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Could Gaming Make You Fitter?

Aug 21, 2016 | Cross Training, Uncategorized | 24 comments

Is anyone else obsessed with Pokemon Go? I’m really not but have friends that are, even on a recent girls holiday I would look over and they would be catching Pokemon.

It seems that Pokemon is no bad thing, there’s the guy that caught every single Pokemon, losing two stone walking all over town in the process, walking the equivalent of five marathons! I also love that they’ve ‘hidden’ pokemon in cultural places, parks, churches etc to get kids out of the house and exploring their neighbourhoods – on our cycle to Amsterdam we saw an actual Poke stop just off the cycle path. If you’re not worried about totally draining your battery, and potentially crashing in to a lamp post, then you could even catch Pokemon on the run…

Pokemon Go

Now that the Olympics are coming to a close, I’m at a bit of a loss. I felt so inspired, proud and emotional, watching British, and International athletes at the prime of their athleticism. It was definitely the spur I needed to get out on some of my runs! I was recently sent Olly’s Medal Run game from Poki Games to try, luckily for me it was super easy to play (I am useless at gaming!), and you go through the Olympic sports winning gold medals for your country. I particularly liked the boxing and swimming (OK I might have drowned on that a few times). I like that it’s set in Rio, and sort of gives me an Olympic fix – reminding me of the incredible achievements – yay Team GB coming second.

In order to promote Olympics related fitness, Poki games are giving one Runner Beans reader a $50 gift card for Amazon – you could spend it on new sports kit, a healthy recipe book, or whatever you like! To enter simply leave a comment below letting me know your favourite Olympic sport (winner will be announced Monday 29th Aug).

Ollys medal run

I also love the competitive side of fitness apps, knowing your data is going to be published or help you work towards a target.

I know a lot of friends that use Strava to ‘win’ sections of their local run or bike route. My friend Anna and her friends are currently cycling virtually to Brazil, totalling up their miles to reach Rio and raise money for Cystic Fibrosis. You can read more about it and donate to their total here.

I used to be in a very competitive work Fitbit challenge, with weekly winners given a little cup to keep on their desk, and a quarterly prize of concert tickets at the O2 – this definitely incentivised us to go out for lunchtime walks, take the stairs to get our morning coffee and go for a run even on a Monday morning.

Adidas Pure Boost X shoe review

Have you heard of Zombies Run? I haven’t actually used it but know a lot of people love it. You listen to music on your run as you normally would, however with one slight difference, after being given your mission, zombies may be set on you, meaning you’ll need to speed up to get away from them. You can collect/earn supplies as you run, complete missions and share your progress online with the other million plus players. (As I write this I’m wondering why I haven’t yet tried it!)

Have you checked out Olly’s Medal Run game? Don’t forget to comment below with your favourite Olympic sport to be in with a chance of winning a $50 gift card for Amazon from Poki Games!

24 Comments

  1. Amy

    Track cycling! GB did so well at the velodrome and talk about the power couple! I wonder if the Sports Personality winner can be a married couple this year?!!

    Reply
  2. kristiwiley

    I really got into archery for this Olympics. I was capitvated (and fencing). I’m now looking at competing in archery locally…and maybe the world.

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  3. Cindy C. (@Cindy_C75)

    I really enjoyed Pokemon at the outset, but I’ve let it slide a bit as I have been so busy finishing my thesis! My favourite sport in the Olympics is the Women’s floor exercise in gymnastics. I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t see any of the Olympics this time around- there aren’t enough hours in the day!

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  4. Chiswickmum

    I really enjoyed the rhythmic gymnastics, especially the group event. So weird and different, but so athletic. Secretly I like to wait for the replays at the end of each event, especially if it went wrong – the Playlist on repeat was fantastic. But overall, brilliant job, Team GB.

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  5. Amanda

    Platform Diving and 100m sprint

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  6. The Running Princess

    My favourite is the track racing, but in all honesty if it’s an Olympic event and it’s on the telly then I’m probably watching it! Dancing horses anyone?

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  7. Clare

    Mine used to be the rowing but this year I was glued to track cycling!

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  8. Ewelina

    Triathlon, watching the ladies competing but being able to have chat and a laugh while trying to get the Olympic gold.

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  9. Jennifer Craig

    Love the heptathalon but hockey is my fav!

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  10. Michelle Dorrington

    My favourite Olympic sport has got to be the Athletics but the Marathon in particular! So much can happen over 26.2 miles but to keep going in the heat (for the ladies) and damp (for the men) was just incredible and at that pace too!!

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  11. Scallywag

    My favourite is definitely track athletics but this year I also got really into the triathlon and also the 50k race walk- so much more intense than I thought!

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  12. Eve

    As a kid, it was all the Equestrian events as I rode horses. Now it’s a tie between track and field (marathon!) or swimming. So inspired by all the athletes!

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  13. Errol

    Didn’t Team GB do fantastic! My fav event(s) has to be the 100mtrs sprint. I know it’s all over in 10 seconds but I used to love the sprint races when I was at school.

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  14. Nena

    Being an archer, I loved watching Archery!! Oh and marathon! I was so inspired by all the athletes that managed to complete the marathon in Rio with the humidity and the weather conditions.

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  15. sweetandstrongblog

    That zombie run sounds so fun! My favorite Olympic sport is either track and field or gymnastics!

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  16. Marie B

    I love watching all the gymnasts, but would love to be up running with Desi, Shalane, and Amy! Maybe one day!!

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  17. Nikki Martin

    I got totally into the heptathlon, those athletes having to be so skilled in all those different elements

    & while we all love Jessica Ennis I’d never heard of Katarina Johnson Thompson but her high jump wow! & even though I tried to remain loyal to Team GB I couldn’t help cheering Nafissatou Thiam the eventual winner, I just loved her attitude always clapping and supporting the other competitors

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  18. vikigarrett

    Too many to choose from as I loved watching them all as don’t normally get the chance! But if I had to choose one from this set of games then it’d have to be….Handball as was something different to watch!

    Reply
  19. Laura @ Laura : Fat 2 Fit

    So many sports to chose from.. but I think it’d be the swimming – probably because I’ve been getting more confident and more into swimming lately so I have something in common with them.. except for their speed.. 😉 I play Pokemon go – it’s a good excuse to get out of the house for a walk and it’s quite fun.. wouldn’t say I’m addicted though.

    I have the Zombies Run app.. stopped playing it though as the Zombie Noises were actually scaring me during my run – especially when I was out early in the morning/late in the evening.

    Reply
  20. katy gray

    Usually I’d say the Athletics, but this year I really got into the Indoor Cycling! Watching Laura Trott win was amazing and I was literally screaming at my TV!

    A word on the Zombie runs … last year I did an actual zombie run, where actors pretending to be zombies chase you! It was amazing and absolutely terrifying even know we knew they were actors, it certainly made me sprint faster than I ever have before!!

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  21. Niki

    I loved watching the diving, it was so exciting to see Mears and Laugher win gold in the synchronised event!

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  22. Allie

    I got particularly engrossed in the women’s diving and heptathalon, although I can’t say there was an olympic event that I didn’t like. My home country (Canada) is getting a bit better in the summer olympics as well, so I felt super proud there… 😀

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  23. Rebecca

    My favourite is definitely the track and field section. I love the excitement the 100m sprint brings, the suspense and tension of the long jump, high jump etc where you’re willing each athlete on each time they jump. I also love the 5000m, 10000m and the marathon, watching the tactics and game play come out, seeing how they play it so cool but then at the end have that last surge of energy to take the medal.

    Reply

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