Wii Fit for Women....

As a new Wii owner, I can testify that the Wii is definitely pretty good exericse! They might as well market the fitness aspect of it - it could open up a huge market segment for them. Here's a preview of some of the games that will be in Wii Fit. It looks like fun!
http://e3nin.nintendo.com/wii_fit.html

For the record, there was a similar kind of "game" for XBox, PS2 and PC that came out a few years ago called Yourself Fitness. I actually had this game (for XBox) and it was not too bad. Kind of boring and repetitive at times - geared more toward the fitness newbie than the seasoned exercise veteran - but it was certainly better than sitting on the sofa. I think Wii Fit will be kind of similar, but with more of a fun factor.
 
The preview on that page looks interesting... I can see how some of it may get boring or repetitive like you mentioned on the other programs...

I do love the wii for exercise... although I end up with a wii elbow or arm alot depending on what game I am playing... :)
 
It does look fun. I had been planning to get this for DH for father's day. (Too bad it won't be out in time for me to get it for Mother's day.) I hope it's not too "girly", but it looks like there are a variety of exercises and games.

I had Yourself fitness, and I agree, it was more geared toward the newbie. I "maxed out" on the test section, so I couldn't see any progress over time. My biggest complaint about it was that it didn't let you enter in any other workouts, so if you did a Cathe upper body workout, there was no way to have the program enter that in your records, and the game would act as if you hadn't worked out at all. And the workouts were kinda boring, especially compared to Cathe.

I also have a game called Eyetoy Kinetic for the PS2. You use the eyetoy camera on the PS2 to kick and punch at targets. It's fun, but I don't quite have enough room for it in my workout space. I haven't used it as much as I hoped I would.
 
They had an article in my newspaper not too long ago about this and it just said for those that are looking for this to be their only form of fitness forget it. My SIL wanted to get it as her workout everyday she said "I can't wait that will all I will need to do," Coming from someone that eats out at restaurants everyday of the week and not one thing is healthy!@!

beth6395

"You didn't pause your dvd and go make popcorn did ya"
-Cathe Friedrich

http://www.picturetrail.com/juicyfruities2002
 
Yourself Fitness started me on the road to fitness. If it wasn't for that game I would not be were I am today fitness wise. Yourself fitness showed me that I can get stronger and more healthy with exercise. I couldn't believe the progress I made, I went from 4 pushups to around 25, my resting heart rate also decreased. Then I found Cathe that took me to a whole new level and I have never looked back!

As for Wii fit, I don't think it will come close to yourself fitness and I think that it might fall short for someone who wants it to attain fitness goals.
 
I'm in Germany and got my Wii Fit on Friday. It's a lot of fun! There are two sections that are games -- Balance and Aerobics, and two sections that are exercise -- Muscle and Yoga.

None of the activities that I've unlocked so far would substitute for a work-out. None of the aerobics games (including a step routine) last long enough to really get any cardio benefit.

That being said, it can certainly help improve form as you become more aware of your balance and center of gravity. The games are a lot of fun, especially the skiing, and all of it is better than sitting on the couch.

I think it's a great supplement to a fitness routine, but won't go far in helping reach goals if used solely by itself.
 
Would an 11 year old girl enjoy this? She loves her DDR and RockBand and she's skinny as a rail so she doesn't need it to get off the couch but if it's something she would enjoy and use. I thought it might help her develop habits for later in life.
 
The games are pretty fun, so she'd probably enjoy the Balance and Aerobics parts. Aerobics includes hula-hoop and super hula-hoop (once you've unlocked it), jogging (running for a few minutes in place), step and a few others I haven't unlocked yet.

Balance has skiing, ski jump, snowboarding, a game where your Mii is dressed in a penguin costume and has to try and catch fish, a game where your Mii is enclosed in a bubble and has to float down a river without touching the sides and a few others.

The better you're able to control your balance and center of gravity, the better you do. There are guides in the upper right corner that shows you where your COG is and where it should be for that particular game.

