Virtual Workouts: Cool or Antisocial?
Serious question.
By Lyndsay Green
Let’s face it: sometimes, you just want to be a loner. There, we said it. And when it comes to working out—even more so. First thing in the morning, it’s understandable that you might want to get a workout in without having to fight over the last empty treadmill in the gym. And after a long day of classes or work, the last thing you want is to be forced to find a way to kill time before your 7 P.M. group exercise class. But it’s also human nature to crave a little competition. So, as is true for many other facets of life, technology to the rescue!
Just like maps, compasses, and watches, workout classes are getting a digital makeover to make your life easier. Interested in taking up rowing but not really into the group class setting? There’s a virtual hack for that. Or, maybe you’ve been dying to run a marathon but you’re a little nervous to be seen crossing the finish line last. Yep, there’s a work-around for that too. Read up on a few new programs that give your body the exercise it needs andchallenge your competitive spirit all on your own, right here.
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Indoorance
One of the latest fitness trends catching fire is rowing. If you haven’t given it a try—get on that. Though it might sound like a great arm workout, rowing is a fantastic alternative to running or cycling if you’re trying to sneak in some cardio. Type A personalities we are, we wanted to be sure that we had the basics down before heading to a group rowing class, so we consulted Mike Creamer, the NYC-based personal trainer behind Indoorance for an introductory lesson. OK, so it wasn’t quite a solo experience, but in comparison to the larger group rowing classes that Creamer leads, what made our one-on-one session particularly unique was the 3D technology component that allowed us to compete with rowers in other parts of the world—in real time. We won’t reveal our (embarrassing) stats, but we will say that the experience was rather cool in our book. Just think, in a few years or less, this interactive program could live within the four walls of your own home.
Peloton
There are a lot of technological factors in this one, so try to keep up. When Peloton founder John Foley began thinking about creating an interactive workout bike, he reverted to his days as a President at Barnes & Noble and the experience he had witnessing the development of the Amazon Kindle Fire. With this insider knowledge, Foley developed a stationary bike with a built-in tablet similar to the Kindle Fire. Can’t make it to a Peloton class in the NYC studio? If you have a Peloton bike in your home, the tablet allows you to live stream classes letting you join in, track your progress, and even video chat with fellow spinners or the instructor. Got a standard bike in your living quarters? No worries. Download the Peloton Cycle app on your own smartphone or tablet and join in on the ride. Hey, everyone can be a little shy to get sweaty in front of strangers, right?
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Paofit
If you’ve ever dreamed of joining a runners club or running a marathon, Paofit allows you to do so from home, the gym, or around your own ‘hood. Think of it as a two-in-one resource. With the Paofit app, you can transport yourself to that faraway place you’ve been dying to visit (say, Tuscany or Bali if you will), as an HD video of the scenic route will appear on your device as you race, and the tracker monitors your speed data so that you can compare your progress with other runners. In fact recently, The Virgin Money London Marathon teamed up with the app to allow runners near and far to participate in a virtual version of the race that interacted with other participants in real time. Travel and fitness. We like the sound of that.
Come on, fitness-grade video games? Sounds pretty cool to us! But it makes you wonder: in the same way that video killed the radio star, could interactive workouts be the future of fitness?
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photo: Getty Images
