I finally got to try the Wii Fit last weekend in between the cookies and cupcakes at the BlogHer08 conference. I played one of the balance games – Table Tilt – and did quite well, I must say. Consumer Reports (CR) has also been busy trying out the new fitness game. I first told you about Consumer Reports’ preliminary review of the Wii Fit a few weeks ago. As promised, here are highlights from CR’s full report.
YOGA
Testers said they could get away without doing poses the right way and don’t think the Wii Fit is good for yoga beginners. But if you’re experienced, it may give you a new perspective on balance and an interesting way to practice.

STRENGTH
Panelists did push-ups, torso twists, single leg extensions, and lunges. Most of them found the activities challenging in both strength and balance, but only two of the five men found them enjoyable compared to nine out of ten of the women.

AEROBICS
Testers tried two of the four aerobic games at the basic play level: hula-hoop and basic step. Most panelists found the activities entertaining but not very demanding aerobically, but hula-hooping seemed more challenging than stepping. Half of the women who hooped felt they got at least some muscle workout.

BALANCE GAMES
These were the big hit among the panelists – they tried activities like soccer, ski slalom, ski jump, and table tilt. Nine of 10 women and four of five men felt the games challenged their balance, and everyone found them enjoyable.

BOTTOM LINE FROM CR
“There’s no question the Wii Fit provides entertainment. Whether it will enhance your fitness depends largely on how fit and active you already are and how intensely you exercise while using the Wii Fit. Each exercise lasts only one to three minutes at the basic level, and the system stops after each game for a scoring and explanation sequence; that disruption could prove vexing for serious exercisers who’d rather just keep moving. But for folks who need motivation to get off the couch, or people interested in a different, more health-oriented approach to gaming, Wii Fit definitely offers a unique and potentially appealing package.”

The Wii Fit review from Consumer Reports has more details, so check it out if you want to know more.

Anyone out there using the Wii Fit ? What do you think of it? If you haven’t tried it yet, do you want to? I would definitely do the balance games again.

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