New Fitness Trend — An Immersive Interactive Warm-Up

This past month, my social media feed has been full of workout routine advice videos. Some claim the ability to lift the mood, others encourage you to start thinking about that ‘summer body.’ But the newest trending workout that caught my eye was tagged as an immersive interactive warm-up.

However much I’d like to roll up in a warm blanket and binge-watch my favourite reality show, keeping some movement is definitely a must even during winter months. An immersive interactive warm-up workout is not only beneficial for your well-being, but is also fun and energizing. In this article, I explain how interactive warm-ups can help you stay active, motivated, and consistent even during lazy periods.

What is an immersive interactive warm-up workout?

As videos of people participating in this trend started flooding my feed, I thought it’s just a type of game. But, after a bit more research, I found these quick workouts quite entertaining and beneficial for one's overall well-being.

Exercises in immersive interactive warm-up videos are called ‘warm-ups,’ as their main goal is to stretch your muscles and prepare for a more intense workout. This type of working out even has a term — ‘exergaming’ — referring to physical activity using digital technology.

Accessibility

These videos are available for free on YouTube, and warm-ups can be done from anywhere — no additional fitness equipment required. All you really need is a screen to put the video on and some space for movement.

While primarily advertised for kids, these warm-ups found success with adults who have very little time to work out yet want to stay active, too. Most of the videos are short and have easy exercises to relieve muscle stiffness. Still, there are half-hour videos if you’re searching for a full-body warm-up. Longer immersive interactive warm-ups include more intense movements for the lower body, like side lunges, squats, and running, while shorter ones concentrate on stretching the hands, neck, and back.

Video visuals

By searching ‘interactive immersive warm up’ on YouTube, you’ll be presented with a variety of themed videos with black backgrounds and drawn human silhouettes. New videos are uploaded almost daily, so running out of content is a slim possibility for the time being.

Interactive immersive warm-up videos have energetic club music and visualisation of what movements you're supposed to do. Don’t worry too much — there’s time to adjust to the rhythm. Then, the interactive part starts, with the video showing pictures that move, change, and vocalize in sync with the actions you're performing.

These videos have a wide range of themes. Some are clearly intended for children, using appropriate music and characters from animated movies. Yet the largest amount of immersive interactive warm-up videos actually use internet memes and overall funny imagery known to anyone using social media.

What are the benefits?

Warm-ups are an essential part of exercising — results suggest that they may improve physical performance by up to 20%. They may also significantly reduce the chance of injury. A meta-analysis conducted by collecting 4,511 records showed that exergaming has statistically significant effects on balance, mobility, and functional independence in people with chronic stroke.

Another important aspect of exercise is that it improves mental health. Numerous studies showed similar results that daily physical activities helped with emotional regulation, keeping a positive outlook, and mental resilience.

A study conducted with 433 college students presented one of the most crucial motivations for exercising — the fun factor. Immersive warm-up videos are engaging and combine three out of five senses, including hearing, sight, and touch (movement). Overall, this makes warming up a fun and interactive experience, whether for a quick stretch or as a prelude to more intense exercises.

From personal experience, I can understand that finding motivation to work out can be really difficult. Some days our energy levels are just lower. But to keep getting benefits, consistency is needed. Even though short warm-ups won’t have a huge effect on weight, regular movement builds up stamina and motivation. Technologically immersive workouts are more entertaining, and consequently, an easier way to start your fitness journey.

What other types of immersive workouts are there?

While this immersive interactive warm-up is the newest trend right now, it’s not the only technologically immersive workout type there is. Here is a list of some of the other immersive workouts you might want to check out.

1. Just Dance

For those who aren’t familiar, Just Dance is a dancing game. Just like in immersive interactive warm-up videos, the player has to follow movements shown on screen while keeping the rhythm. The difference, as the name entails, is that Just Dance offers only dancing routines, which might not be for everyone. Immersive warm-ups are a lot less taxing — there are no complicated movements or need for prior fitness knowledge.

