Using the Nintendo Wii & Wii Fit for Exercise No comments yet

An increase in convenience foods, motorised transport and a more sedentary lifestyle, generally, has meant that people across the world are putting on weight. Obesity is a modern problem, and not just for adults. Television and video games are often cited as reasons for the increase in children obesity, because, unlike previous generations, children today simply don’t get enough exercise. The Wii, introduced by Nintendo in 2006, was a breakthrough in video games console technology, insofar as players use a wireless remote control to mimic real-life sports action – swinging it like a tennis racket, golf club, etc. – and are therefore much more active, physically, than when playing traditional, sedentary games.

Wii Fit is a video game – or better, a collection of video games, because there are a total of 40 activities in which players can participate – designed to combine fitness with fun. Players of any age and fitness level can create their own avatar, or on screen character – known as a “Mii” – and follow the progress of that character towards, hopefully, better health and fitness.

Wii Fit includes balance games, yoga, strength training and aerobic exercise routines, all of which work with the innovative Wii Balance Board. The Wii Balance Board is roughly the size of a set of weighing scales, but includes gyroscopic technology, so that when a player moves his, or her, weight on the board, those movements are mimicked, exactly, be his, or her, Mii. Thus, real-life movements are translated into gameplay in exactly the same way as with the standard Wii remote control. A calculation of BMI (“Body Mass Index”), along with performance is some basic fitness and balance routines, is used to calculate a “Wii Fitness Age”, and statistics, personal targets, etc. provide an incentive to carry on exercising, even after the initial novelty has worn off.

The Wii Balance Board obviously lends itself well to cardiovascular and other fitness workout routines but many other games involving skateboarding, snowboarding, and other sports, such as boxing, which take advantage of the Wii Balance Board are either already in production or in the pipeline. You can, if you wish, purchase accessories for the Wii Balance Board, such as a textured workout mat, or a rechargeable battery pack and charging cable.

Wii Fit does not, of course, replace real sports, but encourages anyone with a sedentary lifestyle to be, at least, a little more active. A study published in the British Medical Journal suggested that Wii Fit could provide health benefits, and it may be worth remembering some famous quotes on the subject of fitness, not least that from A.A. Milne, “A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise.”

How to Choose the Right Treadmill No comments yet

With New Years resolutions fading fast, it’s time to pep up your exercise routine and find something that works in the long term! One common mistake that new exercisers make is to do ‘too much too soon’ and set themselves impossible goals – for example, deciding to become a regular outdoor runner and clock up many miles a week! The difficultly of course is sticking to those goals – and heading outdoors when its cold, dark and gloomy is a hard prospect indeed. One great way to stay motivated – and enjoy exercise in the comfort of your own home – is to invest in a treadmill.

There’s a huge range of treadmills available to suit all budgets and requirements. Some are manually powered – through the speed of your walk or run, and others are computerised and will simulate all different types of terrain. Additionally, most treadmills will measure your run or walk distance, estimate calorie burn – and some will even take your heartrate to calculate whether you are working within your optimum heart rate. Good brands include Proform, particularly for budget brands, Smooth treadmills for mid-range models and Nordic. Consider things such as number of users, regularity of use, amount of available space in the home (there are folding models available) and budget. You may wish to visit a specialist provider to find out which treadmill will suit you before investing in one – a knowledgeable sales assistant will be invaluable in helping you to reach your decision.

It’s important to wear the right clothing when using your treadmill running machine – supportive trainers and cool, comfortable sports kit. To get a good workout, aim for at least 20 minutes at a pace that keeps you breathing heavily, but still able to hold a comfortable conversation. This might mean walking to begin with, and then progressing to running. Over time you can vary your workout for better results – either by upping the incline, speed, duration or by doing interval training with different paces. You should aim to train for at least three sessions a week – building up to around five sessions weekly.

Remember too that exercise needs to be taken in conjunction with other lifestyle changes in order to achieve the best results. For this reason, you should also look at making positive changes within your diet, stress levels, sleep and cutting out unhealthy habits such as smoking, excessive drinking and use of sunbeds for example. Speak to your doctor to get advice before starting any exercise regime, and consider also consulting a nutritionist to identify which diet will help you to get the best from your new exercise regime.