The 5 Best Peloton Instructors for Beginners Explained

Your first Peloton ride can be intimidating, and a little confusing.

Once you’ve watched the intro videos and learned the basics of the bike, you’ll have hundreds and maybe even thousands of cycling classes to choose from for your first couple of rides.

You can filter down to beginner rides, choose what music you want to ride to, and more — but even still, you might be overwhelmed by the options!

All of the Peloton instructors are great, but if you’re just getting started on the Peloton bike, there are a few trainers you should look for that are especially good for beginners.

Here are some of the best Peloton cycling instructors for beginners:

Matt Wilpers
Hannah Corbin
Denis Morton
Cody Rigsby
Tunde Oyeneyin

Let’s take a look at what makes each of them great for newbies and first time riders.

Matt Wilpers

Style:

Emphasis on form cues & technique
Knows when to crank up intensity & dial it back
Rides won’t destroy you — you’ll come back stronger!

Matt is a favorite of Peloton riders who are looking to seriously improve at the “craft” of cycling.

His classes are big on technical instruction (as are his running classes). You’ll get lots of really useful cues on form, breath, and technique that help you become a better cycler.

Matt’s classes aren’t known as the hardest on the block. They’re challenging for all levels, but they’re not designed to completely destroy you and leave your body in shambles!

He’s really good at managing intensity to keep you strong. Matt is also a big proponent of proper rest, recovery, and cool downs.

Follow him and you’ll get stronger each and every workout.

(Learn more here about Peloton results and what you can expect from regular rides.)

Hannah Corbin

Style:

Approachable rides
Fun & chatty vibe
Loves to dance during class!

If you’re looking for some easy (ish!) rides and a fun personality to get you into the Peloton groove, check out some of Hannah Corbins beginner or low impact rides.

She’s known as a fan favorite because of her high energy and beginner-friendly rides.

Her workouts won’t be the hardest around and you may eventually want to graduate to a more intense instructor.

But Hannah is a ton of fun — she loves to dance and tell stories during the rides, keeping your mind off of your burning legs.

Being distracted by an entertaining instructor is often a sneaky-good way to PR!

You’ll frequently find Hannah under Beginner rides if you use the filters inside the Peloton app.

Denis Morton

Style:

Mellow personality
Dry sense of humor
Manageable rides

Denis is pretty unique among Peloton instructors.

He’s not a bubbly, chatty entertainer, and he’s not an intense drill sergeant.

He’s a pretty laid back dude and his rides reflect his personality.

Don’t expect most of his rides to be brutally difficult. He manages intensity well and you’ll burn plenty of calories while experiencing a pretty enjoyable workout.

If you can get down with Denis’ dry sense of humor, you’ll really enjoy his sessions.

Again, you may eventually be ready for a harder instructor, but Denis is perfect for beginners.

Cody Rigsby

Style:

Funny & entertaining
Unique themed rides
Upbeat music & playlists

There is, truly, only one Cody Rigsby.

He’s one of the most popular Peloton instructors overall and has an almost cult-like following.

Try one of his classes and you’ll see why!

Cody’s rides vary from beginner-friendly to advanced, but he’s great for beginners because of his engaging sense of humor.

No one cracks more jokes or tells more hilarious stories during class than Cody.

If you’re looking for a ride where you completely forget that you’re exercising for half of the class, Cody is your dude.

Bonus points if you like upbeat pop music and themed rides (80s, 90s, 2000s pop, etc.)

Tunde Oyeneyin

Style:

Calm & powerful motivator
Does lots of beginner rides
Pushes just as hard as her riders

Tunde is new on the Peloton scene but is quickly developing a loyal following.

She’s a great fit for almost any rider.

Tunde is calm and warm, but an extremely good motivator — expect lots of PRs in her classes.

She frequently hosts beginner and low impact rides, good for newbies, but her more advanced rides will slay even the most accomplished Peloton-ers. You can stick with her forever and continue growing.

One of the best things about Tunde is how hard she pushes during her own classes.

She’s one of the few instructors who often completes the ride as-called (meaning, she’s not just pedaling against air — she’s really working!).

You’d be surprised how inspiring it is to know you and your instructor are working hard side by side throughout the whole ride.

(Tunde is great for beginners but is also one of the hardest Peloton instructors around when you’re ready for her advanced rides.)

Wrapping Up

Almost every Peloton instructor on the app hosts the occasional beginner ride, or at least a few low impact workouts here and there.

Frankly, they’re all great at what they do. Peloton instructors are the best of the best cycling instructors in the world.

But some are perfect fits for beginners looking to get initiated into the Peloton world.

Matt Wilpers is great for form and technical cues. Hannah and Cody are fantastic because they’re so fun and engaging.

Tunde is one of the best all around instructors, period, and Denis is great for laid back rides.

Before you go, check out tips for your first Peloton ride, and then read:

Hope this helps!