Peloton Instructors Are The Fitness Celebs Of Our Generation
Fitness celebrities are not a thing of the past and oh, has Peloton proved that to be true! As one of the leading names in the health and fitness industry, Peloton instructors have also been able to reach their way towards the top of the fitness social ranks.
Finding the perfect balance of being a cycling instructor, motivational speaker, and an entertainer all at one time is what truly makes these instructors so easy to love. Even if you’ve never “Peloton-ed,” chances are you’ve these seen these guys on social media as they have established a strong presence across multiple platforms. In this blog, Hollywood Branded shares the top Peloton instructors on social media that are building their brand.
Cyclists Turned Celebrities
Over the years Peloton has become one of the most recognized at-home fitness streaming platforms. Between the variety of live workout classes, the equipment, athletic wear line, and the technology-enabled immersive experience, Peloton has much to offer to its nearly 4.5 million users. But there’s another aspect that keeps users so connected to the Peloton community— the bike instructors.
Different in each their own ways, the bike instructors at Peloton have all gained quite some attention in the past year. More than half of them currently have over 100,000 followers on their social platforms, some on their way to reaching 1 million—but why?
Well, the short answer would be that millions of people watch them every day on their bike screens. They keep up with their socials, they’re trendy and fun… they’re doing everything right! But what has truly given these instructors the ability to reach celeb status is a mix between their unique backgrounds before starting their journey with Peloton, the cool things they are doing in the community, and how they continue to change lives through fitness.
With the closures of gyms and fitness facilities due to COVID this past year, many people used their time at home to invest in their health and exercise journey. Peloton played a big part in at-home fitness during the peak months of lockdown as they offered free classes for 90 days, all of which did not require Peloton-branded equipment. This allowed for virtually anyone to take a Peloton class and because of that, these instructors have been let into the homes of nearly double the amount of people than before and have thus been able to grow their personal brand by changing lives.
Finding the perfect balance of being a cycling instructor, motivational speaker, and an entertainer all at one time is what truly makes these instructors so easy to love. They make riders laugh, sweat, and most importantly, they excite people about their health while inspiring self-love… all through a screen. Let’s take a look at some of the Peloton instructors that are building their brand both on and off the bike.
Robin Arzón
Vice President of Fitness Programming and Head Instructor, Robin Arzón currently sits at the top of the Peloton social ranks. She is known mostly for teaching some of the hardest classes you’ll find on the platform because she believes that sweat transforms lives. Peloton users admire Robin for her “tough-love” approach to fitness and for how she shares some of her most personal and inspiring anecdotes during her classes.
Peloton isn’t the first place Robin Arzón has been successful. Robin is also a RRCA-certified running coach, 26 times marathoner, three times ultramarathoner, a New York Times bestselling author of her book Shut Up and Run, and if that’s not enough Robin was also a successful lawyer in corporate law.
Robin’s Following:
- Instagram: 773K
- Twitter: 54.3K
Credit: People
Cody Rigsby
When it comes to entertainment, Cody Rigsby is quite the fan-favorite. Last year, many referred to Cody as Peloton’s “King of Quarantine” as his vibrant spirit and hilarious mid-cycle commentary won the hearts of thousands of riders. During the peak months of the pandemic, he told Vogue that “imagining riders across the country following along in dens and home gyms motivates him to be the light.” People love him most for his in-class sass, his positivity, and when he motivates you by saying things like “If Britney can get through 2007, you can get up this hill."
Cody isn’t new to the Peloton spotlight either. He has been with Peloton for over seven years and has since cultivated a fan-based community known as the #BooCrew. With over 50,000 “Boos” across seven different countries, the Boo Crew acts as a community that shares a love for Cody’s Peloton classes and passions for certain causes. Before Peloton, Cody was a dancer and performed on some pretty big projects with stars like Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj. Pretty cool, boo!
Cody’s Following:
- Instagram: 751K
- TikTok: 102.6K
Credit: Delish
Ally Love
For many, when they think of Peloton, they think of Ally Love— and for a good reason! She is most popular for her “Sundays With Love” and “Feel Good” rides. Both on and off the bike, Ally radiates positivity and good vibes accompanied with a commitment to hard work and dedication. Her success as an entrepreneur has proven this to be true.
Outside of Peloton, Ally is a model, dancer, runner, host for the Brooklyn Nets, a certified health coach, and the founder and CEO of Love Squad, an online community with the goal to empower women to live healthier and fuller lives. To top it off, the lady boss is also a TEDx speaker and producer of the series Basics of Bossing Up.
Ally’s Following:
- Instagram: 681K
- Twitter: 32.6K
Credit: Forbes
Kendall Toole
Described as a “natural-born fighter,” Kendall Toole is known to radiate strength, intelligence, and high energy in all that she does. Riders say they love taking Kendall’s classes because of how she makes them feel invincible and for her rock 'n' roll-packed playlists.
