Vii Fit update

May 22, 2008 Author: Veronica | Filed under: video games

Allow me to be honest for a moment. When I started this endeavor, I truly believed that I would keep up with the exercise routine. That being said, I got bored of the Wii Fit after about a week. Is it the WiiFit’s fault? Partially. Is it more GTA4’s fault? Probably. Anyhow, I promised that I would give you my impressions, so here they are:

The Wii Fit isn’t fun enough to make me come back to it. If they’re trying to reach out to gamers in some way, make it a little more entertaining.
The trainers speak like they’ve taken too much Vicodin. I need high-energy encouragement, man!
I have terrible balance, and apparently this is very important for doing almost every single exercise in the game.
The jackknife and push-ups were pretty effective, and they could actually tell when I was dropping my hips and being lazy.
The step aerobics game was pretty awesome, especially after I unlocked the advanced class, but it would be even better if I could use my own music.
The yoga poses are OK for stretching, but it’s really easy to do a yoga pose incorrectly and hurt yourself. These are basic, but I think it’s better to have someone (real) around to show you the right moves.

Overall, the best thing to come out of Wii Fit was that it got me motivated to head back to the gym again. If you’re really interested in fitness and feeling better about your body, take the $89.99 and spend it on a fun class at the gym, or put it towards getting a human trainer that will really get your ass back in gear.

If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments and I’ll respond there as well. Ryan also has an in-depth look at his fitness odyssey over at Engadget.

UPDATE: Twitterer @NinaSpezz showed me this parody that I missed! Hilarious, and also true…

Vii Fit: Day 1

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22 Responses for "Vii Fit update"

Ben Willis May 22nd, 2008 at 10:43 am 1

Ok the wii fit parody was kick ass funny. I love it. I agree, Americans need more exercise than just balance training. Games should just be fun, leave the exercise to the gym.
Nullset May 22nd, 2008 at 10:58 am 2

Ditch the Wii and Check Out Maya…

Bored of Wii Fit after only a week? Then check out Amazon marketplace or eBay to pick up a copy of Yourself Fitness instead….
Rick Murtagh May 22nd, 2008 at 11:20 am 3

rofl
Chantal May 22nd, 2008 at 1:30 pm 4

I am still hoping that Kinetic comes out for the PS3. The PS2 version looked much better than Wii Fit and that was years ago. The camera actually tracked your movements and you were able to kick and punch at targets on the screen (without hitting your TV of course), do tai chi movements by moving a virtual globe on screen, jump to avoid things coming at you, etc. That was more fun and appealed to the gamer in me. Of course, I don’t have a Wii and have never seen Wii Fit in person, so you can just ignore me. I’m leaving now. Really.
Lapo Corona May 22nd, 2008 at 1:55 pm 5

come on, you dont need gym, you look perfectly in shape!

By the way, after a while wii-fit *IS* boring.
Jack May 22nd, 2008 at 2:44 pm 6

For live person yoga poses at home, there are a number of yoga podcasts. I personnally like Yogamazing. While he can’t correct you if you’re doing it incorrectly, I think he does a good job of describing the pose and reminds you of the common errors.

-Jack
Trying to be more polite today
Vance May 22nd, 2008 at 3:58 pm 7

I just read Ryan’s post and he is either using the royal “we” or he is turning his column into your collective “journey”! :0)

But I entirely agree that you are better off in the gym. While you could get an entire workout with bodyweight exercises and yoga, the gym has certain benefits. One of the greatest benefits is that if you have dragged yourself all the way there, you are inclined to make it worth the effort. You will workout longer (not GTA4 right there to seduce you away), and harder because of the “vibe” of so many others.

Thanks, though, you have saved some money, since I was considering getting the Wii Fit for my wife and kids!
Lee May 22nd, 2008 at 5:39 pm 8

The Wii Fit seems pretty useless to me. As a purchaser of Tony Little’s Gazelle and Body By Jake’s Ab Scissor devices, which both are of sufficient height to stack things on to keep within easy reach, and with convenient arms to hang things on, the Wii Fit reminds me more of my scale, which is only useful keeping me from getting totally out of control.
Richard Jellicoe May 22nd, 2008 at 5:50 pm 9

Well, your burrito belly, apparently only visible to you, aside, if you don’t need the exercise I would be bored with it as well. Other things to use the money saved by not using the wii fit would be more tops so you can cook clothed and not get burned when frying bacon. But considering your star status, don’t you have “people” to cook your bacon?
Peter The Dane May 22nd, 2008 at 9:34 pm 10

@Chantal

I Agree (although I don’t own a PS3) – I have Kinetic for PS2 and the “gameplay” was a lot of fun.

Unfortunately I stopped using it due to the lousy EyeToy camera. In the end it got very frustrating when you where doing the exercises right – hitting the balls or whatever, and it didn’t register because the camera was to low quality to pick up your movements.

