Before we start, I need to inform you that all the information provided in this video is an amateur opinion. I am not a fitness trainer or a professional sportsman. All the conclusions are based on my own experience and internet sources. If you have some health restrictions, better consult with your physician.
By Lena Tricolici
— September 9th, 2020
#VRFitHowTo
VR Workouts VS Gym - What Is Better?
To put on a VR headset? Or to take a dumbbell in your hand? What to choose? In this article, I will try to answer one of the most common questions related to VR - is VR a good workout and whether it can substitute a Gym and fitness centers.
First of all, let's clarify what general types of physical activity exist, what type of activity VR fitness provides and how it differs from exercising at the Gym.
In general, there are two basic types of physical activity:
1. Aerobic Exercises and 2. Strength Training.
There are other additional types like stretching, flexibility, balance exercises and others. They can be combined with strength and cardio workouts.
1. Aerobic Exercises (Cardio)
Aerobic exercise, or as we usually name it - "Cardio" is everything that makes you sweat.
Cardio raises your heart and breathing rates. It can have many forms. Walking, swimming, running, or cycling - all these activities are cardio.
Cardio exercises go in hand with energy-generating processes. Intense cardio is a very calorie-burning workout type, and it is good at raising the metabolism. If you want to lose weight, cardio will help with it.
Aerobic exercise is one of the most beneficial for health, no matter of age, gender and weight. It will enhance your cardiovascular system, build your endurance, help you live longer and will boost your mood.
Do a lot of cardio if you want to:
- Strengthen the immunity system
- Boost metabolism
- Lose weight
- Tone up muscles
- Boost the mood
2. Strength Training
It is everything that involves growing strength, muscle development, and endurance. Strength training usually requires additional equipment, but you can perform it with your bodyweight. These are the 4 most popular types of strength training:
- Lifting weights
- Bodyweight workouts
- Using resistance machines
- Using resistance bands
TIP:
If you do not want to grow big muscles, perform exercises
with your body weight only.
Are strength training exercises for you?
Yes, if your goals are the following:
- Body sculpting
- Growing muscles / or toning them up
- Strength and stamina building
What type of workouts does Gym provide?
Gyms are typically associated with weight lifting and strength training. But the majority of modern gyms provide a wide range of cardio machines and other equipment.
Buying a gym membership you can do cardio, strength and stretching exercises and transform your body to your needs. Whether you want to lose weight, become fit, balance the proportions of your body, Gym is perfect for that.
What type of workouts does VR fitness provide?
When you work out at the Gym, the type of physical activity you get usually depends on the equipment. In VR, the thing that plays the basic role is what games you play.
The majority of VR fitness games provide a cardio workout. It can be low-level cardio, but it can also be a high-intensity interval training that makes your burn calories in beast-mode.
You can also play fitness games for strength workout in VR. Of course, no dumbbells or crossbars here. When you are exercising in VR, the main thing that should be on you is the headset and controllers. But you can perfectly work out your muscles with your own body weight.
Such games as HotSquat, FitXR and VRWorkout encourage you to do a lot of push-ups, crunches, squats, and abs exercises. It provides an amazing strength workout with the only use of your body weight. Such workouts do work in making your muscles toned and well-sculpted.
That said, VR fitness has some limitations:
1. For now, home VR headsets don't provide any option for bodybuilding and powerlifting. But if you are rather a fan of Matt Woodhouse than Schwarzenegger, VR fitness is your cup of tea.
2. VR is not your cup of tea if you are going to bet on the guidance of a personal trainer. Although there are many games that feature virtual fitness instructor guidance like Supernatural or FitXR, it is not enough to teach you the basics of exercising if you are a beginner.
TIP:
If you are a total beginner in fitness, take 1-2 classes
with a fitness trainer. They will teach you basic exercises such as squats, crunches and punches. So you
will get most out of your VR workout and will minimize the risk of trauma.
VR fitness has its shortcomings, but there is one huge advantage that beats them all. VR takes the Work out from your workout. When the headset is on, you play games, you have fun, you spend time with your friends. You do not count reps; you are not focused on muscle pain. You are not self-conscious about how you look. You enjoy the process! And your body is working out.
For me it is still a kind of a miracle, I really cannot believe that something like this exists. And this is available for everyone. I gave $299 bucks for my Oculus Quest headset, and this is my Gym I can always enjoy wherever I am and anytime.
Let's sum up all pros and cons of VR fitness and Gym
Gym Pros And Cons:
- It provides any workout type
- You can use the help of a fitness trainer
- Bodybuilding and powerlifting workouts
- More expensive than VR headset
- You need extra time to get to the Gym
- It is a workout, not a game
VR Fitness Pros And Cons:
- It is cheaper than Gym membership
- You can play it at home.
- VR headset is the only equipment you need
- You can try yourself in different sports
- VR makes you love fitness
- There is no trainer who can show you the exercise technique.
- If you want to grow big muscles, VR will barely help.
These are the major Pros and Cons of VR fitness and the Gym. Again, for me, the best results can be achieved if you can combine workouts at the Gym (fitness center) with VR. If you cannot choose both, you are a total beginner, and you want to exercise in VR, I advise you to have 1-2 lessons with a fitness trainer before you start.
Still on the fence? Watch this video for more details:
This is my list of TOP VR fitness games for a great workout:
I hope now it is easier for you to make the right choice. Whatever option is more up to you, wish you a blasting workout!
