Wii Fit for Wii Home Console

With the negative press relating to video games turning our children into mindless zombies it’s great to see Nintendo (as usual) taking different approach with their new ‘Wii’ console which I covered in a previous article ahead of its official UK release date. The point that separates this console from the crown is that it user the players physical movements to control the game rather than relying upon a traditional gamepad.

The basic package comes with a ‘Wii remote’ and ‘nunchuck’ – these are held in either hand then your hand movements get translated in to on screen actions. In the mini games supplied with the console these actions are used to simulate playing a game of tennis, ten pin bowling, golf or cricket.

The combination of movement and cute characters lead to an experience that is a lot more innocent and physically involving than usually seen. I’m not the kind of person who tries to pin the problems of our society of computer games and videos, however it is refreshing to see that the majority of titles for this console are physically involving, non violent and not to mention sociable games that encourage the entire family to play together.

Just recently whilst shopping we decided to treat ourselves to a new game called ‘Wii Fit’ which through the use of a supplied ‘balance board’ adds a whole new twist to the way that you use your console. Although not cheap at £69.99, the board allows the game to detect your actual weight along with monitoring how you are standing or moving at any given point in time. By using these readings along with some user supplied information such as height it is able to determine your BMI (Body Mass Index) and put you though your paces with various training exercises. Your performance and weight will be monitored as you use the board so that over time you can work on improving your BMI and Wii Fitness Age.

The activities that Wii Fit will have you performing fall in to four categories; Aerobic Exercise, Muscle Conditioning, Yoga Poses and Balance Games. The activities within these categories include but are not limited to the following – Snowboarding, Step Aerobics, Tightrope Walking, Push Ups, Boxing, Jogging, Ski Jumping, Lunges and soccer headers. The difficulty of these activities increase as and when the game feels you are ready.

In the gym themed exercises you are given your own virtual personal trainer who talks you through the exercise and critiques your performance; for example, when performing a “Muscle Conditioning” exercise due to the way the balance board operates it will be able to tell if you are wobbly or moving your centre of gravity. Rather pathetically I am yet to come anywhere close to beating my trainer’s push-up challenge she gave me earlier this week.

The Wii Fit board could never a substitute to some real exercise at the gym and to pitch a video game as the best way to a healthier life would be ruthlessly misleading. Please bear in mind that there is no way you could use ‘Wii fit’ to do any form of resistance training as you would doing weightlifting or spending time on a rowing machine. Wii Fit in my eyes however is perfect for encouraging a healthy lifestyle especially I would hope in the younger generation.

Nintendo Wii Fit Plus Reviews | Ishopvideogame

Nintendo Wii console, a home video game console released by Nintendo, primarily competes with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s PlayStation 3. A distinguishing feature of the Wii is its wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a handheld pointing device and detect movement in three dimensions. Another distinctive feature of it is WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in standby mode.

Wii Fit plays a very important role in people’s daily fitness. Wii Fit combines fun and fitness into one product. It can change how you exercise, how you balance, and even how you move. Someone has said before that Wii players live and work in Wii’s virtual world. In Wii’s virtual world, people can be any one they want to be. They can become a good dancer, an experienced boxer or a rich fisherman. You can gain all kinds of happiness and joy from Wii.

To sum up, Wii Fit has four main important bodybuilding features.

1)   Aerobics series.

You can play Hula Hoop, Super Hula Hoop, Rhythm boxing – similar to step aerobics but including the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to throw punches, Basic Step, Advanced Step, Free Step, Basic Run, 2-P Run, Free Run.

2)  Yoga series.

Deep Breathing, Half-Moon, Dance, Cobra, Bridge, Spinal Twist, Shoulder Stand, Warrior, Sun Salutation, Tree, Downward Facing Dog, Standing Knee, Palm Tree, Chair, Triangle.

3)  Strength training series.

Single Leg Extension, Sideways Leg Lift, Arm and Leg Lift, Single-Arm Stand, Torso Twists, Rowing Squat, Single Leg Twist, Lunge, Push-Up and Side Plank, Jackknife, Plank, Triceps Extension, Push-Up Challenge, Plank Challenge, Jackknife Challenge.

4) Balance games series.

Soccer Heading, Ski Jump, Ski Slalom, Snowboard Slalom, and Table Tilt-Tightrope Walk, Balance Bubble, Penguin Slide, Lotus Focus (also known as “Zazen”).

Source: www.ishopvideogame.com

More Wii Fit Articles

Wii Fit “one Month On”

I have had my wii fit board since the launch day in the UK and I am still happy with it,

as for whether I am any fitter or any of my family, I dont think so, but I must say we are all better at balancing than we were before. Some of the activities are very strenuous especially the hula hoop and the heading game.

My personal favourite is the skiing game, although I must admit at first I was having all sorts of problems with it until I realised my son had turned the board round when I wasn’t looking so everything I was doing was opposite. What we do now is actually turn the board round just for fun, give it ago yourself and see how funny it can be.

On the personal stats like weight and BMI I cant really say I have seen any change, so as for making us fitter the jury is still out. I said before our balancing is far better especially getting those balls through the holes on the boards.

The only embarrasing thing we have found is when the females of the family get on and set up they don’t want us to look at the weigh and especially when they do a check from a previous sessions.

I have found that it can be tempermental on the bmi and wii fit ages are sometimes way out from previous sessions.

After the first few days my legs and arms did start to ache a bit, I think that was more to do with the amount of exercise not the intencity.

We have only briefly looked at the Yoga and exercise activities as we like the balancing games most. The runniing is ok especially if you run against someone, the only problem I have is trying to stay in one place when running on the spot, I find myself almost in the TV screen. I have unlocked the longer run now and its ok but to be honest I would rather run outside than on the spot.

I find the wii fit board is best when there are a lot of you as watching others trying to balance is quite funny, especially when someone new tries. I set up a video camera behind the board and I have to say the results are hilarious, I have to say this is almost as entertaining as using the wii itself.

I have been keeping an eye on Ebay and I am still amazed people are paying over the odds for the wii fit board, as my local Woolworths is always stocked up with them, so when I see bids over £100 I wonder whether some people every leave their houses!!

So if you havent got one yet by all means buy one off Ebay or Amazon but check your local store first as you might find they are sitting there waiting for you.

So to sum up my first month of using the wii fit board I would say great fun, best used with others, but as for loosing weight on a serious basis, don’t give up on conventional methods. I will update again in another month or so. Good Luck

Andrea is skiing slalom with Wii Fit on the beginner track ( two rounds). She is very fast, but she misses some gates. The balance board gives a good skiing feeling.A scene played with Nintendo Wii Fit. – Andrea fährt Ski Slalom mit Wii Fit auf der Anfänger Strecke (zwei Durchgänge). Sie ist sehr schnell, aber sie verpasst einige Tore. Das Balance Board gibt ein gutes Ski Gefühl. Diese Szene wurde mit Nintendo Wii Fit gespielt.