There are benefits to short-term as well as long-term fitness goals. A regular fitness routine boosts our self-confidence, makes us feel better physically and emotionally, improves mental acuity, and can add years onto one’s life span through improved overall wellness. Black Box VR members like Randy McCurdy are reaping health benefits while simultaneously discovering a fitness routine that keeps them engaged and wanting to return for more.
Randy has lost over 100 pounds since he joined Black Box VR in November 2019, and he agreed to share a bit of his journey with us in this member interview.
BBVR: Hey, Randy! Thank you for agreeing to do this interview with us. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Randy: Thanks for having me! I am 47 years old, a real estate agent at Keller Williams, and I am addicted to Black Box VR. I live just outside of Boise, Idaho, in a town called Kuna. I’m a DIY type of guy and currently fixing up my house. I love technology. I love to play basketball, ultimate frisbee, golf, go paddleboarding, and road trips! I absolutely love Vegas (pre-Covid).
BBVR: Have you worked out regularly in the past at other gyms or fitness programs?
Randy: Yes and no. Never strength training consistently. I never really knew how, and sticking with it was very hard because of lack of results and just lack of motivation. I have done cardio off and on, but that generally went with if I was playing sports.
BBVR: How did you find out about Black Box, and when did you start your Black Box fitness journey?
Randy: It came up on my newsfeed in October or November 2019. I went in for the free trial in November 2019.
BBVR: What was your first experience with Black Box VR like?
Randy: I did it a long time ago, so the onboarding experience is much different than it is today. I remember that I loved how intense the workout was and that I never had to set the weight. The dynamic resistance machine calibrated my strength in the beginning and gave me a balanced workout. I do remember thinking I would get bored of the game, but it’s been a year and a half, and I am not bored with it at all. It’s like playing basketball. There are set rules of how the game is played. Why it doesn’t get boring is in your creativity and how you master your gameplay. You also go up against different teams. You learn, change up your strategies. Black Box VR is the exact same. Every workout is similar, but the gameplay is different because each opponent is different. You are constantly thinking of new strategies on how to play. It really keeps your mind engaged.
BBVR: What are your favorite parts of the Black Box workouts?
Randy: The tracking is good for me to see the results in numbers even if I don’t feel them. The AI adjusting the weight of each workout as I get stronger is also amazing!
The Game! The game is a personal trainer. I dare anyone to go into a BBVR workout and take it easy. I have tried, you see that gate at 10%, and you can not help but go for that 500 points. What I love the most is once you start the workout, you never have an opportunity to stop early. I mean, you can, but when you’re in the game, you just play it to the end.
What Black Box VR achievements are you most proud of?
Randy: #1 winning the Spring Invitational. That was a lot of fun! I am also at a streak of 78 and have not missed a workout since Thanksgiving 2020. A couple of weeks ago, I had a 200,000-pound day with 3 workouts and a 75,000-pound 30-minute workout. So I guess I have lots, haha.
BBVR: You were a part of the Black Box VR ESports 2021 Spring Invitational Tournament. How did you do in the tournament, and did you enjoy it?
Randy: I won it all! I enjoyed the tournament very much; the direct competition forced me to explore new tactics and strategies to maximize the number of crystals I could takedown.
BBVR: A healthy diet is key to reaching your fitness goals, no matter if you are trying to lose weight or bulk up to build muscle. Do you have any specific eating habits, and how do you incorporate food into your daily routine?
Randy: I had been meal prepping and trying to get my diet in line. Diet is a challenge for sure. I am trying to both cut fat and build muscle, so trying to eat a reduced-calorie diet is challenging when trying to get stronger. It’s pretty much steak and veggies for me!
BBVR: What physical and mental results have you achieved by going to Black Box VR?
Randy: Well, in November 2019, I weighed 345 lbs. I am down to 245 lbs and have packed on a tremendous amount of muscle. Black Box VR has been fantastic for my mental health, and I know that I am adding years to my life. I am 47 years old and in the best physical condition of my life, stronger than I have ever been.
BBVR: So you’ve lost 100 pounds! Wow! That is impressive! Congratulations! Your experience has lead to some great fitness results. Do you have any fun gameplay strategies to share?
Randy: My daily volume has made it kind of easy not to have to worry about strategy too much. With the invitational tournament, I had to take a closer look at that. My buddy Scott who joined Black Box in December 2020, is a full-on nerd for this game. He has coached me up very well. I was resistant, but I am 100% on offense now. I used to swear by Rock Dude and Skadi, but now I go Aqua Fist and Sunbird, then just bring the pain with the chest press.
BBVR: Out of those Champions you mention, which is your favorite and why?
Randy: Just recently, I fell in love with Sunbird. I hear he is a little OP so he may get nerfed quickly, but he is handy right now. =)
BBVR: What is your favorite exercise and why?
Randy: Chest Press. The motion is interactive, and it feels like you’re throwing fireballs, but also, the chest workout is where I notice the strength the most. My arms and chest have this tension I have never had before. I have talked with friends that have lifted all their lives, and they know what I am talking about. It’s this feeling of strength, and you can feel it. If you go a few days without a workout, it goes away, and it freaks me out. That’s one reason I have such a long streak.
BBVR: All Black Box VR members get access to our fitness app so they can schedule their workouts, view their fitness stats, and more. What are some of your favorite features in the app?
Randy: Leaderboards! The community is amazing and what the Black Box team is creating is simply fantastic.
BBVR: What type of features would you like us to add to the Black Box VR Fitness experience in the future?
Randy: Get a pen! Haha!
- I love the leaderboards, but we have different levels of users. I think being able to sort by averages of workouts, maybe the 5-10, would be good. Because currently, you have the high usage users dominating the leaderboards, I would hate to see that discourage someone going 3 times per week consistently. I have done 6 workouts in the first 4 days of May, so many of my numbers will be way higher. However, if people could search for averages in volume that could even it out because my volume does suffer from doing 2-3 workouts in a day.
- Skill trees to customize your champions.
- The ability to sell back power-ups, even for very little gold, or even delete them, I don’t need most of my basics.
- I would like to see a healer class of champions.
- Custom tournaments. Like I can invite 7 others and have a custom tournament between ourselves.
- The ability to buy an extension for your streak. Maybe even a running app built in so if you run X miles or get your heart rate up to a certain point, you can get a day or two (Very limited).
- Add a quest to add a picture to your profile for 10k gold.
BBVR: Do you have any advice for people on the fence about trying Black Box VR?
Randy: You do not need to be a gamer to get massive value out of this. The game is your personal trainer. Instead of a person pushing you to do one more rep, the game does this by rewarding your effort. On top of that, your personal trainer is there when you need it.
Most of the people I invited are not gamers, but they love the private booths and the simplicity of the workout. It’s just about the most efficient 30-minute workout routine you can have.
Almost everyone I have gotten in to try it has signed up, and some even cancel their other gym memberships. Most of those people I worked on for months to get through the door, and once they did it, they were hooked! And these are not gamers. Any fitness level can do this! Blackbox is the future. VR is the future. If you can put a hat on and grab a handle, you can do Black Box VR. Don’t let terms like VR intimidate you. VR, in many ways, is simpler than Farmville on your phone.
Black Box VR has changed my life for the better, and it can do that for you too!
If you’re interested in trying Black Box VR for FREE, find a location near you, and unlock fast fitness results!
We’ll see you in the arena soon!
