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On CNN today...

For the uninitiated (Me: He really means anyone “over 18” i.e. “a Boomer” ) the $299 Oculus Quest 2 is a fully stand-alone virtual reality headset. You don’t need to connect it to a powerful PC (Me: That's good 'cause you know all my equipment is Shit.) and there are no pesky wires or sensors — just strap on the headset, pick up the two included controllers and you’re good to go. The Quest 2 allows you to create a virtual boundary where you can freely move around, so you’ll get the best workout experience if you have a decent amount of free space.

I started out with a couple of VR games I was already enjoying before I started this experiment: Beat Saber and Pistol Whip. The former is a rhythm game that has you slash targets to music with “lightsabers” in your hands, and the latter is a neon-soaked first-person shooter that has you take out enemies and dodge bullets John Wick-style while thumping electronic music plays in the background. Both games are great, but I got a better workout from Beat Saber — especially when furiously slashing along to my favorite Linkin Park songs (Me: Does the author not realize all the members of this band are several years older than “Dr. Andy”? Dr. Andy used to listen to Linkin Park back in high school. Still does. Last night he listened to the live version of “One Step Closer” from the 2001 Family Values Tour on YouTube while reliving his youth. Dr. Andy’s wife agrees that he is indeed a “Crazy Motherfucker.”).

I also worked up a decent sweat dancing along to Justin Bieber (Me: Christ. Is he actually serious? ) in Dance Central VR, and got my heart rate pumping in Blaston, a one-on-one multiplayer shooter that’s effectively dodgeball with guns. But I didn’t really start feeling the burn until I turned to the more fitness-focused apps available on Quest 2.

Here’s some screenshots for you. I think anything that motivates someone have a good workout is awesome. The author adds that VR is a “legitimate” way to work out. Everything is “legit” these days. I much prefer to work out “illegitimately.” But either way, I would probably be more motivated if my Oculus Quest could show some scenes like these three.

The last one's name is Laura Michelle. Laura Michelle is of course my “Future Wife.” But would this program even allow us to get married?