Working Out and Gaming Can Co-Exist: Here’s How

Okay, so you’ve already mastered all the mini games in Wii Fit, but your Mii is still sporting a realistic Nightowl-esque paunch. So what do you do? As a gamer you’ve already devoted almost all of your limited free time to grinding in WoW or matchmaking in Halo. Believe it or not, adding a workout to your daily schedule is far easier and cheaper than Tony Little or Jack Lalanne would have you believe.

The first thing to do is identify where you spend the majority of your game time. Chances are it will either be in your living room with your favorite console or at your desk with your computer. The living room scenario is slightly more convenient for working out as you’re more likely to have room and open floor space to move around in, but the set up completely depends on the size of your dwelling and your level of clutter. All you really need for a decent workout is a space of empty floor that’s roughly as large as you when you lay down; extra space can help, and if you have a spare twenty dollars or so there are a few pieces of equipment you should think about investing in to supplement your workout. We’ll discuss those options a bit later.

So, at this point you’ve cleared out a space in front of the TV/PC and are wondering what you’re supposed to be doing in it. First off, whenever you’re gaming, make sure to optimize your down time. If you’re playing Metal Gear, you’ve got plenty of long-winded cinematics that your hands don’t need to be on the controller. If you’re playing sports games or deathmatch-style shooters, you’re pretty much limited to loading screens and matchmaking, which vary in length depending on the game. MMOs usually have long sections of downtime when a character is traveling or looking for groups, these are the moments when you fit in elements of your workout.

During this downtime, drop to the floor and pound out a couple push-ups. The most simple exercise in the book works like a charm because it focuses on your chest while also working the back of your arm and shoulders. Also, push-ups can be integrated into your favorite game as a punishment system, whenever you throw a pick in Madden or get bitten by a zombie in Resident Evil, pause the game and do ten push-ups. This is especially useful if you’re playing first-person shooters that focus on a survival type deathmatch, such as Gears of War, Counterstrike or Rainbow Six. If you went into every game of CS knowing you’d do push-ups between the time you died and the next round, you’ll be motivated to stay alive longer and thus improve your game, or your body; either way you win.

Push-ups can be replaced/supplemented with any number of different exercises if you have dumbbells handy, and if you don’t, a trip to your local sporting goods store can easily remedy this problem. If you only have enough money to buy one set of dumbbells, you’ll be well served to invest in a mid-weight pair. Your definition of mid-weight will vary depending on your size and overall fitness level, but a good bet is something between 15 and 25 pounds. There are countless online guides to dumbbell workouts, many of which will have you believe that having a bench is imperative while doing most dumbbell exercises, but the edge of a couch works fine for many back workouts (such as the single arm row) and others can be done on a flat floor (such as the French Press, aka “skull crusher”). Be sure, when selecting any kind of weight, to error on the side of caution; chances are you’ve got no one to impress in your game space and lifting too much weight is a great way to ruin your form, which can lead to serious injury.

So, let’s say you’re into games that don’t allow much downtime. How does someone stay in shape if they’re pounding through a game like Bioshock that doesn’t even have loading screens after you die? There are a few options, if you have any kind of aerobic machine (exercise bike or elliptical) handy, just game while you’re running/biking. If you aren’t as fortunate, there are a couple of ways to work your core while still gaming. The best method is to replace your cushy barcalounger with an inflatable exercise ball. Because of the balance required, even when you’re just sitting on top of one you’re engaging all of your abs and your lower back. Don’t expect to get six-pack abs from sitting, but if you stay in that position for a couple of hours you might be sore the next day (which is good). Also, crunches while on a ball is a fantastic way to work your abs and tighten up that gut you hate so much.

If you’d rather not shell out the twenty dollars for an inflatable ball, you can hold your controller at chest level while doing crunches on the floor. Being in motion while gaming might be uncomfortable at first, because you have to navigate your body’s form along with your in-game avatar, not to mention that it does look awkward. You’ll get used to it in no time, though, and you’ll thank yourself in a few weeks when you start noticing results.

As a general rule, make a point of working out like this at least three times a week. The more persistent you are, the better your results will be. Push-ups and dumbbell work will help sculpt and tone muscle mass; if you are just trying to lose weight you will want to focus on more cardiovascular exercise such as running or biking, which are much harder to integrate into a gaming cycle if you don’t have an exercise bike handy.

A lot can be accomplished with fairly minimal equipment if you have the drive and dedication to get in better shape. Chances are you won’t end up looking like Arnold because you’ve started doing push-ups before a raid, but you’ll no doubt look better and feel better about your body. To really get statuesque results, there’s no substitute for a gym membership and/or a personal trainer, but that involves changing your daily routine. Just because you don’t want to spend two hours a day “sculpting your guns” doesn’t mean you can’t pump up.