How Virtual Reality Training Can Improve Your Body Image
It’s easy to look at the intersection of fitness and technology and see only red flags: Research has linked technology, especially social media, to unrealistic body image , eating disorders , low self-esteem , and more. But according to some fitness experts, the “disembodied workout” enabled by virtual reality could be a step towards balancing the weights. They say it can do more than just get housebound people moving — it could help people struggling with body image issues work on feeling good about their skin and bones while becoming healthier. .
What makes training “disembodied”?
Fitness apps and virtual reality games focused on martial arts or football goalkeepers put users in a situation where they move their bodies but cannot see them. According to Lynn Pedante, director of Supernatural’s virtual reality training program, it can be a transformative experience.
“ When I first got into Supernatural , I had never heard of VR, but once I started moving around a bit, I said, ‘This is going to change the lives of so many people,’” Quante said. “Because I can move my body and not see other people. Don’t see mirrors. I don’t even think about what my body looks like in this experience. I’m just immersed in the movement.”
The next logical step away from mirrorless training
Disembodied VR workouts can be seen as a continuation of an existing trend in fitness: the advent of mirrorless workouts. Full-length mirrors, once a staple in every gym, are disappearing – you won’t find mirrors in most Crossfit gyms, and they’ve never been a common sight in gyms where people do weightlifting.
For some, fewer mirrors are a godsend, Pendanete says. Before becoming a virtual workout coach, Quante taught group fitness classes targeted at people with eating disorders. She says task number one was to find places to practice that didn’t have mirrors. “They wanted to move their body, but they were afraid to connect with it in a dark way,” Quante explained. “They told me, ‘The mirror will be the number one trigger for me to start associating my movements with my aesthetic, with my big or small size.’
For gym goers who feel like they need a reflection to “check their form” (or just check themselves), not having a mirror can be a problem, but Quante says it’s a feature of VR fitness, not a bug.
“I think a lot of people are used to thinking that they don’t have answers to questions about their own bodies,” Quante said. “The mirror seems to provide answers, but I don’t think so… we end up putting what feels right to us to an outside source. We look at other people. We look at the angle our joints form versus the shape other people’s joints take rather than thinking, “I’m the authority on what I experience in this body, so I’ll know when I hit the spot.” the end of my range because I can feel it.”
Look funny but feel good
VR workouts are fairly new so there hasn’t been much research yet on the impact VR has on users’ body image compared to more traditional ways of exercising, but Pedante cites some compelling anecdotes from Supernatural users.
“One of the most common things I hear from participants is that they have gone from judging a workout by how they look to how they feel,” Quante said. “They come from experience and say they felt strong or felt their confidence increased… They say, ‘My husband says I look like I’m fighting invisible bees, but I feel like a real warrior.’ ”
If you want to try non-corporeal training, Lifehacker Senior Editor Beth Skwarecki has put together this list of the seven best VR training games.