As January rolls around again, it’s time to turn over a new leaf and tap into those New Year resolutions you’ve promised to keep. While the first month of the year sees streets covered in first-time joggers and gyms crowded with people working off Christmas calories, your post-festive fitness journey could start from your bedroom.
Who knew that slashing music beats with your own virtual lightsaber or running from the enemy in a mythical platform game could be the fitness fast pass you’ve been looking for?
As VR headsets crept onto the Christmas lists of many in 2022, it could be time to explore the technology’s vast health benefits. With over 171 million users worldwide, virtual reality has become a key player in the gaming community, but could it become the next big health trend?
What is VR fitness?
Virtual reality transports a user to an immersive environment. Whether you use it to enter a digital workspace or deep dive into a new world, your body becomes the controller and dictates how your avatar interacts with and moves through environments.
So it’s no surprise that popular VR fitness games such as Beat Saber and Holoball use exactly that concept to create a sweat-inducing experience.
VR is driving the future of fitness. If users feel as if they are playing games, suddenly, that 30-minute workout doesn’t drag. Instead, the idea of exercise is exciting.
With games like Pistol Whip torching up to 6-7 calories per minute, VR fitness isn't just a trend but a healthy habit to add to your daily routine in 2023.
Oculus Move
In late 2020, Oculus bought the concept of VR fitness into the mainstream after rolling out their Oculus Move fitness tracker.
Designed to live inside a Meta Quest 2 headset, users can quickly track the calories they burn in virtual reality, set personal goals and track their progress each time they tap into an exercise.
After shipping 9.6 million Quest 2 headsets in 2022 alone, Oculus Move has been downloaded by thousands of users and cleverly syncs to Apple Health. You can now see the payoff of your Meta Quest workout show up on your Apple Watch, so it’s no wonder that more users are embracing VR for its fitness features.
5 VR games that will turn you into a fitness fanatic
Virtual reality opens the doors to endless possibilities. If your dream is to become a boxer, imagine being transported directly to the ring or immersed in a football match with your dream team as you jump to save the goals.
The best thing about a VR solution is that it can be fun. Turning a workout into a game, you can’t wait to play is a great way to get your heart rate pumping and your endorphins flying.
Here are five of the coolest virtual fitness games that’ll make you want to jump off of the sofa and onto your feet.
Supernatural
As the number one pick from the VR Health Institute, Supernatural’s fitness-focused VR platform is hard to beat in the search for the best VR fitness game on the market.
With over 500 workouts to pick from, Supernatural users are transported into outer space for flamethrowing heart pumpers and immersed in calming aquatic environments for a yoga class like no other.
As you hop to stunning locations from all over the world, one of the best features available is Supernatural’s very own fitness instructors, there to guide you through each workout. While the game is only available to Meta Quest headset holders currently, it’s worth a try if you own the kit.
Holoball
If you’re looking for a fast-paced sweat-inducing workout packed with vibrant colour, it’s time to get on the Holoball train.
For ball game lovers, Holoball will have you hitting neon-coloured balls at the walls in no time. As a virtual version of squash, players can select their own difficulty before using their hands to whack away any balls flying around within the room.
“It’s very intuitive, so you’ll feel familiarity right away playing the game. But from a cardiovascular standpoint, it’ll get your heart rate up to the warm-up zone and keep you there,” says Tim Donahey, trainer at the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
Available on multiple VR platforms, including PlayStation VR, Meta Quest, Steam and Vive, this one will get your heart pumping and your legs moving as you jump around to catch the balls.
Beat Saber
If you’re more inclined to work out to your favourite tune, then look no further. Beat Saber is all about blending a love for music with fitness (and possibly Star Wars if you’re a fan of a lightsaber).
Using a controller as a lightsaber sword in each hand, get ready to slash through each beat of your favourite tracks. As you dodge and duck upcoming obstacles while correlating the red and blue lightsaber with the correct coloured beat, your brain and body will both be working out.
The Climb
For those with a more extreme sport in mind, The Climb could be the game you’ve wished for. As a VR-powered solo climbing experience, this game provides users with an adrenaline rush as well as a skill-building exercise journey.
Ascend to unfathomable heights and dive deep into complicated caves as you are transported to landscapes across the Alps and the Southwest of America.
Better still, The Climb offers users the chance to jump into multiplayer mode and race against others to compete for the quickest climb on the leaderboard.
Available on Steam for Meta Quest users only, The Climb is a thrilling fitness experience not to be missed out on.
Thrill Of The Fight
Last but not least, it’s time to see how you’d fare in the ring. Thrill Of The Fight could be one of the best calorie-busting games of 2023.
Researchers at the VR Health Institute have reported that boxing-based games burnt on average 9-15 calories per minute, which is on par with the number of calories burned in a physical rowing exercise.
As you throw punches and duck for your opponent, Meta Quest users can get their whole body moving and their sweat dripping.
A trend worth following
If you’re looking to find a simple solution for your New Year fitness resolution, virtual reality could hold the answer.
As you compete with players and immerse yourself in a hyper-realistic version of extended reality, you won't feel as if you’re working out at all.
