Work Out Like an RPG Character

As part of a classic New Year’s health drive, I’d like to share with you my approach to training, inspired by Nerd Fitness, and in particular their Angry Birds Workout (in my opinion so tenuously linked to Angry Birds that it barely makes sense to call it that, but it’s a good plan so heywhocares!). @health-habits wrote YOU are an n=1 experiment and encouraged others to share their approaches. Well, this works for me. It might not work for you, but all we can do is try to help each other out. n=1, after all.

Gamify


Yep; it’s been done to death, it’s come into fashion and gone again, but I gamify the hell out of this.

Let’s start with the original, Nerd Fitness’s Angry Birds Workout, and modify towards the system I now make use of. This centres on the Angry Birds star-based scoring system; depending on how few sets you’re able to complete a certain number of repetitions in, you’re awarded a star rating:

  • 2 or less sets to complete ★★★
  • 3 sets ★★☆
  • 4 sets ★☆☆
  • 5 or more sets ☆☆☆

You start out as level 1 in each of push-ups, squats, back and plank, and you level up each time you manage to score ★★★ in a given exercise. The number of repetitions in the challenge, and the difficulty of the action you’re performing, increase with level, so that to get ★★★ becomes harder as you level up. This works really well; the levels are pretty well-tuned and it’s fun to do a circuit and try to nail the top score. You’re encouraged to create a tracking sheet so you can monitor your levels in the different disciplines, and the star ratings of your workouts.

Upgrade


All of this reminded me of a game I’ve been playing a lot, Fire Emblem: Awakening. In this, each character levels up toward many different stats; Strength, Skill, Resistance, and a lot more. It struck me that the four exercises included in the Angry Birds Workout circuit fall into two broad categories; Strength exercises (push-ups, squats and back) and Endurance (plank). Why not take these exercises as “sub-stats” and have them contribute towards a smaller number of overarching stats for your “character”?

Consider my Strength stat; it’s calculated as the floor of the average of my levels in push-ups, squats and back. Level 2 across the board in those? Then my Strength rating is 2. You can decide on a set of top-level stats and the sub-stats that make them up, but I’ll suggest a set here too☺

Stats


Strength

Your physical power over explosive / short term motions

  • Push-ups
  • Squats
  • Pull-ups
  • Dead lifts

Endurance

Your ability to withstand long lasting strenuous activities

  • Distance running
  • Planks
  • Spinning
  • Pull-up hanging

Speed

Your ability to move quickly over short and medium distances

  • Sprint running
  • Sprint cycling
  • Sprint swimming

Skill

Your aptitude with dexterous and precise activities

  • Archery
  • Juggling
  • Fencing

Above all, the important thing is to tailor a set of stats and sub-stats that suit your interests, and design a challenging set of level definitions that’ll train you up towards mastery! Then it’s all down to tracking your levels and going for ★★★ on each practise session.