Patrick Elliot
Shaun InguanzoWii Fit: First Impressions
May 7th 2008 12:57
Inhale through the nose, and exhale through the mouth
EXHAUSTED, I write these first-impressions having played Wii Fit as much as physically possible tonight.
Sure, you can fire up the mini games if you like - but don't expect to be challenged.
But once you try the fitness exercises, you'll be wondering just how Mario, the chubby little plumber, can run carrying that weight while you can barely finish six push-ups.
This games will transform your perception of the Wii into that of Army drill sergeant.
That sleek little console you lined up at midnight for at launch, or waited in the lay-by line for half an hour at Christmas time to get for the kids, will turn on you, punish you, make you do all sorts of intense poses and exercises in a bid to stop you from having poor posture and a gut.
Does it work? I don't know, but time will tell. For now, I'm buggered, and although I wouldn't say Wii Fit makes for great cardio, it's an awesome way of improving your core stability and building on your strength. My muscles do feel fatigued and exhausted.
Upon loading the game, you select a Mii character to use and enter your age, height and the Wii Balance Board does the rest.
The Balance Board weighs you and calculates your Body Mass Index (BMI) which is a far more accurate way of assessing your body weight, and how healthy it is, than the pretentious types who call the shots at fashion magazines ("that stick is like, so fat").
BMI tells you whether or not you are overweight or underweight and shows you how far away you are from being normal weight for your age and height.
I like this measurement because I narrowly tipped the scales as overweight. Although I'd never really describe my slim self as overweight, it's as though the Wii senses that small gut that a dwindling metabolism and summer of booze, bad food and lack of exercise has begun to create.
Then the Wii and the Balance Board perform a Body Test, which gives you a Wii Fit Age (similar to a Brain Age in the Brain Training games).
I don't think it's entirely accurate on the first measurement. It rated me as having a Wii Fit Age of 42, but in all fairness I hadn't used the Balance Board before.
Sure enough, after about 30 minutes of play I took the test again and my Wii Fit Age was 25 - my actual age.
Take that, Nintendo. No, that doesn't mean the Wii made me fitter in half an hour - it means there is a slight learning curve at first.
So then the rest is up to the individual. There's no set routine - the game allows you to do whatever you want, which is perhaps not so good for the undisciplined types out there.
But in terms of making each workout exciting, disciplined people will love it.
Having never ever tried yoga before, I decide to make that my first Wii Fit experience. Standing in weird poses, I thought, could be no more difficult than the crazy photos you pose for while drunk.
I was wrong.
The Half Moon - yeah, that was alright, I felt it really stretching my back, and would love to use that as a stretch before sport.
But once I hit the Tree, I was convinced for the first time that a video games console could indeed give you a workout.
I had to pull my foot towards my groin, hold it there and then point my hands to the roof.
Trying to maintain a centre of gravity by performing a move most men would associate with ballet was undeniably challenging, and I sucked.
It was also quite taxing on my muscles. Not the RSI-inducing, arm-destroying workout that Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games gives you. There's no Wiimote and Nunchuck shaking here.
Instead, an authentic workout that makes you feel good about yourself (after the workout, not during).
While doing the exercises, a male or female trainer of your choice guides you on what to do. The setup is like being in a gym class, so you can mimic their movements.
Then I tried the muscle workouts, and was seriously challenged by the push-up exercise. After each push-up you have to hold the upright position then move your legs to one side and throw your arm up.
Not having much upper body strength, I began to sweat and quiver with fatigue before finally completing the six reps. Doesn't sound like much, but Wii Fit focuses on timing and breathing, so they weren't a quick six reps, rather it required that I held the pushup position for a while.
The mini games are great fun, and are sure to entertain friends and family members who don't really click with the fitness part of the game.
Like Wii Sports before it, Wii Fit has some compelling mini games that you'll want to play over and over again. The hula hoop is incredible, and I've never swung my hips 200 times in a minute until now.
I muyst admit though, they do not provide the intensity that the Yoga and Muscle workouts do.
So I hobbled away, like an injured animal, fatigued and worked to the bone after a solid half hour of performing yoga and muscle workouts on the Wii Balance Board.
Wii Fit is great fun and it certainly beats watching TV aerobics and purchasing repetitive DVDs and videos.
Does it beat the gym? Not for cardio. Your treadmill is safe. But as a yoga instructor and body-weight oriented resistance workout, my first impressions of Wii Fit are very positive.
Keep an eye out for my Wii Fit diary that I'll be posting over the coming weeks, just to give you an idea of how I progress.
Do not mock me, sir, by smiling and performing push-ups. Had you grimaced in pain, I'd be more convinced
EXHAUSTED, I write these first-impressions having played Wii Fit as much as physically possible tonight.
