“Hey Ladieeeeeees!”

If you immediately heard the chorus of the eponymous Beastie Boys song in your head after reading that, you might be in perimenopause or menopause! But don’t worry, you are not alone in the Peloverse, nor should you be! Many cis women in the 40+ age demographic within Peloton (and beyond, of course) are finding that menopause is having a cultural moment, and we are here for each other as we make our collective way through it. 

Look Who’s Talking

In 2024, menopause has been making its mark in conversation in ways that have been unheard of (literally) before. Many Gen X women (born between 1965 and 1980), as well as some of our friends on the younger side of Boomers and elder side of Millennials, are asking questions about our health and healthcare, our mental and physical states, and how we can make it all make sense in ways that prior generations did not: publically. Celebrities such as Drew Barrymore, Halle Berry, and Michelle Obama are helping take the stigma off of the “taboo” topic by, well, talking. And we are Here. For. It. But they are not the only ones…

Lately, you may have been hearing some of your favorite Peloton instructors talk about menopause, or perimenopause, aka “peri” (the long, slow hormonal journey to menopause that can take years while it saps your energy, changes your muscle tone, makes you forgetful, and otherwise brings you emotional changes you haven’t felt since, well, puberty! IYKYK… but if you don’t know, check out this hilarious video from The Holderness Family to enlighten you on what your spouse, sibling, parent, or friend may be going through! (Then do a patience meditation because you love them and now you understand!) 

Where was I? (Darn you, brain fog!) Ah yes, our instructors. Many loyal fans know – and appreciate – the very open way women like Christine D’Ercole, Jenn Sherman, and Susie Chan have been talking about their own experiences. In 2023, CDE christened the “#hotandcoldcrew” of members and has begun to speak directly on her IG and in rides about how she balances her racing goals with her continuing journey down the menopause rabbit hole; Jenn spoke in her Tenth Anniversary Ride about going through menopause during her ten years (to date) at Peloton; and ultramarathoner Susie gives us her personal take on her IG, keeping it real. Even though these powerhouse women are celebrities in their own right, this kind of content makes them so relatable; I know I am not alone in my gratitude for the part they are playing in opening these conversations. And even for folks who may not take classes with these three instructors, there is an incredible online Facebook community (“Peri to Post Menopause – Peloton/Tonal/Next Level Workout Group”) that has grown to 19,500 members since its inception in 2022, offering a place to chat about all this within the context of fitness, nutrition, and wellbeing (for more on what this group name means and why it matters, listen to our interview with Dr. Stacy Sims, author of Next Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals Through Menopause and Beyond and check out the book here.

Sure, you may be saying, of course women in their 50s are going to be talking about it… but guess what, they are not the only ones! As Peloton ages (hey, it happens to the best of us!) we’ve noticed a LOT of the instructors of late are talking more about a bit of a mindset shift when it comes to exercise… Matty Maggiacomo has talked about the benefits of strength training for bone density (and Mara would know, right!), Adrian Williams and Andy Speer sing the praises of mobility to stave off the effects of general aging (have you ever considered a burpee to be preparation for getting off the floor if you fall?), and let’s not forget our awesome Pilates team! Led by the visionary Kristin McGee, there is now a new cohort of women engaging their deep pelvic floor muscles in ways that we didn’t ever realize we could or should. (And we will continue to!)

Peloton x Menopause… a New Collection? (We Wish!)

Over the past five years, Peloton has been adding Pre- and Post-Natal classes (including Robin, Mayla, and more), precipitated by the increase in pregnant instructors and a likely desire to attract members in that – ahem, younger – demographic. There is now an extensive library of classes across modalities (Strength, Yoga, Cycling, Stretching) that are geared to help women stay focused and fit during this time in their lives. Fantastic! But as Peloton continues to evolve, are they overlooking an opportunity to address the needs of getting-older women?

Anecdotally, members are hungry for menopause-related programming. Of course, this could mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but imagine the possibilities! 

• Could it be a new collection of Strength classes geared to our demographic, involving more education on the specific importance of loading weight in exercise as we age? (Maybe even taught by a woman in her 50s or older!) 
• Could it be the addition of SIT (Sprint Interval Training) classes into the fold with current instructors? (If you are familiar with Dr. Stacy Sims and her game-changing guidance then this concept will be music to your ears, but if not, learn about it in our interview and in her book.)
• Could it be a subset of Pilates that focuses more attentively on activating and strengthening the internal muscles “down there” that we need to keep it all together and working properly? 
• Could it be some new Meditations that more pointedly acknowledge some of the things we feel and help us work through our emotions, so we can continue to show up for ourselves and those around us? 

(I’ll take one of everything, please!)

What kinds of classes would you want to see Peloton offer to support you in peri/menopause? Tell us! 

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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