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Being in shape long term will only happen if you find some joy in a form of exercise. I just don't see these fad things Peloton, Mirror, etc. bringing people an

Being in shape long term will only happen if you find some joy in a form of exercise. I just don't see these fad things Peloton, Mirror, etc. bringing people anything beyond short term novelty. I would be really interested to see how many people who bought Peloton bikes in 2014 still ride them 2-3X a week now.

danaur 6y ago
People who have done exercise would disagree, there are benefits from investing in exercise. I don't particularly like using a stair machine but I enjoy how I feel from using it and enjoy the benefits of being more fit.
salimmadjd 6y ago
I agree. Fitness is not something you just buy, it's a lifestyle. You really need to find a way to enjoy it and look forward to your fitness session.
- tqi 6y ago
  From what I've seen, Peloton and other high end fitness businesses very much understand this (Soul Cycle being the most clear example).
Klathmon 6y ago
Don't discount the impact of gamification. My dumb monkey brain is a sucker for seeing numbers go up and getting awards, and comparing my improvement to friends and family. The only thing that's ever gotten me to stick with a workout routine is finding one that my smartwatch can completely track and show my progress using some algorithm that distills it down to a "score". It instantly turns something that I hated doing into something where I'm reading up on how to get better.
- bosie 6y ago
  Which smartwatch gives you such a score? In your experience, how well does the score represent your actual progress?
  - Klathmon 6y ago
    I have an Android Wear watch, and there are a number of apps available for it. The score is hit or miss, but it does show trends over time pretty well.
  - Angostura 6y ago
    The Strava app is free and pretty good. You can join virtual clubs with your friends. We have one running at work during lockdown.
- mooman219 6y ago
  +1 for gamification. I just got the Ring Fit Trainer for the Nintendo Switch and it has been pretty enjoyable.
- delfinom 6y ago
  I got a smartwatch to track my progress. I was obessed with it for a about month. Then I got bored of it, mostly because I do have a really good sense of my activity that it gets redundant when you check the watch knowing what it'll say already. Call me when the watch comes with a buttprobe to actually track realtime caloric burn, that'll be interesting.
  - nradov 6y ago
    Modern smart watches can track real-time caloric burn with reasonable accuracy based on heart rate and body size.
troydavis 6y ago
> I would be really interested to see how many people who bought Peloton bikes in 2014 still ride them 2-3X a week now. Peloton published the stats of their purchase cohorts in their S-1 (and probably in subsequent reports, but I haven't read them). At least among those who maintain a $39/month Peloton subscription ("Connected Fitness Subscribers"), the frequency of use increases over time. From https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1639825/000119312519230923/d738839ds1.htm https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1639825/000119312519...: > We have consistently seen workouts increase over time. On average, our Connected Fitness Subscribers completed 7.5, 8.4, and 11.5 workouts per month in fiscal 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively. Usage drives value and loyalty, which is evidenced by our exceptional weighted-average 12-month Connected Fitness Subscriber retention rate of 95% across all fiscal year cohorts since fiscal 2016. … > Average Monthly Workouts per Connected Fitness Subscriber are higher for our most recent cohorts and engagement for each cohort has been consistent or improved over time. S-1 page 63 has more. Also, at least as of the S-1, churn (called "Average Net Monthly Connected Fitness Churn") from those cohorts was also very low - roughly 0.5-0.9% per quarter or ~3%/year. That means Connected Fitness Subscribers includes the vast majority of those who purchased a bike. In 2019 when the S-1 was filed, I put a few more details here: https://twitter.com/troyd/status/1167582830425075712 https://twitter.com/troyd/status/1167582830425075712
- orky56 6y ago
  Early adopters are more likely to increase their usage as they're transitioning more of their fitness time to Peloton. The mainstream cohorts who rely on Peloton to increase their fitness may not have as much Peloton usage.
  - troydavis 6y ago
    It's totally possible, but so is any other change in behavior that we want to speculate about :-) For example, the pandemic may make people more likely to cancel a $39/month payment… or it may make people more reliant on Peloton because other exercise methods are now riskier. We're all guessing at this point.
  - matwood 6y ago
Taylor_OD 6y ago
