I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m not a very woo-woo or mindful type of person, but I actually do enjoy the meditation classes Peloton offers through its surprisingly versatile app. Still, I’m more of an aggressive, practical person, so I really enjoy a challenging workout, especially a cycling workout. Recently, I discovered an offering from the at-home fitness company that combines meditation and cycling. “Reflection Rides” are calmer, more focused cardio classes—and now, Peloton has made them easier to access.
What is a Reflection Ride?
Reflection Rides are led by Christine D’Ercole, a track cyclist who heads up a number of spinning classes on the platform. In her own words, “Reflection Rides are a mindful ride series where we tune out the metrics so that we can tune into ourselves and our self-talk.”
So, these rides are less about the leaderboard, the watt expenditure, or the calories burned, and more about becoming stronger mentally, which can often translate into helping an athlete become stronger physically. (This approach is reminiscent of Peloton’s Hyrox training series, which includes cardio and strength training classes as well as meditation and is designed to strengthen every part of a trainee’s approach to running the race.)
Still, the classes incorporate traditional cycling workout techniques. There are climbs and flat roads, for instance, so you’re still getting a cardio challenge while also staying mindful and practicing “agency over giving yourself what you need,” as D’Ercole says in one class. She encourages you to go at your own pace, though there are traditional cues and suggestions for where you might want to be in terms of pace and resistance.
D’Ercole encourages participants to think about what is motivating them, what is scaring them, and what challenges they’re facing during the ride, plus she suggests mantras like, “I will make the call. I will speak my truth.” Instead of high-intensity pop or rock, the classes are soundtracked by softer, earthier music.
The Reflection Rides range in length from 20 to 30 minutes and can be found by simply searching “reflection” in the app, whether on the Bike screen or on your mobile device. Personally, I always like to pre-select my classes on my phone, then create a Stack (Peloton’s word for playlist) with the ones I want before moving over to the Bike. It’s just easier to search for what I want to do that way and I identify better classes when I take the time to source them on my phone instead of jabbing at my Bike screen.
You can also find all of the Reflection Rides in a designated Peloton Collection. On the bottom of the app’s home screen, hit Browse All Workouts, then tap Collections at the top. You’ll see the Hyrox training series, the Reflection Rides, and more, all collected into easy-to-find categories. You can also find Collections on the Bike screen by tapping Classes on the bottom menu, then Collections in the top left.
Why I like these classes
Nine times out of 10, I want to sweat, go fast, and push myself—but I also enjoy the benefits that come from not doing that every once in a while. I can be really hard on myself, especially when it comes to my fitness goals, so it’s nice to take some time to simply move, reflect on how it feels to move, and enjoy the accomplished feeling of having done it.
Being encouraged to think deeply about the way I talk to myself—again, especially as it relates to my body goals—and recognize just how nice it is to have the privilege to move at all helps me reorient my thinking a little bit. Instead of viewing exercise as something I simply have to do to achieve and maintain the body I want, I am able to see it as something I’m lucky enough to be well enough to do and something I should do out of enjoyment, too.
Like I said, I’m not particularly woo-woo, so I wouldn’t say I do this sort of thing a lot or even as often as I should, but having access to something that grounds me while still helping me get some cardio in is pretty great.