Sure, you can fire up the mini games if you like - but don't expect to be challenged.
But once you try the fitness exercises, you'll be wondering just how Mario, the chubby little plumber, can run carrying that weight while you can barely finish six push-ups.
This games will transform your perception of the Wii into that of Army drill sergeant.
That sleek little console you lined up at midnight for at launch, or waited in the lay-by line for half an hour at Christmas time to get for the kids, will turn on you, punish you, make you do all sorts of intense poses and exercises in a bid to stop you from having poor posture and a gut.
Does it work? I don't know, but time will tell. For now, I'm buggered, and although I wouldn't say Wii Fit makes for great cardio, it's an awesome way of improving your core stability and building on your strength. My muscles do feel fatigued and exhausted.
Upon loading the game, you select a Mii character to use and enter your age, height and the Wii Balance Board does the rest.
The Balance Board weighs you and calculates your Body Mass Index (BMI) which is a far more accurate way of assessing your body weight, and how healthy it is, than the pretentious types who call the shots at fashion magazines ("that stick is like, so fat").
You can compete against family members and friends to reduce your weight or improve your fitness
BMI tells you whether or not you are overweight or underweight and shows you how far away you are from being normal weight for your age and height.
I like this measurement because I narrowly tipped the scales as overweight. Although I'd never really describe my slim self as overweight, it's as though the Wii senses that small gut that a dwindling metabolism and summer of booze, bad food and lack of exercise has begun to create.
Then the Wii and the Balance Board perform a Body Test, which gives you a Wii Fit Age (similar to a Brain Age in the Brain Training games).
I don't think it's entirely accurate on the first measurement. It rated me as having a Wii Fit Age of 42, but in all fairness I hadn't used the Balance Board before.
Sure enough, after about 30 minutes of play I took the test again and my Wii Fit Age was 25 - my actual age.
Take that, Nintendo. No, that doesn't mean the Wii made me fitter in half an hour - it means there is a slight learning curve at first.
So then the rest is up to the individual. There's no set routine - the game allows you to do whatever you want, which is perhaps not so good for the undisciplined types out there.
But in terms of making each workout exciting, disciplined people will love it.
Having never ever tried yoga before, I decide to make that my first Wii Fit experience. Standing in weird poses, I thought, could be no more difficult than the crazy photos you pose for while drunk.
I was wrong.
Nintendo's personal trainer for your home - the Balance Board. Say hello to this high tech piece of equipment.
The Half Moon - yeah, that was alright, I felt it really stretching my back, and would love to use that as a stretch before sport.
But once I hit the Tree, I was convinced for the first time that a video games console could indeed give you a workout.
I had to pull my foot towards my groin, hold it there and then point my hands to the roof.
Trying to maintain a centre of gravity by performing a move most men would associate with ballet was undeniably challenging, and I sucked.
It was also quite taxing on my muscles. Not the RSI-inducing, arm-destroying workout that Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games gives you. There's no Wiimote and Nunchuck shaking here.
Instead, an authentic workout that makes you feel good about yourself (after the workout, not during).
While doing the exercises, a male or female trainer of your choice guides you on what to do. The setup is like being in a gym class, so you can mimic their movements.
Then I tried the muscle workouts, and was seriously challenged by the push-up exercise. After each push-up you have to hold the upright position then move your legs to one side and throw your arm up.
Not having much upper body strength, I began to sweat and quiver with fatigue before finally completing the six reps. Doesn't sound like much, but Wii Fit focuses on timing and breathing, so they weren't a quick six reps, rather it required that I held the pushup position for a while.
The mini games are great fun, and are sure to entertain friends and family members who don't really click with the fitness part of the game.
Like Wii Sports before it, Wii Fit has some compelling mini games that you'll want to play over and over again. The hula hoop is incredible, and I've never swung my hips 200 times in a minute until now.
I muyst admit though, they do not provide the intensity that the Yoga and Muscle workouts do.
So I hobbled away, like an injured animal, fatigued and worked to the bone after a solid half hour of performing yoga and muscle workouts on the Wii Balance Board.
Wii Fit is great fun and it certainly beats watching TV aerobics and purchasing repetitive DVDs and videos.
Does it beat the gym? Not for cardio. Your treadmill is safe. But as a yoga instructor and body-weight oriented resistance workout, my first impressions of Wii Fit are very positive.
Keep an eye out for my Wii Fit diary that I'll be posting over the coming weeks, just to give you an idea of how I progress.
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Comment by Glen Atwell
Computer Game
Shame about the lack of cardio, I guess fitness freaks could incorporate it with their regular training schedule though.
I noted this:
Could Wii Fit be the Wii's accidental 'adults only' game?