Your guide to
By Lena Tricolici
— June 14th, 2021
The keyword is Resistance. Resistance bands add an external resistance force, making your muscles work more than if they did with bodyweight only.
This is a game-changer in VR as this is practically the most effective and safest way to have a strength and toning workout in VR without weights (As you may know, it is a bad idea to use weights for strength training in virtual reality).
Weights such as dumbbells, crossbars, or weighted gloves in VR fitness are a no-no. VR games are rich with fast, unpredictable moves, and there is a high risk of injuring yourself if you use weights.
Thankfully, resistance bands are a safe way to strain muscle fibers and cause micro-tears needed for muscle growth.
It's worth mentioning though that exercising with resistance bands will not make you BIG as a bodibuilder. For that, you would need to increase the resistance constantly, and the moves should be steady and predictable, which is almost impossible in VR. But if you live a sedentary lifestyle you will see a significant change in your muscle quality if you level up your VR fitness routine with a resistance band.
There are numerous types of resistance bands on the market; all provide different resistance levels. There are loop/hip circle bands or so-called booty bands, bands with handles, 8-figure bands, light therapy resistance bands, bands with a belt for shadow boxing, and many other types.
These are 4 resistance band types that work best for VR strength training workout:
Figure 8 bands are shaped exactly as the name suggests. They are handy to hold as they have 2 soft handles. They stretch well; they do not restrict your movements too much, which is important in VR fitness.
Slip your wrists through the loops and hold the controllers. When you play, try to hold the band directly in front of you and spread it as much as possible while you are playing a VR fitness game. As for me, the 8-figure band works especially well in Beat Saber, but you can "play to your strengths" in FitXR, Supernatural and other games you like.
Slip your feet through the loops. Try keeping your legs as apart as you can to stretch the band. Again, this exercise works perfectly with Beat Saber, as every time you dodge the walls, you have to jump from side to side and stretch the band, making your calves and hips work.
As the name suggests, this type of a resistance band is what you need to build beautiful, rounded, sexy buttocks. Booty bands due to their elasticity level will activate and stimulate your glutes, and engage your hips every time you move your legs and stretch the band during a VR workout. Their simple loop-like shape makes this band easy to wear while playing VR games.
Slide the band around your legs. Drop the height in Beat Saber - turn off the automatic player’s height and set it around 15-20 cm less than you actually have. Next, place the booty band around your ankles, knees, or thighs and go into a squat. Try to keep your legs wide apart and play for at least 10 minutes. This game style will provide a perfect leg workout, engage your glutes and thighs, and make them toned and beautiful.
Keep the band placed around your ankles. Pull the band with your feet to the front every time you make a punch or slice in the game. My go-to method of performing this exercise - I pull the band every time I have to slice the cube in Beat Saber.
This exercise will perfectly engage your quadriceps; it is also super effective if you want to get rid of knee fat.
This is the essential exercise for a lower body workout, and I found it perfect to combine with FitXR, as most FitXR classes imply many squats and side lunges. Keep your upper body straight and legs apart. Every time you have horizontal and diagonal bars in FitXR, go in a dip squat and extend the band as much as possible. The deeper are your squats, the more intensely you will stimulate your legs and buttocks.
Initially, therapy bands have been made for people regaining strength after an injury and for older people. From the 4 bands shown in this article, therapy bands are of the lightest intensity, but don't let it fool you - it doesn't make them less effective. More than that, their shape allows you to be very creative in VR exercises.
Fold the band in two and step on the band with two feet. If the resistance level is too high for you, you can fixate the band with only one leg. Hold the ends of the bands with your hands or tie them to your controllers. Whether you slice the beats in Beat Saber, Moon Rider or hit the cues in Synth Riders, every time you pull your arms up, the band will provide extra resistance, making your biceps work.
Have you ever exercised on a rowing machine? If yes, I bet you remember how great your abs and core worked during this exercise. This is pretty much what you will get playing Holofit. The great news is that you can enjoy the game and perform rowing-like moves without a rowing machine. With a therapy resistance band, you can perfectly imitate the rowing moves, to work out your abb and core.
Sit on the ground, keep your back flat. Place the resistance band around your feet, hold both ends of the band with both hands. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and draw your arms back until the band reaches your upper ribs. Now return to initial position and repeat.
If you own a therapy band, it’s like you own several bands at once. Need a booty band? Just tie the free ends of the therapy band, and voila - you are ready for a lower-body workout. Now you can do all the same leg and glute exercises you did with the 8-figure and booty bands.
This type of resistance band looks pretty intimidating but it is extremely useful not for boxers and martial artists only. There are hundreds of VR fitness players who use it for agility and endurance training in VR. It’s like a suit that engages practically all types of your muscles at once, straining your biceps, back and leg muscles every time you squat, put your hands up, duck or jump. Playing your favorite VR fitness games with this resistance band set is like having 4 workouts in one, and accordingly, wearing it you will burn more calories.
From all 4 bands shown in this video, the therapy band is the most multifunctional and the best choice for beginners. It can be used for almost any VR fitness game and for any muscle group. You can use it for boxing in Thrill of The Fight or FitXR, you can exercise your shoulders and arms in Beat Saber and Synth Riders, you can train your legs, work out your abs, create your own exercises - the only limitation is your imagination.
For an intense lower-body workout get a booty (loop) band as it provides more resistance to your legs, hips, and glutes and you will feel burning in those muscles much faster.
As for advanced VR fitness fans, a resistance band set for boxers is the best choice. It will allow you to burn more calories and will challenge your muscle strength.
© Copyright 2024 VR Fit Body - All Rights Reserved
