Lifestyle
Hit your 2024 exercise goals with these VR fitness apps and games
The experience is virtual, but the results are real. Here’s our breakdown of the best VR workouts. Above, Meta’s Supernatural fitness app.
Meta
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Meta
The experience is virtual, but the results are real. Here’s our breakdown of the best VR workouts. Above, Meta’s Supernatural fitness app.
Meta
I’m standing on top of Machu Picchu, listening to Lil Wayne and smashing flying spheres with a bat in each hand. The instructor encourages me to look around and take in the beauty around me. The next song starts and I’m transported to Iceland’s Blue Lagoon. This isn’t a fever dream or transcendental meditation — it’s a VR fitness app called Supernatural — one of many available today in a quickly-growing market.
An estimated 1 to 2 million people work out in virtual reality monthly. If you’re like me and find it hard to spend meaningful time in the gym, VR fitness might be for you. You don’t need much to get started, but I’d recommend Meta’s $40 silicon facial insert to avoid getting your headset sweaty and a yoga mat to help orient yourself in VR. A 20-minute VR workout can burn roughly as many calories as a 20-minute exercise bike routine. Here are my picks from the apps I’ve tested:
Our top 5 general fitness VR apps
Les Mills BodyCombat
Odders
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Odders
Les Mills BodyCombat: Les Mills BodyCombat is great for beginners as a one-time purchase with a lot to offer—the workouts center around punching, squatting, and knee-striking targets. The trainers are engaged and projected in a Star Wars-esque hologram before the workouts begin, which feels paced just right and strongly emphasizes form. After a 20-minute boxing-style workout, I burned 228 calories, making it one of the most efficient VR workouts I’ve tried.
While the October update for LM Body Combat added workouts and a new mixed reality mode showing you the room around you, I find myself looking to other apps and games for variety. It also doesn’t have a “cool down” after the workouts – so I’ll typically switch to another app after my workout to unwind. $30/one time purchase
FitXR: FitXR is a subscription-based app with a diverse line of workouts. A recent update added Zumba and a mixed reality mode called Slam to a roster that includes boxing, combat, high-intensity interval training, sculpt and dance — with new modes added frequently.
I enjoy FitXR quite a bit, but it’s not my top recommendation due to the cost, the poor avatar graphics, and some missing mixed-reality options. Despite these issues, I still find myself returning to this app regularly. I love their HIIT workout, where you’re smashing orbs to beat your best time and compete with the rest of the users in the class. Working out for 25 minutes doing warmups, HIIT, boxing, and a cooldown, I burned 262 calories, which is comparable to a moderate Peloton cycling workout for me. $9.99/month
Supernatural: Supernatural is one of the most popular VR fitness apps – so popular that Meta bought out its developer, Within, for $430 million in February 2023.
Unsurprisingly, it’s a polished experience with beautiful locations from around the world, popular music you’ll recognize, and exuberant trainers with two main workout types — Boxing and Flow. In Flow, you’ll swipe through orbs with baseball bats. You’ll also need to squat to pass through giant triangles, leg lift from side to side, and perform knee strikes. While my heart rate wasn’t always as high as with FitXR and Les Mills, Supernatural gave my lower body more of a workout. $9.99/month
Xponential+
Will Mitchell/Xponential+
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Will Mitchell/Xponential+
Xponential+: Xponential+, the newest offering for Quest platforms, has partnered with established workout studios such as Pure Barre, Stretch Lab, and Club Pilates to bring their workouts to augmented reality. I love how the app brings the workout into your living room by displaying a small version of the trainer on your floor or ceiling when it detects that you’re in a plank, pushup, or lying on your back. There’s no longer a need to crane your neck during a workout to keep an eye on your trainer’s form — a great example of how mixed reality can solve the problems of more traditional fitness classes. $9.99/month – also includes access to workouts via app or web
Vrit: Equal parts game and workout — Vrit has a zany Nintendo feel. As far as I can tell, it’s about a competition with robotic spheres in “sports battles” to defend the clouds of Earth. The story is a bit ambiguous, but this $3.00 game is truly entertaining and one of only a few apps that uses hand tracking and has you engaging in floor routines like planks and pushups as well as running in place (I preferred doing “high knees” instead for those sections). $3.00/one time purchase
VR Fitness on a bike
There are two main options for working out in VR on a stationary bike: Holofit and VZFit.
