Peloton tread classes are a great way to get in shape and have some fun in the process. Still, always doing your cardio workouts inside can become a little monotonous from time to time. This leads a lot of practitioners to wonder if it’s possible to take peloton tread classes outside. 

Though they work a little differently from indoor classes, Peloton classes can be taken outside. To practice Peloton tread classes outside, runners will use audio files with instructors that lead them on. However, the instructors give them cues based on exertion instead of the usual visualizations. 

If you’re interested in taking a Peloton tread class outside, but you just don’t know where to start, we’ve got you covered. In our brief guide, we will explain why classes can be done outside as well as how to do them. We’ll even address whether or not you should still take indoor classes if you’re doing them outdoors. So get your running shoes ready and let’s get busy. 

Can You Do Peloton Tread Workouts Outside? 

Peloton tread workouts can be done outside using special audio files and a few easy techniques to keep track of how much exertion you’ve put in. 

How Do Outdoor Peloton Tread Classes Work? 

So, how exactly can you do peloton tread classes outdoors? It’s not like you can have the bike or treadmill out there with you. 

Well, they work by using audio cues from a coach that directs you on what to do based on a metric called RPE (Rated Perceived Exertion). We will get more into what RPE is about momentarily, but for now suffice to say it is a way of measuring the level of exertion you’re putting in. 

They don’t use the same kinds of cues they would use in a class, since you’re not on equipment that can change in intensity at will. These cues can be listened to through headphones so you don’t miss a beat while you’re doing your workout. 

What is Rated Perceived Exertion and How Does it Work?

So, what exactly is Rated Perceived Exertion and how does it help you complete a Peloton tread class outside? 

RPE is a metric that is very subjective, but still useful when you’re trying to do an outdoor Peloton workout. It’s basically a scale of one to ten–one being the least and ten being the most–of how much exertion you feel you’re putting into your run at a given moment. 

Instead of describing a visual terrain and telling you to increase your exertion with a machine indoors, your coach simply guides you on when to change your level of exertion, so you are getting roughly the same type of experience.  

What are the Benefits of Outdoor Peloton Classes? 

Below we’ve listed three of the best reasons you should try out outdoor Pelton classes:

  • You’ll get more sun: Getting your natural vitamin D is important. Doing Peloton classes outside will help you do that!It is specific to you: Instead of having preset settings like when you run on the equipment indoors, you can push yourself to your comfortable level of exertion. That’s just one of the beauties of the RPE system. It’s an affordable way to exercise: You need to use an on demand service or a live one but that’s about it. You don’t need a membership to a building or any fancy equipment to practice at home. There’s no reason not to.

All this is not to say that outdoor classes are better than indoor classes, just that outdoor classes do have some benefits unique to them. 

Should I Still Do Indoor Peloton Tread Classes?

So, if you do decide to do outdoor peloton workouts, do you still need to do indoor classes as well? In other words, are outdoor Peloton tread workouts supplementary to indoor ones, or simply a vehicle for enhancing them?

The answer is a little complicated. It’s great for you to do either indoor or outdoor Peloton workouts. If you’re only interested in doing the outdoor ones, you will still get many of the same benefits you would get from doing it indoors. 

Of course, if you can manage to do both, you’ll probably get the most benefit out of everyone. Which way you decide to go is really up to you. The best thing to do is to weigh the benefits based on your individual goals and preferences. You may find one type to be far more interesting than the other, or that both of them give you a valuable, unique experience. 

So Really, Can Peloton Tread Classes Be Taken Outside?

Outdoor Peloton classes are a little bit different than indoor ones, however they do exist and they can be just as beneficial for your cardiovascular health as well as your general wellbeing, as indoor classes. 

Outdoor Peloton classes mainly function through the use of audio cues, where a coach asks you to increase and decrease your level of exertion throughout a workout. Once you’ve got the audio files, you should be ready to get started!