Buy Walking VideosA Week With Wii Fit
After a week of exercising with the Wii Fit, I have a few thoughts.
Is it a good workout?
When I started working out with the Wii Fit with my Nike Imara Heart Rate Monitor, I was worried that I wouldn’t get much of a workout. Some of the balance games (like the Soccer Heading game I showed you last week), barely got my heart rate above the low mark. The aerobic sections of the game were the BEST at getting my heart rate up.
Worse still, there is a lot of navigating through menus that wastes time. For example, I kept my stopwatch running and in over an hour of workout time, the Wii Fit logged only 45 minutes of actually working out.
Here are the stats from a typical workout:
Wii Fit Activity Time: 45 minutes
Total Workout Time: 1:07:14 minutes
Total Calories Burned: 536 calories
Average Heart Rate: 121 bpm
Time in High HR Zone: 26:37 minutes
Time in Medium HR Zone: 30:12 minutes
Time in Low HR Zone: 10:24 minutes
In this workout, I did every Yoga, Strength Training, Aerobic and Balance activity that had been opened. I’m sure you could workout for hours once you’ve opened up all the activities and repetitions.
Hands down, the biggest calorie burner is the hula hoop game. My heart rate shot up to 167 bpm while I played this game trying to keep all the hoops in the air and catch more. I’m surprised at how good of a workout it is and I’m excited to keep testing it over the weeks.
Shiny Shiny made a collection of the other week-long reviews of the Wii Fit here:
It doesn’t look like anyone is reporting weight loss any more than a simple one or two pounds a week, but it certainly is a fun way to add activity to your day.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 6:54 am
I have to agree with you on the lag while navigating the menus and warnings. I kind of wish there was a feature on the Wii board that allowed you to navigate. I also wish that there were some way to skip the helpful little hints and chatter between exercises.
Besides those minor issues, I kind of like it. It’s different and it got me trying new things. I try to do yoga every morning AND (pay attention here, Laura) I’m running. I started on the short runs and now I’m on to the free run option. Fun fun fun. And my feet aren’t hurting in the least! (Thanks, Laura!)
Another fun game is the boxing one. My arms are a little sore this morning from, maybe, playing it a little too much. Maybe.
Sure, I’m not going to turn into a super-model by using the Wii, but it’s definately more activity than I was doing a month ago. I’m pleased with it.
June 2nd, 2008 at 11:10 am
Wow that’s a great work out congrats
Val
June 2nd, 2008 at 7:03 pm
I’d heard Wii was releasing a workout program and was anxiously awaiting it — but that’s a shame so much time is wasted navigating menus. But it sounds like this is a great way to get kids moving. Who knew video games can do more than turn kids into vegetables? I think this is the direction all game consoles should aim for — get people moving around and burning calories!
June 2nd, 2008 at 10:20 pm
I actually just came here specifically to see if you had the Wii Fit and what you thought? You know I don’t have it, but I’m very curious about it.
I am happy, honestly, that they introduced this. Since my background is in video gaming and the company I worked for oh so many years ago was creating games like these for kids that never “caught on” back in 1998, it really does make me happy that 10 years later someone is at least getting it right and people are hopping on board!
I also heard that the hula hoop is the becoming the “hot hook up”. That guys are taping their girlfriends doing it and posting the videos on YouTube.
I wonder how long it will be before the Wii Hula Hoop will be a “talent” in the Miss America contest? (I’m joking!…sort of!)
June 4th, 2008 at 5:32 am
nakedjen:
1) “…hopping on board.” Whether you meant to or not, you made a witty Wii pun here! The Wii-geek in me smiled at reading this. Anyone who has a Wii Fit gets it too, but I’m probably only one of few who would point it out.
2) The hula hoopla I don’t see it. I can’t get into the hula part of the game. It must be the guy in me that can’t allow my hips ot move like that. I’ve tried with the great fear of being seen. 😉
Love your blog.
