Schlagwort: fitness

  • Gamify Your Workout

    Gamify Your Workout

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Wondering how you can keep fit while stuck inside? Try to gamify your workout routine in VR!

    With full-body tracking and full immersion, we’ve all been surprised when we find our heart rates up while enjoying some of our favorite titles. To help keep you active while the gym is closed, we’ve put together a playlist of our top fitness-inspired titles included with your Viveport Infinity membership.

    What are the VR titles you’re playing right now to stay in shape? Join in on the conversation on the HTC VIVE social channels and share your VR fitness routine with the VR community.

    Creed: Rise to Glory by Survios

    Challenge your stamina as you go toe-to-toe with world champions and experience the ascent of Adonis Creed. Set within the Creed™ films, you’ll train hard to rise from an underdog to the world-class fighter you’re meant to be. With the new Phantom Melee Technology, you’ll experience every punch and KO.

    Play Creed: Rise to Glory now.

    OhShape by Odders

    A new rhythm game based on a popular Japanese television show, OhShape will get your heart rate elevated right away. Following the beat, you’ll move your whole body to go through, punch or dodge walls quickly heading your way. This fast-paced game will challenge your mind as much as your body.

    Play OhShape now.

    Dance Collider by emergeWorlds

     

    One of our favorite VR rhythm games, Dance Collider brings its own flair to the popular genre. Energetic dance patterns will have you working up a sweat as you battle dancers from around the globe for a spot on the leaderboards.

    Play Dance Collider now.

    Remind VR: Daily Meditation by VIVE Studios

     

    For a change of pace, try Remind VR: Daily Meditation. Relax and unwind to let go of the worries that hang heavy on your shoulders. Reducing your stress levels is just as important as your physical wellbeing so try performing these three short daily exercises today.

    Play Remind VR now.

    BOXVR by FitXR

    BOXVR brings high-intensity boxing workouts to your living room. With regularly updated boxing workouts developed by a team of fitness instructors, BOXVR is specifically designed to shred calories.

    Play BOXVR now.

    First Person Tennis – The Real Tennis Simulator by Mikori Games

     Ready to challenge the tennis pros? In First Person Tennis you’ll lob, volley and ace your way to the top. A full ranking system and 13 tournaments to tackle, this realistic simulator will test your skills as you go head-to-head with friends or the computer.

    Play First Person Tennis now.

    PowerBeatsVR by Five Mind Creations

    Your quads are in for a workout with PowerBeatsVR. An adrenaline-pumping rhythm title, you’ll need to box, dodge, squat and sidestep around obstacles to the beat of the music. With the in-game level editor, you can control how intense your workouts are and upload your favorite tracks. With calorie tracking capabilities and added support for heart monitoring, you’ll soon understand just how hard you’re working.

    Play PowerBeatsVR now..

    Knockout League by Grab Games

    This single-player arcade-style boxing game is your ticket to a summer bod. Take on a wacky cast of characters as you move, dodge, squat and punch your way to the championship. Coach Doug will get you in tip-top fighting shape as he trains you with various boxing drills, all intended to get your heart rate up and your skills sharpened as you get ready for the ring.

    Play Knockout League now.

    Ninja Legends by Coinflip Studios

    Ninja Legends offers a fast-paced melee combat experience only possible in VR. Skillfully block and parry attacks as you fend off increasingly difficult swarms of enemies from all angles. Attack enemies with great pace and accuracy to survive as long as you can and keep up a consistent heart rate.

    Play Ninja Legends now.

    Final Soccer VR by Ivanovich Games

    Lace-up your cleats and get ready for the beautiful game. Practice free kicks and penalties in striker mode or step in the goal and make the game-winning save as keeper. With 150 levels to beat, Final Soccer VR will keep you coming back day after day.

    Play Final Soccer VR now.

    Is there another title you love to play that doubles as a workout? Let us know!

    Website: LINK

  • Gamified boxing with Pi Fighter

    Gamified boxing with Pi Fighter

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Gamifying boxing with a special punchbag that allows you to fight Luke Skywalker? Rob Zwetsloot starts a training montage to check it out.

