VR Biking Makes You Push Tougher and Get Fitter Sooner
We’re not the type of website that likes to say we told you, but this time around we just can’t resist. We have long been advocates of VR gaming and its positive effects on fitness and health, and recent research has helped further prove our point. Research shows that VR games have an impact on competitiveness and social relief. What does that mean for you? When you exercise in VR, you get more out of your body than if you were on a boring, stationary cardio machine at your local gym. Sounds interesting? Yes, we thought this would get your attention.
One study supporting these claims looked at a group of seniors who participated in a VR cycling game and how the participants interacted with each other and how well they performed, and showed that fitness programs that matched competitiveness tend to do the To maximize participant’s effort. The study is further evidence that exercise not only promotes physical, but also cognitive and mental health among participants in VR gaming experiences.
Data from a 2007 national health survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a sharp decline in regular exercise across the board for nearly every population group in the United States. Since there have been more recent updates on “regular exercise” and the number reflects the lowest level of activity acceptance, as opposed to more ambitious projections in recent years, it is believed that this number no longer accurately reflects the problem. It is hoped that programs that incorporate a competitive advantage could increase their efforts as more people are encouraged to be more active – even a slight increase.
There is also hope that the prospect of competition could help break down general barriers that prevent many Americans from exercising, including obesity, inactivity, injuries, and old age. The respondents gave everything from a lack of motivation to bad weather as an excuse not to exercise. A competitive VR gaming environment would not only eliminate problems with weather conditions, but it could also provide the nudge users need to get started. Research has started to show that exergaming (the smart name the researchers gave it) increases participation and mood.
Study shows competitive advantages Improvement of the training experience
In the most recent study, which showed the effects of competition on exercise experiences, participants exercised on a stationary bike while in a VR experience designed to increase their intensity. After establishing a baseline for cycling, competitive avatars were introduced and pedaling power was assessed. The participants trained like this two to five times a week for three months.
Physical factors such as weight, height, abdominal composition, heart rate and blood pressure were recorded during the study. The results showed that study participants who were already more competitive increased their driving intensity more when competitors were introduced to the exergaming experience on the screen than those who were less competitive, but there was an increase in both groups. The researchers consider the increase in the competitive group to be significant, believing that “the introduction of a competitive avatar did not have a negative impact on less competitive drivers, but it did improve the training efforts of more competitive drivers”.
Natural competitive nature could enhance the benefits of exercise
More research is needed to find other motivational factors that could increase a gamer’s desire to work harder during their VR experience. If the results of this study can be further verified and applied in other situations, it means that the exergaming experience could be tailored to a person’s natural competitive nature.
Ultimately, researchers and health and fitness industry representatives want to help everyone, especially those who may be less mobile, find ways to exercise that are fun and motivating. The health benefits alone are not enough to keep gamers excited, and there can be a barrier to introducing everyone to modern technology, but this study has shown that attraction to one person’s natural competitiveness affects many of the others Overcoming obstacles that exist when it comes to leading a healthier, more active lifestyle. What do we need to make this happen? Better experiences that lead users to more active lifestyles through immersive games that users get lost in without realizing they are exercising.
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