All aboard the ghost train

Agrowing number of Australians are staying fit by competing in the virtual world, where holograms, virtual ghosts and even zombies are the biggest threat in the game.

From virtual reality to 3D motion capture, the advancement of sport technology and fitness apps has helped regular people and athletes improve their wellbeing from home.

“You can jump into a boxing ring, ride around Paris, row the River Thames or walk through Queenstown – all without leaving home,” technology commentator Geoff Quattromani says.

“Our wearables paired with smart exercise equipment and enhanced applications take fitness to a new level. They’re so realistic that you’ll feel like you’re living the experience.”

Self-competition allows people to put in more effort, yield better results, visualise their progress, and provide a sense of achievement and motivation.

Former professional cyclist and Zwift Australia and New Zealand country manager Wesley Sulzberger says gamifying fitness exercises, and allowing users to compete, can make working out a more immersive experience.

The brand has seen 4.5 million users join across 190 countries since its 2014 launch.

“With the recent bouts of wet weather wreaking havoc on the outdoor exercise plans of many, Zwift provides users with the ability to train how they want in immersive virtual worlds,” Sulzberger says.

Research from Peloton shows almost a third of Australians will invest in an app or technology to track their goals and progress in 2023.

ZWIFT

Interested in racing through London or a futuristic version of New York? It can happen with the touch of a button.

The virtual reality cycling and running platform, used by 90 per cent of pro-peloton cyclists, enables everyday athletes to train just like (and even alongside) their heroes.

It’s recently introduced the holographic double, which allows Zwifters to race against a ghost version of their personal bests.

“It creates new ways to have fun working towards beating personal bests,” Sulzberger says.

“I have been enjoying the Watopian ‘Repack Ridge MTB’ course using my smart bike, which has steering features. It’s great fun with the HoloReplay and an even better workout.”

ZOMBIES, RUN!

Where there’s zombies, there’s only one thing you can do: run. This free app will scare you healthy by stimulating a zombie apocalypse as you complete missions.

You’ll hear warnings to run faster if zombies are on your tail while you race to “one of humanity’s last remaining outposts”, collecting supplies and rescuing survivors along the way. Share the results with friends and find out who can make the brightest future for humanity.

PELOTON

With more than 6.9 million members globally, Peloton offers a wide range of classes and functions that allow users to track and challenge individual performance.

All classes feature an ability to “compete” against yourself and improve on your form.

“Whether you’re building your yoga practice, getting a cycling cardio workout in, or running outdoors, the Peloton app allows you to track your performance in real time, and compare your progress to help you achieve your individual health and fitness goals,” Peloton instructor Kirra Michel says.

PACE TO RACE

Fancy a challenge and some competition? Pace To Race has you covered. Choose any previous run and the ghost pacer will replay it in real time, speeding up and slowing down exactly where you did. See if you can beat yourself.

Or test yourself by searching the app’s database of challenges and see what you can win. A virtual buddy will accompany you on every run and provide real-time feedback on where you are so you can adjust your pace and nail the plan.

FORREST

This fitness app offers the ability to race against your previous results or custom ghost racers for rides and runs. Hear prompts on your progress while you run or ride, such as: “Your target ghost racer is 12 seconds ahead of you in second place”.

Choose from pre-loaded races or create your own, including adding multiple virtual racers to compete against. Using your Apple Watch gives you the freedom to race without your phone.

VITRUVIAN TRAINER+

This smart fitness machine operates by algorithms that respond to the way you move. Using AI technology, it also includes the Vitruvian app, which gives users access to more than 200 exercises curated by elite coaches.

“You can connect with other users to share workouts and compete on the leaderboard … you can see their rankings by day, week and month,” Tanika Chapman of Vitruvian says.