Hi folks,
I’m thinking of getting a Wii-fit in an effort to get more exercise. Is there any benefit to the Wii, or should I join the gym? I’m not overweight at all… I just get easily-winded and I want to be in better shape. What is your experience or opinion on the Wii-fit’s work-out(s)?
Thanks in advance!
-John
The thing’s a freakin’ stool. No, you won’t get fit using it. Save your money and buy a wooden plank. If you really want a video game cardio workout, get DDR. If I weren’t at work, I’d link to the Youtube parody of the Wii Fit commercials.
“You can do such great activities like: leaning side to side; standing on one foot…”
Some of the caridio workouts are actually quite good and really get your heart pumping. The biggest issue with it is that the length of the routines are too short and you end up stopping a lot.
They seem to have fixed this issue w/ the new Wii Fit Plus as it lets you set up longer routines and “playlists” of workouts.
The “leaning side to side, standing on one foot” games are all about balance. They have plenty of cardio stuff like step aerobics, running in place, hula hoop (which can really get your blood going), and some others I can’t think of right now.
It’s fun and gets you moving and your blood pumping. Not saying it’s perfect, but it’s better than nothing for sure.
I don’t own a Wii, but I’ve played one. I would say that if your intent is to supplement your current exercise routine with a wii, then it might be a good investment. I worked up a bit of a sweat using one, but there are drawbacks (as have been mentioned). In the end, I’d say it’s better then sitting on your butt with a joystick, but it’s not better then your traditional exercise routines (say running, weight training, etc).
Here is a site that often gets referenced in these threads, where a guy tracks his Wii Fit use for 7 weeks. There are also some other things like EA Active that you can look into, that tend to be more like a real workout.
There are other workout titles for the Wii, too, like a Jillian Michaels/Biggest Loser execise program. But I don’t know what it’s like.
I’m quite fond of the EA Active version. It solved all the issues with wait times while still allowing you to go back and get instruction on an exercise if you need it.
My only issue so far is the resistance band exercises. My hands shake always, so the moves that require you to finish with the controller in one place frequently fail to register as completed. I just avoid those exercises now.
If the only time you ever get off the couch is to play on your Wii for an hour a day, then no, it won’t do you much good. That doesn’t mean there aren’t advantages.
Wii Fit is something you can incorporate into your daily exercise regimen, if you have one. If you don’t have a regimen, it might inspire you to be on your feet more, and get more active in general. Nothing wrong with that. Plus, it’s fun. I enjoy the skiing games myself.
At the very least, if you’re going to play video games for an hour (or more), certainly it’s better to do so standing up than sitting down.
I lost 15 pounds using the Wii Fit, but.
•The routines are too short and there’s too much lag time in between.
•It’s not the greatest workout in the world.
However, if you are starting from couch potato, it’s probably at least better than watching American Idol while stuffing Cheetos in your face. I found that my posture and balance were improved, as well as strength and flexibility, but I had to do all the yoga every day, all the strength exercises every day, all the balance exercises every day and all the cardio every day. A one-hour workout takes like three because you keep having to wait while the next screen loads and I think that takes way too much time. I found it difficult to keep my interest and keep my heart rate up after about 20 minutes.
It is fun and it can get your ass off the couch, which is better than nothing. I’d call it a good way to learn how to transition from couch potato to learning how to work out for real.
As the saying goes, the best exercise program is the one you actually do. Objectively, a gym membership will probably be better. But a Wii Fit that you use a couple of times a week (or once a day) is infinitely better than a gym you never visit.
I’m overweight, and was doing absolutely no exercise. I’ve lost a little weight and improved my balance and flexibility with the wii fit. I don’t feel like it’s the right tool to get me in marathon shape, but i think it might help me get to the point where the idea of going to a gym doesn’t give me hives.
It is possible if you can do something that raises your heart rate enough and long enough.
Here’s how to find out.
Take your age and subtract it from 220. I’m 46. So in my case 226-46 = 174
220 beats per minute (bpm) is the maximum (in theory) a human heart can pump blood effectively. It can go higher but once it does it’s not pumpimg blood properly. So you subtract your age and that is YOUR PERSONAL theoretical maximum. In my case I should never go above 174bpm.
To get any benefit I need to raise my heart rate at least 65% of that maximum. The range is 65% - 85%
In my case 174 X .65 = 113 and 174 X .85 = 148
So I would need to raise my heart rate to between 113 and 148 and KEEP IT ELEVATED between that range for at least 60 minutes per day five days a week.
So would any of the WII workouts do this?
But here’s a little trick most people don’t know. If you got a Wii you’d probably benefit. Why? Because the three most common reason people overeat are
Did you see that? If you’re playing with your Wii you’re unlikely to be eating. This will be a help. This is why children that play sports are thinner. Not because the exercise they do is helping them much. It’s because while they are playing they aren’t mindlessly eating.
As for a gym. Find one in your area that gives a free week trial and GO to it. See how you feel.
I know only too well what it’s like to be winded. I used to have horrible asthma. It was so bad, there were times I didn’t know if I’d have enough breath to cross Michigan Avenue in Chicago. But I worked out very slowly and consistantly and my asthma pretty much disappeared. It’s very controlled. In fact I have been using the same rescue inhaler for over 18 months now. 15 years ago I was going through TWO a month, plus the steriod inhaler.
A Wii isn’t likely to be the answer, but ANYTHING that can get you active, and stop eating is worth it.