Tech

Try Peloton's exercise app free for 90 days during your COVID-19 quarantine

Beginner, intermediate, and advanced fitness enthusiasts are all welcome.

Female Doing Fitness Exercise In Front Of Television
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Peloton, the company best known for its pretty pricey, connected exercise bikes, also has a guided workout app. To help keep users fit while they're practicing social distancing or self-quarantining — and, you know, in the hopes they won't unsubscribe before the trial runs out — Peloton's offering a 90-day free trial for fitness enthusiasts, or would-be fitness enthusiasts who've decided now is as good a time as any to improve their cardio capabilities.

Now that the Trump administration is finally taking the deadly coronavirus seriously (after a shockingly slow and problematic initial response), states and cities are trying to do their own part in tackling the transmission of COVID-19. This includes the temporarily closure of bars, restaurants, schools, and of course, gyms where members frequently leave equipment drenched in sweat and heavens knows what else.

Fitness junkies miss their gyms — For those who regularly go to the gym, including yours truly, it's not fun knowing that their fitness regimen is on indefinite pause. Peloton's solution is a welcome one. Sure, 90 days is temporary, but at the moment, it feels like an eternity. And if we're still all cooped up in three months time, forgetting to cancel a $13 a month subscription will likely be the least of our problems.

Sure, Peloton has it problems — like overwhelming debt and one particularly dystopian and sexist ad — but this particular offer is great.

What Peloton says — The company, just like the rest of us, is inescapably aware of how COVID-19 is fundamentally changing how we live our lives, and how we keep fit. "As daily routines continue to change, we want you to have access to our full library of classes from the comfort of home," the company says. "Take a mix of yoga, meditation, strength, cycling, running and more. We'll remind you three days before your trial ends so you won't be accidentally billed, and you can cancel anytime."

How it works — While the offer certainly doesn't include a Peloton bike — which start at $2,245 — you'll get access to a variety of workout challenges via the app. It's not too different than Popsugar Fitness' recent offer to make its Active workout program free for everyone. Social distancing, while incredibly beneficial to mitigating COVID-19's spread, is still stressful and lonesome. With free workout programs like Peloton's, lots of people can stay fit — and sane — at home.