Virtual Reality: The New Way to Get Fit

Am I the only one who watched Ready Player One and thought “GEEZ playing that game would be such a great workout, and a fun one at that!” For those of you who haven’t seen the movie, you need to watch it! Here’s a trailer:

So far, Virtual Reality has been confined to basic movements standing in place or sitting in a desk chair (for obvious reasons. It’s quite disorienting!) but if Ready Player One is any indication of where VR could go, I’m psyched. If that thought excites you too, keep reading, because it’s quickly becoming a reality, thanks to a company called Black Box VR.

What is Black Box VR?

Black Box VR is the first ever Virtual Reality gym! The first and only gym (so far) opens this year in San Francisco, California. The owners, Preston Lewis and Ryan DeLuca (owners of BodyBuilding.com) decided in 2016 to create the company. They took their love of fitness and the awesome up-and-coming tech and combined them for a kick-ass gaming/workout experience that’s sure to work your body and brain.

How Does It Work?

You reserve your 30-minute time slot at the gym, get in your pod, hook up to the resistance bands and headset, and go! You play through challenges to earn points and defeat enemies. But instead of using just your thumbs or a joystick, you use your whole body! Below are some information on the workout program:

Why would you want to do this?

First of all, why the heck wouldn’t you!? One of the biggest reasons people don’t like to go to the gym is because it’s boring and seems to take too long. Others don’t like the feeling of being watched. A VR gym helps solve both problems. Time always flies by faster when you’re having fun and what’s more fun than playing a game? And, while you’re playing through the game, you’re fully submersed in the VR experience and won’t even see or hear if anyone passes by you. It’s a win-win!

What does this mean for the future of VR fitness?

The sky is the limit, folks! Once people see how successful this business will inevitably become, game developers will start creating a lot more content for VR fitness and more and more VR gyms will start popping up around the world. As this happens, prices will get cheaper and cheaper and eventually we may be able to have our own VR gym in the comfort of our home! As VR technology progresses, there’s no telling how much you’ll be able to do within the VR world. I’m personally extremely excited to find out. How about you?

To learn more about Black Box fitness, visit their website here.