Pop music explodes and my spirits soar as I push myself harder, illuminated by blue spotlights in a studio where cameras film every angle. We are being watched by an audience of 70,456, and counting.
I’m in Peloton’s first exercise class open to the public in their state-of-the-art London studies I am under the tutelage of star instructor Leanne Hainsby and the class is broadcast live to tens of thousands of viewers at home.
The popularity of the fitness platform skyrocketed during the pandemic, when we could only exercise at home. all of Rishi Sunak a sports spice fans declared themselves, and the glamorous instructors became celebrities in their own right.
Critics scoffed at the cost: his stationary bike with attached screen is priced at £1,345, plus £39 per month to access online classes. But Peloton’s cult following grew and the company acquired a whopping 7 million members worldwide.
Of all the UK Peloton instructors, Leanne, 35, a former backup dancer for Taylor Swift and One Direction, is the best known. Pictured: Leanne Hainsby (left) and Antonia Hoyle of the Daily Mail
However, when the gyms reopened, Peloton’s stock price plummeted and sales of its bikes, which once had waiting lists, stalled.
Perhaps summing up their faltering fortunes, Peloton was even blamed for the death of TV show Sex And The City character Mr Big, who suffered a heart attack while riding a bike in the reboot of the cult show, And Just Like That. , Last December. .
The firm hopes that opening some of its classes to the public will increase interest, and so far the plan appears to be working.
When bookings opened for the £25 classes this summer they sold out quickly and there are waiting lists for the most popular dates in the coming months.
Of all the UK Peloton instructors, Leanne, 35, a former backup dancer for Taylor Swift and One Direction, is the best known. Her honed physique and her 320,000 Instagram followers belie her girl-next-door demeanor. Engaged to her fellow instructor Ben Alldis, 29, the couple are one of the most influential people in Britain’s fitness world. But call her a celebrity at your own peril.
“Because of the pressure we’re under, it would be very obvious that we were something less than ourselves,” says Leanne.
I’m in Peloton’s first exercise class open to the public in their state-of-the-art London studios. I am under the tutelage of star instructor Leanne Hainsby and the class is broadcast live to tens of thousands of viewers at home.
He has relished the opportunity to meet the legions of fans who say he helped save their sanity during the pandemic.
“I want people who know me to think, ‘Oh, you’re exactly the same,'” he says. “Hopefully it will be motivating and inspiring.
‘The difference with the members who are in the studio is that there is that magic of being able to feel the energy of people.’
I’ve been a subscriber to Peloton since February 2021. I’m obsessed with their instructors and take about five classes a week, so I jump at the chance to get a front row seat (bike) to Leanne’s 30 minute Pop Ride, curious as to how the virtual experience will translate to real life.
Can I try that hard when I know I’m on camera? Is this just the return of exercise class, albeit with a modern twist?
Peloton’s central London headquarters is part film set, part fitness palace. It’s open to the public Friday through Sunday, when producers film cycling and running classes in glass-fronted control rooms. Attendees must arrive 45 minutes before a class begins.
I’m taken to changing rooms, stocked with designer shower gel and Dyson hairdryers, to put on my workout gear. We are asked to wear clothing that is not distracting. Blouse must be kept on and clothing must be ‘family’.
I grab a pair of cycling shoes in my size from a shelf. They have cleats underneath that attach to the pedals and the rental is included in the price of the class.
When the doors open, we are directed to our bikes. Mine, swallow, is closest to Leanne.
The excitement has reached a fever pitch when the security personnel accompany her. Impeccable in a crop top, leggings and makeup, she tests her microphone, smiling at us all as the digital clock counts down and we go live.
“This is a moment, for me, for you, for all of us,” he cheers us on, rock star style, as we warm up to Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up. (To her credit, Leanne never claims to be cool.)
I’ve been a subscriber to Peloton since February 2021. I’m obsessed with their instructors and take about five classes a week, so I jump at the chance to get a front row seat (bike) to Leanne’s 30 minute Pop Ride, curious as to how the virtual experience will translate to real life
As the journey progresses, she greets the names on the leader board, some of whom are with us in person, some at home following the live stream, whose milestones are visible to the instructors.
When London Mama Bear is congratulated in the studio for completing 400 games, we scream. I wonder if I’m becoming too American, but the camaraderie is contagious and any plans to not turn into a sweaty mess are scrapped as I pedal harder.
I’m so busy reflecting on how Leanne stays immaculate mid-training (later, she tells me she has a trained ‘cunning fan’ in her) that I miss her calling out my name.
‘Where’s AntOnTheBike?’ she asks again.
Waving my hands hysterically in excited acknowledgment, I almost lose my balance.
In the end, I haven’t achieved a PR (Peloton speaks of personal record), but I’m not very far.
Leanne is ushered into the instructors’ green room for a “search and fix” before joining us to pose for photos. Nobody refuses.
Given that I’ve ridden for two hours today, I’m not sure I’ll be a class regular when I can get on my bike at home. But for a sense of the occasion, I can certainly see the appeal, and whatever the cynics say, I bet the classes will be full for some time.
“My job is to make people sweat, but they always apologize when I give them a hug,” she laughs, recalling a mother who brought her two children to the studio last weekend.
“They know that mom travels with Sparkly Leanne and they kept prodding me; I think they thought she was a real life action hero or cartoon character come to life. It was a lovely moment. They traveled for hours to get here.
Given that I’ve ridden for two hours today, I’m not sure I’ll be a class regular when I can get on my bike at home.
But for a sense of the occasion, I can certainly see the appeal, and whatever the cynics say, I bet the classes will be full for some time.
studio.onepeloton.co.uk
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