FAMILY FITNESS WITH VIRTUAL REALITY
Family Fitness Fun Using Virtual Reality
The fitness journey is like a roller-coaster, especially when you’re considering something fun for the whole family.
One day you are all psyched up and ready to hit the gym and the next day… well, you just want to stay home and enjoy some fun with the family. You work a full week; usually, 45–60 hours and family time is premium.
Staying consistent can be hard, especially if you live miles away from the gym. Thank God for technology, now you can work out at home with your family using virtual reality.
Virtual Reality at Home with the Family
Unlike going to the gym, training with virtual reality lets you escape the real world, creating an exciting new one for exercise.
Let’s be honest. Even the most dedicated fitness lovers have had days where they don’t feel like setting foot in the gym. Going to the gym or working out at home on the treadmill doing the same kind of exercise is boring and disenchanting.
With virtual reality, you can run the streets of Paris, or power walk around Rome with Google Street View and your head-mounted display (HMD).
However, each system is different, so to get the most out of your VR system, you need to optimize your room to your system. At least as close as possible, right?
One of the best articles I have read about setting up a virtual-reality-ready room is the VR Fitness Insider article, “5 Tips on How to Set Up a Great VR Space”. They go into a lot of detail about setting up for various systems. I could have read it and regurgitated here for you, but why?
I figured just give you the link, you can find your system, and go from there.
Have a mini staycation with the entire family and interact within the games, keeping fit, and having fun at the same time. Call Grandma or Uncle George to include them in the fun. The best part is that you can connect with other users all over the world as though you are in the same place.
How to Set Up Your Family Fitness Room
So, the only thing to do is set up the basement or spare room to get the most fun out of your playtime/workout without finding the coffee table with your shin or a dumbbell with your big toe.
Many of the VR games come with specific instructions on how much space you’ll need to set up your system. Therefore, you should start by designating an area and making it as safe as possible.
Any space could do if you make a few adjustments. You should configure the room to accommodate any game without having to make arrangements that discourage whoever is looking to take a few minutes for yoga or whatever. The flooring should be comfortable enough to accommodate any form of physical activity.
The most popular flooring options for home gyms include foam, carpets, and rubber. Rubber is inexpensive and long-lasting. What’s more, even if you get wicked sweaty, rubber won’t absorb the liquid and start stinking after a few days.
Carpet tiles, on the other hand, are warm and comfortable. Take a look at these Interlocking Foam Floor Mat 24in x 24in Tiles by Clevr from Amazon. You can cover any 10 x 10-foot area for $114.99.
This flooring is genuinely easy to install and looks good. These tiles also stand up well to heavy ellipticals, yet practical for yoga and all your VR games.
Then, once you’ve got your room set up, get the Virtual Reality Positioning Mat to keep everyone safe for the more active games. This mat is like braille for your feet and keeps you firmly rooted in the real world to keep you and everything safe in your surroundings.
Virtual Reality Games that Give Your Family a Fun Workout
What games you can play depends on your set up, so if you have the Play Station VR, the games available might be different than those for the Oculus Quest or HTC Vive.
OhShape — this game requires you to move your body in rhythm while dodging and punching walls. It’s quite exciting and trains your mental and physical agility.
This game is definitely one you want to use the positioning mat with, or you might punch a window or worse yet, mom! That would not be good. You might wind up looking like the guy pictured above.
It’s already available for Oculus Rift, Windows, and HTC Vive, but we’re still waiting for its release on PSVR.
Beat Saber — is an exciting game with various skill levels that the entire family will enjoy for years to come. It’s available in multiple formats, like PSVR, Oculus Quest & Rift, HTC Vive, and even Windows Mixed Reality.
Your mission is to slice through the beats and dodge the oncoming walls. It’s quite the workout!
Put your arms and your whole body to the test with this game. If you can still lift your arms when you’re done, get back in there!
This game takes you through the rhythms while listening to Green Day, at the Disco, Panic! And Imagine Dragons.
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About Me
Stephen Dalton is a retired US Army First Sergeant with a degree in journalism from the University of Maryland and a Certified US English Chicago Manual of Style Editor. He is a freelance journalist currently living in the Philippines.
You can see his portfolio here. Email [email protected]