Peloton is well-known for having interactive training experiences across its lineup of home gym equipment. Compelling instructors and classes are on of the main reasons Peloton can be found in living rooms and training corners everywhere. And Peloton’s Tread treadmill just got a new addition to the list: LaneBreak Tread.
This new module brings an arcade-style approach to your daily workouts, the latest example of "gamified" fitness within the wellness space.
Here are the details on the latest workout offering from Peloton, and how it fits into the growing trend of gamification has essentially taken over the fitness space.
What is Peloton LaneBreak Tread?
LaneBreak Tread is the latest Peloton workout module tailored specifically for, you guessed it, the Tread platform. According to the brand, the arcade-style workout will have users match and sustain their incline or speed according to animated cues, dubbed “Moments,” on the tablet to get the highest score possible, all while keeping pace with a beat-pumping soundtrack. Other new features across LaneBreak Tread include a "Pacer" mechanic designed to award users for following intervals precisely, as well as updated visuals and controls more attuned to the running discipline.
Peloton says LaneBreak Tread will offer varying levels based on specific metrics including time, workout type and difficulty, as well as options attuned to specific playlists from genres including pop, electronic, R&B, hip-hop, rock and more. Featured artist playlists are also set to be included, although no specific roster has been announced at this time.
What is gamification?
With modules like LaneBreak Tread and other arcade-style workouts give a clear example of “gamified fitness” that looks like a video game. But gamification is a far broader term that reaches far beyond training sessions that come with graphics, animations and scoring. A more wide-ranging definition of gamification is the process of using traditionally game-based elements in non-game environments to keep you motivated and engaged. Peloton's LaneBreak is an on-the-nose example, but more subtle gamificatino includes everything from points and badges to challenges, leaderboards and more.
Ever had your running watch celebrate a completed daily step count? Ever signed up for a week-long challenge in your favorite fitness app? Ever closed the rings on your Apple Watch, pushed harder in a connected fitness class to climb the leaderboard or even set macronutrient goals and tracked your daily diet? If so, you're already gaming.
What are the benefits of gamified fitness?
At root, it's to keep you going. Receiving points at the end of a completed circuit or accomplishing a daily goal or challenge can provide a quick, tangible sense of progress. Fitness is a long game, and it takes a while for you to reap the rewards of all that hard work you’ve put in across your miles, reps and sets. Earning a badge or collecting points after a given workout can feed your sense of progress, even if just for a day. You feel accomplished, and that can begin to fuel a routine that feels more like play and less like a chore.
That motivation for topping the leaderboard or earning a sought-after badge or status in your regimen can keep you coming back for more. Soon enough, the physical goals you set for yourself in the first place can show up unannounced.
What's more, turning fitness into a game of sorts simply makes the activities more fun and bearable. We all might not enjoy the idea of lifting heavy weights or running multiple miles day in and day out, but challenging your personal high score and shooting to the top of the leaderboard might be a bit more appealing. Fitness and wellness isn’t solely about looking good but feeling good as well, and if a gamified feature in your training regimen helps you smile more often throughout your session, then why not take part in it?
Competitive features and data-tracking components are best used mindfully, however. You can become obsessive or overly critical of your metrics if you excessively monitor your readouts, and getting too competitive with leaderboards can actually take the fun out of your newfound fun and games or push you beyond a sustainable workout that's better for the long run. Still, though, the benefits can easily outweigh the negatives if you go about your gamified fitness healthily, safely and confidently.
How to make your workout more fun with some gamification
Peloton Tread
Sure, the new LaneBreak Tread module is shiny and new but the Tread’s original training platform has plenty of gamified components already. Follow along with entertaining instructors, climb the ranks with your fellow fitness enthusiasts and get lost in a library of sessions dedicated to keeping your training fresh.
Aviron Strong Series Rower
If running isn’t your cup of tea but you still want to bring that arcade vibe to your daily workouts, consider this impressive rowing machine from Aviron. The gamified modules make you forget you’re even training in the first place, and the integration of streaming services and music libraries only adds to the leveled-up sense of engagement.
Apple Watch Series 8
Fulfilling your daily goals is much easier to stay on top of with an accessory capable of monitoring your steps, heart rate and other valuable metrics. There’s nothing quite like conquering your activity rings. The gamified training features are primarily aimed at runners (don’t worry strength enthusiasts, there's work-arounds), but the latest Apple Watch is still a damn fine way to plug into a new take on training.
Strava
Bring that competitive spirit to all your cardio training with Strava. This app can track key metrics along your journey, and the online community of fellow enthusiasts can also add a sense of camaraderie and support along the way. Plus, there are plenty of challenges and trials to choose from if you want to test your merit against the crowd.
MyFitnessPal
You can even gamify your diet (Super Mario mushrooms not required) thanks to the goal-setting and macro-tracking features of MyFitnessPal. The library of foods and dishes makes tracking your intake simple and intuitive, and the backlog of daily results can help shed light on how you can improve your fueling stage when it comes to generating your best performances yet.
