www.modernluxuria.com
The Virtual Gym How to get fit playing video games As Canadians brace for a surge of Covid-19 cases this fall and winter, it’s likely we’ll have to shelter-in-place again. No more dining out, going out, or working out. May I suggest a workaround? Virtual reality. When the pandemic forced me to lockdown in spring, I was anxious for an escape that didn’t involve sourdough bread. I needed a new environment, a reason to move my body, and a house to myself. That’s when V.R. occurred to me. When I first demoed the technology, in 2014, I found them clunky, dizzying, and gimmicky. A lot has changed since then. V.R. headsets are more physically and visually comfortable. You still look like a dork in one, but they’re portable now—no computer required—so you can take it to a private room. Best of all: they’re much cheaper. Facebook’s mass market V.R. set, Oculus Quest, starts at $460. Evidently, I wasn’t the only one thinking this. Along with sweatpants, flour, and toilet paper, every retailer was out of stock. I put in a pre-order and eventually it arrived. ▶
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