Facebook’s Oculus Quest 2 headset isn’t just the cutting edge platform for standalone VR, it’s also a fantastic way to get a full-body workout.
The beautiful thing about working out in virtual reality is that almost anything you do can count as a workout if you move around enough.
But there are also a number of dedicated workout games and apps ready to get your heart pumping and your arms feeling like wet spaghetti after just a few minutes.
The Quest 2 is particularly suited to this because it’s a lightweight, untethered headset that gives you the freedom to move.
There’s also the Oculus Move dashboard, which tracks your movement and estimated calorie burn across all the games you play.
Plus it comes with a library full of amazing games and apps that will help you burn some calories without really even noticing – because you’ll be having so much fun.
Check out this list of the 14 most addictive fitness apps and games that will give you a workout with the Quest 2.
The games and apps listed here are in no particular order.
Non-Workout VR Games That Will Give You a Workout
Beat Saber
Of course, Beat Saber is going to show up on a workout list – not just because it’s incredibly fun to play but also because the game can be an intense training session, even if it wasn’t originally designed with fitness in mind.
One of the biggest things that Beat Saber has going for it is the fact that you can tailor your session to your needs.
So if you want to really amp up the intensity then you go for Expert+ and your arms will certainly feel it by the end of the song.
Beat Saber probably needs no introduction, but it’s a rhythm VR game that has you hitting different blocks with lightsabers in a sequence to the beat of various songs.
What makes it a great workout is the fact that you won’t be worrying about how many calories you’re burning per minute but rather about keeping up with the pace and beating the high scores.
Pistol Whip
Every so often a unique game comes along that blends two genres so seamlessly, you’ll wonder why no one else has done it before.
That’s exactly what Pistol Whip feels like, a mix between a super epic FPS game and an intense-flow rhythm game.
In this fast-paced shooter, you’re dropped into various flashing neon scenes filled with enemies that you get to kill as you see fit, giving you leeway to make it feel as legendary as you want to.
Unlike with other rhythm-action games, you aren’t forced into a specific sequence or pace, so you can let the entrancing EDM music flow through you and make each action-hero moment your own.
Dance Central
Dance Central has been around on other platforms for a long time, but it works so incredibly well in VR.
The game features plenty of bopping tracks to jam out to as you follow along with your virtual dance instructor in a sleek club setting.
This really is a full-body workout as you try to keep up with the instructors, especially in the pro mode.
Although, you won’t get as intense of a workout as you would through a fitness app.
Dance Central also offers a multiplayer mode where you can either play with friends in co-op or challenge them in a duel.
It works fantastic on the Quest 2 as well, especially since you’ve got that freedom of movement.
Echo VR
Originally called Echo Arena, Echo VR is the multiplayer spin-off of the award-winning Lone Echo game (which is also available on the Quest).
The two games are entirely different, however.
Whereas Lone Echo is an intense space RPG, Echo VR feels like it stepped right out of a Tron Battle Grid.
Except you’re in zero-G and you won’t actually die.
You’ll find yourself breaking out in a sweat in no time as you fly around, trying to hit other players with your disk, and avoid getting hit yourself, almost like a virtual game of dodgeball.
This is one of the most popular multiplayer exclusives on the Oculus platform and it works wonderfully on the Quest 2.
Until You Fall
If you’re into fantasy adventure games but still want to get some sweat worked up, then Until You Fall is a solid option.
The storyline isn’t going to win any awards and it’s not exactly an RPG, and more like a wave-based sword slashing game instead.
Even so, the visuals are spectacular and the fighting mechanics are top-notch.
You’ll feel this working your arms and even other parts of your body if you really get into it.
Synth Riders
A lot of people equate VR rhythm games like Synth Riders and Audio Trip to Beat Saber because they look a lot alike.
There are a lot of similarities between these games to be sure, but Synth Riders is markedly different in two ways: it actually feels like you’re dancing to choreographed routines instead of just trying to hit a sequence of objects, and it forces/encourages you to use your whole body.
The music is quite different from what you’ll find in Beat Saber as well, and there are plenty of people that prefer this game between the two because they can get more into the music while playing.
VR Games That Were Designed to Give You a Workout
The Thrill of the Fight
If you’re looking for the most realistic recreation of a boxing fight in VR then this should be your go-to.
There are other great VR boxing games out there, but they focus more on being entertaining than offering an authentic experience.
You won’t be able to determine how many calories you burn or follow a regimented exercise routine with The Thrill of the Fight as you could with VR fitness apps.
But it does a good job of scoring you based on the power of your punches and the skill you apply, and the difficulty level increases with each opponent as well.
There’s also no artificial stamina regulator, which you’ll find in games like Creed, so the only thing determining how long and fast you can go is yourself.
