If you’re looking for an unforgettable at-home workout, look no further than sweet powerhouse instructor Adrian Williams. A native New Yorker, Adrian is a competitive sprinter, a passionate athlete, a creative photographer and a cook. He empowers folks by challenging them to form long-term healthy habits, and his lighthearted humour has members coming back for more. He wants your workout to feel good! His current Spotify class playlist can be found here, and you can find his classes here.  

 Describe a usual day in your life as a Peloton instructor, and feel free to touch on how you first got involved with Peloton and on your new COVID normal.

 

 

My alarm usually goes off at 4:30 AM when I am teaching at 7 AM. I take about 40 minutes to get ready, which includes showering, eating and getting my things together before hopping in a car and heading to the studio. I’m big on not rushing myself, so I like to get there way earlier than my call time so I can do all the things necessary to have the best teaching experience. Music and mobility are my pre-class ritual. After I’m done teaching, I usually head home to fuel and tackle meetings for the day. Covid keeps everything virtual, so I spend a lot of time attached to my computer for programming and playlisting workflow. I was discovered by Rebecca Kennedy, our Director of Strength when I was trying out a Tread in a showroom for one of my clients. She then asked an employee in the showroom to ask me if I wanted to audition and naturally, I said YES! The rest is history.

 

What keeps you emotionally and physically motivated especially in times of social isolation?

 

Our Members! I was talking about this while I was teaching the other day. I’m so fortunate that I get to go into a workspace where I am able to create and make people feel better about themselves. Though we span the globe, I’ve never felt more of a sense of community than with this one. There is something unique in what we have created at Peloton: togetherness. My friends and family also play a huge role in keeping me in check and honest, and movement is my medicine. Whenever I feel stuck, a great workout will help me find the inspiration I am looking for in order to move forward. Therapy is also something I have discovered recently, and it really has helped me unpack so many things I’ve been carrying around with me since I was a young man. Emotional intelligence is something we constantly should work on.

 

What do you usually recommend to Peloton’s Members to recover after a workout, and avoid injuries and/or aches?

 

Aches are sometimes unavoidable (insert smile here). Recovery is something I talk about consistently after every class. We all have these unique bodies that require unique recovery. I urge everyone to pay special attention to what their training looks like that week and to focus on those areas. I have stretches on the app, but our yoga team is amazing. Working with them not only helps you restore length but balance also.

 

Do you recommend Members bring anything specific to your virtual classes or exercise in a specific space for virtual classes?

 

It really depends on what we are tackling that day. I teach a variety of class types and class lengths on the Peloton platform. We offer everything from full-body strength, bodyweight strength, lower body strength, upper body strength, and core strength, to HIIT cardio and more. Some classes require weights, some require just a towel and a water bottle. The only things that are always non-negotiable are you have to smile, you have to work hard, and you have to have a good time. 

 

What are you hoping members participating in your classes take away from them?

 

Perspective! Working out becomes so much more than what we are doing with our physical bodies. I want to help create mental fortitude, healthy habits and confidence. Understanding that our bodies can overcome challenges creates the mindset that you can do the same outside of our platform in your life.

 

Have you seen growth in Members who have taken your classes?

 

So much of it! Our Members not only show up for themselves, but they show up for other individuals on the leaderboard and for me. If I can teach and inspire others to grow with me, they can do the same for the people they are surrounded by. The relationships I have built in the last 6 months have changed the way I show up to teach. When you hear about Members’ mindset changes or the newfound confidence they have, it makes me want to be better for them.

 

How does being a Peloton instructor compare to being a competitive sprinter?

 

They are completely different. Sprinting was very isolated, but as a Peloton instructor, I get to share myself with the world. I show up for our Members first and place myself second. Sprinting taught me to be humble, so I like to bring that to the table when I step on the Tread or when I’m teaching strength on the mat. I want everyone to feel welcome; I want everyone to be challenged, and I want people to walk away feeling inspired by their own potential and hard work. Athletics teaches you discipline and creating good habits, which is something I learned from that training. I am glad I get to share these tools with others to use in their own life.

 

How would you describe being a part of Peloton specifically in 2020?

 

I wake up every day thankful that I am here. My launch was during a really stressful time in May 2020. BLM was the focus of the world, and it was important to me that people pay attention to that instead of me starting out as an instructor. Robin Arzon, our VP of fitness programming, gave me the best advice. She said: “Let people come to you as a source for healing.” To this day it still serves as the focal point of what I want to be for Members.

 

Feel free to tell us about any plans you have for the upcoming year both within like outside of Peloton.

 

I am still relatively new so I’m still taking it all in. I am constantly trying to work on my teaching so I can provide Members with the best possible experience. I miss my brother and his family on the west coast, so hopefully, there is travel to L.A. in my future, along with taking my family on vacation and working on being still. I have a very different outlook on life than I did before, because of Covid. Someone close to me taught me something that I want to live by, “More life”.