The Rise of Gamified Workouts
Gamified workouts have been pretty popular in recent years as a way of working out that combines exercise with game elements dynamically. Innovatively, this method takes traditional workouts from the boring to the fun, turning fitness into a motivator your whole family can live with — from the little ones to the athletes.
Getting to know Gamification in Fitness.
Gamification is the use of the game design elements in a non-game context to increase the usage and motivation of a user. With this in mind, in the world of fitness, this means applying principles of points, levels, challenges, and rewarding workout routines. What we’re trying to do is make fitness more of an interactive and enjoyable experience where people want to go all out and make fitness happen. There are written fitness apps, Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, group fitness classes, and wearable technology to gamify your workouts. And usually, these platforms provide leaderboards and an element of social sharing for participants to keep their friends up to date about how they’re progressing, and to encourage some friendly competition amongst their friends. Gamification of workouts is gained by tapping into the competitive nature of others, and introducing a competitive element leads to the motivation and dedication needed to exercise regularly.
Gamified Workouts have their benefits.
Increased Motivation
Increased motivation is one of the main benefits of gamifying your workouts. Traditional workout routines tend to get boring and might not be as exciting as you’d want them to be, making it difficult for you to develop enthusiasm and consistency toward it. Within the game elements, participants are more likely to keep themselves engaged and entertained all the while on their journey towards fitness. Exercise becomes something you want not necessarily do, but enjoy and if you can make exercise count towards something you want to achieve, then you’ll reap the benefits of trying to be healthy.
Accountable and Social
Gamified workouts also help increase accountability. Most Platforms have people that track your progress, set goals, and even share achievements with friends or online communities. The social aspect helps to feel a little more responsible, simply because you don’t want to let down others who might be looking at you. Beyond motivation simply from the fact of completing their workout, it can provide the additional push needed to keep participants from slipping further down leaderboards by motivating that little bit more to keep maintaining or even improving their ranking.
Variety in Exercise
Variety is another big plus of gamified workouts. Traditional workout routines can be boring and unproductive, so we take them to the extreme. Most gamified experiences have numerous vice versa, different activities and challenges so that workouts don’t get boring. With its variety, players do not get bored, yet this variety keeps them on their toes to explore varieties of exercises that will contribute to overall fitness and skill development.
All fit Into One Fitness
What’s more, gamified workouts fit all fitness levels. There are many platforms that provide customization of challenge and difficulty settings, so users can make their experience suited to their abilities. It is inclusive enough to make beginners not feel overpowered and advanced enough to give the top runners a chance to stretch their edges. Thus gamified workouts leave room for a supportive environment full of growth and improvement.
Gamified Workout Platforms that are Popular
The idea of gamified workouts has been successfully implemented by several different platforms with a diverse range of features designed to provide users with unique experiences.
- Zombies, Run!
This running story: Immersive fitness app seamlessly combines storytelling running. It is narrative, users are intertwined into a world and forced to complete missions with zombies after their tails. Distance, pace, distance, pace, it knows the distance and the pace of your runs, turning them into adventures, into a thrill.
- Fitocracy
Fitocracy is a social fitness platform where user can log their workout, earn points and unlock achievements. It encourages users to feel part of a community, to share progress, and more, all in the team.
- Nike Training Club
The app has various workouts made by professional trainers. There are challenges for users to complete and you earn badges and track your progress all while enjoying a gamified experience.
- Ring Fit Adventure
This is a Nintendo Switch game that combines gaming with fitness based on a ring shaped controller you use to do exercises. Players complete levels and challenges while being physically active, resulting in that feeling of fun in the gym.
- Peloton
You know, Peloton is known for really high-energy, cycling classes, and as with any gamification, there are leaderboards and challenges. This encourages users to compete with friends or other riders so they feel a part of the community and also motivated for the act of wellness.
How to Make Gamified Workouts a Part of Your Routine
If you’re interested in integrating gamified workouts into your fitness routine, here are some practical tips to get started:
- Choose the Right Platform
Look at many gamified workout platforms to find the one whose interests and your goals align. Think of all the different types of exercises, keep the community engaged, and the user interface.
- Set Clear Goals
Insist on having specific goals of fitness while you are engaged in your gamified process. Once you have clear goals — whether those relate to running a certain distance, completing a set amount of workouts per week, or achieving a personal best — you’ll find motivation rises.
- Engage with the Community
Social features of many gamified platforms should be taken advantage of. Find online forums you can join and participate in to facilitate a sense of accountability and community, connect with friends, and join challenges.
- Track Your Progress
Always watch your achievements and progress on the platform. Keep the motivation and encouragement of continued effort by looking to celebrate milestones, big or small.
- Mix It Up
Don’t feel bad about trying out other types of gamified workouts. Sometimes trying different plats forms and activities can reduce the risk of boredom and expose you to new exercises you enjoy.