Virtual Fitness 101: What is Digital Fitness?

Lately, it seems just about everything has moved to the internet. From grocery shopping to family get-togethers, and now, even virtual fitness. Don’t worry, though. We’re not talking about things like the old attempts at exercise video games. We mean real workouts with real results. They’re just made easier with remote guidance.

Millions of people around the world have started taking advantage of online tools to push their workouts to the limit wherever they might be. As it turns out, it's pretty effective, too. Check out the different ways digital fitness can help you.

What is Virtual Fitness?

Virtual fitness is the melding of the physical exercise you love with the pure efficiency of technology. You won’t be using any weird gizmos or peripherals for it, though. Digital fitness typically refers to things such as tracking apps that gauge your lifestyle habits, give you hands-on time with real trainers, and even take part in remote exercise classes via your device’s camera.

There are all kinds of virtual fitness regimens available, too. You can join an online yoga class with dozens of real students, get some solo strength training with a virtual aid guiding your efforts, or finally tackle that cardio regimen you've been putting off with a real coach pushing you forward.

Benefits of Incorporating Technology into Virtual Exercise

In essence, virtual exercise gives you everything you’d find at a gym (except the equipment of course), and it puts it on your device. This gives you a ton of benefits no gym can offer.

Do you get nervous exercising around people? No problem. With virtual fitness, you can exercise wherever you’re comfortable without sacrificing expert guidance.

Don’t have the time to get to a mid-day cycling class four times a week? Don’t worry. Pre-recorded or live classes are available ALL the time in a virtual setting. Just find the time to work out, join a class, and start pedaling. This flexibility makes you more likely to stick to it, too. It works on your time.

You can also use virtual fitness apps anywhere. Traveling through Japan? You now have a trainer in your hotel room. Want to stay home and exercise? Go for it. You don’t sacrifice your workout by traveling, and you don’t waste time or gas making trips to the gym.

Finally, you get to try new things. If your local gym doesn’t offer high-intensity yoga classes or elderly-friendly aerobics, you can find it with digital fitness.

Do You Need Equipment for Virtual Exercise?

One of the best things about virtual exercise is that you don't need the same equipment as a gym to participate. The vast majority of digital fitness programs have classes that require minimal or no equipment to participate in. Obviously, some more advanced classes will require some equipment, but you'll certainly have plenty of options even if you don't have anything.

With that being said, you can still benefit from adding a few dumbbells, an exercise mat, and other inexpensive items to your next shopping list. They’ll just give you more workout options in general, and you can access some of the more advanced classes if you have the equipment to follow them. Check out our list of virtual workout equipment if you want an affordable and reliable way to branch out from no-equipment classes.

While you might be worried about having equipment, and we definitely recommend having some basic items around, you really only need the tools necessary to access the internet and get in contact with instructors. This can be as little as the smartphone you use already, or you can use a more powerful laptop with a dual monitor such as the DUEX Plus for a more immersive experience while participating in class. Having two large screens to view the whole class from a reasonable distance away is a big advantage over just using your smartphone.

Mobile Pixels has all the information you need to get the most out of virtual exercise and digital fitness courses. We offer triple and dual monitors that make virtual workouts easier and more immersive.