I guess if I had a perfectly lit room with a white backwall it would work as in the commercials, but in a normal living room there are just too many objects in the background that reduces the contrast between you and the background so the camera can’t pick you up.

But when it worked, it was actually a lot of fun.
Jonny Mo May 23rd, 2008 at 4:59 am 11

So the fit turned out to be like every other game on the Wii then? Is the Wii’s poor longevity finally been found out? Unless you’re the Waltons or an 11 year old girl, I’d say that’s a big yes
Googleman81 May 23rd, 2008 at 6:49 am 12

i actually posted the link to that sarcastic gamer video in my comment to your first wii fit blog post.
*sigh* thanks for making me feel so ignored.
You should get someone to pay you for going to the gym, as of know i see that as the only solution to your motivation/stamina problem…
Veronica May 23rd, 2008 at 8:55 am 13

Googleman! I’m sorry! Don’t be mad at me, I must have missed it.
Kato May 23rd, 2008 at 11:51 am 14

I found a pretty decent way to get a workout in and remain motivated. I bought a recumbent exercise bike for my apartment. I put it in my living room facing the TV. Since it is recumbent, you sit back in a seat instead of sitting up high like a traditional bike. You don’t need to hold on with your hands so they are free to hold a book and read or, better yet, hold a controller.

Its pretty intense playing Halo and cranking out 12 miles at the same time. Since it allows me to multitask, I don’t feel like I’m “wasting” time playing a video game when I could be exercising since I’m doing both. And if I want to play a game, I can make the excuse that while I’m at it I should also jump on my bike.

As a word of advice, you have to warn your friends in voice chat that you’re exercising. They tend to take the huffing and puffing the wrong way.

Also, I doesn’t work for Guitar Hero/Rock Band. Strangely enough, the moving around isn’t conducive to playing. Plus the guitar gets kinda sweaty.

Anyway, works for me.
Vance May 23rd, 2008 at 12:12 pm 15

I will second the “be entertained while kicking butt” angle. I take my iPod loaded with podcasts and listen while lifting, then watch while on the stairmaster. I will pop on a Tekzilla (really) or Diggnation and won’t stop until the credits roll.
Beejal May 23rd, 2008 at 1:29 pm 16

I totally agree with Rick

rofl!
hozae May 23rd, 2008 at 9:22 pm 17

I agree with most of your post. One thing that WiiFit is doing is giving people the truth. People can’t hide their fat anymore. You tend to be someone who is more likely to go to the gym, so it may come across as a little boring. Miyamoto explained it best when he said he wanted to make people aware of their health…and I think it does a good job of reminding fatties, like myself, how overweight they really are…kind of like that fat 10 year old…So although the exercises are fairly simple, I think the secret sits within its BMI/Weight feature…Now where is my Bacon!
soulracer May 23rd, 2008 at 9:25 pm 18

Although a “real” work out in gym or running/riding in park/street will give u much better result, a fitness game such as Wii fit wil at least get a busy or non sporting person a good start for a better lifestyle.

1. I disagree, although Wii is not Halo/WOW, it is a lot more fun then running on treadmill in gyms, swimming laps in pool or riding a stationary bike, how much fun could those exercise be?

2. Agree.

3. You are missing the point, you claim that you have terrible balance, Veronica, that is why keep using the fit/program should improve your balance over time, that is the reason of Wii Fit/exercise, to get better.

4. agree
5. agree

6. Disagree, If you don’t push yourself way over your limit and stretch before doing workout, I doubt very much you will hurt yourself doing the Yoga post that is in Wii Fit, as for your comment about it is better to have a pro to show you the move, I agree but you seem to overlook the $$$ part of it? while a Wii Fit will cost you 89, a yoga class can easily cost you 5x as much for a 3mt program, you are comparing Apple and Orange.

As for the video, it is so negative I found it hard to think of it as Hilarious or smart.
Joe May 26th, 2008 at 10:59 pm 19

oh my GOSH that was funny.

I was giggling the whole time but “…goes with anything from IKEA” – that made me fall out my chair!!

And @soulracer – seriously – do you work for Nintendo?
Nhat June 1st, 2008 at 4:12 pm 20

Tough I don’t think WiiFit would ever replace the gym for me I am interested in it for one thing. Improving my balance. I too have terrible balance but there aren’t many exercises you can do to improve balance. Well, not that I know of anyway. If you know some way pass it on.
Adam June 4th, 2008 at 10:11 pm 21

That’s probably the funniest (possibly the only funny) thing Sarcastic Gamer has done.
Daynah June 10th, 2008 at 4:35 pm 22

I’ve been playing Wii Fit for a few days now and I love it so far. I hope I don’t get bored of it soon!

My favorite games are Hula Hoop, Penguin Slide, and the Short Distant running. My balance is horrible also.. but it’s getting better.. at least that’s what the Wii says!