VZFit
VirZOOM
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VirZOOM
VZFit: I recommend VZFit the most. The app has digital worlds for you to bike through and a Google Street mode where you’ll spin through real locations. Stitching Street View photos together leads to wonky visuals, but it held my interest and I appreciate that they’re trying something new. While VZFit doesn’t offer as many “digital worlds” as Holofit does — I preferred its overall look and feel. $9.99/month
Holofit: Holofit can take you places — from a fictional cyberpunk world to Antarctica, the deep sea, and the streets of Paris. While some graphics seem dated, they teem with life and personality. You can compete in races and games or ride more leisurely while looking for hidden items. Holofit’s big advantage is its ability to sync with your bike, elliptical, or rowing machine, but it doesn’t feel as good as competing VZFit. $11.99/month
More games that will get you moving
Even better, many VR games crafted for good old-fashioned entertainment are still demanding enough to raise your heart rate. At 40, I’m starting to feel the effects of age, so I welcome the option to play games to stay active.
Beat Saber
Meta
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Meta
Beat Saber: It would be a sin not to mention Beat Saber — the go-to VR rhythm game that has you slicing cubes with lightsabers in time to music. Harder difficulty levels can definitely raise your heart rate and I frequently use Beat Saber as a warmup or cooldown before jumping in or out of more intense workout apps. $30, additional music packs cost more
GorillaTag
Another Axiom
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Another Axiom
Gorilla Tag: One of the most popular VR games with the younger crowd, you play as a gorilla without legs and will use your arms and hands to bound around a gigantic map. You’ll be running, dodging, climbing, and wall-jumping physically around the room. My 11-year-old nephews introduced me to the game while I struggled to keep up, but it’s a great time — as much a social experience as it is a physically demanding game. Free
Nock
Normal VR
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Normal VR
Nock: Nock, a personal favorite, is soccer with bows and arrows on ice — and you can jump incredibly high. It’s a competitive sport that gets so intense that I sometimes forget I’m in VR, even as it exhausts me after a few rounds. Sometimes I win, and sometimes I lose, but it’s always exciting! $10/one time purchase
No More Rainbows: Another favorite of mine. You’ll get around the levels in a similar way to Gorilla Tag, using your arms and hands as legs to run, jump, and climb. At its heart, it’s a platformer with charming characters, levels and a silly story. $20/one time purchase
OhShape
Odders
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Odders
OhShape: I first saw OhShape’s concept of contorting your body to fit into a cutout hole in a YouTube clip from a Japanese game show. In OhShape’s version of the game, you’ll fit into shapes in time with songs. It’s a lighter workout, but its conceit works perfectly in VR. $20/one time purchase
Pistol Whip
Cloudhead Games
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Cloudhead Games
Pistol Whip: Another music/rhythm game, Pistol Whip, has you shoot to the beat of a song while dodging fire from around you. You won’t think it’s much of a workout at first, but your quads will wonder what happened after a few rounds of ducking and dodging. $30/one time purchase
Racket Club
Resolution Games
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Resolution Games
Racket Club: Racket Club is like pickleball but is made specifically for VR. There’s virtual plexiglass around the small court to bounce shots off of and a unique scoring system based on how long you can keep up a rally. You’ll need to maneuver around your playspace to return the ball, which will get you moving like nothing else. $25/one time purchase
Synth Riders: This rhythm game turns your hands into orbs to follow tracks to hit other orbs. You’ll need to hold your arms in various positions to keep up with the music, and it starts to feel like a workout quickly! $25/one time purchase
Thrill of the Fight: I’ve never been more out of breath in VR than boxing opponents in Thrill of the Fight, which is easy to recommend at $10. You’ll box through 10+ opponents as you attempt to be the king or queen of the ring. Going face-to-face with your opponents is intimidating, as they can easily knock you out. Their new mixed reality mode brings the fighters into your living room, which is both intense and useful in preventing injuries to yourself or innocent passers-by! $10/one time purchase
Until You Fall
Schell Games
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Schell Games
Until You Fall: Until You Fall will have you slashing and parrying sword attacks as you try to advance through a 1980s neon aesthetic that’s hard not to love. The game’s mechanics are deceptively simple but quickly ramp up in difficulty. By the time you’re on level 4 or 5, you’ll be wiping sweat from your headset. $25/one time purchase
The future of VR Fitness
2024 could be a landmark year for mixed reality. The Meta Quest 3 makes it much easier to see the world around you while you work out, and we’re already seeing specialized headsets designed for work, like the upcoming Immersed Visor and Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro. It’s only a matter of time before we see specialized headsets for fitness. In the meantime, if you recently got a VR headset over the holidays or you’ve been looking for a reason to dust yours off and jump back in, there has never been a better time to break a sweat in virtual reality.
James Perkins Mastromarino contributed to this article.
Now you can pair your big show with dinner and a more intimate listening experience. The Hollywood Palladium, an Art Deco music venue graced by performers like Frank Sinatra, Richard Pryor, Jimi Hendrix, Lady Gaga and Jay-Z since 1940, has debuted a swanky lounge known as Vinyl Room.
Inspired by 1970s Japanese high-fidelity (hi-fi for short) listening rooms and operated by entertainment company Live Nation, it’s a space where concertgoers can have dinner, grab drinks and catch a vinyl DJ set before, during or after their ticketed event in the same venue.
