Hardcore on the Floor Calendar for Peloton

The Hardcore on the Floor calendar for Peloton forever changed my opinion about the importance of strength training and how you can add Peloton strength classes to your regular workouts. It really has been transformational.

Hardcore on the Floor

I’m so excited to share with you all I’ve learned since starting to do the Hardcore calendar in Spring 2021. As I go through this blog post that explains Hardcore on the Floor, I will be alternately using the abbreviation HCOTF. That literally stands for Hardcore on the Floor.

Also, you may see me use the phrase HCOTF 2018. That is the Instagram username for the Hardcore on the Floor founder Nicole Gonzalez. Hardcore on the Floor is one of my favorite Peloton groups.

What is HCOTF?

HCOTF started as a Facebook group of people interested in adding strength workouts to their Peloton workout routine. So, it’s basically a Peloton strength workout plan.

When I joined the Hardcore on the Floor Facebook group in 2021, there were just shy of 100,000 people there. Now there are 436,000-plus people in the group. Nicole Gonzalez has started a revolution and it is super popular amongst devout Peloton users like you and me.

What is the Hardcore on the Floor calendar

As I mentioned HCOTF is devoted to helping Peloton users add strength training to their workouts. The HCOTF calendar is really a Peloton strength workout plan and schedule. It provides at least two suggested classes each day, seven days a week, every day of the month.

One of these classes in the workout plan is always something involving strength. Strength could be core, Pilates or Barre. Because a strength workout schedule doesn’t always involve picking up weights.

Sometimes there are cardio classes in there, like cardio HIIT that instructors like Logan Aldridge have started teaching. And then there is always a recovery day workout that includes a walk or a gentle yoga stretch class or both. So, these are active recovery days.

Where do I find the Hardcore on the Floor calendar

The HCOTF calendar–literally, a new calendar each month of daily workouts–is uploaded in the Hardcore on the Floor Facebook group each month. Nicole uploads the file on the last day of the preceding month. So, you can expect to find the file uploaded under “Files” in the Facebook group on the 30th or the 31st of the preceding month. Obviously, in February, you can look for the calendar for March on the 28th or the 29th of the month, if it’s a leap year like 2024.

How to find Hardcore calendar classes on Instagram

If you’re not on Facebook, there is another way you can access the HCOTF calendar–sort of. You’ll need to be on Instagram, and you’ll need to follow @hcotf2018 That’s Nicole’s account. Again, scroll to the bottom of this post for links. Every day on Instagram, she does a post with screenshots of the day’s workout.

Here’s what you’ll see in each screenshot:

• Length and kind of class (i.e. 10-minute core strength)
• Instructor’s name
• Date and time of the class
• Level of class (i.e. beginner, intermediate, advanced)

Then, you can go ahead and find those classes on the Peloton app, on your bike or computer. Finally, you can stack them for your own Hardcore on the Floor workout schedule.

So, if you’re looking for a monthly strength stack of Peloton classes, the Hardcore on the Floor calendar is your best bet. Unfortunately, at this time you are unable to stack classes on a Roku TV. In addition, you can’t access your stacked classes from your Roku TV either. Honestly, I can’t believe that in 2024, almost into 2025, that Peloton doesn’t offer this option.

Here is my blog post that explains how the Peloton schedule works, including how to stack classes.

How does the HCOTF calendar work

Now with the HCOTF calendar on Facebook, there are a few things to remember.

One, you are not allowed to share the calendar outside of the group. You can download it for your personal use, but you’re not to share it with others. That’s why I’m not including a screenshot of the calendar in this blog review of Hardcore on the Floor

Two, the benefit of downloading the PDF version of the calendar is this: the calendar contains links directly to the classes scheduled for each day. So, you can click on the link in the calendar PDF on your calendar or phone and stack them.

I’ve started going to the Hardcore on the Floor calendar PDF each night to plan the next day’s workouts. That way there’s no question in the morning what I’ll be doing that day to exercise. It’s a great motivator.

It’s also why I’d first written about Hardcore on the Floor in my blog post about getting your Peloton motivation back.

What classes are you doing with the Hardcore on the Floor calendar?

Primarily, Hardcore on the Floor focuses on Peloton floor workouts. And within those “floor” workouts, we’re talking strength. By the way, I use the term “floor workouts” because you do not have to own Peloton hardware to do the classes.

These are, as I said, primarily strength workouts. You can access all of these classes through the Peloton app.

For example, six days out of seven, you’ll be doing a core class. Some days, in addition to core, you’ll be doing full-body strength classes using bodyweight only.

Other days you’ll focus on upper-body or lower-body workouts. Some classes require weights. Other classes do not. However, even within the weights classes, you are always encouraged to modify. So if you’re not strong enough yet to squat, for example, while holding weights, then you do it with bodyweight only. Or if you have a physical issue where you can’t hold weights while doing strength training, again, you can modify it to be bodyweight only.

Strength, stretching and yoga classes

In addition to floor workouts, what I love about the HCOTF calendar is it mixes up your workout. You’re also doing Pilates and Barre classes. These are, technically, strength classes.

