The difficulty of these classes can be gleaned from the names of some—Intervals, for instance, are going to be more challenging than Beginner—but when you’re new to the platform, you might accidentally stumble into a class that’s too advanced for you. In that case, feel free to modify any of the cues the instructors give to create a workout that’s more doable for you. That might mean taking pushes slower, dialing down the resistance, or skipping an interval in favor of an extra flat road for more recovery time. As many of the instructors say during class, it’s your workout.
4. Enter the leaderboard.
You’ve probably heard Peloton pros wax poetic about the leaderboard and all the friends, competitors, and community members they’ve highfived there. So what is the leaderboard, and is it really worth keeping tabs on your ranking there?
Just like in any competitive sport, the leaderboard indicates your position in the class as well as the position of everyone else in the class with you. If you’re taking a live class, you can filter the leaderboard to see everyone riding in class at that moment. If you’re taking a previously-recorded, on-demand class, you can see how many people have taken that class since its debut on the platform—and where you rank compared to “all-time” riders.
The leaderboard, which is based on your output, appears on the right-hand side of your touch screen. Once you start sampling workout classes, you’ll probably notice right away that every instructor starts their classes with a disclaimer that you can tap the leaderboard to hide it. After all, not everyone is there for competition, and not everyone is motivated by numbers. So if the leaderboard stresses you out, tap it away so you can focus on your routine.
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That said, the leaderboard isn’t solely a space for competition—it’s also a place to find other members with tags (indicated by a hashtag) that you vibe with. Each member can choose or create up to 10 tags (which appear after your leaderboard name), and you can search the leaderboard for other members who use that tag too. That way, you can choose to follow those members (meaning you’ll be able to peep their workout stats and see which classes they’re taking). You can “high-five” others in class, which is just a way to show virtual encouragement.
Many of the Peloton tags have also grown into full-fledged communities, with Facebook groups, in-person meet-ups, Instagram accounts, and more, Ramón says.
“The leaderboard is an incredible way to get involved in the Peloton community,” she says. “By searching through tags like #pelotonmoms, #pelotondads, #6ampsyclepaths, #pelatinos or #milamafia, you’ll be able to find people like you and support each other through your fitness journey. Who knows, maybe you’ll make a Pelo-bestie and eventually meet IRL.”
5. Find a favorite instructor.
The truth is, when it comes to finding the right instructor, it’s all about personal preference. While some riders resonate with Ally Love’s motivational mantras, others will fall in love with Alex Toussaint’s athletic coaching style or Jess King’s EDM expertise.
Source: https://www.self.com
