Nintendo Wii Fit?

[Fredwina]

I've been thinking about gettin one of these and wanted to know what everyone thought
I bought this last night , and found it really fun. Am I right to assume that Wii Fit would be more of the same?

[lauraelmore1033]

I love my wii fit! I'm not familiar with the game you just bought, but I suspect that some of the wii fit activities will be similar to the game, but there are also more "formal" strength training and stretching parts. Last winter the weather was horrible and I used the wii fit and other wii games instead of cycling and was surprised to find that I hadn't lost any ground (cycling wise) when training groups rolled out in the spring.

[OakLeaf]

The game in your picture looks more similar to the dancing games. The Wii balance board is maybe 1' x 2'. Some of the games involve stepping on and off the board, but most of them are done with the feet planted. The pressure sensors are very sensitive, so they either tell you where your center of gravity is located (in the tests and exercises), or have you shift your center of gravity to manipulate on-screen objects (in the balance games, including many of the Training Plus games).

I think it's a terrific way to work on proprioception and balance. As for cardio, it might be good for someone coming off the couch, but not for anyone with even minimal cardiovascular fitness.

Some of the balance games are really fun, and there are a few third-party games that take advantage of the balance board (Kororinpa, Raving Rabbids TV Party, and a couple of snowboarding and boxing games). Many of the exercises in the "strength" category involve balance as well. I do a few of the Yoga poses now and then, but I'm not really a fan of Wii-style Yoga.

I'd buy one again just for the Table Tilt games.

[NoNo]

I'm looking into the Fit, but I just got EA Sports Active yesterday and really liked it! It's a little less cutesy than the Fit, I think. It has a 30 day challenge, and the new disk has a 90 day challenge. I selected a high intensity workout, and it had me doing a circuit routine, switching between running, boxing, curls, sqats, lunges, tri extensions, and jumping. It comes with a resistance band and a band you wear around your thigh that you place the nunchuck in when doing some activities like running and squats. There's a trainer in the corner telling you when to do your reps, correcting you when you mess up, and encouraging you when you're doing well. There were some times when I was definitely out of breath, and a few times when the legs were burning. It also incorporates the balance board, but I don't have one, so I don't know what those activities are. Overall I was pretty impressed and think it's a fantastic way to mix up my home training.

[Fredwina]

I'm aware that what I have is more like Dance Dance Revolution than what Wii Fit does.
Nono, thanks for the EA tip . it does narrow my choice for a game platform. At least i'm assuimng there isn't simalar games for Ps and Xbox?

[redrhodie]

Oh, I just posted about this on thread drift. My best friend just got one and it told her she's obese (she's got a Wonder Woman-type body, with very little fat). I hate it for that reason. I'm obviously biased against it, because it upset my friend. She also said it was annoying how it kept interrupting to grade her. It gets a big thumbs down so far, but maybe she'll learn to like it.

[GLC1968]

I wouldn't hate the Wii Fit just because it said she was classified as obese! The Wii just uses BMI and uses the same classifications that you can find anywhere on the internet. She must already know that her body weight/height makes BMI a lousy gauge of her health. It just isn't a helpful metric for super muscular people...and being one, she should know that.

BMI is a decent metric for 'normal' people so I assume that's why the Wii uses it. It would more helpful if it could measure body fat, but Nintendo is just not that advanced (nor that focused on fitness).

We just got a Wii Fit, too. It's a lot of fun, but I certainly wouldn't count any of the activities that I've done so far as exercise. Is it better than sitting on my rear? Yes. Does it replace my normal fitness routine? Not even close. (Actually, the hula hoop game is surprisingly tough and totally gets my heart rate up but it's too short to *really* count!)

I particularly like the balance stuff and I love how it says I'm way younger than I am even though I'm so overweight. I also just ordered a boxing game (Gold's Gym, I believe) because I've heard it's a lot of fun and I like that kind of thing.

[redrhodie]

Well, I guess my friend's issues with it are very specific to her own body issues, so take my post with a grain of salt. I have no other experience with it.

[Kiwi Stoker]

I used the Wii fit for a year now. Unlocked all the games and had fun. Was disappointed that there were only 2 "step" routines as I enjoyed those the most (and my heart rate worked up the best) and have just brought the Wii Fit upgrade. Hopefully with the new games and exercises it should renew my interest.

I also don't like BMI measurements. We had a case in NZ where a body builder tried to get life insurance and was turned down as his BMI was obese and the stupid company was insistant that BMI is totally correct. I tend to think that BMI is an indicator. If I went down to my BMI weight of 60kg I would be gaunt and ill (I did when I was 18 and looked terrible) so it's not right and shouldn't be used as a be or and end all measurement.

[uforgot]

The Wii Fit Plus has an option to create your own routine so you don't have that annoying stopping in between. I like it for stretching, (yoga) and the strength exercises, but for cardio you will probably need something else. I also love the EA Sports Active and the Personal Trainer. Both can be customized and provide more cardio, although with EA sports Active it's running in place, but it kills me because you have to run knees high, and then kick heels up in back, etc. Then again, I'm not a runner...Fun indoor exercise, but it won't replace getting outside on your bike!

I purchased Just Dance over Christmas, and that is a lot of fun and GREAT exercise. Actual dance movements! Not just waving the controller left,right,up down, like in some of the other dance games. I'm also having fun with the Karaoke American Idol, but that's only exercising my vocal chords. And only when I'm absolutely sure no one else is around.

[redrhodie]

The Wii Fit Plus has an option to create your own routine so you don't have that annoying stopping in between.

That's good to know. My friend hadn't figured that out yet.

oh, wait, is that the same on the Wii Fit?

[OakLeaf]

You can always skip the body test with the Wii Fit Plus (this year's incarnation). I agree the BMI business is BS even though mine is in the "normal" range, and there's a lot of the programming that's excessively cutesy. Doesn't stop me from loving the balance games.

[uforgot]

That's good to know. My friend hadn't figured that out yet.

oh, wait, is that the same on the Wii Fit?

No, it isn't an option on wii Fit. It was something that a lot of reviews were criticizing. The fact that you couldn't make a "routine", you had to select exercises one at a time, so they fixed it with the Wii Fit plus. The plus version is $19.99 and I traded the old Wii Fit game into my local Slackers, because the plus version has everything wii fit had and then the new, improved parts.