Combined workouts can lend a hand you stay fit with virtual friends during the pandemic

Sales of technology-based exercise equipment and fitness devices have increased exploded in the USA as people try to maintain their exercise program without going to the gym.

Purchases range from uncomplicated dumbbells and outdoor bikes to internet-connected devices like a Peloton exercise bike or a Tonal digital exercise machine. There are exercise video games like Nintendo’s Wii Fit and PS-2’s Eye Toy: Kinetic; wearable technology like Fitbits or Apple Watches; and mobile apps like Strava. People are even using platforms like Zoom or Skype to connect with a personal trainer.

These connected fitness tools connect your sports training with your digital life. As researchers in field of kinesiologywe’ve been studying the impact of connected fitness on motivation and fitness outcomes. If you’re looking for ways to boost your fitness during the pandemic shutdown or to replace your pre-COVID-19 exercise routine, one of these tech-enhanced pieces may work for you.

Using technology

Connected fitness is nothing novel. the first such technology was developed in the 1980s: stationary bikes connected to a game console that required pedaling and steering with a handlebar-mounted gamepad. Exercise video games (exergames) were first created around the same time, and really took off in the behind schedule 1990s with games like Dance Dance Revolution and Nintendo Wii Fit which require movement of the limbs or torso as the primary interface with technology.

However, novel and imaginative technologies are making exercise more convenient, easier to follow, and more tailored to your needs. Some practice games have become more gamifiedincluding rewards, challenge levels, leaderboards and engaging storylines create elements of competition and increase engagement.

Even before the pandemic, connected fitness devices and exercise games were appealing because they eliminate some of the common barriers to exercise or physical therapy. Users don’t have to worry about scheduling issues, the cost of joining exercise programs, or social anxiety that can be associated with exercising in public places. These tools also shift attention from the unpleasant aspects of exercise – such as exertion, fatigue, and boredom – to novel and engaging aspects of the activity.

The problem is that there have been no independent Consumer Reports-style evaluations of the impact of these technologies on performance or behavioral outcomes.

Connected in more than one way

Purchasing fitness equipment and tech-based devices is a great first step toward adding more physical activity to your life. But like a gym membership you pay for but never operate, high-tech equipment can collect dust.

Fortunately, exercise psychology researchers have discovered a framework that is more likely to lend a hand people maintain the intensity of their exercise programs and turn them into habits. Setting exercise goals, making individual choices about the type of training, watching your performance improve, and exercising with others make you more likely to stick with them. Group exercisein particular, it enhances experience. Additional social elements – including cooperation, coordination, group commitment, social comparison, and even rivalry – all contribute.

Of course, finding the right workout buddy or group can be complex in these pandemic times. Gyms are closed and social distancing guidelines are in place. Can a virtual buddy get the job done?

Our research team, which began investigating couples exercise games long before the pandemic, is the first to examine the operate of virtual and nonhuman, software-generated exercise partners.

Based on the principles of social comparison and what it takes to be a valued member of a team, we adjusted our partners to be slightly faster than the exerciser to provide a challenge to keep up. We also electronically “tethered” the partner to the exerciser so that if the exerciser slowed below their target pace, the partner had to sluggish down as well. So if you start slacking off, you sluggish down the team. This tool builds some commitment to your partner.

We found that motivation and performance improved when the partner was slightly better than the trainee. This finding holds whether the partner was real but virtually presented, or unrealistic and programmatically generatedand with a stationary bike or walking app.

Even if you don’t have a software-generated workout partner, you can FaceTime or Zoom with someone while you’re on the exercise bike, treadmill, or even doing dance aerobics. That way, you can challenge and encourage each other to keep up the pace. It’s also helpful to connect with someone who will also hold you accountable for showing up to class.

Even if you can’t find someone to virtually workout with you at the same time, you can still share workouts, compare notes, and set future team challenges. Many running apps, like Strava and RunKeeper, let you stay connected with running buddies. Pricey indoor cycling classes like Peloton offer a variety of options when it comes to how much or how little you want to compare yourself to others, and they let you share workouts with friends.

But you can apply the same motivational principles without spending money on such programs. Choose your activity, set your training goals, and find a workout buddy to challenge and encourage each other. If finding a workout buddy is complex, Get Motivated Friends provides membership at a low price.

You either just have fun or really sweat

Of course, any movement is better than a sedentary lifestyle in terms of health benefits. But to meet the requirements of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services RecommendationsAdults should spend at least 150 minutes a week on physical activity of at least brisk walking intensity.

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Few companies sell technology-based tools to boost physical activity provided evidence of objective changes in long-term physical activity. Exergames may or may not lend a hand you achieve recommended levels of physical activity.

In one systematic review of 28 studies, researchers found that when playing outside of the established framework, players rarely achieve moderate or vigorous levels of physical activityThe most reviewed exercise games were DDR, Wii Fit, Playstation2, and GameBike.

How the tools are used is an essential factor. For example, people can cheat to avoid practicing with the Wii controller by simply waving their wrists instead of using full-body movements. People still need to commit to using the tools as they were intended.

Physical activity is good for you in many ways, including lowering your risk of many forms of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Importantly, physical activity is also positively associated with immune system function AND sanitywhich are of the utmost importance during a pandemic like COVID-19.

So, identify your personal preferences and what motivates you. See what resources you can access. Fortunately, there are imaginative options available for those who want to be physically dynamic, and many of them involve technology-based tools. Now is a great time to connect with fitness.