A study carried out on the "BODYPAD" by the Center of Analysis of Sporting Images and Performance (CAIPS) reveals that 15 minutes of this video game practice burns as much energy as 30 minutes of jogging!

The CAIPS and Doctor Fabien Achard de Leluardiere, biomechanics and bioengineering doctor of the university of Poitiers (France), specialist in analysis of the sporting gestures, measured the energy expenditure of the gestures of a gamer using a BODYPAD.
For the purpose of the study, a gamer was equipped with reflective markers allowing 6 cameras to catch his movements and accelerations in 3D space and was placed on a specific platform detecting his impetus at every moment.

After examination and analyses of the collected data, the first results of this study are astonishing:

Taking into account the energy necessary to the realization of each punch and kick of the player (jab, knee, jumped kick, uppercut etc.) and the average number of blows and jumps when playing a video fighting game, the energy used during 15 mn of video game with BODYPAD is equivalent to 8 times a 100 meters dash, 12 minutes of slope climbing with a bike or 27 minutes of jogging!

These results can even get higher according to the kind of video games (there are games requiring more or less reactivity[5]) and according to the physical implication of the gamer. On this point, the BODYPAD makes it possible for a gamer to adjust his efforts. For example one can initially makes small movements to warm up, and then makes fast and realistic movements as close as possible to the ones of the games. Each gamer can thus find and adjust his/her efforts according to his/her physical condition or need to unwind.

Various studies linking sporting practice and health can give additional values to the CAIPS results. These studies show in particular that a physical activity equivalent to at least 20 to 30 mn of " vigorous " sport four days per week has very positive incidences on health and overweight[6], and that if this weekly activities burn at least 1000 kcal it is associated to a reduction of 30% in all causes of mortality rates[7].
And indeed, the energy spent during a 30mn video game with BODYPAD is characteristic of a vigorous activity[8] and is estimated at least to 275 kcal[9].
So, 4 times 30 mn of BODYPAD per week would fulfill these 2 criteria of an advised weekly physical activity!
And all the more easily that the BODYPAD is done at home, without constraint of schedules... and with fun!

To use BODYPAD, you don't need to be a video game expert: extend the arm to make your character punch or flex the leg to kick. Simple and intuitive!
No need either to be an expert in martial arts or an achieved sportsman to benefit from BODYPAD, even if great champions had fun with it. Thus Europe and World Champions of Thai or Kick boxing like Florence Delaroche, Karim Aliouane, Khalid Bibi and Karim Saada enjoy the BODYPAD during virtual tournaments.
Some martial arts teachers in France and Spain even decided to include the BODYPAD in some modules of their classes.
Even if the BODYPAD does not tend to be a physical teaching tool, it helps in particular to develop eye-arm-legs coordination for the youngest gamers. Furthermore, so as to get the best benefit from this accessory, it is necessary to learn how to do body choreographic sequences which require some rigor and concentration.