Peloton Studios London (PSL) appears to be testing new elements in their production techniques. Over this past weekend, two classes featured significant departures from the traditional setup, with instructors stepping off the bike mid-class to engage with studio members and provide instructions.
Members may have noticed unique class previews for two recent classes with Bradley Rose and Leanne Hainsby-Alldis. Their screen grabs from December 14 and December 15 – respectively – showed them in positions different from the standard bike on the stage. Instead, they were shown with the studio audience.
You can watch highlights of both classes via our YouTube page or below.
These were not “special” classes, per say; but Bradley and Leanne noticeably departed from the standard class formula.
In both classes, the instructors began their sessions off the bike, delivering introductions and safety briefings from the studio floor before transitioning to their bikes. This approach is a departure from Peloton’s standard practice, during which instructors remain on their bikes throughout the class.
During the classes both instructors walked around the studio, giving cues to members in real-time; Bradley also even hopped on a member’s bike to teach for a portion of the ride, which is what the class icon shows.
Peloton’s production team employed a steadicam operator to capture these moments, providing closeups of the instructors while they were off the bike.
This steadicam technique has been appearing more frequently in Peloton classes, such as Alex Toussaint’s Lil Jon Ride, the UK Defected Records Live DJ Rides, and more.
This approach is likely intended to enhance the production value and bring members closer to the in-studio energy.
While Peloton instructors stepping off the bike is not entirely unprecedented – notable examples include Jenn Sherman’s singalong ride from November 2023 that included fellow instructors in the front row – these moments often felt impromptu or like “rule-breaking” exceptions.
What is different now is the deliberate integration of off-bike segments into the class structure – as seen by having a steadicam ready to follow them while doing this.
The latest experiments at PSL suggest an intentional effort to enhance engagement and member experience both in-studio and at home.
It remains to be seen whether these new elements and camera angles will appear in classes filmed at Peloton Studios New York (PSNY), or if they will be limited to PSL for now. In addition, Peloton could also experiment with this approach in other modalities such as Tread, yoga, and strength.
Bradley’s 30 min. 80s Ride from December 14 and Leanne’s 30 min. HIIT Ride from December 15 are both available in the on-demand library if you want to experience this new style of filming in full.
What do you think of this style of class filming? Do you hope to see more of it, or would you prefer the traditional set-up? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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I rode Bradley’s class last week and I was WTF!? It was entertaining but also super-distracting to my actual workout. He had his face so close to the camera at one point he filled the screen. Then he almost fell over his bike getting back on. I think if you were in-studio it would be fun, but I hope this dies a quick death.
Definitely not a fan of this style of workout!! I find it distracting when an instructor stops while I am in the middle of a hard push and then getting off the bike is even more distracting. The reason I have always loved Peloton classes is the fact that the instructors are working out with us all the time. If Peloton is going to start doing more of these classes, I hope they label them as such and put then under the Collections section!
Ewwww. Annoying. I hate it and I miss Kendall so much🫤
Felt it was so unique and fun! My husband was on the tread when I was doing this class and I swiveled the screen to show him!
I like that Peloton is looking for ways to switch things up. I took the Bradley class and thought it was fun. It didn’t distract me from my workout.
I ended up trying these rides out of pure curiosity, because I loved LOVED the Lil Jon ride and also enjoyed the Keith Urban one too. I actually really liked it an appreciated the variety of angles and studio interaction. The colder months are when I usually fall into my workout slump, and these rides kept me entertained and so that the ride went by much quicker. A good distraction! I wouldn’t mind if they labeled them something different to help filter, but I liked the change!