How to hit the gym without leaving your home
Virtual reality is for more than video games. Now, it's giving people a whole new way to get fit while in their living rooms.
CEO and co-founder of FitXR Sam Cole said his company is just one of several looking to capitalize on the expanding VR technology by teaching people how to virtually box in their app: BoxVR. Think of their app like a combination of the popular video game "Guitar Hero" and an in-studio boxing workout.
"What you see when you're in the experience is a whole bunch of cues that fly at you on the beat of the music and those cues represent different punch moves," Cole told FOX.
According to Cole, its app can be used by anyone, no matter their skill level.
Screenshot of BOXVR if one were using it to workout (FITVR)
Experts say the future of VR will include fitness in a big way.
"For the first time, virtual reality is really accessible to the masses, I believe," Cole said. "No longer do you need a big PC and lots of cables around the experience. It's there, and it's standalone, and it just works."
FITVR certainly isn't the only player in the VR fitness game. Here are some popular ones:
Beat Saber
Beat Saber is a VR rhythm game where participants can slash beats of music flying toward them.
Sprint Vector
Sprint Vector is a multiplayer game that merges extreme sports competition inside what almost looks like a futuristic game show course.
Sparc
If you love dodgeball but don't like the idea of getting hit in the face, Sparc is your game. You can play multiple sports like tennis and boxing.
Many of these games are available on platforms like Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR, HTC Vive and Windows Mixed Reality.