Virtual workouts spiked during the pandemic — and the trend is sticking around

Linda Munson's youngest grandson, Daniel Gomez, 2, tries on an Oculus headset in her yard in Berlin, Conn. Playing different virtual reality games has become her family's regular Sunday activity, Munson said. (Yehyun Kim for NPR)

At the height of the pandemic, when going to the gym wasn't an option, millions of people began exploring virtual workouts from home for the first time. And many of them now say they won't go back.

While this is clearly a boon for the companies developing these systems, it has also helped people who don't feel comfortable in a gym or don't have time to get there.