One gamer has found a brilliant way to get fit, and it involves exploring Hyrule on foot. By playing Breath of the Wild VR on a treadmill, she has lost 32 pounds so far. Even better, she’s doing it without fast travel or a horse.
Her viral clip shows her walking through Nintendo’s open-world classic in a VR headset. Meanwhile, she stands on what appears to be a KAT VR omnidirectional treadmill. Every step she takes in real life moves Link through the game.
The Breath of the Wild VR challenge
Her goal is simple but tough. She plans to 100% the entire game with no fast travel and no horse. In other words, every journey across Hyrule happens on her own two feet.
So far, the numbers are impressive. An on-screen counter shows she has walked 1,630 miles in VR. On top of that, she has lost 32 pounds along the way.
A heart rate monitor also sits in the corner of the screen. During the clip, it climbs from around 105 BPM to over 140 BPM during fights. That’s a real workout, not just a gimmick.
A typical session in Hyrule
The video gives a glimpse of a single day’s progress. In just one session, she found six Koroks and completed a shrine. She also battled a Lynel and took down a Hinox, one of the game’s giant cyclops enemies.
All of that took around two hours of play. According to her, she burned 650 calories in that time. For comparison, that’s similar to a long run for many people.
Better still, she clearly enjoys it. Instead of counting reps at the gym, she gets to hunt Koroks and fight monsters. As a result, exercise feels like playing a game rather than a chore.
Her next target
She isn’t stopping at 32 pounds, either. In the clip, she says she’s confident she can lose 50 pounds by the end of the year. That leaves just 18 pounds to go.
Given Hyrule’s size, she certainly has plenty of ground left to cover. Breath of the Wild has 900 Korok seeds and over 100 shrines, so 100% completion means a lot of walking.
Why Breath of the Wild VR works so well
Breath of the Wild is one of the most celebrated open-world games ever made. Part of its magic comes from exploration, with players free to wander in any direction. That makes it an ideal fit for a walking workout.
VR adds another layer, too. Standing inside Hyrule feels far more immersive than looking at a TV screen. Plus, fighting enemies with real arm movements adds even more effort.
Of course, not everyone owns a VR treadmill. These devices can be expensive and take up a lot of space. Even so, her story shows what’s possible when gaming and fitness come together.
Gaming as exercise
This isn’t the first time games have helped people get active. Ring Fit Adventure and Beat Saber have both inspired fitness journeys over the years. However, turning a full open-world adventure into a workout is a fresh twist.
Her progress proves that the right game can make all the difference. With 18 pounds left to lose and much of Hyrule still to explore, her Breath of the Wild VR journey is far from over.