VR Fitness Digest: August 2022

Every year, after a holiday season stuffed with calorie-rich celebrations, many of us kickstart January with a resolution to work out more. And while we often get plenty of exercise in the month or two after that, it can be very challenging to stay active all year round. But with Meta Quest, fitness isn’t only easy—it can also be a lot of fun. So whether you’re shaking your behind in Dance Central, bobbing and weaving to avoid an assassin’s bullets in Pistol Whip, or pedaling over Italy’s majestic Dolomites in VZfit, Meta Quest helps you take the “work” out of “workout.”

Today, we’re kicking off a new series highlighting the best that VR fitness has to offer. We’ll check in on the latest and greatest content available on Quest, look at accessories that can amp up the enjoyment you get from VR fitness, learn about new tools that can help you track your progress, and hear from influencers about why they love using Quest to stay active.

Let’s go!

What’s New This Summer

An Olympic Gold Medalist Brings Her Intensity to FitXR

“I love creating change in the world,” says Nicola Adams, two-time Olympic Gold Medallist, WBO World Champion, and the latest boxing trainer in FitXR, the immersive virtual fitness club. “I’m a big gamer and I obviously love to workout so FitXR brings together two of my personal passions.”

Adams, who’s one of boxing’s biggest stars and an LGBTQ+ icon, coached her first FitXR workout to coincide with Pride Month in June. “I believe in the FitXR mission,” she says, “and being able to make fitness more inclusive.” And while most people will never match Adams’ status as a former WBO Flyweight champion and the first woman and openly-LGBTQ+ boxer to win an Olympic gold, she believes FitXR can help level the playing field. “It doesn’t matter how able-bodied you are – you can still workout and have fun.”

And when you’re doing so, you can set weekly goals, browse classes, track your progress and analyze your results on the new FitXR mobile app now available for compatible iOS and Android devices. It only takes a few clicks to sync, and each of your profiles can be linked to up to three unique devices. Download the FitXR mobile app today via the App Store or Google Play Store.

Use Voice Commands to Get the Most Out of LES MILLS BODYCOMBAT

With LES MILLS BODYCOMBAT, OhShape creators Odders Lab brought the hugely successful in-person and on-demand BODYCOMBAT program to VR. A heartbeat-raising app that gets your energy flowing, LES MILLS BODYCOMBAT teaches plenty of new punches and knee strikes.

And now, the app supports voice commands in English, so you can keep your hands busy throwing punches and use your voice to perform a variety of actions.

To start with, you can launch a specific or a random session, or kick off one of your favorites with a set intensity and/or duration. Once you’re in a session, you can use your voice to pause, resume, or go to the main menu. And finally, at the end of a session, you can speak a voice command to go to the main menu or add the session to your favorites.

Mindful Breathing Is Good For Your Body

While being active is important for your health, so is slowing down with mindful breathing. That’s where Maloka comes in. The meditation game from celebrated wellness authors Sukey and Elizabeth Novogratz was designed to help you learn healthy meditation practices.

Now, Maloka’s better than ever with the addition of new week-long programs on topics like reflection, healing, chakra balancing, and improving sleep, led by renowned teachers like Deepak Chopra, Allison Bagg, Aly Raymer, and Sharon Salzberg.

The Weeknd Comes to Supernatural

In June, the hit VR fitness app Supernatural kicked off its Artist Series with two workouts from mega-star Katy Perry. And last month, the series continued with Imagine Dragons.

“The Supernatural Artist Series is something I’m thrilled to share and experience with all of our athletes,” says Head of Fitness (and Coach) Leanne Pedante. “This partnership allows Supernatural members to deepen their already-immersive experience in a whole new way as they box and sweat to their favorite artists.”

Starting today, Supernatural devotees will be able to work up a sweat to two new workouts from the creative mind of global pop star The Weeknd. Box with Coach Leanne to the beat of songs like “In the Night,” “False Alarm,” and “The Hills,” or flow with Coach Dwana to hits like “Blinding Lights,” “I Can’t Feel My Face,” and “Take My Breath.”

And there’s more great artists coming soon. Supernatural’s Artist Series continues in September with Swedish House Mafia, followed by Kid Cudi, Coldplay, and Lady Gaga.

Oculus Move

Quest’s built-in fitness tracker, Move is designed to help you stay on top of your exercise goals so all you have to do is the workouts.

In recent months, we’ve expanded the ways you can do that, including by adding the ability to track your fitness progress on any mobile device.

And last month, we introduced Move Achievements. With this new feature in the Move app in VR, you’ll be able to monitor all your fitness milestones, whether it’s hitting your calories burned targets or how many daily goals you’ve completed. And since Achievements are built into Move, you’ll be able to advance towards those milestones any time you’re building up a sweat in any app or game.

Strap In

Level up your game with the Elite Strap for Quest 2. With the enhanced comfort this ergonomic strap provides, you can fine-tune the balance and support of your headset with a quick turn of the fit wheel. Now you’ll be able to stay level-headed no matter how intensely you’re moving.

“What Are You Waiting For?”

When it comes to VR fitness, there’s something for everyone. Just ask TikTok influencer and Quest Partner Alicia McCarvell. She loves her Quest 2 because it inspires her daily to overcome the inertia of everyday life. “I struggled with movement,” she says, and “struggled with finding the time for movement.”

But now, thanks to her three favorite Quest apps—The Thrill of the Fight, FitXR, and Supernatural—she can get in a workout anytime she wants and be comfortable because she can do it right in her own home.

“So what are you waiting for?” asks McCarvell. “The only thing standing between you and getting yourself moving in all these fun ways is getting [a Meta Quest 2].”

Start Your VR Fitness Journey

We can’t wait to share all the exciting things happening in the world of VR fitness with you. So whether you’re diving into bite-sized workouts during short holes in your schedule or spending hours sweating it out each week, Quest has something for you.

Is VR fitness already part of your routine? Take a post-workout selfie and tag @MetaQuest to share your journey with the VR community. We’ll see you next month for our next VR Fitness Digest.

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