It’s 6 AM, and your alarm is a personal attack. Not because you stayed up too late scrolling, but because you were up at 11 PM… and 2:15 AM… and 4:30 AM feeding the baby. You’re running on fumes, and yet your fitness app still insists it’s time for your scheduled HIIT class.

Absolutely not. There is zero chance burpees are happening on three scattered hours of sleep. But… maybe some gentle yoga? Something that doesn’t feel like a direct challenge to your already fragile existence?

That’s where Peloton’s Contextual Coach steps in. Instead of guilt-tripping you with an aggressive workout when your body is begging for rest, it adapts to your actual circumstances in real time.

Didn’t sleep well? It suggests low-impact yoga instead of a brutal HIIT session.

Raining outside? No problem—your planned outdoor run seamlessly switches to an indoor cycling session.

Traveling? It curates bodyweight workouts based on your hotel gym setup (or lack thereof).

The Behavioral Science Behind It

Context matters. Behavioral science tells us that even the best-intended nudges fail when they arrive at the wrong time. No one wants a push notification to “go for a run” when they’re buried in back-to-back meetings.

A Nuanced Take

Of course, adaptability is a fine balance. Some days, a little push might be what you need. But a fitness app that actually understands when to push—and when to pivot—just might be the key to building a routine that sticks. Because the best workout? It’s the one you’ll actually do.