Does this spell the end for the gym???
Well, I've had my Wii Fit for a week now and I'm still as hooked. Infact, as you unlock more features the more you use it, I'm even MORE impressed than I was when I got it, and that's saying something!
If you are considering the Wii Fit because you want to lose some weight, or tone up, or improve your fitness, then I can say without fear that this WILL provide you with all you need to achieve your goal. Whatever your current activity level, Wii Fit has something to help you improve.
I was concerned that perhaps this would be a 'token gesture' of a fitness game. It isn't. This is the real thing and Nintendo should be congratulated on not just throwing out a quick fitness gimmick, but on taking the time to really cover all aspects of fitness.
Not only have I used this every day, but I wake up looking forward to my next shot! I spend time working on my posture and balance - which is built into some great games but which are also very insightful, and a bit of an eyeopener. The Balance Board is so well created that, in seconds, it was able to tell a friend of mine that he slouches, has terrible posture, and explained exactly what he was doing wrong, and how he could correct it. It was absolutely bang on.
I then spend time doing some aerobic activity, like jogging, hula hoops (great for the hips, thighs, and bum), and step dance. This lot will have you sweating every bit as much as a trip to the gym. But it's great fun too!
I can then spend some time on toning up with the help of my personal trainer. And to cool down, I do some yoga... something I have never even considered before but which I'm enjoying. The board is so sensitive that it really ensures you achieve the correct technique.
This is a real workout, every bit as productive as a trip to the gym. I have a gym membership and, when I manage to drag myself up there, I do enjoy it. The problem is I don't drag myself up there enough. Maybe I've only a couple of hours before I start work; maybe it's rush hour and I can't be bothered getting stuck in traffic; maybe it's raining. There's always a reason not to go.
The beauty of Wii Fit is it's waiting for you, right in your livingroom, whenever you want it. It's fun, it's inventive, it's personal and gives real time feedback. Forget the gym. Forget your workout video. Wii Fit WILL get you into shape, and you'll love every second!
Getting fit at last is fun!!
Having tried gym membership several times over the years with the best of intentions I can honestly say this is so much more fun! I must admit I have concentrated more on the "fun" aerobic & balance exercises and haven't tried out yoga at all yet. The muscle strengthening exercises are even interesting as you endevour to keep your balance in the correct place ....which also helps to ensure you do the exercise properly.
Hula hoops certainly works the abdo muscles ( ones I didn't know I had !!) and the step routine is just like the real thing ( and I still go the wrong way.)
If you can ski the slalom brings back memories of winter holidays... and my husband who can't ski, skiied it just like beginners do by trying to turn with his shoulders !! The running you would think is a a gimmick but it is so much easier running on your lounge floor after a little Mii and being overtaken by dogs !! I even found myself waving at spectators on the grass (well they waved at me first!!) And every now & then something happens to make you laugh ...like being overtaken by another mii who then promptly falls flat on his face.
All in all ..... great fun and a good aid to fitness for the unfit & the over 40's who don't what to compete in the gym but don't want to turn to seed either !!
Get it ..... you won't regret it
Getting Fit is Fun?????
My husband & I deliberately took our time to purchase a Wii Fit as we wanted to see a few reviews before taking the plunge. A few friends had got one and they liked it. However, the seal of approval that came from my brother-in-law was the one that made us decide. He had his a week and cancelled his gym subscription saying that this Wii Fit was better than any gym and made him "use muscles he didn't know he had!" From a bloke who was in the army for 10 years, that is some endorsement!!
We got ours last week and apart from being perhaps a wee bit awkward to set up - mostly in the configuring the balance board to the console; the instructions on this aren't the best - but once it was up & running, it was a dawdle.
You have to load in personal details like your age & height but this is easily done with your normal Wii remote. There is emphasis on your balance & centre of gravity and is the starting point for your assessment. This made me think of the Alexander Technique which is considered to be the best 'thing' for posture improvement etc. A few fun games later & this thing has you sussed. It then gives you the once over for weight, height etc and presents you with the final reading. I had no problems with either the BMI or the weight it gave me. Both of these were in keeping with my last gym assessment.
