Peloton's Cody Rigsby on Motivation, Affirmations, and His Dream Workout Buddy

Like many others in quarantine, I too splurged on a Peloton bike. Listen, I never thought I would be the type of person to own a piece of at-home exercise equipment, but after months and months of inactivity, I gave in. At the beginning of quarantine, trying out all the at-home streaming classes was a lot of fun, but it started to get old after a while. I had no motivation whatsoever and I missed the social aspect of group fitness classes, which I used to frequent in my pre-pandemic life.

It feels a bit cheesy to say that my Peloton bike has really changed my life, but it has. Ever since it arrived in October 2020, I have been working out every day. One, because the classes are so fun and challenging, and it really does feel like I'm part of a community even though I'm just indoor cycling at home alone. And two, I did spend thousands of dollars on it, so you better believe I'm thinking about cost-per-use every time I get on the bike.

I've never continuously worked out every day in my life, so this is quite a big feat for me. My body feels stronger and more toned, which feels very rewarding, but I think the best part is the effect it's had on my mental health. Even when I don't feel like working out, once it's all said and done, I feel more energized, happier, and confident.

While the equipment itself is sophisticated and high-tech, the best thing about Peloton, in my opinion, is the instructors. They're all energetic, charming, and inspiring, but each has their own unique personality that they bring to their classes, so it makes it easy for everyone to find instructors they connect and "vibe" with. I have a couple of favorites, but my number one is Cody Rigsby, and I'm not alone, he's got a huge fan following. I find his classes challenging for sure, but the best parts of each ride is his ability to make me laugh and just forget about whatever stressful stuff I have going on in my life, how hard the class is, or how tired or sweaty I am. His musings range from thoughts on Britney Spears's greatness to ranch dressing to the whole scam of selling magazines in grade school (anyone remember that?). It's a workout and it's entertainment. I couldn't ask for more.

So when I got the chance to chat with Rigsby about Peloton's new collaboration with Adidas, I definitely had a fangirl moment. Rigsby and his fellow instructors Ally Love and Robin Arzón worked with Adidas's creative design team to create the 11-piece S/S 21 apparel collection. The result is pieces that are inclusive, comfortable, and made for tough workouts (both on and off the bike). And the color scheme is definitely perfect for spring and summer. You'll find bold, neon colors and, of course, Adidas's signature stripes.

Read what Rigsby had to say about motivation, his dream workout buddy, and the new collection below.

What was the design process like for this collection with Adidas?

It was sort of like the perfect culmination of everything all coming together. I majored in consumer apparel and retail studies in school, I've been at Peloton for almost seven years now, and I recently became a Global Ambassador for Adidas, so being part of the design process for this collection was really special because it represents the intersection of all of my worlds. It was an honor to co-design the line with my teammates, Ally and Robin. We each wanted to make sure the collection felt like a representation and celebration of both Peloton's and Adidas' communities. Teaming up with Peloton's apparel team and Adidas' creative design team to bring that to life was so inspiring.

What was the inspiration for the collection? What were your goals for the collection?

This collection was 100% inspired by our members. At Peloton, our community is very diverse—different body types, different ability levels, different cultural backgrounds and upbringing, different demographics, different geographics. We wanted to create something that was comfortable and functional for everyone. For me, it was really important to have bright pops of color in the men's collection and a range of styles in the unisex collection so that anyone could feel like each style is something they can rock. I want people to think outside of their normal box and get comfortable doing new and different things.

What are your must-haves when it comes to activewear?

It has to be functional and support even my toughest, sweatiest workouts. But I also need to feel cute.

Like pretty much everyone else, I got a Peloton during quarantine, and I absolutely love taking your classes because you make it so fun and it's a nice escape. I know a lot of people feel the same way. How has leading these classes during a pandemic been for you? Is it overwhelming to know that you have changed a lot of people's lives during this time?

I'm just so grateful that I get to do what I love and help people through what's been a really challenging time. The Peloton community has amazed me, especially in the last year. Peloton has such a profound impact on the mental, emotional and physical wellbeing of our members. I'm really humbled that I get to be an influential part of their journeys.

What are your tips for staying motivated? How do you stay motivated when it comes to working out?

Movement-wise, you really need to figure out what brings you joy. If you love the activity, the workout, then staying motivated and showing up for yourself becomes natural. For me, it's also about connecting to my purpose. My purpose, my "why," my reasons for putting in the work—that's what keeps me motivated.

At THE/THIRTY, we talk a lot about mental health and self-care. How do you take care of your mental health?

Talking to my therapist, meditating every day, and taking breaks from social media all help me take care of my mental health. Movement is another big one. I hear from our members constantly that my workouts feel therapeutic, and I'm honored to be able to serve our community in that way. But the truth is, my classes are also an outlet for me, too. I love doing what I do every day—getting on the bike, moving my body, listening to great music, and feeling connected to something bigger. So many times when I'm trying to motivate and push you during one of my classes, it's because I need that same push at that moment as well.

What are your self-care strategies?

Mental health and self-care are so closely intertwined. For me, self-care is about meditation, journaling, and moving my body—it's part-emotional, part-mental, and part-physical. Emotionally, meditation allows me to tap into my emotional strength by confronting my thoughts and feelings. Mentally, journaling helps me figure things out in my head by actually taking the time to write it down. Physically, moving my body gives me an outlet and it just makes me feel good.

It can be hard to find joy sometimes, especially with the past year. Where do you find joy?

My Peloton family. My friends, who are my chosen family. Working out. Cheetos. Ru Paul's Drag Race.

Do you have a personal motto or favorite affirmations?

"It's not that deep, boo."

And lastly, who would be your dream workout buddy?

Richard Simmons.

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