Post by fullermj on Jun 17, 2008 14:56:07 GMT -4
Wii Fit Review!
OK, so I've had this foolish thing for like 3 weeks, so am I over the "wow, this is the coolest god damn thing I've ever seen" phase, and feel like I can put across some decent knowledge, which you probably neither need nor want.
THE BOARD
Essentially, the balance board is a battery-powered hunk of plastic that has 4 little weight sensors in it. That's really it. The 4 of them work in tandem to figure out how you balance on the board.
THE BODY TEST
When you first get going, you pick your Mii, and you stand on the board to do a weigh-in, which determines your BMI (which is a very rough way to determine someone's health, as it's based solely on weight, and doesn't take into account muscle mass, etc).
At this point, it made my nice skinny Mii fatter, and ranked me as "overweight", which is accurate, though I am not quite as overweight as the Wii thinks, LULZ.
then, you do a series of balance tests, which helps the board determine your "Wii Fit Age". For anyone that plays any of the Brain Age games for the DS, you know that Nintendo is big on giving you an age.
So, that's the test. You can do this as often as you want, and the Wii Fit will track your progress, help you set goals, etc.
Also, it tracks your use of the Wii Fit games, exercises, yoga, etc, as well as giving you the option of logging other activity. So, you run for 30 minutes, log the time in the Wii Fit.
It has been helpful, as it does get me to check in every day for a weigh-in (which may not be ideal).
THE ACTIVITIES.
There are 4 categories of activities: Yoga, Strength Training, Aerobics, and Balance Games. you choose a trainer (male or female) who walks you through all of the exercises and moves for yoga and strength training.
Yoga
The yoga is pretty cool. There are about 15 poses, and the trainer helps walk you through the poses and how to do it better. The balance board also senses your balance, gives you a "target zone" to balance in, and will rate you.
Yes, it gives you a score in yoga, lol.
One major downside (and this is also a downside for the strength training): You can only do one at a time. It would be nice to set up 5-6 poses, and run through all 6 of them. There is a lot of fuxoring with the Wiimote to move from pose to pose.
Overall, it's a neat little thing.
STRENGTH TRAINING
the strength training exercises are basic calisthenics that you do using the balance board. There are pushups, planks, squats, etc. everything is pretty basic, and uses the same sort of "target zone" for you to keep your balance in.
Same downside as yogas as you can't program in a whole workout. Also, I can do pushups, but the balance board is so narrow it hurts my wrists.
AEROBICS.
These are a lot of fun. There is hula hooping, boxing (follow a series of jabs and blocks with the wiimote and the nunchuk), and a stepping game. The stepping game is fun, but is a little weak. Basically Dance Dance Revolution for BIG DUMMIES.
And the coup de gras for Wii Fit: RUNNING! yes, you can run. You don't use the board, but you put the Wiimote in your pocket and run in place for a few minutes while your Mii runs through a pretty landscape, running by the other Miis in your Wii.
The aerobics do give you a pretty good sweat and get the heart rate up.
Another cool thing is that the Wii gives you a score in all of the aerobic exercises and balance games, so it's fun to compete. helen and I have been trading high scores in hula hoops for a few weeks.
BALANCE GAMES
Play such cool games like "roll the ball in the hole", and "lean back and forth". The games are pretty decent. Skiing, snowboarding, ski jump (but don't actually jump), slide around dressed like a penguin and eat fish, head soccer balls, etc. They are all little cutesy games that will keep your attention for a small while, and you'll want to unlock future games and levels.
OVERALL, it's a very cool little thing, and well worth the $90. Is it a good workout? Eh, it's not GREAT, and it certainly does not replace a good run or a good lifting session at the gym.
That said, it does make you more aware of your balance, and some of the games are great at getting the blood flowing, and the yoga is a lot of fun. I do find myself checking in every day to get my Wii age, and to roll the ball in the hole.
I do hope that they come out with some other games for it that enhance the playability a bit. There are surely some other applications for it, like maybe a time crisis shooter with the zapper or something.