"Being in shape long term will only happen if you find some joy in a form of exercise." and find a diet that works for you. Eating is tied to more weight issues than a lack of exercise.
jmdeon 6y ago
I love doing peloton classes via the screen thingy a la black mirror. I had access to one at my old apartment complex and did it 2-3 times a week for about a year. If I wasn't still moving around I'd invest in one for sure. I always chose the classes done by this one enigmatic instructor, but would branch out to others sometimes. You don't just get hooked on the exercise, you get hooked on the instructor and the social experience. I can definitely see this happening with mirror and lululemon. Sign me up.
Alupis 6y ago
The best thing for fitness, particularly for those getting started, is to find a class with a regular schedule and that you must pay to take. Paying for something, and having an expected time to show up and participate is _powerful_. Some people have the drive and motivation to actually make themselves stick with an exercise plan. For the rest of us, having peers involved, and paying money is the equivalent motivation as a grade on an assignment in school... you do the assignment because of the grade, not because you just wanted to. Find a local FleetFeet or favorite exercise store and sign up for a summer run class for 4 weeks, and see your improvement and motivation increase.
- Angostura 6y ago
  Perhaps. My way to fitness was Parkrun, a fantastic initiative that organises free 5km runs every Saturday in a local park. You just turn up and run. If you register and download a barcode, volunteers record your finish time each week and you get your time, and other statistics e-mailed to you. They are great community events, and the organisers are proud that average finish time is gradually creeping up as more slower runners (and walkers) get involved. I started several years ago aged 52 and am now coming in at about 26 minutes, 10 minutes faster than my first run. Obviously they aren't running at the moment, apart from New Zealand, but check-out your nearest one. www.parkrun.com
  - Alupis 6y ago
    Parkrun looks great, and a lot of fun. You didn't pay for it, but the motivation is the community in this case. You've probably met some people there, and everyone shares in the experience. That's powerful as well. Although, I still think paying for the classes to get started is a better way for most people. "Skin in the game" sort of thing, and can be a good mental excuse to leave the office and go to the class, instead of pushing it off to "tomorrow". > Obviously they aren't running at the moment That's sad... I can't see why people can't exercise with masks or whatever during Covid. A lot of people will lose all their progress and motivation.
- toyg 6y ago
  Perhaps. For me it’s very much the opposite: gym settings and classes make me extremely anxious. The last thing I want is to subject other people to the view of my gross, sweaty body, or having to be surrounded by beautifully-toned people that remind me of what I’ll never be. This said, I probably won’t buy a Mirror (or a Peloton, or any other fitness-gadget) because I know that my issues with regularity and noncompliance to routine cannot be fixed with “mind hacks” or gamification. Whenever I have a “come to fitness-Jesus” moment, I just need a pair of shoes and shorts to go for a run, and a food scale, and I’m ok for a few months.
mumbisChungo 6y ago
I imagine that for some people it's about the added features and not about what pop culture thinks is in right now.
matwood 6y ago
> I just don't see these fad things Peloton, Mirror, etc. bringing people anything beyond short term novelty. I’m not sure I would put the Peloton and Mirror in the same category. The Peloton is an spin bike, and does a good job bringing the spin studio experience into the home. Spin is fairly popular way to exercise. The high cost of Peloton is also still less than any spin studio I’ve been to. Both have gamification which I think is useful. I like metrics, so the Peloton works for me much like power lifting does. The part of the Peloton I don’t care about is the community aspect, but my wife is pulled to workout because her friends have worked out and will see if she stops.
RC_ITR 6y ago
Obviously there's a mix-shift issue (new cohorts are bigger than old cohorts), but still people LOVE using Peloton (from the S-1): On average, our Connected Fitness Subscribers completed 7.5, 8.4, and 11.5 workouts per month in fiscal 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively. Usage drives value and loyalty, which is evidenced by our exceptional weighted-average 12-month Connected Fitness Subscriber retention rate of 95% across all fiscal year cohorts since fiscal 2016.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

danaur 6y ago

People who have done exercise would disagree, there are benefits from investing in exercise. I don't particularly like using a stair machine but I enjoy how I feel from using it and enjoy the benefits of being more fit.

