I have mentioned before how wonderful Beatsaber has been for me as part of a workout. The game without a doubt will get you moving. Now you can just stand there, and swing your arms gently around, which will work for a while. I mean its a good place to start but it is not where you want to end up if you are using Beatsaber as part of a fitness routine.
Here are some tips that I have come up with the maximize the calories burned while playing BeatSaber.
Dance Magic Dance
You know how people use the phrase, “Dance like no one is looking?” well if you want to get the most out of Beatsaber you need to do exactly that. With the headset on I find that it is very easy to shut the world out and immerse yourself in the Virtual World. Use that to your advantage! MOVE YOUR BODY!
The more you are moving, the more fun you are having. This is more about having fun than anything, that is what the intention of the game is, to begin with. Remember exercise is the byproduct, we are here for FUN, not work. However, the more you dance and move to the beat and the more you lose yourself in the music, the moment, you’ll never let go and won’t miss your chance to flow.
I shut the world off when I enter the Virtual World of Beatsaber and no one can judge me there. I dance, and I dance hard. I wiggle my butt, I jump back and forth, and I am the single best dance in my play space. I also went from burning a mere 5 calories per min, to about 16 calories per min simply by feeling the rhythm.
Slash Those Calories!
When I started with Beatsaber, I moved but not with a purpose. I slashed, but not with the intent of destroying. It doesn’t take much effort to slice the beat cubes in half, but I highly recommend swinging with a purpose. Now the important thing is to ease into this, don’t just swing like you are Babe Ruth trying to put one over the wall, but do increase the velocity of your arms and you will start to feel the difference.
Swinging harder not only burns more calories it adds a different layer to the game. Now you have to move faster to get to the other beats. Not only do you have to be fast, but you also have to be strong. It will start to build up those arm muscles a little more while getting that heart rate going up even more. Remember the higher the heart rate, the more effort you are putting into those calories.
What I like to do is think of the cubes flying at me as if they were Virtual manifestations of my calories. I am a warrior, sent here to destroy the literal fat off my body and I have to do so with a vengeance. I am telling you, the more you embrace the fact you are playing and get into it the better the overall experience will be. Not just for the body but the mind. Slash AWAY!
Put on Some Weight!
I have mentioned this before with Pistol Whip. I like to up the intensity with Beatsaber by adding in some weight. Either a weighted vest or a rucksack. Sometimes I will even do both if the mood is right! When you add in a few modifiers like walls and bombs to avoid you will start to feel the difference in your legs pretty quickly.
Squat, and pay attention to your form when you do so. Moving around with added weight almost doubles the calories you are burning and believe me you will absolutely be able to tell a difference. Also adding wrist weights can be beneficial but when you add those you will want to slow down your swings to prevent injury.
It is important to note, that adding weight needs to be done at your own pace. Do not start with a lot of extra weight without first building up to that point. Start small and build up to higher levels of weight. You need to be sure you do not injury yourself and set yourself back on your fitness. So while I highly recommend this, do so with caution. You know your body better than I do, so do what is right for you.
Become an Expert
When I first started Beatsaber the idea of playing on Expert seemed like a million lightyears away. I was not at all good at the game. It took some getting used too, and after failing a few songs on hard I quickly adjusted. I turned on “no Fail” on the modifiers.
For me, this goes hand in hand with playing at the expert level. If you want a workout, you need to be playing at Expert or Expert + when possible. Like the weights, build up to that level but UNLIKE weights you can get there faster if you just GO FOR IT! Just put on no-fail and do your best. In time you will start to get a better hang of it, but while you are learning and adjusting to the game you will be burning more calories than you would be on easy or even hard modes.
Plus with no-fail on you continuously move. No stopping to restart the song or pick another. So throw it on expert, and get immersed in the game. Now you are moving your entire body and dancing like a professional. The only points that will matter are the calories you are destroying by having a good time.
Beatsaber is an excellent way to get in shape using VR. These tips are intended to help make this already great experience better for you. The most important part is to have fun. If anything I have suggested takes the fun out of the game for you, then make changes! Come up with your own ideas and think outside the box. I would love to hear your suggestions!