Ernie
October 6th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
I’ve been playing Wii Fit everyday for 9 days (usually for 30-50 minutes), and I’ve lost a few pounds. I agree that it’s definitely not the greatest workout, and navigating through the screens is a pain. But it got my lazy butt off the couch, and I’ve been having a lot of fun playing it. Competing against my brother for the highest score has also been a great motivator. And I really have been liking how it tracks my weight and BMI, it’s really nice to be able to see your progress all laid out on a neat graph. The goal setting option is also really handy. I definitely recommend it for families and friends who would like to get more active while still having fun. And also for people who are too shy to head to the gym.
December 23rd, 2008 at 5:18 pm
“It doesn’t look like anyone is reporting weight loss any more than a simple one or two pounds a week”
You aren’t supposed to lose more than 1-2lbs a week, more than that is unhealthy, so i don’t see an issue with that?
December 28th, 2008 at 2:02 am
I just got the Wii Fit a few days ago for Chirstmas. I’ve only been playing for a few days but have some opinions about the game. I don’t think that the balance games really do much at all for your fitness. They are there just fun.
The exercise’s that actually make me feel like I’m working out are the strength and aerobics. Sometimes the yoga poses make me feel like I’m working out too but I think that’s just because Im so not flexible to begin with. In the aerobic section the three best that I’ve tried so far are the boxing, running and hula hooping. They actually make me sweat.
I do agree that navigating through the game does take some time, but it’s not enough to discourage someone from purchasing the game. Wii fit is a lot of fun, and a cool way to get some exercise.
January 3rd, 2009 at 3:18 pm
I recieved the Wii Fit for x-mas and LOVE it. My husband, 2 kids and I are addicted. We have been playing every night for the last week. It has been great fun competing against each other, and I have found that some of the games are really challenging and fun.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
My wife got a Wii Fit Board for Christmas. We both resolved to make an honest go of it this year and started working out daily starting Jan 1st.
Today is Jan 19th, I’ve lost 6 pounds so far. My wife has lost about 5 pounds. Our weight and BMI graphs had trended steadily downward since starting.
For me, the best workout seems to be about 15 minutes worth of Yoga to loosen up a bit. Then I alternate between Super Hula for 3minutes immediately followed by Rythm Boxing (set on the 10 min setting). I go back and forth until I have loggeg about 60 minutes of workout. The Super Hula gets my heart rate up and the Boxing is a pretty good work out, in my opinion.
In short, it’s working for us. ((Of course, we don’t make our living teaching fitness, so we aren’t in quite the shape that all these fitness gurus who trash talk the Wii Fit are in. I guess if I made my living staying in shape, I might find it less then appealing. Especially since it would be bad for business is everyone could get in shape for about the cost of a couple hours worth of personal training.))
January 21st, 2009 at 8:33 am
I didn’t think Wii Fit would be a great workout when I first started seriously using it. I started back up on Dec 24th. I’ve used the Wii Fit everyday since then. I get up in the morning and do about 30 to 40 minutes on the elliptical and then I use the Wii Fit for about 30 minutes. I just hit my 20 hour mark, and I feel so energized.
January 24th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I have been using the wii fit daily for 17 days, and with a combination of diet and really using the activities in the wii fit to my advantage, I’ve lost 10 lbs. I would suggest to everyone, don’t worry about the navigation! Keep the A button handy and keep moving during the menus. If it is your goal to burn the fat and calories, don’t just stand there during a menu navigation. Keep your muscles moving, throw some extra stretches in there, or keep your weights nearby to make each exercise your own and more challenging. Above all have fun! You will get the most out of it if you do.
February 10th, 2009 at 11:25 am
I got a Fit for my birthday and I’m loving it. Unlike the gym, it’s actually fun, and you don’t have the added stress of people judging you, or having to wait to use machines and stuff. My big problem with the gym was that I never knew if I was using the machines properly, and would worry I was hurting myself by doing it wrong. Also, getting up to go to the gym is a pain, and especially in the winter it’s easy to talk yourself out of it. This thing is right in my damn living room so there’s no way to rationalize myself out of it.
The yoga I find really challenging, and the only complaint I have about the Fit is that it seems unless my toes are perched over the top of the board, it’s impossible to register as in the centre of the yellow circle thing. I don’t know if that’s a calibration issue or if I just have hella bad posture, but it is frustrating when I do the lunges and such and always register crap scores since I can’t get the sensor to stay in the middle!
