When Peloton announced its new strength training tool, Peloton Guide, in November of last yearskeptics were quick to criticize its surprising lack of innovation and (less surprisingly) high price.
A motion tracking camera that costs more than one ps5? of the company whose bikes and treadmills have revolutionized the way we think about exercising at home, the negative reception was understandable.
But the brand’s first foray into dedicated strength training employs this admittedly simple technology to genuinely useful effect, while similar AI-enabled workouts have not. That refreshing competition, coupled with a dramatic (and welcome) price cut, means platoon After all, Guide could become the entry-level product the company clearly hopes it will be.
So what does Peloton Guide actually do? Well, for $295 / £275 / AU$445 plus a monthly subscription fee (which we’ll detail below), users get a webcam-sized unit that, after connecting to a TV via HDMI, provides interactive workouts. on screen dedicated to non-cardiovascular activity.
A motion tracker adds some much-needed self-discipline to the Guide’s library of strength-based activities, a body activity monitor recommends the best route for a well-rounded routine program, and Peloton’s near-celebrity level coaches do May the whole experience be extremely Good, Platoon.
As with all Peloton products, you’ll need to fork out a monthly fee: $24 / £24 / AU$35 for the brand’s All-Access Membership (an introductory offer running through the end of the year, before prices go up). at £39 / $39 / AU$59 in January), but these figures have become much more palatable (if not quite affordable) after the cut mark (opens in a new tab) $200 / £175 / AU$305 off the price of the main camera unit just days before launch.
Peloton Guide ships with a remote to navigate its menus, though the company is currently testing voice-activated commands to select, skip, and pause in the middle of training. The camera also has a physical mute switch and lens cover to ensure privacy when not in use.
That’s the basics, but is Peloton’s latest invention any good? In the short time we’ve spent with the device, we can confidently say that yes, Peloton Guide offers users a comprehensive and genuinely enjoyable training experience, even if it’s not quite as revolutionary as the brand’s existing hardware and software combinations.
all things to all people
For starters, Peloton Guide is suitable for all experience levels. There are no parameters built into their strength workouts regarding specific dumbbell weights (beyond small, medium, and large), so users are encouraged to select weights as part of universal training plans.
That, in itself, is a virtue given how difficult it can be to start strength training for the first time. Those unfamiliar with proper technique for lunges, squats, bicep curls, and the like will find plenty of guidance here from Peloton’s award-winning instructors, who also provide insights for more advanced users, and as that familiarity grows, you are free to adjust the weights you are using to progress at your own pace.
Also, those who imagine Peloton Guide’s motion tracker to be a glorified Xbox Kinect sensor or Wii Fit remote should rest assured: this is one camera that works consistently. During the brief time we spent testing the little TV unit, the camera (a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens that streams 4K video at up to 60fps) never lost track of our movements or reacted angrily to our deliberate attempts to disorient it. Again, this is supposedly simple technology, but it’s one that Peloton has perfected to work effectively as the centerpiece of its latest offering.
Find your own form
There is room for improvement. As effective as auto-correction can be when you find yourself performing a move differently from the on-screen instructor, Peloton Guide doesn’t offer specific form feedback; it’s really up to the person to improve their own technique. You’ll get real-time heart rate and calorie metrics (if you choose to use the partner brand monitor heartbeat), but nothing to tell you if you’re actually stretching in the right places (beyond coincidental comments from the trainer).
That said, as with any other Peloton product, there’s already a lot of data on the screen at any given time. Sure, you’re free to ignore the myriad stats and partially colored illustrations of your anatomy – there’s even an optional HUD-less mode to work out in peace – but having all this information at your disposal can be overwhelming. We can imagine that it is difficult for the uninitiated user, for example, to know where to look and what data to consider important before, during and after a workout.
But that’s the nature of fitness technology in 2022. It’s not fair to criticize Peloton’s latest offering for giving its users too much information. As always, everything is laid out smartly, though there’s a learning curve here for anyone new to the service, even if the process of going through the trainings itself is simple.
All in all, then, Peloton Guide does what it says on the tin, and that’s a good thing. Before testing the device and software, we expected the brand’s newest product to be a largely non-essential entry in the established Peloton canon. But to our surprise, it provided a challenging, enjoyable, and ultimately perfect training experience.
Peloton Guide’s still expensive price tag will, of course, be a driving factor in whether new and existing customers flock to yet another fitness-based subscription service. Still, we think it’s a great option for those who want to integrate quick and engaging home strength workouts into their lifestyle routine.
