Connected fitness firm Peloton has improved the means by which users can workout with others. 'Sessions' allow Peloton users to schedule a ride or run that is 20 minutes or longer and then invite friends or other members to join them in the class. It's another way for Peloton to encourage engagement and help its users get the most out of their memberships.
Peloton was founded in 2012 with the aim of bringing a boutique fitness experience into people's homes and of making it easier for people to 'attend' fitness classes by streaming them to their exercise bikes and treadmills, although it's not all been plain sailing. The Peloton ecosystem comprises their exercise equipment with connected screens, live classes and a library of other exercise content, apps for booking classes and streaming some fitness classes, and a fitness community of millions with "best-in-class instructors." Peloton says its software and community are central to motivating its members to achieve their fitness goals.
Peloton Sessions were launched into beta in November 2020, but they have now been improved upon based on user feedback. They offer a way for users to get together in smaller groups than the usual Peloton classes, which can be more fun and motivational. Currently, they can only be scheduled via the Peloton iOS app, although that will surely change in future as the feature is developed.
How To Schedule Peloton Sessions
To begin with, a user with the iOS app just needs to schedule a cycling or running class that is at least 20 minutes long, which can be done up to two weeks in advance. Once the class has been added to the user's schedule, they can invite others by sharing a link via any other platform, such as WhatsApp, email, or SMS. Those who receive the link can choose to add it to their schedule if they want to.
The users who have scheduled the class will get a notification five minutes before it begins. They'll then be able to begin take the class at the same time as their friends, with the idea being that this will help to push them along. At the end, each of the participants will see where they rank on a leaderboard, much like is the case with usual Peloton classes but with a smaller and more personal group. This too can give participants a motivational boost as they're able to compare their performance with people they know rather than unknown names on a screen. The Sessions feature is another addition to Peloton that it will hope differentiates it from competitors like Apple Fitness+.
Source: Peloton