The process of getting in shape is very fulfilling, but many find it difficult due to the burnout. Two main factors influence burnout: We push ourselves too much and motivate ourselves. We push ourselves too much because we crave results.
Gyms and repetitive workouts can make losing weight and conditioning harder than it needs to be. Having a personal trainer provides help with motivation, but you still need to have the discipline for an instructor to pay off. Even the most committed athlete occasionally draws on outside inspiration and advice.
We provide inspiration for those in VR looking to set new goals, seasoned gamers who are losing motivation, and newbies looking to dive head first.
Everyone has different goals and VR fitness fits into your life in different ways. We believe that each of these stories highlight a key aspect of VR fitness.
Do it to stay active
Karen Cusimano told VRFI how her Oculus Rift helped her stay engaged. New experiences give her exciting ways to look forward to it, and active games make her hour-long training session feel meaningful.
She describes herself as someone with near-zero motivation to exercise, but she found that rhythm games brought back the same fun she felt on the Wii in 2011. Today she works different muscle groups to play rhythm games and hopes that Zumba makes her debut in VR.
Do it for your health
Kevin Brook works for the NHS in the UK but had a battle with lymph cancer early on. The treatment left fibrous scars on his lungs that affected his ability to breathe and gave him an above-average heart rate at rest.
Photo credit to: Kevin Brook
For Kevin, VR is a pleasant way to have a significant impact on his health. He’s getting his boxing fix while increasing his cardio and improving fitness. BoxVR’s scoring system helps him stay engaged while Thrill of the Fight gives him the feeling he craves in the ring. VR even helped him gain the strength and endurance to add real workouts like pull-ups and pushups to his routine.
Do it to Lose Weight
Sonya Haskins turned a VR hobby into a 40 pound weight loss quest. She suffers from chronic pain, which makes the average, low impact workout feel quite strenuous. In VR, Sonya feels distracted by the game environment and remains active. She barely feels the workout and the weight loss has affected her life in other ways.
In the Echo Arena she finds distraction and pain therapy. She plays 5-8 hours every day as her only hobby and proves that VR can become an incredible and engaging world with real impact.
Do it to be creative
David Scott noted that creativity and fitness are interrelated concepts. With soundboxing, Scott creates beatmaps and experiences his favorite music in a whole new way. Browsing his playlist will keep his workout consistent and fun, but creating beatmaps will allow him to customize his challenge.
He says not much has changed about his diet or lifestyle, he just found a creative way to get his body involved.
Your mantra dictates your training and lifestyle. Take VR fitness seriously by making a commitment to something bigger than yourself.
“The training gives us an outlet for suppressed energies that are generated by stress, and thus strengthens the mind, just as movement conditions the body.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger
Our life demands the most of our body and mind. Staying active in VR is an exit to this pent-up aggression. Once you start exercising, any negative feelings you may have about your job or the stressors around you will dissipate. These things still bother you, but you better deal with them because your body had its exit.
“We are what we do repeatedly. Excellence is then not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle
Practice is repetition and excellence is demanding. VR helps overcome these challenges with advanced routines that rely on your drive to get better. Choose games that challenge and interest you and you will never feel the time go by.
“Don’t count the days, let the days count.” Muhammad Ali
Ali’s quote draws on a strong motivation. It’s tempting to postpone fitness and tell ourselves we will eventually make it. Fitness isn’t a switch you flip to get where you want to be. It’s a lifestyle change. When you change your life, never think, “I’ll just follow the X routine for Y days and get the Z score.” You are preparing for the long haul because you understand that what you are working towards is bigger than yourself.
If you need more motivation, follow our Facebook page or visit us on Twitter. You can also follow Shane Hoalst for match reports and videos of his routines.
VR fitness offers variety in the experience, but self-imposed challenges add depth. When you try hard, the profits come. So challenges will help you get there.
For millions of Americans, going to the gym can sometimes be a real challenge.
Squats
Make more squats a part of your gaming routine with every possible opportunity. If boxing is your favorite genre, focus on ways to crouch while dodging, or squeeze the dummy and practice a specific punch / dodge combo to touch your legs. Play squat-heavy games like cover-based shooter or hot squat.
Pulse rate
Cardio is the best way to keep your heart rate high. You want to try to hover at least between 90 and 100 to burn fat. The more active you get, the better. We recommend checking out the VR Health Institute for some suggestions, but any boxing or archery title is an excellent starting point for cardio.
diversity
VR games offer simulation of whatever you want to be. Budgeting for a few new titles or waiting for sales can add variety to your workouts. You will involve different muscle groups and find some experiences better for light, medium, or heavy days. That way, with intense workouts, you will never feel burned out, nor will you be forced to stick to the same five games for physical reasons.
Get physically
Fitness is most rewarding when it affects your real world. We believe these real world results should lead to goals outside of VR, such as: For example, to finish off the 7 mile hike you’ve always wanted to do, or to go mountain climbing.
Regardless of your goals, these games will help you get there:
Each of these titles offers something different in VR while engaging with the body. Not only are you more active, but there is ample opportunity to hack each experience to improve your profits.
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