Wii and Me
Let me start by saying that I work out with a real-life personal trainer three times a week and have been doing so for about one year. Several thousand dollars later, it's fair to say I am in pretty good shape (at least for me). With that as background, I had no reservations about trying out Wii Fit, Nintendo's new virtual exercise console, at a launch event Monday in New York City.
Perhaps, I should have been less confident.
I tried three games, starting with a balance game in which you stand on the board without shoes and use your body to direct virtual balls into virtual holes. Fairly simple, I thought. Not so much. My score: zero.
The Wii trainer who was assigned to me tried to make me feel better by saying it takes a while to get used to the feel of the board and just how sensitive it is to body movements.
Next we did some virtual yoga poses. I am happy to say, I did well. I followed the animation, and exhaled and inhaled on cue. I held the pose well as evidenced by a small red ball on the screen that did not move as long as I remained in my pose.
Feeling confident, I tried the hula hoop game, which seemed to be a favorite at the launch event. I spread my feet a bit wider on the balance board and circled my hips as my cartoon likeness did the same on the screen.
"Watch out, the characters in the background will throw hula hoops at your head and you must lean in to catch them," the human trainer at my side said. Even with the warning, all the hoops hit me in my (fortunately virtual) head.
When my time ran out, I had twirled the hula hoop 52 times in 50 seconds. I thought that was great until the trainer told me a middle schooler who went right before me did it more than 200 times in the same time frame and even caught the errant hula hoops.
All in all, I liked Wii Fit. It's fun, different, and challenging. I will likely purchase it if for no other reason than to beat that middle schooler's hula-hoop record.
Denise Mann
WebMD Guest Blogger
Perhaps, I should have been less confident.
I tried three games, starting with a balance game in which you stand on the board without shoes and use your body to direct virtual balls into virtual holes. Fairly simple, I thought. Not so much. My score: zero.
The Wii trainer who was assigned to me tried to make me feel better by saying it takes a while to get used to the feel of the board and just how sensitive it is to body movements.
Next we did some virtual yoga poses. I am happy to say, I did well. I followed the animation, and exhaled and inhaled on cue. I held the pose well as evidenced by a small red ball on the screen that did not move as long as I remained in my pose.
Feeling confident, I tried the hula hoop game, which seemed to be a favorite at the launch event. I spread my feet a bit wider on the balance board and circled my hips as my cartoon likeness did the same on the screen.
"Watch out, the characters in the background will throw hula hoops at your head and you must lean in to catch them," the human trainer at my side said. Even with the warning, all the hoops hit me in my (fortunately virtual) head.
When my time ran out, I had twirled the hula hoop 52 times in 50 seconds. I thought that was great until the trainer told me a middle schooler who went right before me did it more than 200 times in the same time frame and even caught the errant hula hoops.
All in all, I liked Wii Fit. It's fun, different, and challenging. I will likely purchase it if for no other reason than to beat that middle schooler's hula-hoop record.
Denise Mann
WebMD Guest Blogger
20 Comments:
The hula hoop game was fun. It was hard at first trying to catch the hoops thrown at you but with practice you get better. It is interesting and if you score high enough you unlock an even harder workout where you have to first circle right and then circle left . Needless to say I didnt score well there. I thought you only hula hooped in one direction!
Well i think it is not helping, because of the lack of movement in the legs...if you know what im saying...thats all.
haha. I just got the Wii Fit and the Hula Hoop game is fun! I got almost 300 and my sister got over 300! The advanced Hula Hoop is more fun bc you get more time and more challenge! The Ski Jump is challanging, as is the Tightrope. But this is too much fun! I think I'll play everday!
I got a Wii Fit and I love it--it's not as challenging as I would like, but it is definitely fun. I have used it every night since I got it and find that I can spend 30 minutes on it very quickly! My favorite is the hula hoop game and the ski jump!
i am interested in knowing more about the WII games/fitness. I am a 47 y/o with RA already have a knee replacement. Would this help me? To the person that said "lack of movement in the legs" is this also your problem? I am looking for something i can do at home.
