It's hard to stay healthy in this day and age. With our increasingly sedentary lifestyle and the common fatigue after a hard day's work, strapping on the workout clothes and heading to the gym seems somewhat a foreboding mission. Leave it to the folks at Nintendo (yes, the video game company) to remedy the situation with their video game-based workout system, the Wii Fit.
The buzz surrounding the Wii Fit was palpable this past holiday season when consumers found it next to impossible to get ahold of one. Now that a little time has passed, they are readily available online and in electronic stores. So let's see what this "exergaming" is all about.
Here's a rundown as to what exactly this system is: The Wii Fit is an all-inclusive workout routine with the ability to measure your BMI, weight, age, and balancing ability. It allows you to work out at your own pace from the comfort of your own home and, hopefully, have a fun time doing so. Whether your target area is an aerobic workout, strength training, yoga, or improving your balance, the Fit allows you to decide and go at your own rate.
A brief description of each of these types of workouts:
Aerobic
Aerobic exercise is defined by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) as "any activity that uses large muscle groups, can be maintained continuously, and is rhythmic in nature." This can mean any activity that gets you going: bicycling, running, swimming, jumping rope, cross-country skiing, inline skating, etc.
Strength Training
Wikipedia defines Strength Training as, "the use of resistance to muscular contraction to build the strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles." Bench Press, Bicep Curls, Squats, Leg Extensions, and Abdominal Crunches can all be viewed as Strength Training exercises.
Yoga
Yoga is the combination of breathing exercises, physical postures, and meditation designed to align your body. It's been practiced for over 5,000 years, so obviously something's working.
Balance
Regardless of age, developing and enhancing your balance is beneficial. Improving your balance boosts overall coordination and your overall general lifestyle.
These four types of exercise are important to your health and should be performed on a daily basis. Given that, it's amazing to think that you can do them all with one little video game. See below for some examples of exactly how it works. And if this is the shape of things to come, what's next for the world of Advancements in Modern Health?
Getting used to the board does take some time, so be careful!
Check out more on the Wii Fit here (link).