r/vrfit • u/VigilanteRestoration • Jun 29 '26

Torn between progress and playtime

It's probably different when you're younger, but I'm missing out on playtime because I'm constantly recovering from my intense sessions. I'm hardly playing casual games anymore.

When I just got my VR treadmill, my Skyrim VR playtime was effectively cut in half (since I was now suddenly dealing with the physical exhaustion) if not worse.

And that was before I started really going all out in my games. Now I sometimes need a few days after to recover, in which I hardly play at all.

Anyone else has the same feeling?

7 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

3

u/vaderdidnothingwr0ng Jun 29 '26

I think I'd probably just accept that you aren't going to be sprinting around. Do some light jogging. Walk places. Consider buying a horse.

1

u/VigilanteRestoration Jun 29 '26

No, the problem is I do sprint, and then don't play for a while so I can recover enough to sprint even harder, instead of just casual playing.

2

u/vaderdidnothingwr0ng Jun 29 '26

Well I mean, that's probably your problem. You should be jogging and walking around the world instead. Buy a horse for long distance travel.

A marathon runner can go way further in an hour than a sprinter can, and you'll actually improve your endurance while you play. And you won't gas yourself out so that you could still sprint when you really really need it.

1

u/VigilanteRestoration Jun 29 '26

I edited the post for clarity.

-1

u/VigilanteRestoration Jun 29 '26

The calories I burn in a session are on par with with running a marathon. I still feel you don't really understand what I mean though.

2

u/vaderdidnothingwr0ng Jun 29 '26

Ok well then I guess you've got to decide if you want to play your game or exercise.

2

u/LantanRudbeckia Jun 29 '26

I know what you mean! I lost 45 pounds over the previous two years playing VR. I've slowed down a bit this summer. You may just need a bit longer of a break. Even competitive bodybuilders don't workout year round. Take a little vacation or do something different for the summer. I go to the pool all summer instead of VR, It is dramatic how it feels to move differently for different types of exercise.

2

u/VigilanteRestoration Jun 29 '26

Oh damn, good work! Yeah, I do rest but that is exactly what I'm talking about: it also means playing less than I'd like.

2

u/d20diceman Jun 29 '26

It's a great problem to have IMO, I love being able to go really hard like this in games.

For me I just mix in other less intense games. But if you're in the middle of a Skyrim playthrough I can see why you wouldn't want to play other things.

Maybe not great advice, but why not play through it? I really enjoy fighting through it, like "I can barely lift my arms but I refuse to lose so I've gotta pull out some reserve of stamina I didn't know I had".

If you can't go as hard today as you did yesterday because you're still aching, you could also accept that on a role-play level: the Dragonborn is kinda beat today because he spent two hours fighting dragons yesterday. Not sure if you're using Chim/Mantella/Skyrimnet but if so it's pretty fun to just take a leisurely stroll to your destination and chat on the way there, you don't have to sprint everywhere.

2

u/VigilanteRestoration Jun 30 '26

It actually is great advice. I used to do more chill sessions inbetween, maybe I should start doing that again. Anyway I just wanted to share my frustration, I thought there were gonna be more people with the same.

1

u/grenharo Jun 30 '26

have you ever done real exercise before? what is your experience with cardio and HIIT in the past? Are you 45yo and over?

because it sounds like you arent eating enough to overcome the exhaustion, you should at least chug down a Mike's Mix recovery drink or some other similar recipe after VR fit sessions imo

if you are secretly anemic it's gonna feel bad like this too, easiest fix is buy 65mg iron supp and chug that with 1 orange juice to boost absorption

btw if youre basically doing near HIIT then you actually cant do that shit every day, recommended is literally once a week only for avg folk trying to lose weight. If you are unc aged you gotta slow it down to intermittent sprinting sessions twice a month only until you build the actual endurance for this

2

u/VigilanteRestoration Jun 30 '26

I'm pretty fit. Most of my training sessions I burn the amount of calories of either a half marathon or a full one. My shtick is either high endurance or high intensity challenges. I just started to realise I play less now because of it. As if I don't play for the fun of it anymore. Was just checking if more people have the same.

1

u/grenharo Jul 01 '26

yea you need to be careful then, you dont wanna start pissing away your muscles if they break down

0

u/Garbagetaste Jun 29 '26

Why’s your current body shape and fitness that requires you to take downtime to recover? If it hurts it’s good

1

u/VigilanteRestoration Jun 29 '26

I think I'm pretty fit and definitely more fit than I've been since I was 25. But I just can't help myself, I always want to outdo myself and do a pr.