Also, you’ll see yoga and foam rolling on the calendar at least once a week. These are great for stretching your muscles. Finally, on Sundays the calendar has started including outdoor walks on the Peloton app, plus a quick yoga flow.

You can follow the exact walks HCOTF suggests or you can do one you prefer. The idea is you’re mixing up your workout from just the Peloton floor workouts.

Do I have to do every class every day on the Hardcore calendar?

This is, perhaps, the most common question in the HCOTF Facebook group: do I have to do every class every day on the Hardcore calendar. The answer is, of course, no. As the Peloton instructors like to say, “You do you.”

For example, when I first started doing the classes, I wasn’t strong enough to do all of the classes. Some days you’ll be doing the 10-minute core class, then a 10-minute class on a certain part of your body (let’s say lower body), and then another 20-minute class on that same area.For me, the 10-minute class for my core plus the 10-minute class on the certain area of the body was enough.

Even when I got stronger, sometimes my schedule wouldn’t allow for all of the classes in the day. So I might do the 20-minute class and skip the 10-minute class for the same part of my body.

In 2022 I sustained a back injury. After recovering and finishing PT, my ortho doc told me that while I could continue to do strength training, I had to modify. So, for example, I’m not supposed to do weighted squats—that’s when you hold a weight. Also, I’m not supposed to do any overhead weightlifting while standing. So when there are weight squats, I do them bodyweight only. And when there is standing, overhead weightlifting, I’ll sit down and do them movements.

Do classes throughout the day

Other people I know break up the calendar throughout the day. This way they eventually get it all done, just not in the same session.

For instance there are members of the HCOTF Facebook group that work in healthcare. I’ve seen dozens of posts of doctors, nurses and other frontline workers who, during a break, got in a 10-minute arms and light weights class. They’d stashed dumbbells in their bag or locker.

Substitute standing core classes

I have hated doing the core classes on the HCOTF calendar and, to be honest, I often skipped them. Then, one day someone in the HCOTF Facebook group mentioned that Peloton instructor Rebecca Kennedy had a series of standing core classes. In fact, there was a file in the Facebook group that you could download that listed all of these Peloton standing core classes.

So, I downloaded the file and bookmarked the standing core classes. And they were all I did for my first few months doing the Hardcore calendar.

Then, one summer, I fell and broke my wrist. While I was finally strong enough to do those floor core classes again, there was no way I could do planks with a cast on my wrist. So, once again I substituted the standing core classes until the cast came off.

Here is more information about Peloton standing core classes.

Modifying classes based on existing issues

In addition, a lot of people who do the calendar have knee issues. That’s me, too. For us, lunges are non negotiable. Same with curtsies. 

So, whenever a lunge-heavy lower-body class shows up on the calendar, I’ll substitute one that doesn’t have lunges. I’ll go back to classes I’d taken previously that were kind to my knees.

Hardcore calendar and Power Zone

When PZ challenges are going on, one of the HCOTF members creates a Power Zone “pairing” calendar. This helps you figure out on what days to do which rides on the Power Zone calendar. And then how you can pair a modified version of the Hardcore calendar with those PZ rides. Here is my blog post about Power Zone training.

In addition, the HCOTF calendar also always includes suggested rides to pair with your daily workouts. Don’t worry–it’s usually shorter rides but ones that are higher intensity.

For example, today I did my HCOTF strength workout, and then I rode a 20-minute HIIT ride with Christine D’Ercole. Then I did the 20-minute yoga class from another day on the calendar.

What do I need to own to do Hardcore on the Floor Peloton

As I mentioned you do not need to own a Peloton bike or Tread to do the Hardcore on the Floor calendar. However, since this is basically a Peloton strength workout plan, which might include a pull day workout, there are some basics that you should invest in for doing the calendar.

These include:

• Hand weights or dumbbells (3 pound, 5 pound, 8 pound, 10 pound, 12 pound, 15 pound, 25 pound, depending on your strength)
• Resistance bands
• Workout or yoga mat
• Foam roller
• Yoga blocks
• Gripper socks (for Pilates and Barre, though you can do these barefoot)
• Weight lifting shoes

These links above are for either Amazon or Target.

Here are some dumbbell quad exercises.

How to find the Hardcore on the Floor calendar

As I’ve explained, the Hardcore on the Floor calendar lives in two places.

One, it’s available through the Facebook group.

Two, you’ll find it as a daily post from the @HCOTF2018 Instagram post.

Click here to reach the Hardcore on the Floor Facebook group.

Click here to reach the HCOTF 2018 Instagram account.

Final thoughts on the Hardcore on the Floor calendar for Peloton

So, should you wait until the new calendar comes out or a new month to get started with Hardcore on the Floor? This is a popular question in the HCOTF Facebook group.

Or rather a popular sentiment: “I’m waiting until next month to get started on the calendar.” That was me, too, when I was thinking about starting. But then I realized that there was no benefit to waiting until the first of the month.

In fact, it would be better to start today. The beauty of this calendar is you can jump in whenever you want, make modifications as you want and just get it done. So if you’re thinking you need to wait until the next calendar comes out to start Hardcore on the Floor, don’t.

Just start with one class.

Today.

You’ll feel so good that you did.