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Wii Fit: Fitness for the 21st Century
Since when is playing video games all day healthy? Nintendo is changing the way people think about video games AND exercise.
If you haven't heard about the latest in exercise technology, you must be living on Mars. Stores can't seem to keep these wonderful devices in stock! A lot of you are probably wondering just what this nifty little gadget is. You've come to the right place.
Wii Fit is an extension of the original idea for the Nintendo Wii, which was to add a new dimension to video game play. Rather than sitting in place and operating a non-responsive controller, users now are charged with performing the actions that they wish to simulate through the video game. This equates to actually swinging the golf club, rolling the bowling ball, or strumming the guitar.
As previousy stated, the Wii Fit simply an extension on this idea. The product consists of two important aspects: the balance board and the software. The balance board looks and feels just like the aerobic steps at the gym, but is packed with sensors to detect a sophisticated range of motion. The board can detect your center of gravity, weight, and will assess how evenly you apply pressure on each leg. The results may shock you.
After loading the CD into the Nintendo Wii, the user will be asked by the animated, talking balance board on-screen to step onto the balance board sitting in front of you. From here, the system will take measurements based on your balance and BMI (Body Mass Index). This is where the system gets really cool.
Wii Fit is an incentive-based program. After taking your measurements and deciding what changes need to be made, the program assigns you with your Wii Fit Age. This is not an actual age, of course, but is measured by how well you test in the center of gravity, balance, and BMI. If you are not a very active person, it is likely your Wii Fit Age will be at least somewhat higher than your actual age. This can be somewhat discouraging! The guide will then ask you to set a time-based goal for yourself. The idea is to have reached your fitness goals by the time the dates comes around. These goals are easily edited and altered to suit the individual's needs.
After a few days, you may start to wonder if your Wii is somehow possessed. The on-screen guide will chastise you if you haven't "come around" in a few days, and will ask you questions like "Have you had lunch today?", as if requesting a date.
The game is designed in such a way that the exercise routine will not become boring after a few days, as is often the case in a real gym. When first starting out, there are only a small selection of exercises and games available to the user, as these are the beginner steps.
Once you clock enough time, new games and exercises will become available, allowing for a very effective monotony-buster. Soon you may find yourself working a bit harder than you normally would to unlock that new exercise or balance games.
With games like downhill ski, slalom, and tightrope walking, you will soon learn how to balance yourself more effectively. Become an ace with these challenges (or at least try often enough) and you'll be unlocking new challenges that increase in difficulty.
For many casual fitness seekers, the Wii Fit can seem cost-prohibitive. After all, before you can shell out the $90USD for the game and balance board, you first need to obtain the Wii console which will cost an additional $250, assuming you aren't already a Wii owner. This can seem like a pretty steep price tag for an exercise program, but is it really?
Treadmills, exercise bikes, and other such workout machines will cost a minimum of $300, and these offer you only one dimension of exercise.
A gym membership will offer you many of the same features that the Wii Fit can, but will require a commitment of at LEAST $30 a month.
So when you look at the alternatives, a Wii Fit may not be such a bad value after all. Besides, if you have kids (or a spouse who's a "child-at-heart") you won't be the only one getting use out of your Wii console. Nintendo has consistenly shown dedication to providing entertainment for the entire family, as opposed to a small niche-crowd of experienced gamers like the other consoles available.
The bottom line? If you're a fitness seeker that's become complacent with the standard avenues of exercise and fitness, then it may be time for you to see what the Wii Fit can off you. If you're one of the thousands of individuals who want to develop a workout routine but can't quite muster the interest, then you DEFINITELY need to give the Wii Fit a spin. You'll be glad you did.
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