Not sure whether this has been posted already, but just got this off of the SW members area.
Whether you’ve done it at a friend’s house or all on your own, wiggling away on a Wii Fit guarantees hours of fun! Unlike other gaming devices, Wii Fit encourages activity through its interactive training and games – which makes it a brilliant form of Body Magic!
From muscle-strengthening activities to fun balance games there’s something to suit everyone… we’ve got the Wii Fit facts for you here.
Special equipment requiredThe first requirement is a Wii console and the Wii Fit itself, which means an initial spend of approximately £250 (so drop big hints around birthday time!). However, if you’ve got relatives or housemates that fancy workouts Wii-style, you can always share the cost, and the fun!
You’ll also require plenty of room to set up your Wii Fit, with space to stretch out, swing round and balance, while keeping a clear vision of your TV screen.
Clothing-wise, wear something comfortable enough to bend and stretch in and it’s recommended that you remove shoes to use the Wii Fit board.
Setting upWhen using the Wii Fit for the first time you’ll be asked to set up a profile, entering your height, age and any weight-loss goals. The Wii Fit is cleverly able to tell you your BMI based on the weight it registers from you standing on the Wii Fit board. Your weight doesn’t appear on the screen though, only your BMI, so it’s discreet enough to use with others around. If you want to track your progress there’s a ‘body test’ that you can carry out every so often but it may be best to treat this light-heartedly as it’s not specific enough to give precise results.
Training on a Wii FitThere are four sections to the training activities on a Wii Fit: yoga, strength training, aerobic and balance games. Because you can work through as many or as few exercises as you choose, it’s great for Body Magic beginners.
- The yoga activities involve practising yoga moves such as ‘the tree’ and ‘the warrior’. (May be best to close your curtains when practicing these moves so your neighbours don’t see you getting in touch with your ‘spiritual’ side)! Because you stand on the Wii Fit board to carry them out it’s able to determine how balanced you are - and records how much you wobble about! You’ll be balancing your chakra before you know it.
- If you’re aiming for ‘buns of steel’, Strength training, including push-ups and lunges, is great for building up muscle strength and works just about every bit of the body, including the pectorals (chest), hamstring and glutes, providing you work through each exercise.
- The only leotards or lycra in the aerobics section will be on your onscreen ‘Mii’ character, who will be shadowing your jogging, step and hula-hooping. It’s great for strengthening your body’s cardiovascular system – the heart and lungs - and for building up your stamina and toning your muscles. The interaction with what’s happening on screen provides motivation to keep going… it’s almost as if you really do have a hula-hoop round your waist!
- The balance games are designed in a similar way to the aerobic activities, ie your little Mii character reacts according to how you move to activities such as ski-jumping and football-heading. To see improvements in your balancing skill it’s best to practice often and not just during those tipsy nights in with friends!
- It’s an all-weather activity!
- There are detailed instructions and demonstrations – almost like you’ve got your own personal trainer
- It’s motivating to see your progress, plus the more you use it the more games
you ‘unlock’ - Because it records the length of each session you carry out it’s easy to measure your progress
- It’s fun!
- It’s initially expensive
- It doesn’t have the social benefits of attending an organised fitness class, plus you can’t ask for advice if you want to concentrate on a specific area of your body.
To get the very best out of Wii Fit, and to make it count towards Body Magic, you’ll need to carry it out regularly to see results. Exercise counts towards Body Magic when it makes you slightly out of breath, and your body feels warmer. You’ll need to be motivated enough to spend time on the Wii Fit, making sure you carry out a variety of activities to get an all-over body workout