To slip on an Oculus Quest or Quest 2 and step into Supernatural is to experience the future of fitness. In the year and a half since its debut, this popular VR app, with a suite of activities inside, has taught consumers that at-home workouts marry remarkably well with virtual reality worlds. Now, boxing—with programs guided by real-life coaches—is the latest modality, joining the full-body cardio routines, as well as meditation and recovery experiences already available. This addition allows players to jab, block and punch virtual targets set among stunning photorealistic settings, with a compelling soundtrack behind it all. There are three intensity levels to accommodate an array of participants and, altogether, the experience equips those looking to work out from the privacy of home while maintaining a community of likeminded individuals who constantly seek inspiration.
With Supernatural, the Oculus headset transports players in such a way that the hardware almost seems to disappear—even as one begins to box and gets deeply involved in the movements. Beyond the physical workout, the encapsulating sensory experience is two-fold. First, the compelling 1000-song catalog of music—from artists like Billie Eilish, Lizzo, TV on the Radio and Joy Division—is extensive and there’s enough on offer (from both major and indie label artists) that participants can find their groove.
Perhaps even more important, each boxing session takes place in utterly mesmerizing locations around the planet—and off of it. That means everywhere from Mount Everest to Chichen Itza, Iceland’s Snæfellsjökull Volcano, the Namib Desert in Namibia and beyond. Perhaps most notable, there’s Mars (which has been constructed utilizing footage shot by a rover, coupled with the sound of real Martian wind) and the Moon (with the scene assembled from panoramic images by NASA). In these instances, Supernatural truly lives up to its name.
Though we often follow VR for groundbreaking storytelling developments, Supernatural demonstrates the power of the technology for health and wellness at a much larger scale. Supernatural has already amassed a following—and with the addition of boxing, which debuts with eight workouts (and three new ones releasing each week moving forward), more will come.
Images courtesy of Supernatural