Working out in the metaverse
A quick dive into the fitness apps you’ll find on Oculus by Barry Klipp
It’s 5:30 in the morning, and I’m in my living room not waking the family while searching for a new gym. A metaverse gym. I know what you’re thinking, “Barry doesn’t need exercise, dude’s in peak physical form.” First, thanks for your kind words. Second, you’ve only seen me on Zoom; my training and New Year’s resolution have broken down.
Instead of reenrolling at Planet Fitness, I figured why not find my pump in the metaverse?
The first stop for me was finding a digital trainer. I started in the Oculus App Store. There, I was met with options on options that dove into the workout space. With a Quest 2, there’s no shortage of guided training and “immersive” ways to do pushups. I started with a game called REAKT to see where it would take my heart rate.
Unfortunately, it underwhelmed, feeling like a simple reaction drill as opposed to a sweat-inducing workout session. The big plus of this first workout though, no judging gaze from other, more seasoned gym members. I looked silly ducking and dodging with a computer wrapped around my face, but I wasn’t self-conscious as there were no onlookers to shake their heads.
Next, I decided to punch into Thrill of the Fight, a boxing simulator 7,000+ reviewers said was “pretty good.” Now, I’ve watched more than a few videos of Oculus players knocking out very real walls, televisions, and children but decided despite the risk, the game looked worth a whirl. And worth a whirl it was, I’m still surprised Thrill of the Fight was so engaging.
Even with the low-poly look of my opponent, I actively feared the punches being launched my way. Luckily, from a previous training session at Mayweather Boxing in Tampa, I got my heart rate up and felt as if I was in the ring getting pummeled by Iron Mike.
Forty-five minutes in and fresh off my beatdown, I wanted to try one last app. I searched for the game where you dance with lightsabers in Guitar Hero-style. While Beat Saber wasn’t a workout game per se, I had to check it out because: a). light sabers and b). if I move fast enough, it’s working out.
The experience was as unique as it was familiar. I crushed a few pop songs and literally sliced the beats. I won’t lie, both arms got a great workout, and I finished short of breath. Beat Saber was a surprise workout and too damn fun, so now I’m hooked.
Closing Thoughts
The traditional VR workouts get 2/5 stars. What I found was just OK, not much innovation, and I think I’ll be heading back to Planet Fitness or Crunch.
The boxing simulation was a smash, 4/5 stars. Engagement that almost scares you — even though there are no actual hands thrown, you don’t want to get hit.
Beat Saber is awesome with 5/5 stars. It combined the best parts of VR to date: music, effects, and something that felt familiar but still new.
All in all, my experience was pretty good. The metaverse is a lot like our traditional world, only with a filter. Exercising there will always come down to the same thing as exercising anywhere else, motivation.
The metaverse does feel like many new things are on the way, though; I imagine lifting weights that digitally turn into bigger weights, and my digital body already being Schwarzenegger-sized.
PS
There’s nothing more humbling than getting your ass kicked by a metahuman while tripping over your couch in the dark. Boxing blind does require a strong chin.
