Building a Peloton Workout Plan: Everything You Need to Know

You’ll see results

Building and sticking to a Peloton workout plan has innumerable benefits. You should see results in anywhere from four to eight weeks, and you’ll start noticing an increased ‘feel good’ factor from exercise in the first three to four weeks.

Holding yourself accountable to a workout plan means that you’re more likely to actually do the work – it’s very easy to stay enthusiastic about something for a week, and then slowly drift off onto other things. But making your exercise regime enjoyable by incorporating different exercise modalities and classes makes you more likely to turn up in the first instance, which in turn means you’ll reap the rewards that regular exercise offers.

These can include everything from improved muscular strength and tone through to improved heart and lung health, as well as improved balance and spatial awareness, improved energy levels, and better sleep.

Also Read: How To Develop Proper Cycling Form

What to consider for an optimal Peloton workout plan

First things first, it’s essential to recognise that no one Peloton workout plan will work universally. Everyone has different fitness and health priorities, as well as different schedules.

That said, there are some variables that can help you to identify what’s most important for your exercise routine, which will allow you to build your ultimate Peloton workout plan.

Also Read: Brick Workouts: Are They Right For You?

Mix and match your exercise

It’s tempting to fall in love with one type of exercise and stick to it. But the beauty of the Peloton app is in having access to a wide range of different exercise modalities and class types. As a reader of Cycle Now, you’re undoubtedly a fan of getting your workout on a bike, whether it’s indoors or outdoors. But there’s so much to be said for supplementing your cycle class with a yoga or strength workout.

In fact, diversifying your Peloton workout plan is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, it’ll reduce your risk of getting bored of one kind of exercise. You may feel like you can’t get enough of running or cycling for now, but find yourself unenthused and demotivated by a lack of variety over time.

Most importantly, mixing up your exercise modalities will help you avoid risk of injury. Cardio-intensive exercise like cycling or running will typically have you moving through one plane of motion. Over time – and particularly if you’re training for an endurance event like a marathon or triathlon – you may find yourself causing or exacerbating injury by singularly focussing on and overdoing the specific muscle groups used for this kind of exercise. Incorporating alternative modalities can help to strengthen muscle that you don’t usually use in your preferred form of exercise, minimising risk of injury.

Your exercise needs

Everyone will have different needs and wants for their exercise routine. Someone training for a running race isn’t going to want the same Peloton workout plan as someone looking to enhance their flexibility. Before you create your plan, it’s worth taking a second to consider what your exercise needs might be.

Different kinds of classes will support different health and fitness needs. Establishing and developing anaerobic fitness is best done via HIIT (high intensity interval training) classes or Tabata rides. Endurance runners or cyclists will want to exercise often – realistically at least four times a week – and integrate classes like interval or Power Zone sessions on the tread or bike into their routine so as to build aerobic endurance.

Also Read: What is a Tabata Ride?

Adding in a strength class can also enable cyclists to strengthen and work other muscle groups that will help support time on the bike.

Rest and recovery

It’s vital to give yourself days for your muscles to recover, so you don’t cause burnout or injury. They help the body to adapt and regenerate, so you can hit your next exercise session feeling full of energy.

You need to build rest days into your routine so that you avoid over-fatiguing your muscles, and so that your body is able to fully replace any lost resources like fluid or carbohydrates. What’s more, when you work out, you cause micro tears in your muscles. These are actually vital to muscle growth, but overwork will cause more intensive tearing, which can create long-term damage.

Add a yoga session into your Peloton workout plan in order to allow your muscles to stretch, and to work on your flexibility. This will enhance your recovery post-workout, and can also help to calm your central nervous system by encouraging a focus on breath work and meditation.

Consider your schedule

As discussed above, different individuals will have different exercise needs. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach to a Peloton workout plan, because everyone has their own unique circumstances.

If you’re training for a half marathon or other event, you’re going to want to be hitting the tarmac at least five days a week, which means fitting your exercise routine around your work and social life.

Only you know why you’re exercising. It could be to improve your mental health, it could be to hit a PB, or it could be from a desire to get stronger. Each reason will help you to determine how many days a week you want to commit to a workout, as well as the intensity and length of workout that best suits you.

And don’t feel bad if you miss a day of your Peloton workout plan – everyone has busy periods of life, and sometimes other things have to come first.

Are there alternatives to a Peloton workout plan?

If you remain unconvinced by a Peloton workout plan, the good news is that you aren’t tied to one! Exercise needs and priorities differ between each individual, and you may prefer to take to the actual streets for a sweat session, rather than finding yourself indoors again.

Cycle Now has a range of articles on road cycling to help you maximise your time on the pedals, and we also provide reviews of different ebikes, as well as answering key queries around popular models. Ebikes are great for cycling beginners, as the ‘boost’ function can be used whenever users find themselves a little fatigued, and can make a commute all the more enjoyable as a result.