    Not Rob

    Street Fighter

    Did you know that the original version of Street Fighter had a variant where you could punch the buttons to get Ryu to attack? The harder you smacked the kick button, the more damage it would do. These apparently wore out very quickly, which is why watching Street Fighter tournaments these days is akin to watching someone playing the piano. Albeit with six buttons and a joystick.

    What if you could bring this back? And combine it with other arcade classics and staples? Meet Richard Kirby’s Pi Fighter.

    A new challenger!

    “Pi Fighter is essentially a real-world old-school fighting video game,” Richard tells us. “The player chooses an opponent and challenges them to a sparring match. Each player has a certain number of health points that decrement each time the other player lands an attack. Instead of clicking a joystick or mouse button, the player hits a heavy bag. The strength of the hit is measured by an accelerometer. [A Raspberry] Pi translates the acceleration of the heavy bag (measured in G) into the number of health points to decrement from the opponent. [Raspberry] Pi runs your opponent, which attacks you — you don’t actually get hit, but your health points decrement each time they attack.”

    Use a heavy bag to get a good workout and a good idea of your punch strength, Rocky IV style

    It’s a remarkably simple idea, and it started off as just an app that used a smartphone’s accelerometer. Translating that to a Raspberry Pi is just a case of adding an accelerometer of its own.

    3… 2… 1… Fight!

    “I realised it could be used to measure the overall strength of a punch, but it was hard to know how that would translate into an actual punch, hence the idea to use a heavy bag,” Richard explains. “This appealed to me as I studied karate and always enjoyed hitting a heavy bag. It is always difficult to gauge your own strength, so I thought it would be useful to actually measure the force. The project ended up consuming a good amount of time, as you would expect when you are learning.”

    Finish them?

    While Pi Fighter is already used at events, Richard says “[i]t needs a bit of tuning and coding to get everything right […]. It could be a never-ending project for me. You can always fix things and make the software more robust, the user interface more usable, etc. It isn’t mass-rollout ready, but I have never had it fail at a key moment such as presenting at a Raspberry Jam or Raspberry Pint. It (mostly) gets better every time I put some effort into it.”

    If you find yourself at Raspberry Pint in London, make sure to do a bit of a warm-up first — you might find yourself head-to-head in a boxing match with a Jedi. Here’s hoping they don’t know Teräs Käsi.

    Website: LINK

  • Halle Berry Turns 52 Today, Reveals How She Manages To Look Like 25

    Halle Berry Turns 52 Today, Reveals How She Manages To Look Like 25

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    Halle Berry has had a remarkable career as an actress, starring in some truly unforgettable films and being recognized with an academy award. However it turns out that if she had chosen a different path, this yoga goddess could quite easily have become a professional athlete, such is her motivation and dedication to fitness.

    Now aged 52, having just celebrated her birthday, Berry has an Instagram account that details exactly how she maintains her youthful looks, and with 2.8 million followers it seems like she is an inspiration to many. She shares tips on her often gruelling workouts, with her ‘Fitness Friday’ series showing different yoga poses, weights workouts, boxing and meditation, with her fitness coach Peter featuring alongside her. Berry is one hell of a tough cookie and looks absolutely incredible, so if you are lacking a little motivation for your fitness regime this summer, look no further! What she is doing clearly works.

    “I believe good heath and wellness is what real beauty is all about,” she writes. “The beauty world is constantly evolving, building a deeper connection between health, wellness, and what we know as being beautiful.” Joining the likes of Gweneth Paltrow, Cameron Diaz and Reese Witherspoon in the ‘Hollywood Wellness’ set, Berry’s holistic approach and extra bit of kickass toughness is sure to appeal to many, as the ‘strong is beautiful’ mantra continues to grow. Scroll down below to check out some her tips and tricks for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments!