Having the trainer chica show me the exercises and encourage me all through the yoga and aerobics is INCREDIBLY motivating. And I don’t feel bad about myself working out with her like I would with a real trainer, partly because she has crazy weird boobs 🙂
I love my Fit!
February 10th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
Hi,
I’m loving the Wii Fit. I’m at 16 pounds lost and counting. I don’t believe that it’s the quality of the workout is the key. For me it’s the tracking and graphing that motivate continued use in a way that my old treadmill can’t touch. I’m below 195 pounds for the first time in perhaps 15 years. I think I could be the ‘Jared’ of the Wii!
Declan
February 14th, 2009 at 9:53 am
I have been using my Wii Fit for 17 days and I have lost 8 1/2 pounds. I have not changed my diet. It may not be the best workout in the world but I love it therefore I do it every day sometimes 2 x a day! I am dropping my gym membership that I don’t like, don’t use and thefore it does not work for me. If this weight loss continues, I am going to buy another Wii and put it in my office so I can get 30 to 45 min. in at lunch!
March 9th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Been playing with Wii Fit off and on and love it – not coordinated enough for the 6 minute rhythm boxing -need to keep trying it – ended up laughing pretty hard though (until the trainer chewed me out)One thing I wish they had included is the ability to put together a “workout sequence” allowign you to piece together the ones you like to do and have it sequence so you don’t have to go back and forth thru the menu – then save it as a favorite workout #1, etc. Would save time and make me do it more often because of the time saved.
April 16th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
I absolutely adore my Wii fit. When I was doing it every day I dropped to 135 lbs (at 5’9 I was pretty psyched) from 145. I stopped when we went on vacation but I’m trying to get back into it. I wasn’t doing anything before, but it’s hard to stop one you start getting the runners high it’s wonderful!!!!
April 18th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
I got my Wii Fit In the middle of March after finally trying it on the one I brought for my adult son for Christmas. I LOVE IT! I have missed 2 days in the last month, but other than that…I have been very faithful! I agree with those who posted that the tracking of the weight and BMI is a great motivator. I am 56 years old and have Multiple Sclerosis….and I am able to do everything. I even do the Tree stand in Yoga and I love it when the trainer tells me I am alittle unsteady. Sometimes I yell to her…”Yes…that’s because I have MS…but I’m trying.” It makes me laugh and I am proud to say in 33 days of Wii Fit and dieting, I have lost 7 pounds. I read that there is Bob Greene and a Jillian game that can be added to the Wii Fit regiment..and both have some great points to them. I’m not ready to run out and buy them yet, but maybe in a month or two.
May 10th, 2009 at 5:09 am
I have a Wii Fit too and use it regularly, however here is a TOP tip from me that does not require the Wii Fit (for those of you wanting a really vigorous workout using Wii).
All you need is the regular Wii Sports. There is a “Training Section” and second from top (Tennis) is “Swing Control”. The trainer hits balls at you at a constant speed, which means that YOU can quickly set up a forwards double step and backwards rhythm with your feet, i.e. DON’T stand still…use your feet like you would when really playing (you need a bit of space for this obviously), with a bit of practice you’ll become quite good at returning balls in the exact area required which means you can start trying to smash the cover off the ball.
“Exercising” this way burns MEGA calories and is a GREAT aerobic exercise because you are stop-starting your body movement (similar to racquetball/squash), powering your back, shoulders and arms AND twisting your waist (if you get the technique right) which means you are basically using every muscle from your neck down. It is also a constant burner with none of that annoying waiting in between exercises on the Wii fit.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:21 pm
We’ve had our Wii for about two years and just got the Wii Fit last week. We love it! It is so much fun and when you mess up, all you can do is laugh at yourself, which is good for you too. For all of you who talk about the start/stop of navigating between screens, yeah, it’s annoying but when you’re strength training, you do a set then rest for 30 seconds or so before you do your next set. So as long as you get your heart pumping when you’re playing, look at those few seconds of navitating as a “rest” between sets. Just have fun and keep doing it. It’s better than nothing and much more hilarious.