These are the best Peloton classes for beginners

Have you purchased a Peloton as part of a promise to adopt a healthier lifestyle? If so, you might be overwhelmed by all the classes available to you — we’re here to help.

And if you don’t have a Peloton? You can still partake. It’s understandable that you would think you need the Peloton bike or Tread to participate in a Peloton class. However, you can get access to the best Peloton classes for beginners without this equipment. There is a huge library of on-demand and live-streaming classes that you can do with the exercise equipment you already have at home. You can use this workout app at the gym and it provides you with many different guided, motivating, and challenging workouts for a modest monthly fee.

However, if you’re a beginner and new to fitness, Peloton classes and workouts may seem reserved for hardcore, fit athletes and indoor cycling fanatics with quads so chiseled they belong on fitness models. Though many Peloton classes are intense and geared toward experienced riders, yogis, runners, and athletes, some great beginner Peloton classes are perfect for those just getting started. Moreover, you don’t have to hop on an indoor cycle to take advantage of Peloton workouts.

Even though Peloton has become a household name in the indoor cycling or spinning space, the brand’s digital membership also offers hundreds of Peloton classes in other exercise modalities and disciplines, including strength, running, yoga, cardio, stretching, and more.

That said, much like how the litany of options on Netflix can make it difficult to settle on something to watch, the sheer number of choices of workouts in the Peloton app can be daunting and overwhelming to newcomers. Fear not — consider us your concierge service, helping you hone in on the best Peloton classes for beginners for each of the primary fitness categories they offer. So, if you’re not sure where to start, keep reading for our recommendations of the best Peloton workouts for beginners.

How often should beginners do Peloton classes?

Whether you are coming back from a long break from exercising or are just starting your fitness journey, Peloton classes can be a great way to get in shape since there are so many options and an instructor is taking you through every step.

At first, you want to ease into things to help prevent yourself from getting an injury or overtraining. Try starting with two classes per week, as this is doable and sustainable for the average person. After training twice a week for a month, try adding another class if you think you have the time. Continue to add another class every month as you can.

The key to being consistent with weekly Peloton classes is to not overcommit. When you take on more than you can handle, you may end up feeling stressed rather than being able to simply enjoy the mental and physical benefits of exercise.

Best beginner Peloton cycling classes

The bread and butter of Peloton are their invigorating, music-pumping, and engaging indoor cycling classes. With thousands to choose from, you can find the exact music, instructor, class length, workout style, and theme you like, with anything from a holiday ride to an 80s rave ride.

They also have an entire collection of beginner Peloton cycling rides, which are not only easier in terms of intensity but incorporate more instructional coaching about form, riding positions, and technique. Our picks for the best beginner Peloton cycling classes include the 20-minute beginner rides led by Cody Rigsby or Tunde Oyenevin. They even have advanced beginner rides as you progress.

Best beginner Peloton running classes

With the advent of the Peloton Tread, Peloton took to the running market, but you can use any treadmill for the running classes. There are hundreds of beginner running classes, including ones with intervals, hills, HIIT, or building endurance. Our favorite beginner Peloton running classes are the Running Skills classes, the 30-minute Progression Runs, and the 30-minute Endurance Runs.

Best beginner Peloton strength classes

Guided strength classes are a real plus for beginners who can’t afford personal training but who could benefit from some instruction. You can sort all the Peloton strength classes by difficulty, selecting “Beginner” to see the best classes for newcomers. You can further filter classes based on available equipment, such as body weight only, resistance bands, etc., and by workout focus, such as upper body, total body, core, and others. Some of the beginner Peloton strength classes we like best are any of the 20-minute bodyweight strength classes, the 30-minute full-body strength classes, and the strength for runners classes.

Best beginner Peloton walking classes

Most of the walking classes are appropriate for beginners, as walking is a low-impact, lower-intensity form of exercise compared to running or jogging. Still, some of the workouts are definitely intense. Walking classes range from five to 60 minutes, and many incorporate intervals of higher intensity or incline.

The best beginner Peloton walking classes include any of the 20-or 30-minute power walking classes for those with a decent base level of fitness. If you’re just getting started, consider the warm-up walking classes for a more gentle workout.

Best beginner Peloton cardio classes

The Peloton cardio classes are designed to get your heart pounding and lungs burning while you work up a sweat, so they can be tough when you’re just starting out. That said, the best beginner Peloton cardio classes are the 10-minute HIIT cardio led by Olivia Amato, the 20-minute dance cardio led by Callie and Hannah, or the 30-minute HIIT cardio for beginners led by Callie Gullickson for those looking for a real challenge. Be sure to filter the classes by difficulty and select “beginner” to find the most appropriate ones.

Best beginner Peloton yoga classes

You may be one of the strongest guys in the gym or a seasoned marathon runner, yet you struggle with flexibility and have rarely — if ever — rolled out a yoga mat. If this rings true, you’ll benefit from some of the beginner Peloton yoga classes, of which there are literally well over one thousand. You can filter this huge library of beginner yoga classes by not only difficulty level but also duration (from 5 to 75 minutes), instructor, type of music, and types of class, such as Flow, Power, and Focus Flow. We recommend Restorative classes and Yoga Basics for beginners.

Best beginner Peloton meditation classes

Meditation certainly isn’t a fitness-boosting workout, but it’s a great mindfulness modality to reduce stress and augment your overall health. Just like approaching exercise as a beginner requires a slow progression, meditation can take some getting used to. Accordingly, instead of trying to sit down and meditate for 30 minutes on your first go-round, try a beginner Peloton meditation class like one of the 5-minute wellness meditations or healing meditations. We also like the 10-minute morning meditations and 10-minute sleep meditations to help ease you into a restful slumber.

Best beginner Peloton outdoor classes

The outdoor Peloton workouts are guided audio workouts without a video component. There are approximately 25 beginner outdoor workouts, many of which involve intervals or HIIT training. These will get your heart rate racing while also giving you chances to recuperate during recovery intervals. Our favorite beginner Peloton outdoor workouts are the 20-minute interval runs led by Matty Maggiacomo, Andy Speer, Chase Tucker, or Selena Samuel.