Virtual Reality Video Games That Double as Exercise
During the harshest months of Minnesota’s long, dark winters, when it takes only a few moments for your eyes to start watering and your cheeks to begin stinging, I give up my outdoor hobbies and get creative about exercising indoors. Sometimes that means hopping on a stationary bike. But more and more I find myself turning to an entirely different landscape: virtual reality.
Pulling a ski-mask-like VR headset over your eyes drops you into a virtual world where you can watch movies, play games, and, yes, exercise. Sensors track the location of your hands, body, and head while you smash opponents as Adonis Creed in “Creed: Rise to Glory.” Other apps let you dance, bike, do yoga, and meditate.
“Most people never stick to a workout, because it’s not fun, and you are well aware it’s a workout,” said Long. “But VR has the ability to trick the mind into thinking it’s a game and not exercise.”
I recommend one more accessory: disposable masks. The VR headset I use has a foam face pad, and it quickly becomes soaked with sweat. It’s gross, especially considering how many friends and co-workers borrow my headset each month. A hygienic mask cuts down on the ick factor dramatically.
See the full story here: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/17/smarter-living/wirecutter/virtual-reality-video-games-that-double-as-exercise.html