All of these features help create a very well-rounded workout experience.
Knockout League
Another boxing game, Knockout League takes a markedly different approach to the genre compared to The Thrill of the Fight.
Accuracy is still very important here, but realism takes a backseat in favor of more entertaining opponents and mechanics.
It’s still an incredible workout for your arms and upper body, however, if you make sure you punch properly.
The game also features boxing drills alongside the NPC fights, which you can use as your own personal fitness training sessions.
Racket NX
If you love furiously hitting balls in real life, then you’ll find that it’s even better in VR.
Racket NX takes a fresh and futuristic approach to the sport by plopping you in the middle of big chambers filled with targets on the walls all around you.
Each target will net you a different score and you can chain a whole bunch of them together to increase your score exponentially.
The game comes with two single-player modes as well as a multiplayer mode, which is thankfully cross-platform and so doesn’t limit you to having to search for opponents that also own Quests.
Another bonus is that it doesn’t force you into increasing your speed or skills, so the level of workout you get is completely up to you.
The Climb
Climbing is a fantastic way to get a full-body workout, but if you’re not able to go rock climbing outside every day (and who is, really) then The Climb is the next best thing.
It’s never going to give you the same level of experience that you’ll get through actual rock climbing, but it’s a whole lot of fun and a good workout for your arms nonetheless.
Not to mention all of the exotic locales that you’ll probably never go out to climb in real life anyway.
The Climb features a free solo climbing mode that will make your friends with acrophobia sway on their feet and a bouldering mode that’s closer to the ground but just as intense as it relies on precise skill.
You also get to compete against other people’s “ghosts” in the multiplayer mode to see who can reach the top first.
On top of that, the game also features some caves and shortcuts to explore that make for a delightfully enchanting way to quickly catch your breath.
VR Fitness Apps
Holofit
Let’s face it – going to the gym can be pretty boring.
You’re staring at a wall or a mirror for an hour while you try to finish your sets, it’s not exactly exhilarating.
Holofit aims to change that by providing exciting and mysterious places to escape to while you’re working out, and it does this by connecting to your workout equipment, namely rowing machines, bicycles, and ellipticals.
Holofit is a VR fitness subscription service that costs $10 USD per month.
It’s no secret that VR users hate subscription-based services, but the app makes up for that by continuously supplying new content.
In the app, you can row, bike, or walk/run through a space station near Saturn, through a tropical jungle, or underwater while waving at a passing whale among other locations.
Since you connect Holofit to whatever device you’re working on, the pace in these environments matches your real-world pace.
There are also different workout modes, like the one that encourages you to go faster lest you come face to face with an angry crocodile or falling rocks.
It may not be able to replace the monotony of doing the same workout over and over, but Holofit makes the experience something to look forward to.
Supernatural
Like Holofit, Supernatural is a dedicated fitness subscription service – but you don’t need any extra equipment to use it.
The subscription is quite a bit more expensive though, at $19 USD per month.
It’s not cheap, but you get a lot for that price, which makes it worth it.
Supernatural provides new workouts every day along with dedicated trainers that coach you through every session.
The gameplay looks a lot like Beat Saber and also has you hitting objects with bats to the beat of the music – a list of some of the most popular tracks out today, which changes every week.
Unlike Beat Saber, however, Supernatural takes a wholly fitness-based approach and measures your reach and level of mobility, and builds workouts around that for you.
You can also choose workouts that focus more on specific areas, like your arms or legs. It’s a full workout and you’ll be pushing yourself further every time.
The app also features guided meditation courses.
FitXR
Originally called BoxVR, FitXR has come a long way since it was first released.
FitXR is a rhythm-based game that has you performing jabs, side-jabs, and uppercuts in a specific sequence to the rhythm of the music.
There are also obstacles that you will have to avoid with squats and side steps.
The developer recently added a dance mode as well, where you follow along with a virtual avatar.
The newly updated fitness app has a lot of features going for it, including different style sessions to suit the type of workout you’re looking for and “multiplayer” group sessions where you can work out alongside the recorded ghost avatars of other people.
All of which is delivered in an incredibly challenging package created and guided by certified trainers.
OhShape
There are a lot of dancing-themed games out there, but few are as unique as OhShape.
Ever watched that show, “Hole in the Wall”?
This is essentially that, but the purpose is to look like you’re following a choreographed dance routine while trying to fit through a moving person-shaped hole in a wall.
Also, there’s a lot of them and it’s to the beat of a banging soundtrack.
As zany as that sounds, OhShape is incredibly fun to play and will make you forget you’re actually doing this to burn some calories.
You won’t just be trying to match poses either, you have to dodge walls and hit some of them, and collect coins too – adding to the total body workout.
