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I enjoy exercise. Jogging, cycling, badminton and even the odd hula hoop are my preferred method of bum-firming and serotonin. I also enjoy videogaming. A lot. And an increasing number of people of all ages are merging these two seemingly opposing interests and turning to the one media previously chastised be the media for nurturing a nation couch-potato children; they are turning to computer games.
The Nintendo Wii has revolutionised the way we play, entertain and now how we keep fit. Forget a pricey gym membership and soggy tracksuit bottoms as you jog through endless muddy puddles, the most convenient – and fashionable – way to get fit is to get Wii Fit. There has even been a blog set up by an enthusiastic gentleman, dedicated to discovering the possibilities of weight loss in conjunction with daily exercise from the comfort of his living room.
Upon its release in various countries, Wii Fit has sold out in record time, much to the frustration of those who are in desperate pursuit of a copy. Despite the slightly steep price tag, the supplied board and range of mini-games coupled with fitness routines and personalised health information have proved a winner with individuals you would normally never find in your local games store.
It cannot be denied that the influx of curious faces thrusting money at Nintendo’s ingenious next gen console are helping line the pockets of happy games publishers, developers, manufacturers and retailers everywhere. Though through the rose-tinted haze of get-fit-quick transparency, are we forgetting about The Great Outdoors? Computer-aided exercise may require no more travel than a roll out of bed, but can you really say that twenty minutes of vigorous movement is as satisfying as a twenty minute cycle in the crisp fresh air?
Of course, I know this is fantasy. I know that for some jogging through quaint landscape or attending regular treadmill sessions is simply not possible. And for that, I have to admire the way in which the negativity associated with gaming has taken a subtle turn for the greater good.
Do you use a Wii to help keep you in shape? What do you think about traditional fitness methods vs digital methods?
4 Comments
I personally don’t think it would work for me. I once decided that Dance Dance Revolution was going to be my main source of cardio - and that lasted about a week. But I could see how for some it would work. For example, a freshman living in a dorm with enough space to hook it up (and not a lot of time to hike to the gym)…or someone older like my Mom who isn’t looking for huge weight loss results and doesn’t have a lot of time/money to spend on a gym membership. Basically, I think it’s different for everyone…but I prefer being outside and/or at the gym.
I actually got the wii fit a day or so early and I’ve been using it every day. It’s sort of perfect for me because I really hate the gym. I do about an hour a day and after only a week I feel like my posture is better and, according to the wii fit, I’ve lost about a pound and a half.
But I’m not a fitness freak by any stretch of the imagination. It gets me active (as opposed to sitting around all day, writing or wasting time on the internet)with a wide range of different activities and I really love it.
its tough to beat Dance Dance Revolution.
for my cardio, i like to play GTA: San Andreas.
in fact for every kind of thing, i play San Andreas really
I honestly use Wii Fit as a motivating daily gauge of how I’m doing in terms of keeping myself in check. It is a bit of fun, sometimes challenging (yoga hurts–I’ve never been flexible, but hot damn if I want to fix that). Of course, if you actually want to lose weight, you are going to have to do some hardcore activity outside of the game as well–the game even asks you to record such activity.
The game also tends to focus on your sense of balance and posture which honestly, we all do need work on. It makes you more aware of the way you stand and balance yourself really, and occasionally gives nifty tips about health in general. It’s a cute fun way to stand up instead of moping around the house if you’re not going out to work out. It should be kept in mind though that it should never be used a sole alternative in one’s lifetime to keep in shape.
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