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If the word Liteboxer doesn't ring any bells for you, it's an in-home boxing machine that employs gamified techniques to make working out more fun. I had the pleasure of reviewing a Liteboxer, and it's super fun to work out on. So when I got the chance to test out Liteboxer VR, I had high hopes.

Luckily, Liteboxer VR takes everything great about working out on an actual Liteboxer and transforms it into an effective, shadowboxing workout. As with the physical Liteboxer machine I tested, I love how easy the workouts are for beginners and I'm obsessed with how fun the punch tracks are. But more on all of this later.

You'll need a Meta Quest 2 (previously known as Oculus Quest 2) in order to try out Liteboxer VR. It launches on March 3rd and, after a 7-day free trial, will cost $18.99 per month.

Liteboxer VR Workout Experience

Overall, my experience with Liteboxer VR was awesome, and a lot of what I loved about the physical Liteboxer machine transferred over to Liteboxer VR. I love boxing as a fitness genre; it's interactive and, honestly, just helps get all those built-up emotions out in a healthy way. Plus, Liteboxer succeeds in making working out feel more like a game, so I look forward to every session instead of dreading it.

After a single punch track and a 15-minute session with a Liteboxer coach, I was thoroughly sweating, which is both a great and terrible thing. It's great because it's a sign I'm getting a great workout. But it's terrible because I'm sweating profusely inside of the Meta Quest 2 headset.

Anyone who's ever played a VR game knows that you always get sweaty, no matter what you're playing. VR is simply a more active way of playing games, so it makes complete sense that you walk away sweaty. With Liteboxer VR, expect to sweat at least twice as much.

When I took off the headset after the session ended, there was a mask of sweat beads around my eyes and nose. I also had the occasional sweat droplet escape out of the headset during my workout. Like I said, with VR you expect to get sweaty, but just keep in mind that you won't be able to easily wipe the sweat from your face without stopping the punch track or video.

That said, I have a cushion insert, not a silicone insert. If you'll be using any type of VR workout in your regular fitness routine, you'll want to invest in a silicone insert. For previous Oculus owners, Facebook (now Meta) offers a free one. If you're buying a Meta Quest 2 for the first time, it now comes with a silicone insert. Having a silicone insert helps immensely with the trapped sweat issue, and I'd recommend using one if you try out Liteboxer VR.

 

when using liteboxer vr on the meta quest 2, this is the view of the workout screen
Liteboxer

Let's talk about what you see when the headset is on. You look like you're in a virtual boxing ring and the punching board is in front of you at what it estimates is the perfect punching level for you.

Then, to your left, you can see the video of your coach or the punch track with a time at the bottom letting you know how much longer you have. It was easy to look over at any time and see what the Liteboxer coach was doing to make sure I was doing everything right.

All of my punches registered (almost) flawlessly. The only punches that seemed to have difficulty registering 100% of the time were the uppercuts (punches 5 and 6 on the punching board). I'm not sure why, but I tried punching consistently a few different ways and with each way, some punches registered and some didn't.

Considering that was the only flaw I ran into and Liteboxer VR launches on March 3rd, I'd say the app is in awesome shape right now.

Liteboxer VR Compared to Physical Liteboxer

Because you're not actually punching anything, there's no resistance. So your experience on Liteboxer VR probably won't be as impactful as a session on a physical Liteboxer. That said, shadowboxing workouts are still going to strengthen your muscles and help you get your daily dose of cardio.

You also lose that sort of "authentic" experience, so to speak, by not being able to punch something real in front of you. Working out on the Liteboxer machine also allows you to wipe away the sweat as it accumulates on your face, whereas Liteboxer VR on the Meta Quest 2 doesn't let you easily do that. If you have a silicone insert, there'll still be sweat, but it'll certainly be minimized.

If you're stretched for space in your home, Liteboxer VR is obviously going to take up way less room than a Liteboxer machine. The physical Liteboxer is roughly 5-feet by 3-feet, but you could probably get away with only needing a 2-foot by 2-foot square for Liteboxer VR.

The last thing that separates Liteboxer VR and the Liteboxer machine is the price. For Liteboxer's Starter Package, you'll be out $1695 for just the machine; and although a monthly subscription for $29.99 isn't required, it unlocks a ton of premium content. Liteboxer VR only costs you $18.99 per month, but of course, you'll also need to purchase the Meta Quest 2 (the 128GB model costs $299.99 and the 256GB model costs $399.99).

demonstration of using the liteboxer vr, a view of what it looks like during a round with the punch board in front of you
Liteboxer

Even If You Get VR Motion Sickness, Try Liteboxer VR

If you've tried any type of VR game or experience before and experienced motion sickness, you might be wary of Liteboxer VR. But I can assure you, with Liteboxer VR, you're standing in one place and nothing is really moving around you, so you should be good.

Of course, I can't say for sure that you won't experience motion sickness because everyone's different. Personally, there are certain VR games that I can't play because I get motion sick and I had no issues with Liteboxer VR.

When you're working out, you're standing in one place, in your fighter stance, throwing punches, and watching the coach and the punching board in front of you. Occasionally, you'll do a few exercises away from the punching board like squats, but that's the only time you ever move your feet.

Conclusion: If You Already Have a Meta Quest 2, Definitely Try It Out

If you don't already have a Meta Quest 2, I certainly wouldn't buy one just for this app unless you were thinking about buying a Liteboxer machine and considering this as an alternative. If you're comparing the two, I'd recommend the VR Headset + Liteboxer VR combo simply because there are a ton of other VR games you can play in addition to saving money and space in your home. Plus, you can take the VR headset with you on vacation, but you can't take the Liteboxer machine with you.

If you're a cool kid and you already have a Meta Quest 2, definitely try it out. It's such a fun way to work out, and because there are punch tracks that match up with songs, you only have to commit to a small three to four-minute workout if that's all you can muster. And usually, at least for me, once I'm sweating, I'm way more motivated to keep going with one more song or even a small coached workout sometimes.

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Liteboxer VR

Pros
  • Loved the workout experience
  • Great for small spaces
  • Much cheaper than the Liteboxer Starter package
Cons
  • Have to buy a Meta Quest 2 (Oculus Quest 2)
  • There's nowhere for all your sweat to escape until you take off the headset