I am a member of a ladies 30-min gym which concentrates mostly on muscle tone so my cardiovascular exercise is not what I would like it to be. I don't really have enough self-discipline to go out running or swimming etc which was one of the main reasons for getting the Wii Fit. I still thought I was of ok fitness though..... until I got on the darn thing!!!
I warmed up with a couple of Hula Hoop sessions (2 mins each) - dead easy I thought as I puffed a wee teeny bit. Then I had a go at the basic Step (never done step in my life btw!) - 3 mins later, a bit more puffing and a head dizzy with trying to keep up!! However, don't be put off, once you've done the Step about 3 times you really get the hang of it. I then went for broke on the Jogging - hahahahahahahahaha! "3 mins???? You're having a laugh" I wheezed...... after a minute and a half!! This for me was the cruncher - it darn near killed me!! Fit my bottom!! After 20 minutes of these various activities I was only fit to keel over! However, you WILL get back what you put in and a week down the line I can now do a 3 min jog without sounding like someone's ripped my lungs out.
My husband passed his opinion of the muscle tone section as I myself am not using that right now. His comment was "It's hard" injected with many words that it would be inappropriate to type here. He has also cancelled his gym membership as he feels he is getting more from the Wii Fit than he did down the gym.
The balance games are great fun and I personally like them for cooling down after a good work out on the Aerobics. These are very good for making you change the manner in which you stand and carry yourself. The Ski Jumping is a personal favourite.
I have been advised by a yoga-class-attending person that the Yoga programme is very good and she highly recommends it. I have yet to get that far.
All in all, I think the Wii Fit is good value for money, I think it is of a high motivational standard and I do believe that if you really DO want to improve your fitness level, this will help greatly. The top ten ranking system is very good for ensuring you keep at it because you will always want to better your score or beat that of others.
Additionally, and just a wee tip/suggestion, when we bought our Wii Fit, it was recommended to us that we purchase a silicon cover to assist with keeping it clean and to prevent the board becoming discoloured. I would recommend this to any would-be purchasers. The covers have two 'footprint' grips on them which prevent you from sliding if you're working out in socks or bare-footed, which is how some people prefer it. The board itself is quite smooth and I think it would be quite easy to slip on it if you weren't wearing trainers.
Finally, I'm glad we bought the Wii Fit, I'm enjoying the fact that the more time you're on it, the more games you unlock which prevents the likelyhood of getting bored with it too quickly. Just remember though - it ain't a miracle machine and you have to work it baby to get results. If only I had known that.......... (sigh!)
About Wii Fit (Wii) detail
- Amazon Sales Rank: #18 in Computer & Video Games
- Brand: Nintendo
- Model: RVLRRFNE
- Published on: 2008-04-30
- Released on: 2008-04-25
- Rating: To Be Announced
- ESRB Rating: Everyone
- Platform: Nintendo Wii
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 3.10" h x 13.20" w x 20.50" l, 10.00 pounds
Wii Fit (Wii) Description
Designed to help you become more aware of your physical condition, Wii Fit invites you to have fun and get healthy in the process. With exercises that focus on helping you to improve balance and posture, change your Body Mass Index or simply relax, Wii Fit uses the latest technology to assist you in leading a healthier lifestyle. The first step is putting your feet on the state-of-the-art Wii Balance Board in order to get an overview of your present fitness level. By measuring your BMI (Body Mass Index), analysing your centre of gravity and calculating your athletic ability via a couple of simple tests, the software determines your Wii Fit Age - a measure unique to the game which could range from 2 to 99. Wii Fit features more than 40 different exercises across four areas of training. Burn calories with the Aerobic Exercises, work on your balance and posture with the Balance Games, bulk up with the Muscle Workouts or learn to stretch and relax with the Yoga poses. Featuring everything from Step Basics to Snowboarding, Rhythm Boxing to Jogging, Wii Fit offers a vast range of entertaining activities that will keep you interested in working out and encourage the rest of the family to give it a try. To help you keep track of your progress, Wii Fit includes a special Wii Fit Channel that allows up to eight people to store and compare their personal fitness profiles, and also takes account of any exercise done away from the Wii Balance Board - ensuring you have an accurate overview of your fitness. And when you do make progress, you won't only be able to see it represented by a graph, but by the changing waistline of your chosen Mii character. Take the first step on the road to a healthier lifestyle with Wii Fit!