Since becoming popular, video games have been seen as a sedentary activity that could not be related to physical well-being or exercise. However, the cutting-edge technology of virtual reality (VR) systems has allowed gamers to play with their whole body in an immersive way - with only a headset and handheld devices. The idea of VR fitness makes exercising an engaging and fun activity, allowing the person to kick, punch, slide, and make nearly any movement as part of the gaming narrative.
The article Running Virtual: The Effect of Virtual Reality on Exercise tackles the physiological outcomes that occur during exercise when using a VR system compared to a traditional workout. According to the researchers, college students have been exercising less in recent years. Some contributing factors may include the need to work a job while studying, significant workloads, and technology use.
VR systems have proven to increase heart rate among users, which means they can be more successful in burning more calories. Also, research has shown that distractions generated by VR systems during exercise can improve physical activity, increase the exercise period, and enhance workouts, which happens because the person can ignore the discomfort that typical exercise can cause for longer periods.
The 2019 experiment had 29 college student participants, all above the age of eighteen. During the study, the group engaged in an exercise routine, specifically riding a stationary bike. After their heart rate returned to the baseline, they engaged in the same exercise routine but with a VR headset. During the VR headset condition, the participants were exposed to outdoor scenery with sun and trees as if they were riding down a sidewalk on a pleasant summer day. The researchers measured participants' heart rates and bodily sensations in each condition and compared them.
Results showed that using a VR system while working out has a positive impact, increasing the person's heart rate over exercising without VR. Participants also responded to a survey, and over 50 percent said that they preferred the VR conditions over the traditional workout and that the VR exercise allowed them to focus better. Also, 62 percent of the subjects said that they would exercise longer while using the VR headset.
Another review from 2020, The Use of Virtual Reality to Influence Motivation, Affect, Enjoyment, and Engagement During Exercise: A Scoping Review, showed that, when it comes to motivation for exercise, VR can also be a suitable strategy to increase the likelihood of long-term adherence. The review analyzed different VR strategies: immersion, virtual avatars, and agents. Three studies mentioned in the review have evaluated how immersive VR impacts motivation. One of those, which used highly immersive VR with features such as sound and wind during virtual cycling, was described as “addictive” for healthy populations and resulted in greater motivation.
Popular equipment for VR fitness practice includes the headsets Oculus, HTC Vive, the Pansonite 3D VR Headset, and Playstation VR. Examples of dedicated fitness games include Supernatural, FITXR, and VZFIT. Supernatural, for instance, has guided workouts led by real fitness trainers, and players can choose to travel to beautiful locations around the world or outside of it - its workouts are intense and exercise the whole body.
The article Running Virtual: The Effect of Virtual Reality on Exercise tackles the physiological outcomes that occur during exercise when using a VR system compared to a traditional workout. According to the researchers, college students have been exercising less in recent years. Some contributing factors may include the need to work a job while studying, significant workloads, and technology use.
VR systems have proven to increase heart rate among users, which means they can be more successful in burning more calories. Also, research has shown that distractions generated by VR systems during exercise can improve physical activity, increase the exercise period, and enhance workouts, which happens because the person can ignore the discomfort that typical exercise can cause for longer periods.
The 2019 experiment had 29 college student participants, all above the age of eighteen. During the study, the group engaged in an exercise routine, specifically riding a stationary bike. After their heart rate returned to the baseline, they engaged in the same exercise routine but with a VR headset. During the VR headset condition, the participants were exposed to outdoor scenery with sun and trees as if they were riding down a sidewalk on a pleasant summer day. The researchers measured participants' heart rates and bodily sensations in each condition and compared them.
Results showed that using a VR system while working out has a positive impact, increasing the person's heart rate over exercising without VR. Participants also responded to a survey, and over 50 percent said that they preferred the VR conditions over the traditional workout and that the VR exercise allowed them to focus better. Also, 62 percent of the subjects said that they would exercise longer while using the VR headset.
Another review from 2020, The Use of Virtual Reality to Influence Motivation, Affect, Enjoyment, and Engagement During Exercise: A Scoping Review, showed that, when it comes to motivation for exercise, VR can also be a suitable strategy to increase the likelihood of long-term adherence. The review analyzed different VR strategies: immersion, virtual avatars, and agents. Three studies mentioned in the review have evaluated how immersive VR impacts motivation. One of those, which used highly immersive VR with features such as sound and wind during virtual cycling, was described as “addictive” for healthy populations and resulted in greater motivation.
Popular equipment for VR fitness practice includes the headsets Oculus, HTC Vive, the Pansonite 3D VR Headset, and Playstation VR. Examples of dedicated fitness games include Supernatural, FITXR, and VZFIT. Supernatural, for instance, has guided workouts led by real fitness trainers, and players can choose to travel to beautiful locations around the world or outside of it - its workouts are intense and exercise the whole body.
