Gaming is a hobby that can require a large time investment.  So how is a gamer supposed to stay in shape?  With this first entry in our Healthy Gamer series, we explore ways to stay fit while continuing to game as much as you always have.

Stationary Bike

I am no longer able to lift weights due to multiple injuries sustained over the years (navicular fractures in my wrists, L2-L3 vertebrae fusion, knee problems, and more!), so I fall squarely into the group of fitness-conscious gamers who have a limited choice in how they can stay in relatively decent shape.  A recumbent or upright stationary bike is a great choice for exercise, whether you have injuries or not.  I find that if I game while hopping on the bike, I tend to stay on there longer and don’t notice fatigue nearly as much.  If you plan to use your bike for quick 20-30 minute high intensity sessions, action-oriented games are a must; I personally have logged countless hours in Muramasa: The Demon Blade and Madworld while on my recumbent bike.  If taking the slower paced but more time elapsed route is your plan, RPGs with a fun and engaging story are the way to go; I have found games like Super Mario RPG and Mass Effect work great for this purpose.  If you don’t have a bike but visit a gym on a regular basis, portables like the DS and the PSP are a solid alternative.

As for recommendations on recumbent bikes, I myself have a Scwinn Active Series 20.  It’s basic, but it’s the best one I found in the $300 or under price range when I bought it in late 2008.

Pushups

Pushups are a load bearing pillar of any exercise regimen.  They can be done anywhere, modified depending on any injury you may have, and work a large number of muscles in your upper body at the same time.  Best of all, you can space out your pushups throughout the day;  I try to get in 10-20 pushups 5-10 times per day.  As far as incorporating them into your gaming routine…well, that’s the easy part.  An example: when I was heavily into playing World of Warcraft, any time I took a flight somewhere, waited around for the rest of a group to show up, or waited on regenerating health/mana, I quickly busted out 20 pushups.  For non-MMO games (where downtime won’t be nearly as prevalent), any time a loading screen comes up, or a cutscene starts, crank out a few.  I also do a set before getting in the shower in the morning and before going to bed at night.  There is a short recovery time associated with pushups, so it’s safe to do them every day.

If you want some great tips on how to change up your routine and raise your pushup number quickly (and safely), I highly recommend hundredpushups.com.  After my wrist injuries were mostly healed, I found that site to be a great resource for getting me back on track.  Whether you have never done weight training or pushups before, the six week program it outlines is effective and simple to follow.  There are also links to their sister sites, including twohundredsitups.com and twentyfivepullups.com, amongst others.

“Active Gaming”

While things like Wii Fit and EA Sports Active are exercise-oriented, I find that they are bit too dull to be effective for regular use.  If you wish to engage in active gaming, I recommend DDR. There are a number of different websites that can point you in the right direction if you wish to pursue this path.  It requires some serious dedication, but provided you put out the effort its effectiveness can’t be denied.  That being said, Wii Fit is a FANTASTIC tool to keep track of your progress, provided you weigh yourself at the same time and under the same circumstances once a week.  While you won’t get a major aerobic workout through it, Wii Fit can also be useful if you wish to start getting into Yoga.  You aren’t going to advance very far using just Wii Fit, but it’s a good alternative to taking classes for the early basic stuff.  At the cost of only one or two Yoga classes, it makes economic sense as well.

Keeping (relatively) physically fit while maintaining an active gaming lifestyle isn’t too much of a challenge…it just requires consistency and a little dedication.  Getting started is the hardest part, and if you are just beginning to try to get fit it’s going to suck no matter what you do.  Be patient, be dedicated, and you WILL notice results, generally within a couple of weeks.  In our next edition of The Healthy Gamer, we are going to tackle healthy gaming snacks and beverages.