salimmadjd 6y ago

I agree. Fitness is not something you just buy, it's a lifestyle. You really need to find a way to enjoy it and look forward to your fitness session.

tqi 6y ago
From what I've seen, Peloton and other high end fitness businesses very much understand this (Soul Cycle being the most clear example).

Klathmon 6y ago

Don't discount the impact of gamification. My dumb monkey brain is a sucker for seeing numbers go up and getting awards, and comparing my improvement to friends and family. The only thing that's ever gotten me to stick with a workout routine is finding one that my smartwatch can completely track and show my progress using some algorithm that distills it down to a "score". It instantly turns something that I hated doing into something where I'm reading up on how to get better.

bosie 6y ago
Which smartwatch gives you such a score? In your experience, how well does the score represent your actual progress?
- Klathmon 6y ago
  I have an Android Wear watch, and there are a number of apps available for it. The score is hit or miss, but it does show trends over time pretty well.
- Angostura 6y ago
  The Strava app is free and pretty good. You can join virtual clubs with your friends. We have one running at work during lockdown.
mooman219 6y ago
+1 for gamification. I just got the Ring Fit Trainer for the Nintendo Switch and it has been pretty enjoyable.
delfinom 6y ago
I got a smartwatch to track my progress. I was obessed with it for a about month. Then I got bored of it, mostly because I do have a really good sense of my activity that it gets redundant when you check the watch knowing what it'll say already. Call me when the watch comes with a buttprobe to actually track realtime caloric burn, that'll be interesting.
- nradov 6y ago
  Modern smart watches can track real-time caloric burn with reasonable accuracy based on heart rate and body size.

troydavis 6y ago

> I would be really interested to see how many people who bought Peloton bikes in 2014 still ride them 2-3X a week now. Peloton published the stats of their purchase cohorts in their S-1 (and probably in subsequent reports, but I haven't read them). At least among those who maintain a $39/month Peloton subscription ("Connected Fitness Subscribers"), the frequency of use increases over time. From https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1639825/000119312519230923/d738839ds1.htm https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1639825/000119312519...: > We have consistently seen workouts increase over time. On average, our Connected Fitness Subscribers completed 7.5, 8.4, and 11.5 workouts per month in fiscal 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively. Usage drives value and loyalty, which is evidenced by our exceptional weighted-average 12-month Connected Fitness Subscriber retention rate of 95% across all fiscal year cohorts since fiscal 2016. … > Average Monthly Workouts per Connected Fitness Subscriber are higher for our most recent cohorts and engagement for each cohort has been consistent or improved over time. S-1 page 63 has more. Also, at least as of the S-1, churn (called "Average Net Monthly Connected Fitness Churn") from those cohorts was also very low - roughly 0.5-0.9% per quarter or ~3%/year. That means Connected Fitness Subscribers includes the vast majority of those who purchased a bike. In 2019 when the S-1 was filed, I put a few more details here: https://twitter.com/troyd/status/1167582830425075712 https://twitter.com/troyd/status/1167582830425075712

orky56 6y ago
Early adopters are more likely to increase their usage as they're transitioning more of their fitness time to Peloton. The mainstream cohorts who rely on Peloton to increase their fitness may not have as much Peloton usage.
- troydavis 6y ago
  It's totally possible, but so is any other change in behavior that we want to speculate about :-) For example, the pandemic may make people more likely to cancel a $39/month payment… or it may make people more reliant on Peloton because other exercise methods are now riskier. We're all guessing at this point.
- matwood 6y ago

Taylor_OD 6y ago

"Being in shape long term will only happen if you find some joy in a form of exercise." and find a diet that works for you. Eating is tied to more weight issues than a lack of exercise.

jmdeon 6y ago

I love doing peloton classes via the screen thingy a la black mirror. I had access to one at my old apartment complex and did it 2-3 times a week for about a year. If I wasn't still moving around I'd invest in one for sure. I always chose the classes done by this one enigmatic instructor, but would branch out to others sometimes. You don't just get hooked on the exercise, you get hooked on the instructor and the social experience. I can definitely see this happening with mirror and lululemon. Sign me up.

