LARPing Anyone?

In today's culture, we often lament that children (and adults) are leading a more sedentary lifestyle. With the advent of ever increasingly realistic gaming systems, people are more likely to spend more hours in front of a television or computer screen. When I asked a student in my swimming class what his plans were for break he said, "I'm gonna play xbox all week". What do we do for a society that is obsessed with Role Playing Games (RPGs) and suffering from record highs of obesity and illness? The answer is now here.

The answer is LARPING.

LARPING stands for Live Action Role Playing. My favourite LARPING match caught in action is the following video, imported from YouTube:



I know what you're thinking: "How can I get involved!?" LARPING enthusiasts can go to http://larp.com/ to check out different LARPING organizations and find one near their hometown. The "Legynds" page (http://www.legynds.com/?tmva=15|) advertises by saying:

"Come play with us. The most consistently mind-blowing, limb-severing, treasure-snatching, ogre-smashing, plot-twisting, live-action role-playing you can imagine."


How can you NOT want to do that! It's gaming, AND it's physical activity! You get the same thrill of fighting others in a fantasy world, BUT you're really doing it. You're venting out the anger that might otherwise be kept inside, AND you're getting a really good work out. Think about it. Wearing armor, carrying swords and shields, running, fighting, jumping, swinging; it's probably the best work out that's out there.

What? That's not enough to get you excited? Check out this video from YouTube:


Isn't it exciting? Who doesn't want to get dressed up, go out and fight other people in the style of a medieval battle. It's better than the Wii workout, and it's definitely better than sitting in front of your computer. It just might be the workout that you have been waiting for.

Or, you know, you could just join a baseball team.




**If you're still thinking about LARPING, check out this documentary. A little bit long, but well shot and informative.**