All in on the Peloton

I’ve been a subscriber to the Peloton app since early 2020, initially downloading it thinking it’d be great to use while I was traveling for work; little did I know that it would become my go to workout for the next two years.

The Peloton app has expanded its offerings significantly over the last few years it now includes boxing, pilates and barre classes along with the original set of cycling, yoga, strength and running and all for a mere 12.99 a month (app without bike). I have personally been a big fan of their yoga classes as I’ve been trying to master a handstand and generally have poor balance. Something about being in the comfort of your own home makes it easier to try and fail doing side crow vs doing it in the studio.

I had been holding out on purchasing the actual bike as 1) I’m a SoulCycle loyalist and 2) I couldn’t justify spending close to $2k on an at-home bike. But after going through a very gloomy winter (break up + job burn out) when I saw that I could purchase a refurbished bike for just above $1k (note it only includes the bike, weights, shoes and mat must be purchased separately) I jumped on it! I thought that by cutting my workout commute to moving from my bed to the bike in my office would get me back into a groove, and I was right!

Without further a do here is my sweat rating of their cycling classes:

A couple of differences between a Peloton workout and Soulcycle:

• Peloton uses resistance and speed ranges to build a sweat during your workout vs SoulCycle that allows you to set your own resistance
• There is little to no choreography in Peloton classes, you are generally seated or in standing position
• Overall the two have similar energy levels with instructor pumping you up as you go

Some outtakes from trying to take photos w/ a selfie stick

Have I become a Peloton only cycler? Nope! I still enjoy dropping in to the occasional SoulCycle or other spin class from time to time. I do love having the bike option at home when I can’t muster the energy to bus to a studio.

Here are a couple of classes that I’ve loved:

• 30 Min 90s ride- Kendall Toole
• 30 Min Intervals & Arms ride- Emma Lovewell
• 30 Min Pop ride- Cody Rigsby
• 30 Min Hip Hop ride- Kendall Toole
• 30 Min Broadway ride- Sam Yo

What about you? Are you a Peloton fan? And if yes, what are your favorite classes/ instructors? You can add me on Peloton @ktink

Alo Leggings and Sky High Yoga

One of my New Years Resolutions was to blog every month right now we’re at once a season and honestly one of my biggest blockers is photos. I’ve been stressing about my photos not being good enough for blog worthy content but I think this one of those shit or get off the pot situations so here we go.

I’m constantly in the search for leggings, I have short legs and thick thighs so finding leggings that fit and don’t fall down is a miracle. I bought a pair of Alo leggings earlier in the fall and I’ve wanted to fall in love with them but despite my best effort I haven’t and here’s why.

Alo makes aesthetically pleasing leggings, they look good on the rack and look good on your legs however it’s rough out there for us short girls. I’m only 5’2″ and most leggings are too long for me so I either bunch them at my ankles or look like I’m a child playing dress up. I bought the crop version of the leggings and they hit almost at my ankles, which means I would have completely have drowned in the normal length. I’m unaware of petite leggings ( if you know, let me know) and for me this is a constant struggle. No one wants the bunched fabric at the ankle, it’s not attractive and although hemming is a thing it frequently cuts off in the wrong spot.

I’m part of the yoga club at my office and we got up bright and early to do yoga on the sky deck of the Sears Tower ( I know it’s called the Willis now, but I refuse to change) I wore my Alo leggings for the occasion. Alo leggings are designed for yoga so in theory they should stay up during a workout, right? Wrong, these leggings constantly roll down, you’re mid downward dog and realize that you’re leggings have slid down and shirt has ridden up so now you’re non-summer body is exposed, it’s not pleasant. For $80+ a pair you’d think they would stay in place but at least for me they slid down.

Here’s my rating for Alo leggings:

4 out of 5 for style: while cute I’m annoyed that I can’t wear the normal length pants and have to wear crops which are a weird length

3 out of 5 for usability: They slide down during every workout I wear them to which is the last thing I want to worry about during work outs

5 out 5 for comfort: overall the fabric is soft and they’re pretty comfortable to run around in

Finding a Ritual

What is Ritual yoga? And what sets it apart from all the other yoga studios in the sea?

Ritual offers a new spin on yoga, the class is set to the beat of the music vs the traditional flow. The class starts off with a meditation, leading into some warm up moves and then into abs (these hurt- but also I’m like, heyyy abs nice to see you), after some brutal abs you move into a short flow followed by a peak pose and a long flow. The class is truly candle lit, your only light is the little candle glowing in front of you. There’s something about being hidden in the darkness that makes yoga better- personally I’m not the best yogi and I like the illusion that people can’t see me. Real talk, they can 100% see me, I just assume that everyone is too focused on their own yoga.

Ok, so what makes the studio different from Corepower? Both are hot, and involve similar moves (I’m not a yoga expert could not tell you the differences I’m just on my own journey to being flexible). Ritual is a vibe, each week there is an intention that sets the mood for class. The teacher talks about the intention at the beginning of classes and brings it back to the intention throughout class- each teacher putting their own personal spin on it. As someone who hasn’t been practicing yoga for a long time, I didn’t feel completely like an imposter going to class. The studio is warm and welcoming and you feel right at home when you walk in.

I did a 10 day unlimited trial with Ritual, for $50 they offer a 10 day unlimited yoga trial and a free personal lesson. I did 9/10 days and felt very zen afterwards. I went to their hip-hop throwback jams with a new friend from work- it was a fun shakeup to traditional yoga class.

As this is my first workout review, bear with me this ranking system could change as I get better.

Workout Rating (everything is out of 5 stars):

Level of sweat: 4.5- you will definitely get sweaty in this class, and feel like you’ve detoxed. You hold some positions for longer than others so you’ll feel your muscles shake. Each pose has a different level so you’ll be able to find an adjustment that works for you.  The challenge comes from being in the dark, it’s harder to balance and some of the moves are difficult.

Teacher: 4- Generally the teachers are great and are easy to follow. They don’t demo every move which can make it hard to follow along. There is an assistant in every class that demos and offers hands on assists which is super helpful

Studio Vibe: 5- Ritual started in San Fransisco so it gives off a chill west coast vibe.  It’s an all amenity studio so everything is included (towels, mats, water, etc). The staff is friendly and make you feel at home when you walk in. They also have a beauty bar with hair dryers, which makes hustling to work right after 6am class super easy.

To learn more about Ritual click here: https://ritualhotyoga.com/

Have you tried Ritual? Let me know!