I haven't been much of a gamer over the years with the exception of the brilliant time of the 90s and Nintendo 64; Mario Tennis was my jam. I`ve been around many people who can so easily get lost in the story of a game, yet I never really understood the appeal (maybe due to my lack of manual dexterity) until recently.
To provide some context of the current reality of our pandemic life, I am currently living in Ottawa during the third lockdown, that I lovingly call the super lockdown. Our provincial government has gone off the rails, hasn`t listened to real-life scientific data that proves closing outdoor amenities will not provide any additional benefit in the fight against Covid-19. I can`t cross the border to go hiking in Gatineau, disk golf is `closed` my local park, and golf (my new found passion) is also closed. And obviously, the beautiful Movati Gym is shut down.
We all have different reasons why we exercise, and for me, it`s to maintain my mental health by burning off anxious and stress energy at the end of a long workday. Since I`m being told by Big Brother that it`s wrong to leave my house and do what I need to manage my mental health, as a mental health worker, I`ve turned to video games.
I`ve decided to feed my inner child by getting back into Nintendo. This time the Switch. I`ve tried playing Overcooked, but end up stressed out as I try not to set the kitchen/wooden boat on fire. I've tried a number of other first person games and make myself dizzy trying to manage looking left and right, and up and down. So I've turned to the exercise based games, for which there are literally only 3.
I've spiced up my at-home weekly workout schedule with Just Dance and Ring Fit Adventure. I typically play these games a few times a week to mix it up from my yoga, walking and cycling routine.
Just Dance is a game where, yes you guessed it, you just dance. It sounds overly simple and it is, that's what makes it so fun! One way to complete your stress response cycle after dealing with the stressor is to move your body to release the pent up energy. I love to do this through dance. And I dance like no one is watching, even when my husband and dog are.
Ring Fit Adventure is an offline game where you lead your character through a series of agility courses and 'workout monster' challenges using a Pilate-type resistance ring. You unlock a series of moves as you advance through the levels. This game is fun because you can choose to listen to the sound of the video game, or you can mute it and listen to your favourite high BPM playlist to get you through the levels. The key part of this game is that you don't feel like you're working out while you do it. The same goes for Just Dance.
These games have saved me during the pandemic because they have taught me that exercise doesn't have to feel forced or boring. In addition to this, I've been able to create a habit and interest in working out at home, something many of us struggle with because we know it's just not the same.
What the best part of these workout video games? You can wear as little clothing as you want, and you can start or end with a glass of wine!
Through this experience I have learned to easily find the silver lining and the hidden bonuses of at-home workouts. I can escape this exhausting story that we're currently living into ones where I'm in control, in a state of flow and am getting a good sweat on.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
During my self-isolation I often watched YouTube, some game walkthroughs or something like that.
I wanted to try to make a similar video on the game Call of Duty myself, and then I turned to the Internet for help to choose the right program to record my screen on windows 11. A guy dropped me this page and told me it would help me.
Now I record gameplay videos, good luck to you too!