Athleticism and fitness have always been a big part of Kendall’s life as she has a dynamic background in professional cheerleading, dance, gymnastics, and boxing. Her career with Peloton was unintentional, since she got the job after Peloton had slid into her DM’s. However, after almost two years as a cycling instructor Kendall has become one of the most influential names in health and fitness, says CBS Los Angeles.
Kendall is also known for being an advocate for mental health awareness. She is an ambassador for NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and uses her own experience with her mental health journey to help people find their power– something that she says is one of her biggest goals.
Kendall’s Following:
- Instagram: 498K
- TikTok: 86.9K
- Twitter: 16.4K
Credit: The Thirty
Alex Toussaint
Another OG instructor, Alex Toussaint has been leading rides at Peloton since 2015 and might as well be considered one of the faces of the Peloton brand itself. He started his fitness career mopping floors at a gym but has now come to be one of the most iconic cycling instructors Peloton has seen.
There is something truly special about Alex when it comes to the way he motivates. He overwhelms his rides with energy and pushes users past their limitations. Coming from a military background, Alex crafts his classes in an ultra-structured way as he believes in teamwork and discipline as the foundations of success. People respect him most for his authenticity and his commitment to empowering others.
Alex appeared in a segment of Today’s Carson Daly show where he touched on his life before Peloton and how he integrates his experiences into his motivation style. He was recruited to be a guest on the show not only because of the people’s collective love for Alex, but also Carson Daly’s individual admiration of the cyclist instructor.
Beyond his Peloton platform Alex is the founder of the Alex Toussaint brand which embodies his mantra: “Feel good. Look good. Do better.” He is also a Training Expert at HyperIce, the maker of handheld muscle massage devices. Alex shares a lot of his passions on his social media, too– like traveling, his style, and his super cute, French bulldog.
Alex’s Following:
- Instagram: 467K
- Twitter: 51.2K
Emma Lovewell
Senior Instructor, Emma Lovewell is no stranger to the social spotlight. She has grown quite the resume as a fitness queen coming from a background of being a professional dancer, dance coach, personal trainer, pilates instructor, and fitness model. Emma also previously spent some time working as a DJ, which explains why so many people love the music she plays during her rides.
Emma has become another face of the Peloton franchise since working for them, but other big brands loved Lovewell too. She has been featured in national ads for brands like JCPenny, Garnier, Athleta, and Target, and even appeared in a 2021 Super Bowl commercial. She has also been serving Under Armour as an ambassador/athlete since 2019 and has been signed with the United Talent Agency since last year.
But that’s not all! In 2015 Emma founded her own personal brand, Live Learn Lovewell, a community “cultivating a well-balanced life though healthy food and an active lifetstyle.” To this day, the community of Emma Lovewell lovers stands strong as they work together to inspire healthy living.
Emma’s Following:
- Instagram: 462K
- Twitter: 30.4K
Credit: OnePeloton
Tunde Oyeneyin
Believing in the impossible is something that Tunde Oyeneyin lives by. Her cycling classes are filled with the utmost positivity and encouragement as she uses inspirational guidance to motivate her riders. People say they finish her classes feeling on top of the world and Tunde’s energy plays a big part in that.
Tunde uses her experience with overcoming self-doubt and body image struggles to teach and motivate others to be strong and empowered. She recently founded The S.P.E.A.K. Movement (short for Surrender, Power, Empathy, Authenticity and Knowledge), an Instagram Live series serving the purpose to allow those dealing with adversity to be heard. Integrating her previous career as a celebrity makeup artist, Tunde is also preparing to launch SPEAK Beauty, a makeup line that celebrates inclusivity and diversity. Outside of Peloton and her SPEAK platform, Tunde also serves as an Optimum Nutrition Athlete and is one of Revlon’s “Faces” of their ColorStay line. The way she uses her growing platform as another way to change lives speaks levels to Tunde’s character as she is building her personal brand in a very inspiring way.
Tunde’s Following:
- Instagram: 396K
Credit: Good Morning America
The Ride To Fame
The appeal to celebrity fitness instructors is no new concept. From as early as the era of Richard Simmons and Denise Austin to more recent names like Jillian Michaels and Sydney Cummings, famous fitness personalities have always found their way into the celeb spotlight. What’s different about the Peloton celebrities we are seeing today has a lot to do with the sense of community that comes with a membership. No matter which one you choose to ride with, each instructor at Peloton is unapologetically themselves.
Peloton is giving their instructors a great platform to promote a positive message through the health and fitness lens. They’ve established their purpose in social media and are redefining what it means to be a fitness celebrity. It will be exciting to see how these instructors continue to build their brand both on and off the Peloton bike.
Wait, There's More!
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- The Top Female Social Influencers Of The Moment
- The Top 10 Most Followed Celebrities On Instagram For Your Brand
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