Badge lovers unite! Hot on the heels of the new Meditation Challenge badge launched in May in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Peloton has introduced a new ongoing challenge badge for Yoga! Now you can earn a Yoga and a Meditation badge alongside Cycling, Running, Rowing, Strength, and Activity every month. This is great news for veteran and newbie yogis alike! 

Yoga on the Rise

If you’ve been riding, running, or rowing with Peloton, you’ve probably heard instructors suggest “hopping into a yoga class” before cooling down, to really get the maximum physical and mental benefits of how you’ve just moved your body in your workout. In fact, in 2023 Peloton added classes specifically to help members who are newer to yoga learn how it helps them, programming Focus Flows for Riders, Runners, and Rowers (found under Yoga for Cross Training in Collections). Recently, with the addition of the Yoga Pairings to the Power Zone Pack Challenges, class participation in yoga and meditation has been on the upswing. Combined with the variety of classes offered in May for Mental Health Awareness Month, Peloton is really invested in supporting members, inside and out, and we are here for it! (The timing of Ross’s recent book release of Turning Inward also feels like it’s part of helping build this wave – ICYMI, check out when Ross visited our TCO Book Club to discuss his experiences!)

Anyone Can be a Yogi

One of the greatest aspects of yoga on the Peloton platform is its inclusivity. With classes ranging from five to 75 minutes, and everything from tutorials to advanced flows available, there are so many ways to access what you are looking for (and, as the Rolling Stones said, “sometimes you get what you need” and that is a surprisingly true realization at the end of many yoga classes!). Don’t shy away from the non-physical side of yoga… if you listen closely to many of the non-yoga instructors, you’ll hear that much of what they say is actually very “yogic” in its message. For example, “Your greatest power is your breath.”  “Find the balance between commitment and detachment.” “Check in with yourself so you don’t feel the need to check out.” Mind. Blown. Right? 

Cross Training Tips 

To learn more about building connections between yoga and fitness on the Peloton platform, we spoke to Peloton member and longtime yogi Beth Houghtby (#Beth_2point0). Beth is one of the founding Team Leads for the PZYogis in the Power Zone Pack, and the creator of its monthly Yoga Pairings. She is an expert in helping people understand how they can harness the power of their breath through foundational non-linear practices, resulting in improved physical and mental stamina. 

Beth suggests these tips to help build a yoga and meditation practice:

1. Start small! Even a 10 minute class and 5 minute meditation help build a routine practice.
2. Try a variety of classes with different instructors! The Peloton instructors all have different teaching styles that help yogis build a well-rounded practice.
3. Step outside your comfort zone. As yoga instructor Anna Greenberg reminds us, “Peer over the edge of what’s familiar. You never know what you’ll find there.” 

Check out all the offerings and let us know what you think! Will you try a new style? A new instructor? Be sure to submit your favorite classes to our weekly TCO Top 5 and help fellow members earn their new badges too!

Tune in to The Clip Out every Friday to hear Tom and Crystal’s take on this and other hot Pelotopics. We’re available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeart, TuneIn. Be sure and follow us so you never miss an episode. You can also find the show online on Facebook.com/TheClipOut. While you’re there, like the page and join the group. Lastly, find us on our YouTube channel, YouTube.com/TheClipOut, where you can watch all of our shows.

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