Wii Fit Review
The latest Nintendo video game, with its pressure sensitive balance board, has become a reputable piece of exercise equipment when used as a fitness tool. Therefore, we wanted to provide our objective review.
If you own a Wii, want to stay fit and get away from the gym, the Wii Fit may be for you.
Wii Fit comes with the Wii Balance Board and requires a Wii console, sold separately, to play. The wireless Wii Balance Board is a sturdy peripheral which has internal scales and is able to detect changes in weight and measure pressure accurately as you are standing on it. It comes with four rubber feet to help prevent slipping on smooth surfaces and is able to hold up to 330lbs. (150kg) maximum weight. The board weighs 8.8lbs (4kgs) and uses four AA batteries which are included.
Before beginning exercises, you will start by creating your own personal profile. Up to 8 players may create profiles. This is easily done by choosing a Mii, entering your height and age information, and checking your BMI (Body Mass Index). Stand on the Wii Balance Board and let it read your weight and it will measure your BMI. Then you will do a balance test to measure how well you can control your center of balance. Based on your results, you will be assigned your current Wii Fit Age. Weight display is optional. Additionally, you may protect your information from other users with a private number.
Wii Fit features four categories of exercises: strength training, yoga, balance, and aerobic. You control the on screen action with your movements on the balance board. The strength training and yoga categories feel the most like traditional exercise with 15 yoga poses and 15 muscle-toning moves like: torso twists, rowing squat, jackknife, half-moon, spinal twist, shoulder stand, and warrior. A virtual trainer will guide you through the yoga and strength exercises, offering praise or criticism depending on how well you are doing. The balance and aerobic categories includes 18 games to choose from like: soccer heading, ski jump, snowboard slalom, hula hoop, boxing and free run. As you spend time exercising, you will earn Fit Credits that unlock additional exercises and activities within each category.
Here is our gallery of images.
Tracking your progress becomes simple with the easy-to-understand graphs and charts. Using your personal profile, you can set goals, view your BMI results in graph form, even enter exercise time you have done outside the Wii Fit.
The MSRP cost of the Wii Fit is $89.99 which is equivalent to about a two month gym membership. It becomes pricey if you need to purchase a Wii console with the Wii Fit. Remember, there is an activity for most all ages. Keep in mind, the BMI does not consider such variables as: muscle mass and age which can affect the score.
If watching TV news or listening to your IPod is "your thing" while working out, this alternative form of exercise is not for you. But, if you suffer from "workout boredom", this is entertaining enough to keep you motivated while improving your health. Another plus is for those who are new to working out, you can perform your routine in the privacy of your own home. Wii Fit does not include a prepared program, you decide what exercises/activities you want to perform and in what order. It may not be a total fitness solution or for the super fit who want increased resistance training, but if you are looking for a fun workout at home that will improve muscle tone, balance and promote weight loss you will not be disappointed with the Nintendo Wii Fit
