Working Out Can Be Fun in a Virtual Reality

While some may love going to the gym, we like working out from the comfort of our home. Not only are there gym membership fees to be concerned with, but the hassle of having to get ready, making the round trip, and losing more time out of the day is not appealing to us.

We enjoy yoga together nearly every morning, however, we have different preferences when it comes to getting a cardio workout. Maria chooses the treadmill or outdoor run, while I use the Oculus Quest 2.

It may sound strange to think of VR as a legitimate workout, but trust me, it is! My workout games/apps of choice are as follows:

Beat Saber

This is a music rhythm game where blocks come flying at you that you must hit with your Star Wars-like sabers, all choreographed to your favorite tunes. For me, it is like jumping into a nightclub or concert with flashing lights and colors, guiding you into dance moves, squats, and dodges. It requires a lot of hand-eye coordination and, depending on the level you choose, can be almost overwhelmingly challenging, which makes it all the more fun!

Ragnarock

This is another rhythm game, with a Nordic Heavy Metal theme. You start off in a sort of lodge where you have a choice of songs. Here you can also choose from a selection of hammers that you use to pound on four drums, all while floating on a Viking ship down a river. The songs are fast-paced and highly motivational. You can compete with others or go it alone. I get the most intense workout from this game.

Pistol Whip

Think of the movie The Matrix! Yet another rhythm-based game, but rather than sabers or hammers, you have a huge variety of pistols to choose from. You float down a path through various environments with different themes and excellent music, shooting at characters all paced with the music. You have to dodge walls, duck under objects, and peak around obstacles. The characters shoot at you as well, so even more ducking is necessary!

A VR workout is both entertaining and fun, and it is amazing how fast 30 minutes or an hour can fly by.

We both have Apple Watches and there is a Fitness Gaming workout option that you can use to track VR workouts. We use this in conjunction with another app called HeartWatch to track the level of intensity of the entire workout.

Conclusion

If you want a different kind of workout that is both fun and challenging that will spark almost all of your physical senses, you can't go wrong with a workout in virtual reality.