving environment,” she adds.
Connecting With Others
We said hobbies can help build a feeling of social connection, and that’s what Peloton instructor Jeffrey McEachern experiences when he listens to motivational speakers and motivational podcasts, a practice to which he devotes about four hours a week.
“I love listening to the story of human emotions, paths and experiences,” he says. “I believe that everyone you meet in life—or in this case listen to—can be a teacher, and these talks and podcasts sometimes provide new views and thoughts or even answers that I didn't think of or get to by myself. It provokes new thoughts, opening my mind in new directions. Sometimes it’s reminding me that I have all the power within me to succeed or get through this situation or emotion.”
Want to know more about your favorite Peloton instructors? Here’s how they prepare for class.
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