It is a startup aimed at developing physical exercise experiences, based in San Sebastián. Its creators are currently developing the first gamified and social platform for physical exercise in virtual reality; that is, the metaverse of fitness. Advantages for users include gamification (or the feeling of playing a video game while playing a sport), the opportunity to immerse oneself in a digital and interactive environment through virtual reality, and interacting with other users.

Its founders are Diego Gutiérrez (CTO, 36) and Aritz O'haonghusa (CEO, 21). Diego is a Senior Application Development Technician and studied for a Master's Degree in Video Game Development at the Complutense University of Madrid. Aritz, however, completed his LEINN studies in Irun. In this interview, Vifit Training will talk about their project.

What is ViFit Training?
Vifit Training is a startup aimed at gamifying physical exercise through virtual reality, in the metabersion of fitness.

How did you come up with the idea?
After traveling to the city of San Francisco and seeing the Black Box Gym - where they set up virtual reality with gym machines - we decided to create an app for people to use the benefits of virtual reality from home.

Who is it for?
Vifit is aimed at people who have difficulty doing physical activity on a daily basis, either because they are not attracted enough to traditional forms or for some other reason.

What is the game like and how does it work?
First, we put the virtual reality viewer in mind. We enter an immersive and virtual environment where we can interact with different objects -boxing bags, bars, dumbbells, etc.-. Through some objects we can access different mini-games that integrate training sessions. In one of the mini-games, for example, we have a Mustang in front of us and, from the trunk, it throws cans at us - which we have to hit - and pizza boxes - which we have to avoid by curling up.

What are the advantages of doing exercises in a classic way?
Compared to other alternatives, the main advantages and differences are gamification and immersion. From the moment you enter the app until you remove the virtual reality headset, you don't think you're exercising, it looks like a video game. After removing the visor and realizing what sweat we are in, we realize that it has been worth it on all sides.

What exercises can be done?
These are exercises that are done with body weight. In the mini-game we mentioned earlier, it’s a Fitboxing session. Other sessions may also be performed on the shoulders, abdomen, or lower torso.

Where can it be used?
Today, anyone who wants to try out our product must have an Oculus Quest headset. If you have one, you can access a free version of the app at this link: https://www.oculus.com/deeplink/?action=view&path=app/3568106689962388&ref=oculus_desk top
You can also access more advanced versions by taking part in our Discord test sessions: https://discord.gg/q5Sv3GAjbH

Could you mention the pros and cons of starting a business?
The positives of starting a business include the freedom to make your own decisions along the way, to get to know people with your tastes and intentions, and to learn from the people around you. At the beginning of the project, at the beginning of the company or project, it is necessary to touch on areas that are not yours, leading to the acquisition of skills and knowledge in various fields.
Entrepreneurship also has its "less good" side. In the beginning, the rewards don’t often depend on the effort and time invested, or the feeling of stability doesn’t exist because you have to be constantly on the lookout for new threats.

How would you encourage young people to start their own business?
I think now is the best time to try to start a business. Being a young person, starting a business will give you a lot of skills and abilities that will be applicable in the future, as well as the knowledge to start and run a business. I would recommend working on something you like, and you wouldn’t mind investing more time in it than you think; and meeting people who provide you with a good work environment, positive energy, and sustainability.

What are your future plans for Vifit Training?
Today we are in the final stages of Gym Masters product development. That’s why we expect the app to launch and grow with users in the near future. In the medium term, we want to include multi-player features in the app and at the same time start the fitness metaverse.

https://vifit.training/?lang=es