Peloton's New 'Stacked Classes' Let You Make Custom Workouts

One of the main reasons Peloton has been so wildly successful is they take all the guesswork out of the equation. With the Peloton Bike+, the auto-follow feature automatically adjusts the resistance and speed. The instructors program the workouts and bring the external motivation. And the community on social media and the system’s leaderboard enhance accountability. All you have to do is muster enough moxie to get on the Bike (or Tread). But like any company in the fitness space, Peloton’s always looking for ways to optimize the experience and keep you growing. As such, they’ve just introduced Stacked Classes.

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The feature makes it easier to plan full-body workouts in advance. That’s key for a couple reasons. It makes that transition a little less clunky, but it also lowers your odds of tossing in the towel and heading to the shower. The longer you spend mulling over what strength class or yoga flow to take, the faster your endorphins wane. The incentive to keep sweating or do a proper cool down falters. But if you add workouts to a queue, your odds of sticking to it are much higher since there’s no down time (aside from, say, taking off your cycling shoes or grabbing your dumbbells).

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The benefits are huge. If you typically just do cardio, adding a lower-, upper-, or total-body strength workout will strengthen underutilized muscles. Cross training bulletproofs your body against injury, strengthening imbalances and making you a more well-rounded athlete. Likewise, if you usually feel stiff after a Tread or Bike workout, a yoga flow can relax tight hip flexors or calves in a major way. Stretches and dynamic flows relieve tension and make muscles more pliable, improving movement patterns and alleviating pain. The Stacked Classes feature will no doubt help users create more balanced regimens based on their goals. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• If you want to build muscle, prioritize Strength. Start with a 45-minute Full Body Strength or 30-minute Upper Body Strength stacked with a 15-minute Restorative Yoga or 10-minute Cool Down Ride.
• If you want to boost endurance, prioritize Running and/or Cycling. Start with a 45-minute Progression Run or 60-minute Power Zone Endurance Ride stacked with a 10-minute Calming Meditation.
• If you want to hone flexibility and mobility, prioritize Yoga. Start with a Focus Flow like 45-minute Yoga Flow: Hamstrings stacked with a 20-minute Power Walk.