I had my heart set on publishing an extensive review of Wii Fit, but an injury using the product has put me on the sideline.  Strangely enough, I wasn’t working out excessively hard on the device.  My goal was to use the system for 30 minutes per day.  On the 11th day, during a low level step exercise routine, as I was placing my left foot on the Wii board, I heard a strange pop in the same area.  At first, my foot felt mostly numb, but the pain certainly followed.  To make sure I hadn’t broken anything, I headed to the VA hospital to get some x-rays done.  It turns out, I ended up straining a ligament in my foot, which was also accompanied by some bruising.  Fortunately, it’s only going to take 2-3 weeks to recover, but it has certainly left me with concerns playing Wii Fit.  

Now that I am unable to release a full review in a timely manner, here’s what I can tell you:

Just like Wii Sports, don’t pay any attention to your Wii Fit Age.  My age ranged from anywhere between 22 and 54 in only 11 days.  The test really measures your balance more than anything else.

Yoga Poses, Muscle Workouts, Aerobic Exercises, and Balance Games are the four types of activities you can use.  One area that Wii Fit totally excels in is getting users to be conscious of their posture and balance.

• For the most part, the Yoga poses are completely useless.  You’re really better off doing an actual Yoga session from a program like Namaste Yoga on Fit TV.  If you get the channel and have a DVR, you are in business.  The problem with Wii Yoga is that it’s just too simple.  While doing one pose at a time for a couple minutes can be slightly beneficial, an actual structured Yoga program works better.  It’s just a simple fact that Yoga in 1 or 2 minute bursts really doesn’t help you the way a 20 minute non-stop program will.
• The muscle workouts are actually not too bad on Wii Fit.  I did feel like the muscle workouts started on way too easy of a level, but things pick up as you advance in the game.
• The aerobic activities on Wii Fit are really good and well-paced, but I might advise against taking part in the running activities.  Running in place can actually be more stressful on your body than actually running outside.  You also need to be careful if you have hard floors like I do.  These can be rough on your feet if you are not accustomed to working out barefoot.
• Balance games are probably the most enjoyable experience.  While you’re not getting as much exercise value, it’s definitely where you are going to have most of your fun with Wii Fit.

written by Will Snizek \\ tags: age, anything, area, Balance, day, exercise, Fit, foot, Injury, level, Muscle, Nintendo Wii, part, Review, Yoga

Sunday, June 1st, 2008 at 10:41 am