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.

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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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I thought it would be fun to end the week with this light-hearted list from Newsweek. The magazine names seven of the silliest fitness fads – it says some of them don’t give you much of a workout; others put you more at risk of getting hurt. Can you guess what they are? (Hint – the picture is one of them)

1. Weighted Hula Hooping - it’s like the Hula Hoop we’ve known for 50 years now, only a lot heavier.

2. Strippercise - sensual “aerobic striptease” classes that include pole-dancing, chair-centered lap-dance routines, and floor exercises to work your abs.

3. The Bodyblade – you take a long, sword-like plastic bar, hoist it overhead and shake vigorously for a trunk-targeted workout.

4. Cirque du Soleil-Inspired “Aerial Aerobics” - at aerial fitness studios, you can tone up by defying gravity – in one exercise, you shimmy your way to the top of a cloth lanyard, wrap it around your feet and hang with your limbs dangling.

5. Wind-Relieving Asana – yes, we’re talking about the flatulence kind of “wind” here. This series of yoga postures helps you get air out of your digestive tract — in a room full of people. Nice.

6. Wii Fit Ski-Jump – this requires you to remain in a slight squat position for a few seconds before quickly straightening up.

7. Dorm Room Workouts – just 20 minutes of milling around your 9-by-10-foot room can help you ward off the dreaded Freshman 15.

This is just a summary – so if you want to see more on this, go to the full Newsweek article, which includes workout warnings.

So, have any of you tried any of these exercises? I haven’t, but the Weighted Hula Hoop kind of sounds fun to me… maybe after Boot Camp is over.

Photo Credit: Aerial Dance over Denver

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It’s here! No, not the Wii Fit. Well, actually… that’s here, too of course… but I’m talking about the review from our friends over at Consumer Reports (CR). Since Nintendo’s new fitness-themed addition to its Wii gaming console hit the market last week, it’s been hard to get your hands… or body on one. So, is it worth all the fuss?

First, a wee bit on the Wii Fit:

Basically, it’s software and a white “Balance Board” that senses the slightest shifts in weight and balance as you move. If features more than 40 games in four categories – aerobics, strength training, balance games, and yoga.

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You can hula-hoop, ski, and learn to do a perfect pushup, just to name a few of the activities. You get a personal trainer to guide you through the yoga and strength training. And the system tracks your activity in minutes when you use it. To get started, you have to take the Wii Fit’s Body Test… then you can track your progress from there.

CR had 15 staff members try out some of the games – 10 women and five men, ranging in age from 24 to 69. Some were regular exercisers; others sedentary. Here are some of the preliminary findings from CR:

• Balance games win big. All 15 testers enjoyed the Fit’s balance games. It’s the only category to get a thumbs-up for fun from all the testers. Activities included a ski slalom, ski jump, and table tilt game.

• Some multitasking required. There is information on the monitor during the strength training exercises, so you have to read while doing them. Some panelists found this difficult; others said it was distracting.

• Good audio, video presentation. Most panelists appreciated the graphic presentation and audio aspects of the games… but the whistle sounds and tones used to mark the starting point of some games or announce scores got on some users’ nerves.

There will be a full report from CR in the next few days, so check back here – I will let you know what else the testers find. Does the Wii Fit motivate you to exercise? Do you really get a good workout? Hopefully, we’ll find out.

In the meantime, what do you think of the Wii Fit? Do you have one?

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