Three months ago, during my first Think Week, I realized that consistently working out would meaningfully improve my long term health and happiness.

After a quick overview of the research on exercise and longevity, 45 minutes of cardio per day seemed optimal.

But what method would enable me to work out consistently?

• Previously I’d built up a Tiny Habit of running ~5 minutes per day, but knee pain was preventing me from expanding that habit further.
• Because of COVID-19, any form of gym work was also no longer an option.
• I’d noticed that playing certain VR games would lead me to work up a sweat without noticing; clearly, I had to give this method a try.

Fast forward 80 days since my Think Week, and I’ve not missed a single VR workout day.

I now look forward to waking up and getting my heart beating, working up a sweat, and generally feeling better throughout the day. Also:

• My HRV (a measure of health) has increased (from 32 to 49 -> +53%)
• My resting heart rate has decreased (from 57 to 49 -> -14%)

My Oura Ring stats from before and after starting VR workouts:

Given the above benefits, I’d be hooked for the long haul. However, during my first 80 days of VR I stumbled upon something even more surprising.

I’ve discovered that VR serves me well as a digital dojo — an ideal place in the digital world to practice skills that can be applied in everyday life.‍

‍

digital dojo [dij-i-tl doh-joh]‍

noun, plural di·gi·tal do·jos.‍

1. A place in the digital world to practice skills that are applicable in everyday life.

Specifically, I’ve found that, so far, my digital dojo has helped me cultivate:

• Calm under pressure
• Persistence in the face of difficulty, and
• A stronger growth mindset

In the following sections, I’ll cover:

• VR’s benefits over other exercise methods
• How I use VR as a digital dojo
• Specific details around how I use VR

Let’s dive in!

Working out is important in itself, but 45 minutes a day is a meaningful time investment — equivalent to almost 7 40-hour workweeks every year.

Given such a meaningful time investment, I wanted to make sure I got as many side benefits as possible.

Side note: Squeezing the most you can out of activities is one of my favorite principles which I call “make activities two-for-one,” stolen from Nate Eliason’s blog post here.

The main benefits I’ve seen aside from getting a great workout:

It’s Fun

VR games make working out fun; as we get older, many of us tend to play less, become more serious — but it doesn’t have to be that way.

I’ve found that I get so immersed in a game that I won’t even notice that I’m sweating. The challenge and fun of the games keep me excited to continue working out every day.

It’s Efficient

The games I tend to play are fast-paced, intense, and require a level of concentration similar to that of a competitive sport; the downside of a team competitive sport is that you have to travel to a central location and coordinate times with others.

In my case, I can fire up my VR headset whenever works for me, and be playing in less than a minute.

It’s Safe

My wife and I have decided to err on the side of caution with COVID-19. Keeping away from public spaces or exercise equipment helps with this.

It’s Bleeding edge

My 25-year direction is to “facilitate innovation.” I believe VR is going to be a big part of the future.  Staying in touch with VR helps me understand and consequently be more able to shape that future.

Much to my surprise, VR has served as a great digital dojo for practicing skills and ways of thinking that can lat