PlayPulse Gamifies High Intensity Indoor Cycling Workouts

PlayPulse is a gaming platform developed to turn high-intensity interval training on indoor bikes into an exciting gaming experience.

PlayPulse is an innovative platform for indoor cycling that offers an immersive gaming experience for high-intensity interval training. High-intensity workouts are known to be the most effective way to boost cardiovascular fitness, but most people find it challenging to reach these kinds of heart rates and stay motivated. The fast-paced gamified workout programs delivered by PlayPulse help them push themselves to the limit and at the same time distract them from the effort they are putting into the workout.

Interval training has enormous advantages over standard cardio for anyone looking to get in shape fast. Not only does it burn more calories than regular forms of exercise, but also keeps burning them 24 hours after the workout and stimulates production of the human growth hormone by up to 450 percent in the same period. Growth hormone is responsible for increasing caloric burn, muscle mass and bone density, and can help stave off some of the changes linked with aging.

Research has also shown that only two weeks of HIIT improves one’s aerobic capacity as much as 6 to 8 weeks of endurance training. However, this does not come easily as intervals are an extreme type of training, pushing people into the anaerobic zone for short intervals, which causes fatigue and discomfort. Using games to keep exercisers’ minds off the discomfort and focused on the score and the competition helps keep them engaged and motivated to stick with their workout routine.

PlayPulse combines research insights from the Exercise, Cardiometabolic Health and Reproduction (EXCAR) group at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim with knowledge gained from NTNU's research program on video games. The platform offers fun gameplay to engage users over time, empowering them to achieve high-intensity intervals naturally and make every effort count. It also has a social component to it, allowing users to share their gaming experience, challenging them to head-to-head competitions, inviting them to team up with their friends, and rewarding good team dynamics. The platform is suitable for users of any age or fitness level and it allows everyone to compete on equal terms.

PlayPulse was developed by PlayPulse AS, a Norwegian company dedicated to developing gaming solutions for high-intensity training to motivate users to exercise and combat sedentary lifestyles. Watch the video below to see the experience that the PlayPulse platform delivers.