Stronger together? personality, feedforward, and social play in a VR resistance training exergame

Abstract Resistance training improves muscular strength, bone health, functional capacity, and cardiometabolic health, yet many adults do not meet muscle-strengthening guidelines. Behavioural research further suggests that resistance training has participation patterns and barriers that differ from aerobic activity, so design insights from aerobic exergames cannot be assumed to transfer directly. We developed a VR cable-machine exergame that used feedforward, implemented as replayed visual traces of prior performance, to create social “ghosts.” In a 2 (Mode: cooperation and competition) $$\times $$ 3 (Feedforward Target: self, friend, and stranger) within-subjects study, 30 participants completed all six conditions while we recorded movement quality, repetitions, and self-reported experience. Competition was associated with higher movement quality and more completed repetitions than cooperation. Feedforward Target did not show reliable effects on objective movement outcomes, but friend targets produced higher Interest/Enjoyment than stranger targets. Exploratory analyses suggested selective associations involving Big Five traits, friendship quality, competence, pressure, and flow-related outcomes. These findings distinguish Mode and Feedforward Target as separable design dimensions in VR resistance exergames and suggest cautious opportunities for socially adaptive feedforward designs.