Thanx CANI
I am 61 years old and started my second round of chemotherapy today (for lung cancer - which I plan to beat, by the way), and I am addicted to wii fit. I went straight from my treatment today to the ski jump! There are probably more things I cannot do, than things I can, but the balance games are great - especially slalom skiing and the ski jump! I think there are games and levels enough that even we less than healthy people can benefit from!
you guys are lucky enough tohave tried it. i live in orangeburg sc and have been unable to locate a wii console let alone the wii fit that i want and need badly.i currently take large dose of prednisone and have lung diesease and must wear oxygen 24 hrs daily. i think the wii will give me an oppurtunity to exercise within my home. maybe it production will increase and i will be able to purchase soon.
I so want to try the Wii Fit but alas, it's sold out everywhere. And no, I'm not going to buy an overpriced one from some 3rd party auction site either!
I would like to try the Wii fit myself but I will never be able to afford it. Even at the normal price in retail stores. Things that are healthy for you should not cost so much. All people want to do is take advantage of people who are over weight. Most of the over weight people I know are disable because of their weight. They have fixed income. America wouldn't be so fat if people had money.
Dear Orangeburg SC,
Go to Walmart and/or order your Wii online. My prayers are with you, take care.
Dear Orangeburge, SC
We bought ours at Sams at a lillte bit of a cheaper price. I have MS and they tell me it is the best thing out there for it. Hula Hoop is fun but try the Soccer Ball.
Anonymous IL
I have a wii and I never have time to play it just recently got mario kart racing and never play but I need to lose weight I have even been thinking I may sale it because it sets there!! I dont want to buy it and never want to do it!!! I have wasted alot on my wii and its nothing to do with wii it very cool just never have time!!!
Why not just go out for a walk or sign up for a yoga class with the money?
The Wii is awesome. You don't realize the benefit as you use it because you are having so much fun. It gets you off the couch and that is a big plus. There are enough choices and different activities to satisfy everyone. I have MS and a problem with balance. It has been worth every penny spent!
if you have a fry's elecrtonics near you they get shipments on weds try on a afternoon that is when i got mine. i love the fact it is fun and very east but challangling too at the same time. plus the kids can play it and have fun!
Luckily I pre-ordered my wiifit at walmart. I have used it every day since the outside weather in New England this week has been rain more rain and 50 degrees. I really wanted to go out and ride my bike but the weather stinks do the wiifit has been a fun alternative.
Regardless if it really works or not, we have to give the gaming industry credit or an "A" for effort. This does not replace eating right, good sleep, etc... but for 20 years games have challenged only your fingers and thumbs not to fall off after 6 hours of gaming. They are on the right track and maybe the next version will have more "out of the box thinking". Stay away from fatty foods folks and try it out.... you maybe suprised!!
I work part time at a Best Buy (no, we're not allowed to reserve stuff for ourselves). I was able to get a Wii Fit two weeks after the general US release by visiting the store every day as soon as I got off of my day job. FYI our Best Buy usually gets shipments in on Wednesday and Saturday (so product is put out Thursday and Sunday)
I have tendonosis in one of my ankles and my orthopedic specialist just gave me the green light for all the Wii Fit Yoga excercises. He says the balancing on the ankle will do it good. The aerobics modules have a nice range of strenuous activity for people who aren't in that good a shape. I imagine Nintendo will follow-up the Wii Fit with add-on discs containing more intense forms of aerobics/Yoga/strength training so the workouts can continue after you have mastered all the current offerings.
I've had my WII for 5 days, have worked out on it 4 times at 30 min
each, do mostly the aerobics, and I think it's the best thing out there. I think everyone should get
one if they don't get out or don't want to go to a gym; by the way, I'm 63 and 5 ft tall and after the
initial weigh in, etc. came in at overweight (which I already knew, lol)but was nailed at the age of 75 that was enough for me to make this work, I'm happy to say after working with it 4 out of 5 days, I'm happy to report that I've lost
1.6 lbs and am now at the age of 57
it can only get better. Love it!!
I got the Wii Fit the first day it was released. Even though I go to the gym at least 5 times a week, I also use the wii fit at home several times a week. I tend to use the strength training exercises, and I use hand weight to make it more difficult or to use different muscles.
My husband, who never exercies, now uses it a lot. Is it the best exercise equipment on the market? No. Is it fun and will it get you up off your butt to move? Yes. If it broke today, I would get a new one tomorrow.
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