SHERIDAN, WYOMING – February 28, 2023 – Adding a little variety to your workout, trying out what is possible virtually and burning a few calories in the process, or even learning new moves and techniques: virtual and augmented reality games and applications are increasingly finding their way into everyday life - also in sports training. According to ARtillery Intelligence, global sales in the virtual reality market were around 12 billion US dollars in 2022. In 2021, it was still around 8 billion. And the forecast for the coming years continues to point upwards. Reasons enough to take a closer look at the trend.

What is Virtual and Augmented Reality Training?

Augmented reality (AR) means that a user can use a device to bring digital objects into the real world and interact with them. This is possible, for example, via the screen of a smartphone or via a virtual reality headset in which virtual reality glasses are integrated.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING – February 27, 2023 – To effectively motivate gym customers or gym app users to continue exercising, many gym operators and developers create fun features to make exercising more enjoyable. However, the fun factor may not be enough to motivate customers to maintain their efforts. In practice, gamification is increasingly used for this purpose. Designed appropriately, gamification elements can help motivate and retain customers and help them achieve fitness goals.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING – February 24, 2023 – Around the clock, day in and day out, some 654 muscles work for us so that we can carry out everyday movements or even sporting activities. It is the successful interaction of muscle work and our nervous system that enables us to do what we do. So anyone who has so far reduced muscles to their looks is doing them an injustice! Their inside is a true marvel and makes them the basis for our quality of life.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING – February 23, 2023 – Fitness conventions have been a major topic in the fitness industry for many years. 

The sporting events with event character take place almost everywhere in Germany and are organised by fitness studios of all sizes as well as by large event organisers.

But what are fitness conventions and what makes them so special?

From the course room to the big stage

In fitness studios, the Fitness Convention is usually held as a small fitness special and is organised as part of the regular studio operations. Well-known trainers from the region offer a change from the usual training programme during a "guest appearance" in the respective studio and provide a breath of fresh air.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING – February 20, 2023 – "Global Active Cities" such as Hamburg define themselves, among other things, through sport.

Lack of exercise as background

The Active Well-being initiative was founded due to the ever-increasing lack of physical activity worldwide, which causes civilisation diseases such as diabetes or cardiovascular complaints to grow. Although the health-promoting effects of sport and exercise are well known, only 43 percent of people in Germany meet the minimum requirements of the World Health Organisation (WHO), which recommends at least ten minutes of continuous physical activity daily.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING – February 13, 2023 – "Congratulations on a great tournament!" When Vincent Keymer finished second in the Rapid World Championship at the end of December, he was immediately congratulated from the very top. The new World Champion Magnus Carlsen paid tribute to the performance of his young opponent, who had almost forced him into a playoff for the title. The 18-year-old from Germany was just half a point short of finishing on par with Carlsen.

For Keymer, the World Championships in rapid and blitz marked the start of a first assessment of his young professional career, which began in the spring of 2022 after finishing school. Keymer now faces a whole series of tough chess tests including the WR Chess Masters in Düsseldorf.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING – February 13, 2023 – For him, 2023 will be a year of classical chess, said Anish Giri after his triumph in the super tournament "Tata Steel Chess" in Wijk aan Zee. His successful start of the year at the home event on the Dutch coast will be followed by another classical competition: The "WR Chess Masters" in Düsseldorf.

Seven participants of the WR Chess Masters started their chess year 2023 at Tata Steel Chess. The kick-off in Holland was not a failure for anyone, but it was particularly successful for two of them: Anish Giri, who after five second-place finishes in previous years now managed the longed-for victory in Wijk aan Zee, and Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who led the tournament practically from start to finish before Giri caught and overtook him on the home stretch.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING – February 13, 2023 – There could hardly have been a better year for her election as President of the African Chess Confederation (ACC) than the "Year of Women in Chess" proclaimed by FIDE. With a large majority, the delegates elected Thsepiso Lopang from Botswana as the new continental president. The 41-year-old mechatronics engineer is the first woman to hold this office.

At the WR Chess Masters, she will act as deputy chief arbiter to ensure that everything goes according to the rules in the competition between the ten super grandmasters. "I'm looking forward to a great event," says Lopang, "African Arbiter of the Year 2022," who has served as an arbiter during the Grand Swiss 2021 and the Chess Olympiad 2022, among other events.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING – February 13, 2023 – Elisabeth Pähtz, the German number one for almost 20 years, will add to the WR Chess Masters program in many ways. As host of a chess mini-camp from February 21 to 25, the 37-year-old will join former World Championship finalist Boris Gelfand in teaching young talents secrets of the royal game. She will also be commentating on the action in the WR Chess Masters alongside US Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan.

What could be better for one's chess than living under the same roof as a grandmaster? Elisabeth Pähtz learned the game under these excellent conditions. Her father, GM Thomas Pähtz, trained her as a child. He put his own chess career on hold to encourage and support Elisabeth and her highly talented brother Thomas and accompany them to competitions.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING – February 13, 2023 – The "WR Chess Masters" in Düsseldorf is the first privately organized super tournament on German soil after almost four years, a clash of the chess elite, moreover one of generations. Ten top grandmasters will fight for the tournament victory and elo points for the world rankings from February 14 to 27 at the Hyatt Regency.

The new generation in chess is already waiting to take over from the established players around Magnus Carlsen, Ding Liren and Ian Nepomniachtchi. A German is also preparing to play at the top soon. Vincent Keymer, 18 years young, will have the opportunity at the WR Chess Masters to find out whether he is already on par with the best.