The Yoga and Muscle sections use a trainer, no Mii, and graph your balance while you perform different tasks. It would really depend upon the child whether they would like it or not. I can say that DH has been doing the yoga exercises, though I have never been able to get him the least bit interested in yoga before. It's a small victory, but victory none the less.

I would think it could have the same result with children/teens -- because it's done using the balance board, and there's the challenge of keeping your balance within a certain range, it could expose them to something they might otherwise be unwilling to try.
 
I got the wii fit on friday too here in england. i thought it was terrible. i tried the step and hula hoop aerrobic sections and thought it was so uninspiring.

the concept of this system is really cool and i think it could go far in the future- ubt at this infant stage, it's just very simplistic and boring.

i think it could inspire kids and adults perhaps who like to try the next cool thing. and really, i think any exercise is better than nothing!

also, i did not like being weighed every time i use the game. weight fluctuates and i am not one to weigh myself daily - maybe weekly if i notice some weight gain in my clothing - but i try very hard not to focus on numbers...so, this aspect of it completely turned me off. it's not something i have figured out how to opt out of either. i wouldn't care if it did weigh me each time - i just don't want to know. if someone uses it 2-3 times a day, i just don't think knowing your weight each time is that constructive to health or weight loss.
 
There are two ways to begin without being weighed: 1st to sign on as a guest or, 2nd to sign on as yourself and, when given the options of "Body Test" or "Training", choose Training. That takes you right to the games.

If you don't do the body test, however, you won't get the "stamp" for the day, if one cares about that.

That being said, as part of initially setting up the board, you do need to weigh-in. As a teenage girl, even at 5'8" and 128 lbs, I would have been mortified to have to weigh-in in front of any of my friends. You can password protect the information, but your Mii reflects your weight/BMI (ie, if you're overweight or obese, your Mii resembles the shape of an oompah loompah).

Ramona
 
gosh - that's just awful imo for some ppl (the size of your mii representing what it classifies you as). i'll be getting rid of it faster than i thought!
 
During the games, all of the Mii's are the same size. It's only during any of the individual "interactive" parts that your Mii, dressed in a jogging suit, is "lifesize".

If you only do the games, skipping over the daily weigh-in, you'd only have to see your Mii during the very start-up and when you're through. That would be long enough for some people, though. Your Mii is supposed to change with you as you get into better shape.

My DH was surprised that he's "overweight" and that his Mii is a bit round. He wasn't too worried about it -- but he isn't a teenager!
 
my dh was instantly put off by the rounder version of his mii - his bmi was calculated at 25.43 - a whole .43 overweight! please. the man exercises and eats well and i thought it was ludicrous. i think most ppl are weight sensitive and there is a huge psychology behind losing weight and getting fit - i just don't think the wii method is that constructive. i also don't think anyone can get in shape doing it as it exists now or even maintain a good level of fitness. so, that's why i am so critical of the product. a better choice? buying a cathe dvd and weighing yourself no more than once a week!:) :) :)
 
my dh was instantly put off by the rounder version of his mii - his bmi was calculated at 25.43 - a whole .43 overweight! please. the man exercises and eats well and i thought it was ludicrous. i think most ppl are weight sensitive and there is a huge psychology behind losing weight and getting fit - i just don't think the wii method is that constructive. i also don't think anyone can get in shape doing it as it exists now or even maintain a good level of fitness. so, that's why i am so critical of the product. a better choice? buying a cathe dvd and weighing yourself no more than once a week!:) :) :)
 
Okay, instead of listening to the two of us go back and forth, if you go to Amazon.co.uk, you can read the reviews posted thus far (34 when I looked). There are a few that are really comprehensive.

As a stand-alone exercise program, it won't get you far. For fun, as an incentive to begin a program, or for added overall daily activity, it has its merits.

While I wouldn't have done a Cathe dvd after dinner, I did just do the five minute "super step" which includes basic-, side- and L-steps. A few more games and it's 15 minutes later; I might not have broken much of a sweat, but I got my heart rate up and I didn't have to go for a walk in the rain.

I would have stayed on it longer, but my DH wanted his turn.
 
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