With a name like Vinyl Room, you can expect to see vinyl records everywhere.
“You’re in [for] a whole night of music,” says Geni Lincoln, president of the California region for Live Nation, adding that her team put “so much thought” into the sound and design of the space, which was in development for more than two years.
“I’ve been coming to the Palladium since I was a teenager, so it’s really special to see,” she says.
Entering Vinyl Room feels like you’re stepping into a secret speakeasy for music lovers, one with iconic music memorabilia, a thoughtful food menu and premium sound quality. Want to check it out? Here are five things to know.
Everything inside of Vinyl Room is inspired by the sounds and the musicians who’ve played at the Hollywood Palladium since 1940.
1. Vinyl Room is exclusively open to members and concertgoers with an upgraded ticket
Vinyl Room is open only on Hollywood Palladium show nights, starting 90 minutes before doors open, and remains open one hour after the concert. Admission is limited to concertgoers who purchase a ticket upgrade, which starts at $35. Early reservations are recommended.
Vinyl Room also offers annual membership packages, which start at $2,000 and come with various benefits such as complimentary guest passes to Vinyl Room, access to an exclusive menu, valet parking, table reservations inside the lounge, a dedicated private entry, complimentary coat check and concert ticket credits.
Tip Dunn, also known as DJ tenSpeed, played records during opening night at Vinyl Room at the Hollywood Palladium.
2. Hi-fi is having a moment in Los Angeles — and Vinyl Room delivers on sound quality
From Common Wave Hi-Fi in Boyle Heights to Slow Jamz Gallery in the Arts District and Gold Line bar in Highland Park, hi-fi — a 1950s term used to describe the high-quality reproduction of sound — venues and experiences have been slowly popping up around L.A. over the last few years. Vinyl Room joins a short list of places where audiophiles can go to listen to music on hi-fi equipment, which many argue is the best way to experience it.
Much like the Hollywood Palladium, which is known for its top-tier sound, Vinyl Room also makes sound a priority. The lounge utilizes hi-fi sound equipment including Master Sounds Clarity-M speakers to ensure that the records sound as crisp as possible. Live DJs spin records on a set of turntables, which helps to create a richer and more analog sound that is closer to the original track than compressed versions such as MP3s.
Ruthie Embry, vice president of architecture and design at Live Nation, says the records and other memorabilia inside the space “connects you directly to the venue’s history the second you walk in the door.”
3. All of the decor ties back to music and the Hollywood Palladium’s rich history
With a name like Vinyl Room, you can expect to see vinyls everywhere. Records line most of the walls and shelves, drinks are served on vinyl-shaped coasters and tables and light fixtures are designed to the theme. There’s even vinyl wallpaper in the photo booth. In one corner of the lounge, you can dig through records under a neon sign that reads, “But have you heard it on vinyl?”
Ruthie Embry, vice president of architecture and design at Live Nation, says the records and other memorabilia inside the space “connects you directly to the venue’s history the second you walk in the door.”
Some standout items include a Red Hot Chili Peppers show flier, a Hollywood Palladium postcard signed by late musician and host Lawrence Welk and a photo of late singers Bonnie Baker and Orrin Tucker at the venue. Even the bathroom creates a memorable photo moment: The stalls are filled with photos of musicians and an “on air” studio sign lights up when a stall is occupied.
Vinyl Room’s menu, created by Chef Ryan DeRieux, is inspired by Asian flavors and includes items like the “Vinyl Roll,” which is made with spicy tuna.
4. Don’t worry about dinner plans before or after the show. Vinyl Room has got you covered
Eliminating the need to find a pre- or post-show restaurant, Vinyl Room has a full Asian-inspired menu created by Chef Ryan DeRieux.
Think sushi tots (like crispy tuna but with tater tots instead of rice), tuna poke nachos, chili crunch chicken wings and shiitake tempura burgers. There’s also a mouth-watering 10-ounce American wagyu skirt steak served with shishito peppers, pickles and charred carrots. For dessert, try the taiyaki, a popular fish-shaped Japanese street food, which is served with a delicious passion fruit cream that I wanted to take to go because I liked it so much.
Signature cocktails at Vinyl Room, inspired by popular songs, include the Superfly, Escape (if you like piña coladas) and Smoke on the Water.
5. The craft cocktails aren’t just delicious — they each have a story
Vinyl Room’s old-fashioned is made with Nikka Yoichi whisky, which is made in Japan.
