Virtual Reality is not just about gaming.
There are things that you can do in VR that not everyone might be aware of, and we want
to change that with our videos.
Today, we are touching on a normally very boring job but turns into an incredibly fun
one with VR.
We are talking about working out.
Nowadays, studies have proven that exercising in VR can burn more calories per minute than
most dedicated workout equipment at the gym.
Apps dedicated to VR gaming are now available that can track your calories more accurately.
Even Apple believes in it so much that they added a Fitness Gaming work out type on their
watches!
Everything points to VR being the future of exercising.
But it's not only in the future; it is already in the present.
So in this video, I'll tell you about working out in VR and give you tips and tricks on
how to get started yourself.
Hey everyone!
Cas here, and I welcome you to another DIVE INTO VR episode.
Subscribe if you haven't yet to see more videos like this one and check out this playlist
right here!
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So, everyone needs to work out, at least that's what the doctors say, but I'm usually very
demotivated to actually dress up and go to the gym after work.
Because I think going to the gym is boring and timeconsuming.
And I'm sure I'm not the only person who thinks that.
Most of my friends around me work out, but don't find it the most fun job to do.
They feel great after, but actually going can sometimes be… difficult.
But now, I am using VR as my workout, and it feels great.
I don't have much trouble getting started because I actually enjoy it.
But don't just take my word on it.
Let's check out some success stories.
For example, in this article by VR Scout, they talk about Robert, who developed a daily
30-min work out routine using just Beat Saber and lost 138 pounds in only two months.
If you don't know Beat Saber, you might be living under a rock, or maybe I'm just living
in a VR bubble.
But Beat Saber is one of the most popular VR rhythm games where you use lightsabers
to slash boxes that come at you at the beat of the music.
It's a ton of fun, but I can assure you, once you learn how to play on an Expert-level or
higher, doing it for 30 minutes can really tire you out.
Robert says that it worked for him because it drew his inner child, so he was able to
give it his all and have fun doing it.
Here's another success story from Reddit user /u/geoffbowman.
He says he has been on a six month VR fitness journey using Beat Saber to determine the
results one can get from only adding VR cardio to an otherwise unchanged lifestyle and diet.
He shows a picture of the results and says that he is 30 pounds down.
And it looks good!
These success stories are in line with a research study by the VR Institute of Health & Exercise
that says five minutes of working out in an active VR game burns more calories than making
love.
For example, five minutes of Audio Trip, which is another rhythm VR game, burns 3.47 times
more calories than a night of passion.
I think the best thing about working out in VR is that it doesn't feel like a boring session
in a gym.
It just feels like I'm playing a game, and that makes it enjoyable for me.
Because of that, it's much easier to keep motivated.
This is why I wanted to make this video.
I want to inspire you to start doing this, too, if you haven't yet.
And if you have friends who don't like gaming, they might like getting a VR headset just
for this.
So please do share my video with your friends and give it a thumbs up if you found it interesting
so far.
If you want to get started too, the two basic things you will need are a VR headset and
some VR games.
If you don't have a headset yet, I recommend getting an Oculus Quest because its standalone,
and wireless.
You can get one for 400 US dollars.
Now, you don't need the following two things, but I do prefer using it — a calorie tracker
with a heart monitor.
I use these to track my VR work out more accurately.
However, you could also use a smartwatch like the Fitness Gaming work out type on the Apple
Watch that I talked about before.
But since VR is still a pretty new industry, normal calorie trackers might not give you
accurate data.
So I recommend using a calorie tracker that is dedicated to VR gaming.
I have found two that I like; the YUR FIT app and the app by the VR Institute of Health
& Exercise themselves.
Both apps are free.
But the one I prefer using is YUR Fit.
It's currently in Early Access.
You can download the desktop app on Steam or sideload the app on the Oculus Quest.
If you don't know how to sideload, I've made a guide on it in a previous video which I'll
link it in the description.