Alupis 6y ago

The best thing for fitness, particularly for those getting started, is to find a class with a regular schedule and that you must pay to take. Paying for something, and having an expected time to show up and participate is _powerful_. Some people have the drive and motivation to actually make themselves stick with an exercise plan. For the rest of us, having peers involved, and paying money is the equivalent motivation as a grade on an assignment in school... you do the assignment because of the grade, not because you just wanted to. Find a local FleetFeet or favorite exercise store and sign up for a summer run class for 4 weeks, and see your improvement and motivation increase.

Angostura 6y ago
Perhaps. My way to fitness was Parkrun, a fantastic initiative that organises free 5km runs every Saturday in a local park. You just turn up and run. If you register and download a barcode, volunteers record your finish time each week and you get your time, and other statistics e-mailed to you. They are great community events, and the organisers are proud that average finish time is gradually creeping up as more slower runners (and walkers) get involved. I started several years ago aged 52 and am now coming in at about 26 minutes, 10 minutes faster than my first run. Obviously they aren't running at the moment, apart from New Zealand, but check-out your nearest one. www.parkrun.com
- Alupis 6y ago
  Parkrun looks great, and a lot of fun. You didn't pay for it, but the motivation is the community in this case. You've probably met some people there, and everyone shares in the experience. That's powerful as well. Although, I still think paying for the classes to get started is a better way for most people. "Skin in the game" sort of thing, and can be a good mental excuse to leave the office and go to the class, instead of pushing it off to "tomorrow". > Obviously they aren't running at the moment That's sad... I can't see why people can't exercise with masks or whatever during Covid. A lot of people will lose all their progress and motivation.
toyg 6y ago
Perhaps. For me it’s very much the opposite: gym settings and classes make me extremely anxious. The last thing I want is to subject other people to the view of my gross, sweaty body, or having to be surrounded by beautifully-toned people that remind me of what I’ll never be. This said, I probably won’t buy a Mirror (or a Peloton, or any other fitness-gadget) because I know that my issues with regularity and noncompliance to routine cannot be fixed with “mind hacks” or gamification. Whenever I have a “come to fitness-Jesus” moment, I just need a pair of shoes and shorts to go for a run, and a food scale, and I’m ok for a few months.

mumbisChungo 6y ago

I imagine that for some people it's about the added features and not about what pop culture thinks is in right now.

matwood 6y ago

> I just don't see these fad things Peloton, Mirror, etc. bringing people anything beyond short term novelty. I’m not sure I would put the Peloton and Mirror in the same category. The Peloton is an spin bike, and does a good job bringing the spin studio experience into the home. Spin is fairly popular way to exercise. The high cost of Peloton is also still less than any spin studio I’ve been to. Both have gamification which I think is useful. I like metrics, so the Peloton works for me much like power lifting does. The part of the Peloton I don’t care about is the community aspect, but my wife is pulled to workout because her friends have worked out and will see if she stops.

RC_ITR 6y ago

Obviously there's a mix-shift issue (new cohorts are bigger than old cohorts), but still people LOVE using Peloton (from the S-1): On average, our Connected Fitness Subscribers completed 7.5, 8.4, and 11.5 workouts per month in fiscal 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively. Usage drives value and loyalty, which is evidenced by our exceptional weighted-average 12-month Connected Fitness Subscriber retention rate of 95% across all fiscal year cohorts since fiscal 2016.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]