Skip to main content

Peloton Adds Boxing to Its Library of Fitness Classes

man in a boxing stance.
Peloton

To Peloton instructor Rad Lopez, boxing was always a celebration. The 30-year-old New Yorker remembers big family gatherings for the fights when he was a child in family gatherings among aunts and uncles, with food and drinks. But unlike the rest of his relatives, he was captivated with the fights themselves. “It’s a true test of composure. It’s grit and grace,” Lopez tells The Manual. “I’d be the only one watching the full card, from the first fight to the last.” When Peloton hired him in June officially as a strength trainer, there was also an unannounced project he’d be joining: With fellow instructors Kendall Toole and Selena Samuela, Lopez would develop Peloton’s first boxing module, and on Tuesday, December 7, that module went live.

“I feel like boxing is the culmination of so many of our disciplines,” Lopez says of the sport’s place in the Peloton pantheon of fitness. All those hills and leaderboards you’ve topped on the bike? They translate to transferring power from the ground into your punches. The fluidity you’ve found from yoga? It’s grace in movement as you bob and weave. And that stamina from the treadmill and the muscle from strength training? It’s brute force through your knuckles and the endurance to deliver it round after round. “You’re using all the modalities to be really good at boxing,” he says.

Peloton’s boxing module is designed as a two-week course comprised of eight 20-minute classes. It requires zero gear (it’s entirely shadowboxing, hitting the air rather than a heavy bag), and it’s appropriate for those with experience and those without. Each session is sequential, building on the last, literally from the ground up, from footwork to punches, combos, and beyond. “We teach the basics and foundation of what boxing is from the first step to the very last step,” he says.

three people in various boxing stances.
Peloton

Lopez is still a passionate fan of the sport, and while he gave up competing in amateur bouts, he can still rattle off a host of names and their virtues, from the jab of Oscar De La Hoya to the defense of Floyd Mayweather and the pure guts of Felix Trinidad. But he’s as equally ready to espouse the sport’s unseen virtues that can be practiced even without setting foot in a ring. “Boxing is the physical expression of fighting through things,” he says, whether that might mean a tough week at work or a conflict with a supervisor. “The beauty of it,” he adds, “is that you can make it what you want it to be.”

Even if you’ve never thrown a punch (or, for that matter, ridden a stationary bike or run a mile on a treadmill), the progressive Peloton program can get you reaping the benefits of a boxer’s regimen without getting punched in the face. Aside from how fun it is, Lopez says, the benefits of boxing classes are a stronger body and mind, as well as a low impact form of active recovery. You’re also starting a pursuit that will never quite be perfected.

“Boxing is an ever-growing sport, and you can always get better,” he says. And that includes himself: “I can still sharpen up my jab.”

Editors' Recommendations

7 fantastic reasons why deadlifting should be part of your routine
Whether you want to boost your metabolism or strengthen your core, you need to add deadlifting to your routine
man doiung deadlifts for strong glutes.

You’ve probably tried many different forms of exercise and training on your fitness journey, including powerlifting and weight training. One type of exercise you might not have tried is deadlifting. This can be a simple and easy way to maintain your ability to do heavy lifts from the floor. Believe it or not, you see this action in your daily life, ranging from everything from lifting a toddler to picking up a bin from the ground. These exercises help strengthen your functionality for everyday activities.

This type of workout usually involves the glutes and hips, but it can be far more than a butt-building mechanism, as deadlifting benefits your flexibility and stability. When starting this workout, we have to consider, "What does deadlifting work out?" This type of strength training works on the quads, hamstrings, and spinal muscles, among others. Total-body benefits are also garnered, such as bone health maintenance and protection against muscle loss. 
What muscles does deadlifting target?

Read more
The ultimate resistance band arm workout guide: How to boost your fitness game
All you need for a solid arm day workout are some good resistance bands and these tips
Man using bands for arm day.

People love working out their arms with resistance bands because it’s a convenient way to build strength. You can also use them in a variety of ways wherever you go. This is especially helpful when traveling, because a dumbbell or kettlebell might not be so easy to find. 

If you’re new to regular strength training or you’ve recently recovered from an arm injury, resistance bands will allow you to increase mobility and flexibility in that area. Below, check out the top six exercises to include in your resistance bands arm workout.
Anatomy of the arms 

Read more
Your guide to the bench press: Benefits, risks, and more
If you're looking to build shoulder strength and define your arms, the bench press is for you
Man doing bench presses

Weight training needs to be completed in a safe environment. If you're new to the world of weightlifting, a fitness instructor can help you stay safe and avoid injury while you learn all the different weight-bearing exercises that are best executed in a professional gym environment.

For more seasoned pros, an instructor may not be needed, but using weights and weight training apparatus still requires a safety-first mentality. Overloading a machine or bars is the main cause of injury in weightlifters, mostly in the form of muscle pulls and tears.

Read more