Brits spend more than an hour a day commuting to and from work “just waiting to arrive,”1 which is time that could be used to incorporate movement and mindfulness, new Peloton research reveals.2
The research conducted by the fitness lifestyle company verifies that, on average, the British public dedicates 64 minutes to commuting each day, with at least two unexpected delays accounting for 22 minutes.
This entire experience not only represents a wasted portion of each day, but is also disliked by over half of the public.
It doesn’t have to be this way though and, driven by its mission to enable individuals to be the best version of themselves, Peloton has created a customised collection of classes for all fitness levels, as well as tips from Peloton Instructors.
These are designed to help Brits shift their mindsets around the commute, making it easy – and even enjoyable – to add fitness into this otherwise wasted time.
Amanda Gilmore, UK General Manager for Peloton said: “Brits are overlooking an opportunity to transform their overall fitness and wellness routine.
Rethinking how we use the commute has the potential to bring about improvements to mood, productivity, and daily enjoyment – and can propel people towards mental and fitness goals that could have a real impact on their everyday well-being.”
The new Peloton research laid bare the heavy price people pay in the daily grind of getting to work. It showed that post-pandemic, the British public still commutes on average more than three days a week (3.5 days).
Despite the public citing time (33%) and money (26%)3 as their main barriers to regular exercise, they are overlooking an obvious part of their day with only 12% of people currently incorporating exercise into their commute.
Gilmore continues: “At Peloton, we’re committed to meeting our Members where they are on their fitness journey to help them reach their goals.
Whether that’s increasing the number of workouts they’re doing, training for a marathon, or simply upping their step count, Peloton is here to support them on that journey and the commute is a ready-made routine, hiding in plain sight, prime for being hacked.”
The ‘Hack the Commute’ class collection is available for free, as part of the 30-day trial of the Peloton App.
It features over 30 class options that can be woven into each day, led by Peloton’s motivational and empowering Instructors, ensuring commuters will never be travelling alone.
From embarking on a 30-minute power walk to power the day, hopping off the train early and taking a 20-minute HIIT run, or practising a short meditation session on the bus, the collection offers numerous ways for commuters to reclaim travel time for personal gain.
To help Brits hack their own commute, Peloton Instructor, Joslyn Thompson Rule, has created a list of tips and tricks to transform this previously untapped part of each day:
- Give the bus a brain boost – Bus journeys can be the perfect time to practise meditation. Commuters can bookmark a class the night before that fits within their journey time, find a seat, close their eyes and centre themselves before the work day begins
- Run or cycle all or part of the journey – A commute is the perfect opportunity to increase your running mileage, which is particularly appealing for those training for a spring marathon. Start by using public transport for two-thirds of the journey and then running the rest. Build on the distance each week and see how your fitness levels grow effortlessly. Alternatively, you could try cycling to work instead
- Power walk to power the day – Getting from A to B hits differently when listening to a guided walk. It’s not only a great way to increase your step count, but also to discover new parts of your local area, all whilst listening to the motivational chat and tunes from Peloton’s Instructors
- Stretch to counteract desk time – If you’ve had a long day sitting down at a desk, why not take a stretch just before, or after your commute? Implementing some easy stretches ahead of or after your journey is a great way to remove any tension from the day and help destress
- Get lost in the rhythm – Whether it’s EDM at 8 am or an R&B wind down on the way home, allow Instructor-led classes to shift the mood at the start or end of the day ensuring your commute frustrations don’t tip over into downtime
To kick start the campaign, the Hack the Commute collection is available from February 7 to enable anyone, anywhere to reap the benefits of hacking their commute.
Classes in the collection include walks, runs, stretches, and guided meditations (including walking meditations). Sign up here.