Experience firsthand fitness tech inclusion at Puerto Rico’s biggest wellness event

I sweated through the palm trees, the relentless Caribbean sun, Spanish music, and the heart of the botanical gardens of Caguas in Puerto Rico. I was there Me, me and me – The island’s most immersive wellness event – but I’ve left something much more personal. When rooted in culture and community, there is a deep sense of affirmation that wellness is more than a trend. It’s a return to self. As a wellness media Latinas Millennial and born and raised in Puerto Rico, the event felt like home. Also, for the first time, it felt like the fitness industry was finally meeting us where we were.

For Hispanic communities, mainstream health has often ignored our rhythms, values, and living experiences. This year, me, me, me, me, and Peloton challenged that story. Participants were mostly Latinas Millennials and Heres, and often did not see themselves expressed in traditional fitness or wellness spaces, like me. The event was launched by two passionate Puerto Rican women, Melissa Zimenez and Nicole Bosch. “Wellness is more than a trend. It’s a move that empowers individuals to feel better and we are committed to creating a space where our community can experience that transformation.”

It began as a small event 10 years ago, captivated thousands of attendees and became an all-day experience. The Peloton instructor led the class in Spanish. In Spanish, it not only reflected it, it also praised the audience that was before. The Peloton me, myself, and I wasn’t just a flex. Fitness technology brands were a sign that they should pay attention to the people they were trying to serve. Here’s what happened when they did:

The power of expression in fitness

Peloton’s presence at the festival was not a performance. It was intentional and showed what culturally inclusive fitness looks like.

Instructors Camila Ramón, Mariana Fernández and Rad Lopez led the class in strength training, yoga, shadowboxing and even the entire outdoor running. As a Latina who has been using the Peloton app for years, I can tell you what’s important.

“That means it’s a major lesson in Spanish for me. One of my main missions is to move as many people as possible and make them feel better with movement and exercise,” he said. Camilla RamonPeloton instructors and headliners for the event.

In many cases, people whose native language is not English like me are mentally forced to translate cues (this can confuse the flow of training).

“Peloton provided a gateway to teaching in my language and my native language. But now I feel very surreal with the people who taught me classes in Spanish at the place I fell in love three years ago and welcomed me with open arms,” ​​he said. Mariana FernandezPeloton yoga teacher.

This wasn’t about making training more accessible. It was to build a bridge between the platform and the people it wanted to serve.

For me, the expression of fitness isn’t who is on stage. It’s about people who feel they can be seen without explanation, who is in the room, who is being told with. From the moment I stepped into the premises it was clear that this was not a wellness event built for someone else with some “various” add-ons. It was built with our culture in mind.

I have covered many wellness events over the years, and they often blend in: New York City rooftops, influencer-heavy participants, the same sophisticated aesthetic. However, this was different because it was deeply local and proudly felt Latina. The crowd reflected the richness of our community. Afro Latina meditates side by side with natural hair and bold colours, mom, daughter and tias. Gen Z Girls do breathing work with sparkles in her hair.

The expression here was not symbolic. It was systematic. It showed up on who planned the event, who taught the classes, and who attended. Jiménez and Bosch did not just create “atmosphere.” They created an ecosystem where culture and health were woven into every detail.

When Ramon says “Dale Duro” in his class, it’s not just a clue. It’s a cultural shorthand with meanings you can’t translate. That is the power of expression. It speaks to your body your story.

Rarely discuss it why Expression is important. Peloton’s representation at the event also challenges the industry norms that wellness progress must be measured by number. Here, success seemed like joy, rest, and connection.

The festival has not only promoted health. It redefines it. Fitness techniques showed that they didn’t have to be cold, isolated or purely corporate. It can get warmer. It may be familiar. It allows people to meet where they are – linguistically, culturally, emotionally.

For the Latina community, this was more than just a fitness event. We have proven that we belong not to margins, but also to the heart of wellness innovation. And while this could have been a one-day festival, the ripple effects of that kind of expression (especially when supported by major players in fitness technology like the Peloton) can extend well beyond the yard walls. It makes us feel welcome and included.

As someone who grew up in Puerto Rico, I felt an emotional pull that I didn’t expect. I left the island in my early 20s and pursued my career. And while my identity has a deep impact on my work, I don’t always center it around it. Now I’m used to switching worlds. Cord switch. I’ll translate it. I will adapt. But here, there was no need to turn anything off. I have become a Latina, an editor, and a wellness enthusiast. It all made sense within the same space. This day felt like I was back home.

Fitness skills are not sufficient. Communities within the wellness space are important

It’s easy to forget, especially if you’re deep and deep into fitness apps, streaming training, and sophisticated new devices. However, many fitness techniques are leaning towards individualism.Track your progress and your statistics, your goals).

This event reminded me that the community is a missing piece. Wellness isn’t just about what you do alone in your living room Yoga cuisine The latest and Earphones for workouts Or even train with The smartest home gym Possible. It’s also about who’s sweating next to you and cheering for you.

In Fernandez’s Alma & Flow Class, there was no need to explain why he danced to pop songs in Spanish mid-savasana. That was just done. That shared rhythm created an instant attribution.

Fitness Tech alone cannot create such energy, but it can amplify it. That’s why the peloton presence on the island felt no trade. Not only does the brand offer free trials, it also likes on Instagram! Working with local leaders, they appeared in Spanish on our island.

Lopez’s Shadowboxing class, Todo Boxeo, made this particularly clear. It was a call to connect through movements that are both ancestors and modern times. We moved as a unit and fed each other’s energy.

“When you see a room full of people who look like you, you move like you, talk like you – it becomes something different,” Lopez told me.

I’ve covered wellness and fitness long enough to understand how easy it is for a brand to tilt beyond meaning to metrics and machines. AI-generated training plansreal-time heart rate, personalized leaderboards – it’s all impressive tech, but often emotionally barren. Many platforms still miss the mark of something important – how I feel it Move. The best fitness techniques aren’t just about moving. It makes you feel welcome, included and seen.

I was not only impressed by the fact that Peloton appeared at the event. Peloton’s presence didn’t feel like a marketing drop-in. It felt like a case study on how fitness technology brands become more thoughtful and human in their approach.

Each participant received a QR code for 60 days Free access to the Peloton app. On the surface, this could be perceived as mere tactics for growth. But given the context, it felt like an invitation to extend the energy of the event into people’s daily fitness routines. More importantly, it made me think about how fitness apps can become more than just a digital tool. They can become cultural translators. This was an opportunity for attendees who normally don’t think they are reflected in the digital fitness world, to experience what they feel welcome, seen and heard in their native language.

This is where Fitness Tech can shine. It supports traditions and strengthens culture by focusing not only on performance, but also on a diverse range of people.

It may not be what motivates a Latina mom in Puerto Rican, or a college student in Los Angeles. True personalization exceeds data points. Consider the context and values.

Where fitness technology brands can go from here

I felt pain, sweat and deep whole as the sun set behind the palm trees. For the first time, the wellness industry met me exactly where I was. On my island, in my language, surrounded by people who look like me, think like me, move like me.

I would like to see more of such technology – not just innovative, but deeply human.

What Peloton did at the event is a blueprint for other fitness tech brands. If a company wants to deepen its impact with a diverse audience, Peloton has shown you how to do it. Your technology should be accessible, inclusive, language-conscious and localized. The app may be digital, but the connection should feel human. The instructors may be far away, but their voices can still be closer to the house.