LA Native Kendall Toole Talks About Her Journey From USC To Peloton And Everything In Between
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - Kendall Toole has quickly become one of the most influential names in health and fitness. The popular Peloton instructor has had a meteoric rise, starting right here in Southern California.
"I look back on my childhood so with so much bliss and joy, just being outdoors and hiking and then getting to go to my dream school - fight on - yes, Trojans," said Toole.
In addition to studying film and business, she cheered at all USC athletic events as a spirit leader before eventually turning her sights to boxing, eventually teaching classes at multiple studios in LA. According to Toole, the best part of boxing is its many metaphors for life.
"You don't worry about your opponent if they're in the other corner," said Toole. "It's no different than a problem in life. You don't worry about the problem until it's right ahead, and not wasting your energy worrying about it before it occurs so there were so many, the duality of like the metaphor of the sport, alongside the physicality, because truly, if you're in your head or you check out at any point while you're boxing, you're going to get hit."
Kendall's journey to Peloton was not intentional, but after getting a DM from the fitness company while teaching at a local fitness studio, things quickly began to change.
"I thought I had it, and then life had its own way as it usually does."
For many users, Peloton is a vehicle to forge special connections, and a global pandemic has only reinforced that. Toole says she feels honored to be part it all, helping to build a community of people from all over the world
"It's been a way to exhale, it's been a way to collectively communicate together and do something and show up for ourselves."
Kendall has said that her goal is to help people find their power, something she says she is still in the process of doing with herself.
"What I really hope to do and what I hope to speak towards is not only destigmatizing mental health in a way where somebody can see, you can have success and you can talk about it and you can be strong and powerful and not have it all together all the time, but also inspire others to say hey, you can show up as long as you are is more than enough. And even if you don't feel like it on certain days. It's the consistency and showing up in the presence of being there."