PART 10

STRETCHING

PELO TIP 70: NAVIGATING STRETCHES

I’ve mentioned the importance of stretching already, and it’s nice to see that Peloton also has assets that it provides to help you with stretching.

After tapping “Classes” on the bottom tool bar, you will be taken to a series of tabs representing different types of classes. One of these will be stretching. Tap on “Stretching” to explore it further, and you will immediately notice that Peloton offers numerous stretching exercises ranging from five to fifteen minutes. If you tap on the “Filter” tab, you will see that you have stretching choices that will vary in terms of length, type (e.g., full body, pre- or postride stretch), instructor, music genre, and a miscellaneous tab—called “Sort”—which allows you to choose easiest, hardest, top-rated, most popular, new, or trending. It also gives you the option of choosing “Closed Caption,” which I find useful when the music comes up too loud, which can cause me to miss an important direction from the instructor. It is hard to imagine how anyone could be bored with all these choices! (Please note, the tool bar at the top allows you to easily switch between any of the other available Peloton activities.)

PELO TIP 71: THE FIVE-MINUTE STRETCH

Within Peloton’s offerings, you can find many simple exercises that will allow you to stretch your hamstrings, quads, and glutes. A great example that I like is Robin Arzon’s five-minute preride warm-up. It’s a great way to build up your core and work on your thoracic spine. (It is suggested that you not wear bike shoes during these stretches, so any sneaker or workout shoe will do.) You will do some knee grabs, ankle grabs, calf raises, and static lunges.

After a strenuous ride, you also might like Matt Wilper’s five-minute postride stretch, which can help you to restore mobility and accelerate recovery. In just a short period of time, you’ll start to loosen up, especially in the calves and hips, which can get really tight when you cycle. (And if you feel that it hasn’t gotten you loose enough, you can always take the class again!)

PELO TIP 72: THE TEN-MINUTE STRETCH

Hannah Marie Corbin is one of the instructors I’ve grown to like most of all. It was a pleasant surprise to learn that not only did she offer a regular ten-minute postride stretch, but that she also offers a Smokey Robinson postride stretch. (And who doesn’t love Smokey Robinson?)

Nobody ever said stretching exercises had to be boring. I especially like it when Corbin offers you a little fitness information during a Smokey track!

In this class, you have the option of doing it with shoes or no shoes. A mat and a towel (to put under your knees) are also recommended.

PELO TIP 73: THE FIFTEEN-MINUTE STRETCH

Not everything has to be about the ride! If you have the time—and why not make the time?—I encourage you to try one of the other, longer stretches like Dennis Morton’s Full Body Stretch. In this class, you will start off standing and work your way down from the neck, shoulders, and chest—going throughout your body—until you gradually get down on the floor to work on your hips and quads. It is a great exercise class that you could do every day, and all you need is the space as big as your mat.

Jess King is another instructor I like very much whom you may want to check out. She shows you each component of a stretch and has your safety and comfort in mind as you proceed throughout the workout. Sometimes the stretches will involve using Styrofoam blocks; if you don’t have those, you can use shoeboxes or large books instead!

PELO TIP 74: FOAM ROLLING STRETCHES

A foam roller—just like the Styrofoam blocks—is a minor investment that can become a major asset to your workout and stretching routine. Foam rolling helps to restore mobility, improve blood flow, and can reduce pain, tension, and soreness. The type of foam roller you use is a personal choice—whether it be long or short, hard or soft. Whatever you select, foam rolling exercise is great at relieving the stress in your calves, quads, adductors (the muscles along your inner thighs that stretch from your knees to your groin), hamstrings, hips, chest, and back. You might find the foam roller awkward at first, but the video instruction on the Peloton app is really good and precise and should help you acclimate quickly. If you have to, pause, rewind, and play again. In no time, I expect you will get the hang of it. Your muscles will thank you.

PELO TIP 75: NAVIGATING CYCLING

If you find yourself traveling and can’t get on a Peloton Bike, you might desire to simulate the experience that you have at home. Luckily, there are many ways to do this. The best way is probably to bring a tablet or phone in which you have downloaded the Peloton app and get your hands on a traditional exercise bike. (Hopefully, whichever bike you are on will have a tray so you can prop up your device somewhere within eyesight.) Tap on “Classes” on the lower tool bar. Then tap on “Cycling.” Then press the “Filter” tab. You will be given a choice of classes lasting from five minutes to ninety minutes. You will see all the levels that you are familiar with, from beginner to Pro Cyclist. You can choose your favorite instructor and music genre and sort from easiest to hardest or by newest, most popular, and top-rated or trending. Of course, you won’t be able to see the cadence, resistance, or output metrics that you would be able to access on your Peloton Bike at home. But often you can figure out a way to increase the resistance or speed on the bike at hand. It is not ideal, but at least you have the instructor and great music you are used to at home. If you’re doing it like this anyway, you might do the live DJ ride for the fun of it and forget about your metrics!