Hitting the Pokémon Go gym: U of T experts on how Mewtwo can help your physical and mental health

Whether you’re collecting Poké Balls, hatching eggs, training at the Poké Gym or capturing Rattata, Jigglypuff or Zubat, if you’re playing Pokémon Go you’ve likely traded sitting on the couch for a pair of sore legs. 

After its Canadian launch on July 18, the game has introduced a whole new augmented reality world – one that forces players to leave the comfort of their homes to chase fictional Nintendo Pokémon with their smartphones.

Read about playing Pokémon Go on campus

Read about augmented reality and Pokémon Go

Not only does the game make the recommended 10,000 steps per day easily attainable, it’s also challenging people to explore different areas and meet new people. It’s a phenomenon that could help address Canada’s increasing levels of sedentary behavior. 

Catherine Sabiston, associate professor in U of T’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, and her graduate student Angela Fong explain how players can reap the physical and mental benefits of the latest tech craze, and how it could change the future of exercise.

Beyond the fun of playing the game, what other benefits would players gain from Pokémon Go?
CS: This app has revolutionized the way people move, especially adults. Most people don’t associate physical activity with fun, but this game has combined play and challenge with walking, which is the best full body exercise. Players are getting out of their houses, adding a tremendous amount to their step count and building physical activity into their day. If you combine the game with monitoring your step count, you can define your new norm.

The majority of Canadians are far too sedentary. We estimate that 65 to 85 per cent of our day is spent sitting. If you can transform even five per cent of that into light intensity exercise, there are definitely metabolic and mental health benefits.

AF: For people who wouldn’t categorize themselves as physically active, it’s a great way to get started. Perhaps they think that walking 5 km is really intimidating, but I can guarantee that a lot of people who were at the Canadian launch of Pokémon Go walked at least that distance. To hatch one of your Pokémon Eggs, you need to walk 10 km. Since the game is a progression, the goals are attainable and suddenly that distance doesn’t seem so far. I’m at level 10 and I really want to hatch a Pikachu.

How is Pokémon Go different than past exercise mobile apps?
CS: Usually exercise apps last for about three months. People download them, use them very little for three months and then take them off their phones within six months. Pokémon Go has a level of complexity that engages players but also allows them to set attainable goals. If you were to study the game and see how it uses strategies to change peoples’ behavior, you would note that it has the main successful components of any exercise program: goal setting, rewards, self-monitoring and social support. It’s also more personal than traditional exercise apps because you use your camera to play the game in real time.

AF: People believe one of the biggest barriers to physical activity is time. But the explosion of this app shows that this isn’t a true barrier. One of the biggest hurdles for getting active is transitioning from light to moderate or vigorous physical activity. Now all of a sudden an app is helping people make that transition. 

Why is the social aspect of the game important?
CS: In general, to be successful in physical activity it helps to share a common goal with others. Angela’s research focuses on the role of social support in physical activity and it’s important to have that connection to continue to stay motivated. 

AF: The social aspect of the game is huge. At the launch party I ran into a girl I knew in high school and I hadn’t seen her in eight or nine years. The next day I was walking down the street and a little boy with his mother asked me, “Are you catching Pokémon?” The game forces you to talk to other people and it’s helping different generations to interact and become more active.

What advice would you give to players for staying healthy and having fun?
CS: Don’t just take the path of least resistance. If you have the opportunity to do more before achieving a certain level do it to challenge yourself. 

AF: Grab a friend who has a smartphone and play the game together so you can motivate each other. It’s important to build in that social aspect. 

Do you think Pokémon Go will become a lasting trend? How do you see it evolving in the future? 
CS: This is a new technology and the functionality of smartphones is expanding – so there’s only room to grow. It will be interesting to see how it evolves into measuring physical activity like cycling and running. I could see Nintendo incorporating mapping and step count to give players physical activity feedback. 

AF: The popularity of games often dies out, but Pokémon fans and gamers are very passionate. I think this new technology has fundamentally changed the way people will move in the future. I’m excited to see what tech companies come out with next.