I like the YUR Fit app because it shows an overlay during my VR gaming sessions.
The overlay shows data on your workout, like how many calories you've burned, how long
you have been working out, your current heart-rate, and even how many times you've squatted.
The heart-rate is only available if you connect a heart monitor.
Here's a list of all monitors that are supported by the YUR app.
I am using a Wahoo TICKR, and I'm pretty satisfied with it.
I will put a link below in case you are looking for one too.
After a VR workout session, you can view your historical data to see how you performed.
This only works if you have an account though.
It's all synchronized in the cloud, too, so you can log in anywhere to view the data.
I've tried using YUR on my PC, and afterward I went to my Quest, and both sessions are
combined in my account.
I also have the app on my phone, which I think is even handier.
But another thing I like about the YUR Fit app is that it uses extra gamification to
motivate you.
You can level up by burning calories.
The more calories you burn, the more points you get for your level.
There's a leaderboard too, which can help if competition is something that motivates
you.
Then there is the app by the VR Institute of Health and Exercise.
This is an institute that studies the impact of virtual reality exercise on the human body.
Their app is available on the Apple App Store and the Google Play store.
In their app, you can also connect a heart monitor, but it seems to support fewer heart
monitors because I could not get it working with my Wahoo TICKR.
But what I like about this app is that it shows a list of many different games, and
it tells you how many calories you will burn per minute.
They've rated those games by doing the tests themselves, and they are transparent about
how they do these tests.
If you want to know what their methods were, it's all on their website.
VR game developers can submit their game for rating if they think it could be used as a
workout.
Not only can you use this app as a tracker, but you can also use it to find games that
you can add to your VR workout routine.
We're almost at the end of this video, so I wanted to share some of my VR game recommendations
that I like using for my workout.
First of all, Beat Saber is one of my favorites.
With Beat Saber, I do feel like I'm only training my arms, though.
So I usually combine this game with other games.
I also like Audio Trip.
This game is great for a full-body workout.
Here, triangles and lines fly at you that you have to follow with your arms.
What makes this game different is that it has a great flow that makes your whole body
move.
A choreographer stands in front of you that shows you dance moves that you can mirror.
The game makes you feel like you are dancing.
Whether it actually look like dancing in real life, I don't know 😉
Plus Audio Trip has some very catchy songs like Satisfaction from Benny Benassi.
Lastly, I've been playing a lot of Pistol Whip, which trains your legs as well as you
will squat a lot while dodging bullets.
This is especially noticeable when you play on harder difficulties.
Here, you enter an autorunning level that looks like an action scene from a movie.
Targets will start shooting at you, and you have to defend yourself by shooting back while
dodging the bullets.
The beautiful level designs are all on the beat of the music; even when you dodge a bullet,
you can hear the bullet fly past you.
The game just gives you energy.
It's great and, at the moment, one of my favorite VR workout games.
I've named a lot of music games as my favorites but you can also play VR games of other genres
as a workout.
There's, for example, Until You Fall, a procedurally generated sword fighting game that can be
an intense activity too.
If you want more tips, check out the ratings in the app by the VR Institute of Health & Exercise.
Now, I know gaming in VR might not work for everyone.
What motivates me might not be the same for you.
For example, I get motivated by these gamification elements.
If I can see my progress, and I can level up with my calorie points, then I feel more
motivated to keep on doing it.
Plus I like games.
So if you are anything like me, then I do think it's worth giving it a try.
Let us know if you are going to get started now and if you already exercise in VR, what
games do you recommend playing?
Put ' em down below so everyone can get some more suggestions.
Again, thanks for watching!
You are amazing!
I hope to see you all in the next video.
A special thanks goes to our Right-Hand Patrons.
Big thanks to artArmin's for his long-term support!
Check out artArmin's YouTube page!
Another shout out goes to BaxornVR and his VR YouTube channel!
As always
VR on!
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