    More info: Instagram

    Halle Berry just celebrated her 52nd birthday

    People can’t believe how she manages to look like a goddess at all times

    She’s been sharing some of her secrets on Instagram where more than 3 Million people are following her

    She says she trains her mind as well as her body through yoga and meditation

    “Fitness is not just about running, lifting and punching”

    “For me, being athletic and super fit is also about being still, stretching and breathing”

    “I never go a day without some sort of meditation”

    “Trust me, it will start to transform your thinking, which will change your life”

    “When I’m done, I have ultimate clarity and I feel at peace”

    Berry’s fitness regime also contains some kickass boxing and weightlifting elements

    “I know how hard it is to get motivated at times, but when my workout is fun, it’s a whole lot easier!”

    stunning-halle-berry-youthful-looks-5

    “It’s often easier to workout with a partner. A partner holds you accountable so you won’t quit halfway through”

    “I also want to share one of my secret weapons that I think has helped me defy my age and look and feel younger than my years”

    “The secret is Bone Broth! It’s made with bones that are simmered for at least 8 hours”

    She takes nutrition very seriously

    Image credits: halleberry

    But sometimes we all need to indulge in some potato chips

    “For me, having a great beach body is so much more than looking good in a bikini”

    “It’s more about FEELING good in your body!”

    “For me, confidence has always come as a result of loving myself enough to put my health and wellness first by doing the necessary work”

    She also finds time to read and relax her mind getting lost in the books

    As well as taking care of her two beautiful children

    “Where there’s a will, there’s a way!”

    Website: LINK

  • VR workouts for the mind and body!

    VR workouts for the mind and body!

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    The New Year is always a time of renewal, and for many of us it’s a time to resolve to do better, whether that’s with our bodies or in our minds. Naturally, there are VR apps for that!

    From today until Wednesday, January 24th we’re offering some fantastic VR apps at 50% off that will help you in mind, body and perhaps even soul. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s on offer:

    Virtual Sports

    Take on tennis and play some ping-pong with Virtual Sports, which includes two ball-batting games to keep you on the move. With AI opponents who’ll show you no mercy and the ability to play multiplayer matches, this is one exercise routine that’s anything but.

    Racket Fury: Table Tennis VR

    In the future, wars will be decided by robots. And table tennis. Yes, after a two-millennia war it’s only natural that the peace will be maintained by a table tennis competition called the Division of Steel! Eye-opening plot aside Racket Fury is a different take on table tennis, with hi-res visuals and extremely shiny robots to compete against. You’ll also be able to enhance your robotic avatar after every successful match, allowing you to compete at the upper echelons of artificial table tennis!

    Dash Dash Run!

    Ever played an ‘endless runner’? Ever wanted to be in one? To some that might sound like a special form of torture, but one thing cannot be denied: if you’re running in Dash Dash Run, you’ll be working up a sweat. That’s because in this frenetic racing game you have to pump your arms (with your controllers in hand) to make your avatar run. The faster you pump, the faster you run… if you’re old-school enough to remember 80s arcade classics such as Track & Field, you probably get the idea already. At least in VR, you won’t need to mash buttons to get yourself moving (or insert quarters to continue). This time though you’ll need to dodge around articles, grab coins and run as fast as you can if you’re going to top the global leaderboard.

    Nature Treks VR

    While getting out into nature is always a good thing, there are times when you just can’t make it happen – and of course, many times when you can, but nature doesn’t cooperate. Experience some breathtaking scenes, interact with animals and best of all, literally create the world around you. Nature Treks VR is a lot more than just a walkabout; it’ll activate your creativity while also relieving your stress.

    Nirvana

    If you’re looking to meditate, putting on a Vive headset might not be a bad start – no visuals to distract, no noises to get in. To enhance that experience you might want to try Nirvana, which places you in a virtual meditation temple where, surrounded by symbols of the divine, you can try to focus and block out the rest of the world.

    Guided Meditation VR

    While Nirvana looks to harmony in simplicity, Guided Meditation VR (as the title suggests) will steer you towards enlightenment with a strong helping hand. Designed to help anyone begin their meditation practice or improve a current one, Guided Meditation includes 19 environments, over 300 meditation spots and over 15 hours of helpful meditation material. If you’re looking for a vacation from the everyday, you’ll find one here.

    Whatever VR apps you choose to try, we wish you a happy, healthy and fulfilled year ahead!

    Available on Viveport:

    Website: LINK