Wii Fit Revisited
Tuesday September 9, 2008
I didn't get to keep my Wii Fit after reviewing it, so I'm curious if anyone out there has been using it on a regular basis. How has it held up now that the hype has died down? Is it gathering dust or have you found a way to make it work in your home practice routine?
image courtesy of Nintendo
Comments
I like wii fit but its hard to tell whether your body is doing what it is supposed to. I’m nervous that I’m doing more damage to my body because no one is there to say its right or not
I like my Wii Fit, however I don’t like the lack of flow. It feels like it takes 45 minutes to do 30 minutes of excercise. I wish there was an option to pick multiple exercises to complete and then receive your ranking.
Jen- That was my exact problem with it too. Hopefully something like that will be added in future versions- it would really improve the yoga component.
Jenna- That’s why I think the Wii works best as a supplement to yoga classes. You can get your alignment checked out in class to make sure you’re on the right track and then apply that using the Wii at home.
Thanks for weighing in!
I think it’s great in addition to classes and home yoga. I actually find it a bit harder because of the added balance monitor. While the instructors in a class are good to check your form, the Wii Fit actually makes the poses more challenging to me because in addition to form I have to concentrate to maintain the stillness with my balance. This not only helps my other yoga, but helps my meditation practice as well.
Also, I cannot believe the difference in my balance in just a few weeks. I can see and feel it when I’m doing yoga without the Wii Fit and it seems like I’m really getting stronger and more focused.
I agree that having a flow would be a nice feature and I don’t think this would ever replace my regular yoga classes or at home practice, but it’s a fun addition!
I agree with Nettie that it’s a good component, but does not replace regular class or practice. It’s a nice option to get a little something in or to work on a particular pose, and I love the fact that it monitors stability and balance. That little circle is a good focal point for me in balance poses.
I would love to see an entire disc devoted to yoga. Perhaps something like Jen suggests, where you can select a series of poses to run through and get your review of each pose at the end of the practice. I would also like to see predetermined routines to choose from, maybe with certain goals (strength, flexibility, balance, relaxation, upper body, lower body…). Are the Nintendo people listening?
I love the wii fit. We just found one 2 weeks ago after searching since it’s release and I love it. As a novice, yoga classes intimidate me and to be able to work out in my own home with such a precise tool is really cool. I mean, we already had a wii so it’s definitely worth the investment in the fit balance board. It’s such an amazing view of your body, feet up. “Yogically”, there’s no flow or rhythm - hopefully Nintendo will release a truer Yoga program that will have a more solid foundation and comprehensive programs but for now… it’s a great toy.
I’m loving my Wii Fit and my daughters are hooked too. I’ve unlocked all the yoga poses and almost all of everything else.
As others have noted, a good fix for version 2 would be more flow and less chatter between poses and exercises. Once you get going it will suggest pairs of exercises to do together (usually 1 yogo & 1 strength, sometimes 3 things) and check them off as you do them. It would be great if you could take those mini-routines and string them together without having to jump between sections of the game — as well as create your own custom set of yogo poses or strength exercises and do them one after the other without so much down time. I do keep moving during the chatter though - flexing and stretching to get in more exercise (and then record that in the Activity Log).
As to the Wii Fit Age calculations, I actually find that they are pretty good over time — it can vary a lot depending on which balance exercises you are given for each test. But despite the age going up and down (just like my weight!) over time it really is showing an improvement — i.e. younger and better balanced.
BTW, anyone notice the little Ultimate Balance Test? Have you passed it? It’s a killer. (for those who haven’t seen it — when you see the little Wii board up in the left corner doing the treadmill, etc., click on him and you’ll get the Ultimate Balance Test).
Wii is the only video game console I’ve ever been hooked on. Wii Fit, Wii Sports (that comes with the Wii) and Deca Sports are my thing — and to think I was the worst kid in class in PE — hated sports. But I love my sports and exercise on the Wii.