So you’ve got your new Oculus Rift or HTC Vive started, played with a few apps, and are now looking for tips to give this VR fitness thing a try. But you are not sure where to start.
Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve been in shape. Or you are trying to find out if VR fits into your existing routine. Or, if you’re like me, search the internet for tips to start in the right direction. No matter who you are, you have an interest in VR fitness – and that’s great.
This article will give you a handful of tips to refer to if you feel you are not on the right track. Once you take your step, I am confident that you will be as excited about VR fitness as you were when I started my journey. So without further ado, let’s go:
# 1: Choose your apps wisely
If you sit down or stand still while you shoot down a wave of robots with your controller, you will never get the same fitness results as 1,000 kicks and 100 squats in less than 15 minutes. In VR, you may be asked to perform both actions – even at the same time in the same game. The only constant is that in VR you are always present in your own physical space.
Because of this, it’s important to choose the right VR fitness games for the type of workout you want. For this reason, you should also choose games that you can easily play in your gaming area. Fortunately, I already have a full workout plan for you to use and a separate guide on choosing the right type of exercise. These two guides provide detailed tips on how to play the right game.
# 2: Know your limits
You need to take breaks, eat and drink water. As with any other type of leisure activity, VR uses energy – and there is only so much you can give. A lot of VR titles come with a warning and if you’re anything like me you’ll ignore them and jump to the fun parts. But take it from the man who died and fell into a glass table, or the man who had a seizure in his VR headset – you’d better keep your limits in check.
# 3: Don’t take days off
This seems to contradict my previous advice, but it isn’t. If you’re serious about VR fitness, you can’t take days off. Just like any other type of fitness program: use it or lose it. You don’t necessarily have to go crazy about the HIIT routines every day. There are days where you should play lower intensity games for light exercise. However, it is best to perform a VR routine (once) at least once a day. If you played Rec Room for an hour, you would still burn around 150 to 200 calories that hour.
JUST DO IT!
The trick is to speed up your routines over time so you don’t overexert yourself. Example: You can start with 20 minute HIIT sessions every other day and work your way up to hour long sessions every day. Whatever you do, don’t give up or let yourself fall back into old habits.
# 4: set goals
As in a traditional fitness routine, everything you do in VR should be intentional. So why not set a goal to stay on track? Every time you step in, move your fitness ticker forward. After all, you can move this ticker forward every day by playing video games. What’s not to like? Set some goals and let them count each day.
# 5: Track Your Progress
If you have a scale, weigh yourself every day and record the results. Put them anywhere: on a sticky note, on a whiteboard, or in a document on your computer. You can even hit them on the fridge. If you have a wearable device that counts steps, calories, heartbeat, and exercise duration – like an Apple Watch or Fitbit – record every session and keep every recording.
I use Under Armor Record to send a feed from my Apple Watch to OBS Studio while playing BOXVR.
Why am I suggesting this? Because as long as you follow my other advice, you will be presented with quantifiable evidence that you are winning. Everyone. Single. Day. Motivation is your best friend in life. And also in VR Fitness.
# 6: wear a VR cover (or a sweatband, or both!)
When you exercise in VR, you get sweaty. Do not worry! Your sweat won’t damage your headset. But if you don’t mind your business, your sweat will Make your headset dirty and uncomfortable to use. Especially for the next person to try it on. Instead of letting your sweat run down the face surface of your headset, you can use a replaceable VR cover that holds it in place. You can machine wash it, and VR covers often come in packs of two or more.
You can also tone down more sweat by wearing a sweatband. It’s old fashioned, but it works!
# 7: Eat healthy
This one is tough on me. I really want to keep eating the pizza, sugar, and fast food that I love. But it’s holding me back I know that if I adopted a healthy eating plan, I could lose more weight, get fit, and see a lot more results. Granted, this is advice I’ll write for myself, but I know you could probably benefit from it too. For full tips, see Juanita Leatham’s Guide to Healthy Eating.
# 8: Don’t neglect your friends and family
VR is already being touted as an isolating technology by certain companies, and I believe this was the takeaway from Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One adaptation.
As misinformed as I am, you have a point. When you’re engrossed in a good game, it can be easy to lose track of time even as you sweat calories like crazy. You probably won’t be spending days in your headset. But if your friends, family, pets, and your boss haven’t heard from you for a while, don’t let them assume the worst.
# 9: find a workout buddy
For the same reason, you can use VR as an opportunity to connect with people. Do you know someone who wants to get in shape and has a VR setup? Bring her into a BOXVR group workout or Beat Saber party. You will be glad you bought the VR covers. And not only will you get fit, but you will also have the opportunity to connect with someone in your life. Social VR at its best.
# 10: Get outside and enjoy your new health
Why get fit in VR if you don’t take the opportunity to do things that you didn’t feel good enough for before? Do you remember when you were too embarrassed about going to the gym, clubs, or the beach? No more. Since I started using VR, all the physical activity has made me crave for more real experiences. That’s the special part about VR fitness that nobody talks about. It makes real reality more enjoyable. VR prepares you to go into life. All of this physical exercise gets you used to being in your body instead of feeling like you have to escape your body from the comfort of a sofa.
At last, you have some tips to get you started on your VR fitness routine. You have some ideas on how to choose the right VR fitness games. And you understand how important it is to know your limits.
By doing VR fitness every day, you can achieve your goals and see improvements every time as you track your progress. You can also buy VR covers and sweatbands to keep your headset clean. Eating healthy may feel like a chore, but your improved fitness is worth the diet. And instead of ignoring your friends and family, you can invite them to enjoy VR with you. Most importantly, though, you can always enjoy yourself in VR and get the most out of your own life. Get fit in VR, then get out there and enjoy your newfound health!
What tips would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments.
Follow us on social
Stay up to date with the latest VR fitness news
This article may contain affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and buy a product, we may receive a small commission to help publish it. More information here.
Comments are closed.