Alternative exercise: smash glass, burn calories

Today it seems everyone has their own ideas on how to lose weight and stay healthy. The common theme among nutritionists and dietitians is that people need to have a calorie deficit (burning more calories than consumed) in order to lose weight. Health.gov states that the average calorie intake among Americans is between 1,600 and 2,400. So what options are there to burn calories? 

There are quite a few options people explore when creating a calorie deficit. Eating very little or skipping meals is common; however, there is no evidence that these methods create long-term weight loss and it can be extremely harmful to your body. Running is quite lonely and is often not a large enough calorie burner. Weight lifting is a recommended way to burn calories, but it takes quite a bit of time and devotion. Playing a sport is a great way to take your mind off of the fact that you are exercising; however, it is also a large time commitment, and finding a group to play with can be difficult. So what is left? Just across the border in Vancouver, Washington, is a “rage room” called OutRaged. A rage room is simply a place where people can vent their anger by demolishing objects in a room. 

After putting on a protective mask, jumpsuit and safety gloves, OutRaged offers two rooms where they supply multiple buckets of “breakables” (glass bottles, plates, bowls, VHS tapes and anything else that is fun to break). While playing your own perfect rage playlist, you are able to choose your weapon of destruction. There are baseball bats, golf clubs, sledgehammers, crowbars and other items that you can choose to demolish anything in the buckets with. The hour-long session consists of hitting plates with baseball bats, swinging through beer bottles with golf clubs and pretending the bowl you just chucked at the concrete wall is your ex. While extremely fun and stress relieving, the session is also a phenomenal way to burn calories and get a workout in while not thinking about it. The “Friends Therapy” option costs $65 for 40 minutes with two buckets included. The “Trio” package costs $97 for 45 minutes with three buckets. Groups are urged to call OutRaged for prices, times and amenities that come with it. 

Not only is a rage room a great workout for the body, it is also a great activity for mental health. Smashing, breaking and throwing objects are not recommended for anger management, but rather for short-term stress relief. Additionally, there are a few other mental health benefits; a peer-reviewed article titled “When Are Anger Rooms Beneficial?” states that rage rooms are great for bonding, trying something new and general fun. With being so isolated at Lewis & Clark, it is extremely important to safely see friends and loved ones. Participating in an activity that seems so obscure and barbaric is an exciting way to bond. Rage rooms are also a fairly new form of entertainment, allowing people to step out of their comfort zones.  Lastly, it is simply fun to break things. Stepping into a room and purposely smashing something is riveting and a good time for most people. Rarely will you have an opportunity to break things without consequences. This type of fun is great for managing the stress of classes and the on-going pandemic. 

Finding new activities to participate in during the never-ending quarantine is essential. Traditional exercise can be isolating and unmotivating for some people. Going to a rage room to blow off some steam is a great way to burn calories and pass the time. With a rage room only 29 minutes away, it is an accessible and fun way for LC students to take a break from reality and relieve some stress.