Wii Fit Diary Part Two – Well, I have not lost a single pound but I’m not disappointed in the Wii Fit. I am learning its strengths and weaknesses of Wii Fit as an exercise tool. Here is what I am finding so far.
My husband and I both have been rather surprised and impressed by the improvement obtained in our core strength, balance and posture. We are accustomed to lifting weights and building muscle mass, but never put too much focus on our core. The Wii does that very well. I would say that 99% of the exercises have a core benefit. Half the time, you wouldn’t even know it. You think to yourself, this is too easy, what’s this working? Then about a week or two later, you find yourself able to stand a bit taller and you feel that your midsection feels a bit more toned. I have even noticed that my 6-year old is improving on his balance games, so something must be helping him as well. I plan to put even more focus on choosing these exercises so I can see how far it takes me.
Additionally, we are unlocking more and more Wii Fit exercises, which is really fun and extremely motivating since you need to earn credits (by doing more exercises) to unlock anything. One exercise that has unlocked different levels is the aerobic run. This has helped out a lot because the initial run (all are done in place) was for 3 minutes. I am not a runner and I don’t do a lot of aerobic exercise (slap on the wrist), but even that 3 minute run wasn’t enough for me. It was a great start for my 4-year old, but for the vast majority, it’s too easy. My husband has opened a few new levels to this exercise and is now up to the 30-minute version, and he can toggle between the Wii Fit screen (which is a cute little cartoon-like virtual picture of your Mii running a path) and whatever he wants to watch on TV. So, he continues to hold onto the remote and the Wii Fit continues to track his run even though he is watching TV instead of the Wii Fit screen. Pretty cool feature.
A good second place cardio workout would have to be the punching bag. I unlocked the second level and now am doing the 8 minutes option, which is pretty good. The harder you throw the punch, the more points you get. You have to incorporate your footwork and punches by following the patterns they show you. You punch with the remote in one hand and the nunchuk in the other. I was pounding as hard as I could and I did not get a very good score. I like that it really challenges you. You have to hit right on and very hard to get a decent rating, and your footing has to be good. But, I still got my back/lats quite sore the next day so I got a great workout anyway and I was happy. Now, I am motivated to do it over and over so I can improve my score and unlock an even longer version.
Now for a quick recap on the weaknesses that I am noticing.
You are able to log in other activities/exercises you do outside of the Wii Fit. But, if you forget to log them in on the day that you do them, you can’t backtrack. I think that’s a bit odd since it has a calendar setup. No biggie, just a small disappointment. I only put things like my weight training and snow shoveling on there, although it says you can log simple activities such as cooking and bowling. These are not what I would classify as exercise. Also, you have to ignore some of the comments that come from the virtual trainers. Sometimes they say things in error, or sometimes they say things that might be a little irritating. But, they can also be helpful, so learn how to sort through it and follow what is legitimate. I also do not agree with the status they “assign” you after completing an exercise. You may choose to try something that is a bit difficult or new to you and if you don’t do so well, they give the label “Couch Potato” with your score. A simple, “Keep Trying” might sit better with the person who is genuinely trying her best to better herself.
See related posts below for more Wii Fit Diary entries and videos.