Even so, Just Dance is a great immersive workout option, both for motivational and health reasons. There are ‘30-minute sweat’ routines during which you may lose up to 230 calories. Another fun feature of Just Dance is dancing with your friends. There are duet, trio, or quartet options. All people involved get different movements and at the end of the routine can see who was the best.

The original version of Just Dance uses a Wii motion controller, but now players can use their smartphones with the Just Dance Now app instead. To start, a PlayStation or Xbox is necessary, as well as a subscription to Just Dance.

2. VR workout apps

Virtual reality (VR) is slowly but steadily becoming part of our lives in all aspects. Now, you can work out from anywhere in the world, or even beyond it, with the help of VR workout apps.

Studies have revealed that exercising with VR is more effective for weight loss. Results show faster reduction of body fat, improved physical activity levels, self-esteem, and overall mood. Exercising in VR is a highly immersive type of exergaming, with sight and hearing fully engaged in the virtual environment. So it’s not as surprising that it offers such health benefits.

To start, you need a headset and preferably a dedicated space, so you can orient yourself and avoid injuries. If you’re a fan of running or walking, consider getting a treadmill. Then, you can choose one of the many VR workout apps available on the Meta Quest Store.

Some of the most popular apps, according to users, include:

• FitXR. Has HIIT, combat, dancing, and boxing classes to choose from. You can exercise with an instructor or up to seven friends in a private virtual room. Users especially like how motivating this app is. You can collect streaks, climb leaderboards, and participate in challenges to keep yourself consistent. The app is subscription-based and costs $12.99/month.
• Supernatural. Offers classes for flow (like cardio), boxing, and stretching. You can choose the exercise intensity, background theme, and music. Users are especially happy with the inclusion of classical music in this app, as it helps them feel grounded and calm during high-intensity training. It requires a subscription for $9.99/month.
• Beat Saber. This app has a large pool of soundtracks from well-known artists. It has flashy effects, rhythmic movements, and is perfect for users who like neon sci-fi aesthetics. One of the main workouts requires slicing flying cubes, so it feels less like a workout and more like a video game. It's available on Steam, Meta Quest Store, and on PlayStation for $29.99 as a one-time purchase.

3. Gamified mobile fitness apps

Gamified fitness apps for smartphones are another type of immersive exergaming. While step- and calorie-trackers can be beneficial, using them might be a bit boring. To combat this, some fitness apps make exercise into a game. Usually, it’s a less interactive experience, but it can still be highly immersive due to motivational texts, community building, or interesting stories.

To participate, choose an app based on the exercises you find interesting, like running, cycling, hiking, weight-lifting, and similar. Then, all you really need is a phone or a tablet, initial motivation to start, and some type of equipment based on your chosen sport.

Some gamified fitness apps to consider:

• ZRX: Zombies Run. Choose your own starting pace, whether it’s walking or running, and listen to a scary story through your headphones to get the full immersive experience. Once you’re cued that the zombies are getting close, start picking up the pace. The app has free stories to choose from, but if you want more options, you can get a subscription for $5.99/month.
• Strava. Used for cycling, running, and hiking, with the main focus on building community. You can create challenges, clubs, custom maps, and compete with other app users for the top spot on the leaderboard. It requires a subscription priced at $11.99/month with possible discounts.
• Pokémon GO. Not technically a fitness app, but it has an Adventure Sync function that connects with your other fitness apps. You can reach your step goals by exploring the Pokémon GO world and getting rewards like Pokémon eggs. The app is free with optional in-game purchases.

Final thoughts

Technologically immersive workouts are a growing reality. The demand for them comes from our habits and needs, as basic exercises can be too boring and mentally draining. Finding routines that keep you engaged and motivated is necessary, even if it might still be difficult.

Trends like immersive interactive warm-up workouts show that exercising can be both good for your health and entertaining. I always find something new and interesting to try in those videos. That keeps me motivated to stay active until I feel more energetic to do physically intense workouts.