The cocktail program, developed by third-generation bartender Sean Kenyon, is inspired by the songs created by musicians who’ve graced the Hollywood Palladium stage. A nod to the 1970s, the Superfly is a fizzy, citrus-forward play on Curtis Mayfield’s 1972 track and is made with Roku Gin and yuzu and sencha syrup. Other signature drinks include the rum-based Escape (if you like piña coladas) with coconut oolong syrup, pineapple juice and miso, and the tart yet sweet Smoke on the Water, which is reminiscent of Deep Purple’s 1972 song. The bar also offers an espresso martini (called the MT Joy), a signature old-fashioned (made with Nikka Yoichi whisky) and a Japanese whiskey highball (made with Hibiki Harmony whisky). The bar offers a number of non-alcoholic options as well.
A screenshot from George Mélière’s Gugusse et l’Automate. The pioneering French filmmaker’s 1897 short, which likely features the first known depiction of a robot on film, was thought lost until it was found among a box of old reels that had belonged to a family in Michigan and restored by the Library of Congress.
The Frisbee Collection/Library of Congress
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The Frisbee Collection/Library of Congress
The Library of Congress has found and restored a long-lost silent film by Georges Méliès.
The famed 19th century French filmmaker is best known for his groundbreaking 1902 science fiction adventure masterpiece Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon).
The 45-second-long, one-reel short Gugusse et l’Automate – Gugusse and the Automaton – was made nearly 130 years ago. But the subject matter still feels timely. The film, which can be viewed on the Library of Congress’ website, depicts a child-sized robot clown who grows to the size of an adult and then attacks a human clown with a stick. The human then decimates the machine with a hammer.
In an Instagram post, Library of Congress moving image curator Jason Evans Groth said the film represents, “probably the first instance of a robot ever captured in a moving image.” (The word “robot” didn’t appear until 1921, when Czech dramatist Karel Čapek coined it in his science fiction play R.U.R..)
“Today, many of us are worried about AI and robots,” said archivist and filmmaker Rick Prelinger, in an email to NPR. “Well, people were thinking about robots in 1897. Very little is new.”
A long journey
Groth said the film arrived in a box last September from a donor in Michigan, Bill McFarland. “Bill’s great grandfather, William Frisbee, was a person who loved technology,” Groth said. “And in the late 19th century, must have bought a projector and a bunch of films and decided to drive them around in his buggy to share them with folks in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York.”
McFarland didn’t know what was on the 10 rusty reels he dropped off at the Library of Congress’ National Audio-Visual Conservation Center in Culpeper, Va. A Library article about the discovery describes the battered, pre-World War I artifacts as having been, “shuttled around from basements to barns to garages,” and that they, “could no longer be safely run through a projector,” owing to their delicate condition. “The nitrate film stock had crumbled to bits on some; other strips were stuck together,” the article said. It was a lab technician in Michigan who suggested McFarland contact the Library of Congress.
“The moment we set our eyes on this box of film, we knew it was something special,” said George Willeman, who heads up the Library’s nitrate film vault, in the article.
Willeman’s team carefully inspected the trove of footage, which also contained another well-known Méliès film, Nouvelles Luttes extravagantes (The Fat and Lean Wrestling Match) and parts of The Burning Stable, an early Thomas Edison work. With the help of an external expert, they identified the reel as having been created by Méliès because it features a star painted on a pedestal in the center of the screen – the logo for Méliès Star Film Company.
A pioneering filmmaker
Méliès was one of the great pioneers of cinema. The scene in which a rocket lands playfully in the eye of Méliès’ anthropomorphic moon in Le Voyage dans la Lune is one of the most famous moments in cinematic history. And he helped to popularize such special effects as multiple exposures and time-lapse photography.
This moment from George Méliès’ Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon) is considered to be one of the most famous in cinematic history.
George Méliès/Public Domain
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George Méliès/Public Domain
Presumed lost until the Library of Congress’s discovery, Gugusse et L’Automate loomed large in the imaginations of science fiction and early cinema buffs for more than a century. In their 1977 book Things to Come: An Illustrated History of the Science Fiction Film, authors Douglas Menville and R. Reginald described Gugusse as possibly being, “the first true SF [science fiction] film.”
“While it may seem that no more discoveries remain to be made, that’s not the case,” said Prelinger of the work’s reappearance. “Here’s a genuine discovery from the early days of film that no one anticipated.”
Joshua Jackson
I Got the Eye of the Tiger!!!
Published
BACKGRID
Joshua Jackson may have picked up a thing or two from “Karate Kid: Legends” … we got video of him going H.A.M. in a boxing gym with a trainer.
Watch the video … the 47-year-old actor ditched his shirt for the workout, really working up a sweat as he bobbed and weaved in the ring while throwing in some pretty impressive jabs!
He later goes to work solo on a speed bag like an old pro.
Joshua has publicly said that starring in “Karate Kid: Legends” in the role of a former boxer was a dream for him, but there’s no word on whether he’s training for another role or just really fell in love with boxing.
Either way … you’re looking great, Joshua!
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