Robin Arzón dons quite a few titles from instructor and VP of Fitness Programming at Peloton to ultramarathoner, former lawyer, and New York Times best-selling author. And the multi-hyphenate added a new line to her impressive and wide-ranging resume this past year: mother.
With Peloton's massive, pandemic-driven success and the arrival of her daughter Athena in March, the fitness junkie has had a lot on her plate the last year. And while, yes, Arzón may seem superhuman, even she needs to recover from her incredibly demanding schedule. So earlier this year, she partnered with Hyperice to promote the importance of recovery and self-care (which she reminds us all "is not selfish").
Arzón's own recovery routine includes a few Hyperice products that she swears by — like the Normatec 2.0 Legs ($899; hyperice.com), boot-like recovery tool that uses air pressure to massage sore muscles and relieve aches. Three to four times a week she'll put them on and cue up a podcast or watch a show, she says.
Another favorite? Arzón uses the Hypervolt 2 Pro ($399; hyperice.com), a percussive massage device to warm up and massage her muscles. She turns to some of the more gentle heads to focus on the "tender" spots, like her calves, forearms, and shoulders. And she never skips foam-rolling; Arzón adds that a key part of her on-the-go recovery is the brand's mini, travel-friendly vibrating roller, the Vyper Go ($149; hyperice.com). "It really gets into my quads, my glutes, and the big prime movers that we utilize for race day," she says, adding that she also loves an Epsom salt bath for recovery. Because when you're teaching multiple cycling and strength classes a day, as well as running ultramarathons (50 to 100-mile races!!), you're going to need a little help.
While Arzón is at the peak of her game right now, she tells us she achieved her fitness goals with the mantra "little by little amounts to a lot." Especially when she made the major career switch from successful lawyer to fitness instructor. She recalls taking 10 minutes a day to "dream scape," a term she uses to describe the work put toward achieving a dream or goal. For her, that meant researching the fitness industry, networking, and setting up coffee dates. She advises that same small, one-step-at-a-time approach to everyone in every aspect of their life, including those just getting their start on the bike.
Her advice for Peloton newcomers: "Start small, get curious about your greatness, and make sure that you are taking the right amount of time to rest," she says. She suggests starting out with beginner and low impact rides and always "feel free to modify."
If you're a Peloton member or follower of Arzón, you're probably well aware that she didn't stop training while she was pregnant. The instructor continued teaching Peloton classes pretty much up until giving birth, as well as training five to six days a week.
She recalls having Athena as her "training partner" and adds that she hopes their "energetic exchange" while in the womb will instill a love of movement in her daughter. In fact, while she was pregnant, Arzón even wrote a children's book titled "Strong Mama" (out in January 2022), which she describes as her "love letter" to her daughter.
"As Athena gets older I plan on passing along this love of movement and knowledge to her," Arzón tells us. "Mommy's workouts are important because I have to take care of myself in order to take care of her. And I hope she develops a love of movement that is uniquely her own, and we're going to explore together what that is."
Although she always fits in rest and recovery days, Arzón tells us that her fitness routine has become even more strenuous after becoming a mother because she finds that time even "more sacred" now that there's less of it.
"I actually think my workouts are even more meaningful to me now because my time is spread thinner," she shares. "So my workout time has become non-negotiable. I'm definitely going harder. I am actually stronger than I have ever been."
Mental fitness is also just as valuable to the instructor, and she tells us that she swears by ending her day with meditation, mindfulness, and mantra practices. "I tend to do it as a wind-down routine and separate the different parts of my day from the hectic workday to a very busy dinnertime around here getting Athena to bed." She uses both Peloton and Hyperice to assist with these exercises, citing the fitness giant's sleep meditation classes and the new Hyperice Core hand-held meditation trainer ($179; hyperice.com).
But while the athlete is adamant about sticking to her routine, she also believes in giving yourself some grace — especially with the holidays around the corner. "I think that people should maintain as much consistency as the schedule allows. I find that when I maintain 70% to 80% of my workout routine, it makes it that much more enjoyable to indulge, relax, whatever it is," she says.
But Arzón says you can enjoy the season sans guilt or regret. Just listen to your body and pull back anytime you feel "sluggish." "When we approach the holiday season, let's operate on the joy metric. Tune into the things that your mind, body, and belly feel like doing and consuming. And let that be your north star."
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