I really enjoy video games, gamifying things, combining tasks to maximize efficiency and, by extension, maximizing relax time. So naturally, I’m attracted to the idea of fitness gaming. I can combine gaming time and fitness time; have fun and increase my general fitness. Win win win, right? But can I actually think of this as a workout? And how does it compare to other workouts I might do?
I decided to find out and setup a fun science experiment (now I’m combining fitness, gaming and research 😉). I’ve been using the Apple watch to track workouts for about a year so I have a pretty good baseline of data on workouts. I’ll rely on that some but I also did several workouts under more controlled conditions:
- Workouts should all be approximately 30 minutes (the nature of the games and app-based workouts usually means sometimes I ran a few minutes over or under).
- All workouts are starting from cold. I’m measuring heart rate data so I didn’t want it to be elevated from a prior workout and skew the tests.
- Workouts should be done as I normally would do them. No making attempts to make my gaming “more fitness” if I wouldn’t normally.
The games I tested are all on the Nintendo Switch since that’s the only console I have that really has that sort of game. I also tested 30 minute walks and HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts that I do typically. Obviously the number of calories and heart rates are specific to my body and may not be the same for you! I’m primarily using them as a basis for comparison.
Baseline Stats
Here are a few exercise types I do regularly from least to most intensity. The Active Calories below each are normalized to 30 minutes of activity and the max heart rate aren’t displayed in the images but found elsewhere in my fitness stats.
Walking
Active Calories: 108
Average Heart Rate: 93.5
Max Heart Rate: 122
HIIT Workout
Bodyweight HIIT workouts done with apps like Centr or Future App.
Active Calories: 186
Average Heart Rate: 119
Max Heart Rate: 151
Indoor Cycling
Peloton classes on a non-Peloton bike. I almost exclusively ride Emma Lovewell or Kendall Toole rides if that makes a difference to you.
Active Calories: 269
Average Heart Rate: 147
Max Heart Rate: 172
The Games
Finally getting to the good part.
Ring Fit
This feels like the obvious go-to for fitness gaming on the Nintendo Switch. I got it a few years ago and, honestly, it didn’t really grab me so I was happy to have a reason to try it again.
Active Calories: 173
Average Heart Rate: 95
Max Heart Rate: 118
Because this game is designed for fitness, I noticed that it had a much shorter on-ramp for learning how to play and they minimize standing around that can happen in other games between levels or matches. It’s nice that it has some light strength work with the ring and I feel like you can pretty reliably get a workout from it that is medium to low intensity.
Just Dance
This game can be really fun and while it isn’t necessarily designed for fitness, I’ve always worked up a serious sweat when playing it. I expected it to be one of the higher calorie burners. For this test, I played the World Dance Floor option on Just Dance 2021.
Active Calories: 190
Average Heart Rate: 96
Max Heart Rate: 122
In reality, it was only marginally more intense than Ring Fit and I think they’re probably close enough that repeated tests would show them to be the same level of workout. Unlike Ring Fit, the ramp up can be slow if you don’t know a particular dance or song at all. There is significant amount of dead time between songs on the World Dance Floor option. It can be less if you use a playlist type option that isn’t online.
Fitness Boxing 2
I bought this game specifically for this experiment but also because I really enjoy shadow boxing classes and thought I might like this one too. The training module was long, taking a whole workout day before I could actually measure a real workout. And in the process, it gave me the ick because I had no choice but to have a trainer with a sexy school girl look which couldn’t be changed until I finished the training (as far as I could tell). It was just annoying and bizarre that would be the default for everyone.
Active Calories: 193
Average Heart Rate: 108
Max Heart Rate: 158
The max heart rate was a lot higher than the other games but the other stats appear reasonably comparable to other games. It definitely kept me moving the whole time which was an improvement over Just Dance. I have managed to change my coach and I do still like shadow boxing so this might be a good option for future workouts.
Nintendo Sports
I love this game and trying to rationalize time playing it probably was a big factor in doing this experiment in the first place. I understand a lot of people don’t like it and maybe because it doesn’t live up to their experiences with Wii Sports. I did not have a Wii though so I don’t have that basis of comparison.
Because there are so many different sports and I believe some are a lot more or less intense, I did several tests on different sports. Originally I thought I would do all of the sports but after a few tests, the results felt clear enough that I didn’t need to continue.
Active Calories: 170
Average Heart Rate: 89
Max Heart Rate: 110
I played online for all of these tests because that is what I most enjoy. Like Just Dance, it comes with the downside of potentially very long breaks between games/matches. There are also some sports that require more action or movement than others. When I let the game randomly choose sports for me (which wound up being bowling, tennis, tennis, soccer), it gave me a long more sedentary sport, bowling, which took 15 minutes (!!) and it felt like it really slowed down the intensity of my workout.
I also realized that I got much more of a workout from games where I was higher ranked. I felt more competitive in them but also points tend to last longer which reduces down time.
All of these are worth doing, in my opinion, and were comparable to taking a walk or doing a lighter HIIT workout for the same amount of time. I expected to find that some of them were a total waste of time or some might be a really great workout. What I actually learned was that different games aren’t as varied as you might expect but I can do things to improve the workout on any game I choose.
- Follow the fun: You get a better workout when you’re enjoying the game and, if you’re not having fun, what is the point of doing fitness gaming anyways? Take a walk instead! The fresh air and time outside have benefits beyond just calories burned. If you do love your fitness game, know that it’s going to give you roughly the same level of workout as any other game. You don’t need to play any specific one to get the best workout.
- Embrace Active Rests: If you really want to get the most out of a gaming workout, you should keep moving during pauses in the game. I’ve started filling dead time with active stretches, crunches, high marches, wall sits or just walking around the room.
- Celebrate: I feel conditioned to hold in celebratory or frustrated movements. But since my goal is to get in more movement, I’ve started to celebrate. I run around with my arms out after scoring in Soccer (Goalllllllllll) or jump up and down when I lose a long tennis rally. It makes things more fun too!
- Expect a Ramp Up: Most games will be slow to start. Ring Fit does a great job of relying on movements you already know (running in place, I’m looking at you) to bypass that but other games will require you learn the movements or develop some skill before you’re getting your best workouts. Even so, you’re still getting activity in and it’s probably more of a workout than you think.
Featured Image by Enrique Vidal Flores on Unsplash
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