I hate the gym… but the latest exercise tech had me burn more calories without ever leaving my home
Covid made at-home and online workouts popular, with people streaming YouTube videos of high intensity classes or joining the Peloton craze and adding a spin bike as a permanent fixture in their living rooms.
And while gyms have long since reopened, the virtual fitness craze hasn’t died down. Capitalizing on that, FitXR created a virtual reality fitness app that transports users into other worldly workouts – from the comfort of their own homes.
FitXR is where ‘fitness meets gaming,’ the company states, ‘transforming workouts into thrilling virtual reality adventures that keep users coming back for more.’
People on our DailyMail.com team range from self-professed couch potatoes to a weight lifter who hits the gym before the sun comes up.
But as gym membership prices surge – with several high-end fitness centers charging close to $400 a month – and fitness influencers crowd weight rooms for views, some of us resort to free YouTube workouts alone in our cramped apartments.
So, a way to workout without fear of intimidation, judgment and a costly credit card bill could be the future of fitness. Enter FitXR.
The CEO of FitXR Sam Cole told DailyMail.com: ‘Making fitness more accessible in both price and convenience are two critical ways to lower the barrier of entry.’
And as America faces an obesity epidemic, with rates hovering around 40 percent, Mr Cole believes VR fitness could be part of the solution, as it allows someone who may otherwise be uncomfortable working out in front people to work out in the comfort of their own homes.
FitXR is an immersive virtual reality fitness app that is ‘transforming workouts into thrilling virtual reality adventures that keep users coming back for more’
He said: ‘We know that intimidation is a major barrier for someone struggling to jump into a workout routine.
‘By design, VR Fitness allows a user to immerse themselves in a world they feel most comfortable in – and the technology is just barely scratching the surface of where that transformation can take you.’
For others, still, Mr Cole added: ‘While we don’t see VR fitness replacing an avid gym goer’s routine, it’s certainly a more wallet-friendly option than paying for a gym membership that never gets used.’
FitXR, named the best fitness app on Meta, offers 1,000 classes in cardio, boxing, high intensity interval training (HIIT), Zumba and strength classes taught by certified fitness coaches, and is used by more than 20,000 people.
The Meta Quest 3S is available for about $300 and a FitXR membership is $13 per month or $108 per year if paid upfront.
The cost upfront may be steep, but think of it as a one-time fee, and $13 a month for a 1,000 workouts is a steal compared to a gym membership that could rival the cost of a luxurious vacation.
The company states: ‘FitXR is breaking the status quo on fitness by creating an alternative approach for those who don’t crave the typical methods that are highly competitive and focus on maximum exertion.
‘We believe daily movement is important for everyone – we build that habit through immersive, game-inspired experiences.’
In January, the company released a new game experience called ‘Seasons,’ featuring new environments and workouts and multiplayer features to workout with friends and family.
So the DailyMail.com Health and Science teams were excited to receive a Meta Quest 3S from FitXR so we could try our hands at VR fitness.
I was the first Daily Mailer to test it and I was excited to be able to work out in the comfort of my own home without being judged by the grunting weight lifters in my apartment building’s gym or running endlessly on the treadmill.
Inside FitXR’s app on Meta Quest. During the boxing workouts, users have to punch and dodge the colorful orbs headed their way and can see who else is virtually working out with them
I tried the boxing class and quickly worked up a sweat. It was fun using the headset but I did have to watch out for my surroundings
I have self-diagnosed workout ADHD and need to vary my exercise or I get bored and fall off the wagon.
This, Mr Cole told DailyMail.com, is a major selling point of the app.
He said: ‘As hardware options evolve and barriers to entry become fewer, widespread adoption of VR for the purpose of fitness will have a strong foothold in the category for users who want to be healthy, but don’t enjoy the more traditional methods out there.
‘There’s no reason that everyone has to subscribe to the “no pain, no gain” mentality.
‘If you can have more fun while still getting a killer workout, that’s the best possible future of fitness for millions out there struggling to find their groove.’
I chose a boxing class. It’s a workout I’ve always liked but my sometimes uncoordinated punches make me self conscious doing it in a group class.
In my living room, my punches were still a bit off when things sped up, but I wasn’t worried about looking stupid – except to maybe my dog judging from the couch.
Between the jabs, uppercuts and dodging and ducking left, right and down, I was sweating and out of breath in minutes.
And the interactive aspect of the workout – punching targets and getting points – made exercising more fun and the class seemed to fly by.
As a usual morning exerciser, I even found myself mustering up the motivation to work out in the evenings because it’s so easy to walk into my living room and pop on a quick class.
I’m definitely a fan.
Our Science and Technology editor Stacy Liberatore is usually up before dawn to hit the gym and lift weights, but she tried the kickboxing workout on FitXR’s app
Our Science and Technology editor was next. Stacy Liberatore is up at 3:50 am every day to head to the gym before coming into the office. Her favorite workouts include weight lifting and strength training, so FitXR was a change of pace for her.
She also chose a boxing session.
She said: ‘I hit the gym five days a week to lift weights and climb the stepper. So, doing a workout in virtual reality did not seem like it’d live up to the hype.
‘The nice thing was that I didn’t have to leave my home to do it. While I was skeptical, I found myself sweating and panting through the only eight-minute session.
‘I used my Apple Watch to track the workout, finding it was equal to what I do in the gym lifting weights. While I wouldn’t totally trade my dumbbells for a VR headset, it would be great for rest days.’
Next was health reporter Emily Joshu Stearne. Her idea of a workout is a few miles on the elliptical, lifting light weights, Pilates core work or high-intensity interval training.
Health reporter Emily Joshu Stearne said the FitXR workouts helped exercise not feel like ‘a chore,’ but her small living room space – and cat – meant she was sometimes bumping into things
She usually goes to the gym or a studio class for her exercise so trying to do a fast-paced workout in her apartment was a little more of a challenge and she wished the virtual instructor explained some of the advanced moves more.
Emily said: ‘This could just be a sign that my living room is too small or that I’m just not used to VR, but I found myself consistently running into things during the workout.
‘The instructor would fade out of existence right after introducing a move, so it’s possible the lack of anyone right in front of me made it hard to orient myself.
‘I kept moving further and further forward without meaning to, running into my TV and briefly stepping on my cat.’
Her workout was fast paced with a variety of moves, making it go by ‘quickly without making it feel like a chore.’
Emily added: ‘I think it just needs clearer boundaries to keep people from running into things and clearer instructions about the moves themselves, but overall it was an enjoyable way to work up a sweat.’
