'FitXR' Impression
I’ve never been a fan of gyms. What with getting whiffs of others’ body odour, sharing sweat-drenched equipment or paying to have someone yell at me so that I can improve my performance, I never really bought into the hype. That doesn’t mean that I don’t workout. I do go for outdoor runs, hikes and perform at-home strength and HIIT workouts. This goes on to show that I can exercise without the need for a gym and maintain a healthy BMI. So it did come off as odd to me that only due to the pandemic and social distancing measures did gym-lovers realise that they can work out at home and are actively looking for ways to do so.
For this demographic, FitXR launches at an appropriate time. Developed by the same team behind BoxVR, FitXR is a fitness-oriented app with gamifed features that describes itself as a “virtual fitness studio” with the aim to “to put the fun back into exercise”. It launched on the Oculus Quest a couple of weeks ago, with a release on Steam and PlayStation VR planned for later this year, and I had the opportunity to test it on the Quest. With its focus on at-home training, I was curious if it could up my workout routine with its tech and gamified focus.
FitXR’s concept is inspired from boxing and is quite straightforward: with the controllers, hit the targets approaching you and duck or dodge when obstacles hurl towards you. Even if it sounds easy, it’s more engaging in practice. Some targets must be reached from certain angles with jabs and uppercuts while others will come successively at you and will test your reflexes; all of these exercises are performed in tandem with choreographed upbeat tracks. In a matter of minutes after wearing my virtual gloves for the first time, I could feel my heart pounding against my chest and by the end of my first session, I was sweating more than I thought I would. The next day I was even feeling muscle sores as I was not used to those exercises FitXR engaged me with, showing that I still have room for improvement, but importantly it showed that it was indeed a workout option.
Using FitXR as a workout does feel more fun with its gamified and "multiplayer" aspects as I collect points from every hit and see how I perform compared to others training live with me (whose avatars are also visible). This competitive element did push me to improve on how hard I hit and to maintain my streak as these would reward me with more points and a better chance to top the leaderboard. The audio feedback from virtual trainers who gauge your performance is also a nice-to-have but not really a game-changer.
However, the “gameplay” itself is not much varied, with only combinations of punches, blocks, dodges and squats at its disposal. But then again FitXR is more of a fitness app than a game, with gamified features adding the fun element to it. Its 4+ hours of boxing-inspired workout sessions of varying duration and intensity, is well suited to every user from beginners to advanced. There are even DLC packs available to further get fit with VR.
If your VR headset was gathering dust, FitXR is a good excuse to clean it up and put it to good use with the added benefit of workouts. At an RRP of $29.99, it’s worth a try should you be looking for an interactive way to workout. The Oculus Quest seems like a perfect fit for it being a wireless headset that frees you of any tangle issues. Those missing the gym will also find its multiplayer and coaching features welcome, even if somewhat basic. As for me, I’m adding FitXR to my workout routine so that I can have an odourless “gym-like” workout experience that does work out for me.
