I Don’t Usually Like Meditation, but Peloton’s Meditation Classes Have Been Surprisingly Helpful.

I don’t consider myself a very passionate person, someone who is in touch with their spirituality, or even someone who is particularly sentimental. The concept of meditation, like many other things that I consider “too mystical,” has never appealed to me, but I’ll tell you what does: exercise, physical health, and achieving your goals. That’s why Peloton’s approach to meditation sessions appealed to me more than others.

I’m always browsing the Peloton app for new workout options, and recently stumbled upon the guided meditation classes it offers alongside cycling , walking , yoga, strength training, and more. At first, I didn’t see anything appealing about them. I use the app and its classes to break a sweat, burn calories, and improve my body’s performance, after all. But as it turns out, they’re really cool and can put you in a better mental space, which clears the way for everything else. I’ve been streaming them quite a bit since I discovered them. Here’s why you should, too.

What is the point of Peloton meditation classes?

Using the Peloton app, which is built into the touchscreens of its home workout equipment, downloaded to your phone, or even streamed on devices like Roku, you can access a variety of different types of classes. Tap “Meditation” on the home screen, and you’ll be presented with hundreds of meditation options that range in length from five to 30 minutes. As with any Peloton offering, they’re led by a number of different instructors; if you practice often enough, you’ll find a favorite or two, but what really stands out is that there are different categories available, such as:

• sleep

• awareness

• anxiety

• focus

• recovery

• Gratitude

• happiness

• relaxing

Each class is designed for a specific purpose, so you can choose whether you want to “flow and let go,” embrace a bright morning, or even choose a class designed to be used on your evening commute. You can filter by class type, allowing you to break classes down into categories like Daily Meditation, Meditation Basics, Emotions, Topic, or Walking Meditation. There are even some for prenatal and postnatal meditation.

You don’t need any special equipment; instructors typically start by simply suggesting how you should position your body. Meditations can be added to Class Stacks , which are Peloton’s version of playlists that cycle through pre-selected classes, letting you customize your entire workout before it starts. If your Apple Watch is linked to your Peloton account ( and you should be! ), the app will track your heart rate and enter the meditation into your Apple Health tracker, listing it as “Mind & Body” under your sessions.

Why I Love Peloton Meditations

Like I said, I’m not a very spiritual or soulful person, so I appreciate that the meditation classes I’ve taken through the app aren’t overly sentimental. Rather, they’re pretty straightforward: the instructors speak clearly and concisely, don’t rely too much on frivolous imagery, and instead draw your attention to your breath and body in a way that actually makes you feel more connected to them. Despite how much energy I put into working out and strengthening my body, I struggle with things like the “mind-muscle connection,” or just identifying how different parts of my body feel, so these classes, where I’m asked to focus on specific areas and connect to how I’m feeling in the moment, are actually quite helpful in my quest to become stronger and healthier overall.

I first tried Peloton meditations a few weeks ago while waiting for the bus. I had a really busy day and didn’t have time to workout, even on my Peloton bike, which was adding to my stress while I waited for the bus to take me to busier events. I didn’t want to lose my Peloton streak, so I opened the app to see if there was a quick walking workout I could join, maybe walking to the next furthest bus stop, and saw the meditation option. I chose a five-minute meditation and listened to it while standing on the sidewalk — and it really relaxed me, helped me focus, and invigorated me a little, almost like a traditional workout would, but without taking up so much time or making me sweaty. Over the next few days, I tried a few others and found them really useful, especially during long hours in the car during the Memorial Day weekend or earlier this week, and when my team was losing a baseball game and I didn’t feel like watching it.

Obviously, these classes are very different from Peloton’s usual offerings. I’m not sweating, straining, or improving my cardiovascular or respiratory fitness. Instead, I’m strengthening my mind, training myself to focus on my breathing and my senses. These abilities translate very well into the ability to continue my fitness journey, as well as simply cope with everything that happens in a typical day. I think they’re especially useful as a pick-me-up, a kick-start to the day, or a post-workout cool-down.

I also appreciate how accessible the classes are. For example, subtitles can be turned on, and the audio and video components are high quality, making the instructors understandable. The background music never drowns out the instructors’ voices, there is a varied selection of instructors and class types, and there really seems to be something for everyone, whether you just want to walk around and listen, or just have five minutes to ground yourself.

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