Some days, you feel like a Swiss Army knife. You juggle work, family, social commitments, and—oh yeah—you have to somehow fit regular exercise in there too. How do you stay motivated to do it all?

Enter: an online fitness community. 

Working out with the support of an online community provides a convenient source of external accountability, which is like the insurance plan for when your internal drive dips. “Online fitness communities often boost motivation with fun tools like progress tracking, group challenges, and encouragement from others,” says Erin Ayala, PhD, a sport psychologist and owner and founder of Skadi Sport Psychology.

Case in point: One study supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation found that participants who used an interactive fitness app that emphasized accountability and competition reported higher levels of physical activity than participants who did not use the app. 

Keep reading to learn about the benefits of joining an online fitness community and how to find yours.

What Is an Online Fitness Community?

The people you connect with through  apps, online forums, and digital platforms all centered around exercise is your online fitness community. 

Many of these networks are built by members joining recurring weekly workouts or following the same instructor, like Peloton instructor Matt Wilpers’ #TeamWilpers, whereas others emerge through sharing tips and how-tos, like how to avoid blisters during a long run or swapping post-workout snack recommendations. 

Alternatively, some are founded on pursuing specific fitness goals, such as training for a marathon, while others may focus more on general wellness. There are thousands of different online fitness communities available, but the main thing they have in common is that they bring people together over a shared interest in fitness. 

3 Benefits of Online Fitness Communities

Joining an online fitness community hosts a bevy of benefits and perks that can leave a lasting positive impact.

1. They Can Help You Hold Yourself Accountable

An online fitness community can help you find your rhythm and develop a workout regime that fits your needs, whether it’s a 6 AM or 9 PM workout, 15 minutes or an hour. 

“Online fitness communities are especially helpful for beginners or those struggling to stick to a routine, thanks to their structure and the supportive environment,” says Ayala. 

After being gifted a Peloton Bike in 2019, Member Angela Mielke got hooked on Peloton instructor Cody Rigsby’s classes. But her squad has kept her coming back too. 

“[It] doesn’t matter how fast you run or how much weight you can lift,” she says. “If you’re showing up, others will be there to support you and cheer you on.” Recently, Mielke ran a 5K and “had multiple groups and people [from my Peloton crew] wish me luck before and congratulate me after.” 

2. They Make It Easy to Find Your People

Research has found that joining an online fitness community can help combat loneliness, a feeling that many of us are coping with. 

One 2024 study surveyed 1,036 Peloton Members to assess how the technology impacted their loneliness during the Covid pandemic. Results show participants who used a Peloton Bike reported enhanced mental health and felt the classes helped satisfy social needs during a time of isolation.

For Mielke, she’s even met up with her Peloton pals face-to-face, teaming up for several local runs and meet-ups.

3. You Have (Almost) Unlimited Resources at Your Fingertips

With a crew of plugged-in athletes pursuing similar goals, your online fitness community can be a rich source of knowledge and advice. Though it’s important to check in with a licensed medical professional for personalized health guidance, your online fitness network can help tackle a variety of common challenges and questions, like how to level up your workouts after hitting a plateau or tips for becoming an early riser for daybreak workouts. 

How to Connect with Others In an Online Fitness Community

If you’re already a Peloton Member, consider updating your social media handles to your Leaderboard name so you can easily be found, Mielke suggests. 

You can also search for different groups within the App based on your favorite instructors or class type, as well as through Peloton’s teams feature. Social media platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, are also an easy place to find your community. A few fun ones Mielke recommends: Matchy Matchy Crew (for those who want to coordinate outfits), Streakers365 (to celebrate certain milestones), or Haus Of Savagery (for those who really want to push themselves). 

If you don’t already belong to an online group or app, grab a couple of friends and start your own virtual fitness community: You can set goals and try different workouts each week on your own time, then text, call, or schedule a video chat afterward to catch up about it. It’s a low-stress way to stay in touch with friends (both IRL and long distance) and bond over a shared activity. 

How to Make the Most of the Peloton Community

Whether you’re hoping to make new friends or score an extra boost of encouragement, the Peloton App makes it easy for you to achieve your fitness and wellness goals, encourage others, and build a thriving online community with the following features.

Leaderboard

Inevitably, there comes a part of a workout where motivation can start to wane. And while it’s important to check in with your body and take a break if you need to, your Leaderboard can offer up some major encouragement as the class heats up. On the Bike, Bike+, Tread, Tread+, and Row, Members can check out two Leaderboards: All Time and Here Now. (Only the Here Now Leaderboard is available on the App.)

The All Time Leaderboard showcases every Member who has joined that class and their ranking. If you want to see who’s sweating alongside you in real time from around the globe, filter your Leaderboard by Here Now. A white circle around their name shows their progress. You never know who may inspire you!

Peloton Sessions

With Peloton Sessions, you and your online fitness community can join the same on-demand class at the same time. With the Leaderboard, you can give and receive high fives and encouragement from warm-up to cooldown. Sessions are available for running and cycling classes over 20 minutes long. 

To try it out, visit the Class section at the bottom of your screen and select Running or Cycling. You’ll then see a notification sharing when the next Session will begin. There’s a new session every five minutes, so no need to stress if someone in your squad is running late.

Teams

It’s never been easier to find, build, or join a Peloton team. Within the Community tab, you can create a team (of up to 50,000 members!), or search and join an existing one, like Cycling Docs, MenoPosse, and NYC Marathon Training ‘25. Then you and your team can create or select a challenge, like a 100-day workout streak, to work toward together. You can also pick the specific metrics you want to track—such as number of workouts, distance covered, or number of days worked out—and log weekly wins. 

Feed

There’s nothing quite like having your hard work acknowledged, even after class is over. In your Feed, your Peloton pals can give you high fives and encouragement to your posted workouts. Your Feed is also a great place to find inspiration for your next workout. (Maybe you can even beat a friend’s PR?)

Schedule Workouts for Yourself and Others

Every friend group—including online fitness communities—needs a social chair. Fortunately, Peloton makes it easy to corral your crew on the App, Bike, Bike+, Tread, Tread+, and Row. On the App, keep up with your accountability bud with the Schedule feature found in the Class Details and simply add it to your calendar. Once you’re confirmed, invite friends by tapping the Invite button.

If you’re using a Peloton Bike or Tread, tap into a class you plan to join. Under the class name, tap Schedule and add the timing that works best for you and complete the process by tapping the Add to Schedule button.

Support and Share

Peloton offers a range of community features to connect with folks who share the same goals and interests. For example, use Tags—similar to hashtags—to join existing communities and training groups, see which ones are trending, or create your own. What’s more, you can filter the Leaderboard by Tags to connect with others like you. 

Plus, they’re super simple to create: Search or create a Tag by navigating to your Profile on the app, equipment, or web. Under your Leaderboard name and location, you’ll see a section for Tags. Click on the icon to search and find new Tags. To add new Tags, click Add New Tags at the top of the respective section to see what Tags are trending, that your friends are following, and are featured. Simply tap the plus sign to add any Tags you want to join.

Find Your Fitness Community with Peloton

Whether you’re a longtime athlete or fitness newcomer, Peloton offers a variety of features and tools to help you connect with an online support crew, all while reaching your goals. From cheering on your wins and supporting you through tough workouts and even showing up for the same classes, Peloton’s robust network of active members and encouraging instructors can help you stick to your game plan, stay motivated, and make new friends along the way.