These VR Workout Games Are So Fun They Don’t Feel Like Exercise

Supernatural is a popular VR fitness app that’s reminiscent of Beatsaber, but more focused on exercise. It lets you box, flow, meditate, and stretch to gorgeous scenery (like Machu Picchu or even Mars), and the industry’s largest music selection. There’s also an option to work with live coaches, including none other than Raneir Pollard, one of the trainers who regularly leads classes on our POPSUGAR Fitness YouTube channel.

Beat Saber isn’t sold as a VR workout game, per se, but it could certainly be one. Using a lightsaber, you’re tasked with slicing through floating boxes that are rapidly zooming toward you. It all happens on time to the beat, making this game feel somewhere between giant Fruit Ninja and dancing. The fast-paced music will have you sweating before you know it.

Fitness brand Les Mills – which you may know as the creator of group classes like Bodypump, which are offered in many big-box gyms – has created a home for their martial arts class, Bodycombat, in virtual reality. The game features fighting moves like punches and knee strikes to work your core, and you have the option to work with coaches or do independent 30-minute workouts.

For those who love boxing workouts but don’t want to experience the ring, BoxVR is a great choice. It’s pure fitness boxing, and you’re faced with colorful targets – prompting you to throw a jab, cross, hook, or duck – rather than opponents. The moves are timed to the beat of playlists (designed by real fitness instructors), which gives this VR boxing game a choreographed feel.

Related: Sydney Sweeney's Badass Boxing Workout Elicited a "Holy Sh*t" From Maude Apatow

Another rhythm game for Beat Saber fans, AudioShield is a VR workout game where you block flying shapes with shields. You can add your own music (from YouTube or MP3s, for example) and the game generates a map based on the song’s beat. As you block yourself from the flying shapes, your motions are timed to different parts of the song.

FitXR is a dedicated VR workout game famous for its group classes, led by industry-leading professionals. Choose from boxing, HIIT, sculpt, dance, and combat classes and wait for seven new ones to drop each week.

If you just want to dance, you’ll love Dance Central, a VR workout game that features choreographed routines to popular songs that’ll get your whole body moving. Sweat to popular artists including Dua Lipa, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, and Cardi B, and once you master a routine, you can compete in in-game dance offs and more.

This VR fitness app connects to your rowing machine, stationary bike, or elliptical to let you explore virtual environments while working out. HoloFit offers several different modes, including training regimens, gamified environments, and simple scenery and soundscapes for when you just want to zone out. No exercise machine? No worries: you can still do freestyle workouts like boxing, bodyweight training, skiing, and more. They even have a companion app where you can track your progress.

It’s hard to say who Holopoint is better for: archery enthusiasts, or arm-workout enthusiasts – because, yes, your arms will absolutely get a workout from playing this VR game for a while. Channel your inner Katniss Everdeen and use your VR archery skills to fight your way through samurai, ninjas, responsive targets and more.

Litesport is like a personal training session but in the metaverse. It offers over 1,000 on-demand classes across disciplines including boxing (both speed bags and mitt work), conditioning, battle ropes, and strength. The free, basic-level membership gives you access to 65 workout classes to test it out before you purchase the Premium tier ($15 per month), which includes complete workout access, popular music, and different workout environments.

If you’re a year-round cyclist, but the weather doesn’t always agree, you’ll love VZFit. You can sync this virtual reality exercise game with your own exercise bike, or use it without one for an intense HIIT workout, surrounded by beautiful scenery from real-world locations.

Somewhere between a dance game and an obstacle course, OhShape requires you to hit various poses to pass through walls that rapidly approach to the beat of the music. It’s a rhythm game that gets your entire body moving, and it was inspired by the Japanese TV show Hole in the Wall.

Sprint Vector is like Mario Kart, but you’re the cart. With quirky characters, power-ups, and challenges, you’ll race against competitors by using your whole body to run, jump, drift, zip, climb, fling, shoot, dodge, and fly in this game that’s sure to get your heart racing.

If you love fantasy and games with a storyline, Blade and Sorcery is the VR exercise game for you. You get to choose your weapon and fighting style as you battle your way through medieval armies and enemies.

Similar to Beat Saber, Synth Riders is a freestyle dancing rhythm game. It has you doing more creative and diverse movements than the slashing involved in Beat Saber, and lets you play in 14 different worlds.

If you want to strengthen your legs, this is the VR workout game for you. Hot Squat and its follow-up game, Hot Squat 2, combines an ’80s fitness aesthetic with a killer fitness challenge. It’s pretty simple: You’re prompted to squat and side-step through obstacles, getting your hart rate up and doing plenty of squat reps in the process.

VRWorkout game engages your whole body with high-intensity workout moves like squats, push-ups, burpees, and more. It’s controller-free, which means there are more moves available, and you don’t have to worry about getting the controllers sweaty.

Swordfighting is everyone’s game with this VR workout. Improve your endurance and arm and core strength as you fight with realistic swords in full 360-degree combat. Sword Master VR isn’t a “stand still and wiggle your hand” type of fighting game: you’ll need to react quickly, duck and dodge, deflect incoming attacks, get your whole body in on the fight.

If you’re looking for an authentic boxing experience without ever actually stepping inside the ring yourself, Thrill of the Fight is the VR workout app for you. You’ll work out in a room-scale ring, throwing jabs, punches, and more to beat opponents. Win enough matches in this VR boxing game, and you can work your way up to becoming a boxing champion.

Worth mentioning for when you need recovery days, TRIPP is a virtual meditation app. It includes soothing music, soundscapes, and beautiful visuals to help you find your inner calm.