We've come a long way from the Power Pad!!
OK, so I've had this foolish thing for like 3 weeks, so am I over the "wow, this is the coolest god damn thing I've ever seen" phase, and feel like I can put across some decent knowledge, which you probably neither need nor want.
THE BOARD
Essentially, the balance board is a battery-powered hunk of plastic that has 4 little weight sensors in it. That's really it. The 4 of them work in tandem to figure out how you balance on the board.
THE BODY TEST
When you first get going, you pick your Mii, and you stand on the board to do a weigh-in, which determines your BMI (which is a very rough way to determine someone's health, as it's based solely on weight, and doesn't take into account muscle mass, etc).
At this point, it made my nice skinny Mii fatter, and ranked me as "overweight", which is accurate, though I am not quite as overweight as the Wii thinks, LULZ.
then, you do a series of balance tests, which helps the board determine your "Wii Fit Age". For anyone that plays any of the Brain Age games for the DS, you know that Nintendo is big on giving you an age.
So, that's the test. You can do this as often as you want, and the Wii Fit will track your progress, help you set goals, etc.
Also, it tracks your use of the Wii Fit games, exercises, yoga, etc, as well as giving you the option of logging other activity. So, you run for 30 minutes, log the time in the Wii Fit.
It has been helpful, as it does get me to check in every day for a weigh-in (which may not be ideal).
THE ACTIVITIES.
There are 4 categories of activities: Yoga, Strength Training, Aerobics, and Balance Games. you choose a trainer (male or female) who walks you through all of the exercises and moves for yoga and strength training.
Yoga
The yoga is pretty cool. There are about 15 poses, and the trainer helps walk you through the poses and how to do it better. The balance board also senses your balance, gives you a "target zone" to balance in, and will rate you.
Yes, it gives you a score in yoga, lol.
One major downside (and this is also a downside for the strength training): You can only do one at a time. It would be nice to set up 5-6 poses, and run through all 6 of them. There is a lot of fuxoring with the Wiimote to move from pose to pose.
Overall, it's a neat little thing.
STRENGTH TRAINING
the strength training exercises are basic calisthenics that you do using the balance board. There are pushups, planks, squats, etc. everything is pretty basic, and uses the same sort of "target zone" for you to keep your balance in.
Same downside as yogas as you can't program in a whole workout. Also, I can do pushups, but the balance board is so narrow it hurts my wrists.
AEROBICS.
These are a lot of fun. There is hula hooping, boxing (follow a series of jabs and blocks with the wiimote and the nunchuk), and a stepping game. The stepping game is fun, but is a little weak. Basically Dance Dance Revolution for BIG DUMMIES.
And the coup de gras for Wii Fit: RUNNING! yes, you can run. You don't use the board, but you put the Wiimote in your pocket and run in place for a few minutes while your Mii runs through a pretty landscape, running by the other Miis in your Wii.
The aerobics do give you a pretty good sweat and get the heart rate up.
Another cool thing is that the Wii gives you a score in all of the aerobic exercises and balance games, so it's fun to compete. helen and I have been trading high scores in hula hoops for a few weeks.
BALANCE GAMES
Play such cool games like "roll the ball in the hole", and "lean back and forth". The games are pretty decent. Skiing, snowboarding, ski jump (but don't actually jump), slide around dressed like a penguin and eat fish, head soccer balls, etc. They are all little cutesy games that will keep your attention for a small while, and you'll want to unlock future games and levels.
OVERALL, it's a very cool little thing, and well worth the $90. Is it a good workout? Eh, it's not GREAT, and it certainly does not replace a good run or a good lifting session at the gym.
That said, it does make you more aware of your balance, and some of the games are great at getting the blood flowing, and the yoga is a lot of fun. I do find myself checking in every day to get my Wii age, and to roll the ball in the hole.
I do hope that they come out with some other games for it that enhance the playability a bit. There are surely some other applications for it, like maybe a time crisis shooter with the zapper or something.
We've come a long way from the Power Pad!!