During the pandemic over the past year-plus, most individuals have tried to stay in shape. For months, though, shutdowns closed the gyms. People had to find other methods to stay active and healthy.
Some of them started walking or jogging around their neighborhoods for the first time. Others purchased home exercise equipment. Many home gym options started becoming popular because they were a way for individuals to get a workout in without needing to leave their apartments or houses.
Peloton was one of the companies that saw a surge during the pandemic, partially due to an aggressive ad campaign. Peloton commercials flooded TV, and lots of people tried some of their equipment for the first time.
However, Peloton proved problematic in certain ways. We’ll talk a little more about that right now.
Peloton Dangers
Not long ago, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning. They stated that recent history saw 39 Peloton injury situations and one childhood death. The Peloton Tread’s uncovered rear base caused these issues.
It seems like if a company has a faulty product, it’s an easy enough matter for them to fix or discontinue that product. Obviously, Peloton doesn’t want to injure anyone, so the company took action to pull this particular exercise machine from store shelves so no more people could buy it and hurt themselves with it.
The real issue is that if a company gets enough bad press because of this sort of situation, a tipping point will often come when the public wants nothing further to do with that company.
It doesn’t seem as though Peloton has reached that point yet. Despite the bad press these incidents created, the company is still advertising on prime-time TV shows. Some people swear by these machines and continue using them to this day.
Peloton and Other Options
Peloton has several treadmills and bike options, and those who like them seem to be okay with their business model. This model dictates that the person or family buy the actual Peloton machine, which is quite costly. Then, they must also pay an additional price to stream the live classes the company conducts.
To put it bluntly, many people can’t afford a Peloton, not just the machine but also the added monthly expense for the streaming classes. These individuals might look for some other home fitness options, of which there are many.
If you don’t want to go with a Peloton because it’s too expensive or the consumer reports worry you, you can also get a regular exercise bike. A typical one will cost you the one-time purchase fee, but then you don’t have to worry about any ongoing monthly charges.
You might also go with something like a yoga mat and some free weights. There are thousands of exercises you can learn how to do with those alone. The initial cost outlay is not that much, and you can look online if you want to learn yoga exercises and weightlifting ones that you can do.
The Gyms Are Open Again
You should know that in most states, open gyms exist again, and you can visit as often as you like if you feel safe enough to do so. If you have vaccinated yourself, and you wear a mask to the gym and practice social distancing, you might feel okay exercising even as the pandemic continues.
If that doesn’t feel quite right to you because you have Delta variant concerns or an immunocompromised condition, you can always walk or jog around your neighborhood. The fall weather is coming on, and that can provide you with some lovely warm days and cool, crisp evenings.
You should do what you can to stay in shape as the pandemic rolls on, rather than staying at home and overeating without getting any exercise to counteract that. The one thing you should probably avoid is getting something like a Peloton device that studies show to be less than safe.
You may decide to shun the Peloton company itself because of the child injuries or not. That’s your decision. As long as Peloton keeps selling their products to enough people, the injury reports alone don’t seem to be enough to close them down, at least not yet.
As we mentioned, there’s usually a tipping point where negative press sinks a company. Peloton has not reached that moment yet, but it will be interesting to watch and see if it materializes at some point soon.
Author bio: I’m Jaylin: Guest post service planner of Leelija and full time blogger. Favourite things include my camera, traveling,caring my fitness, food and my fashion. Email id: [email protected]
