Are Wii Fit and Xbox Kinect effective forms of exercise?

By Russ Howe


We have all seen the ads, the toned girls working out at home in front of their Wii Fit, Xbox Kinect or Playstation Move consoles. But today we answer the question everybody wants to know...

Just how effective are these keep fit games consoles?

As a trainer it would be easy to dismiss this as the latest craze and advise people they'll never get the kind of workout they could in the real gym, right? So that's not what we're going to do here. Because the fact is, this is not a fad and it is here to stay. Every year the technology becomes more advanced. Here are the primary reasons why games console workouts are actually a GREAT thing for your fitness but also the fitness industry in general.

* Have you ever heard anyone say they must lose some weight before they go to the gym? As a trainer, I have, and it drives me crazy. However, if you do lack the confidence to join a public gym, this is now a very god option.

* Convenience is important in order to keep up with your fitness regime. This software literally allows a workout any time.

* Compared to a monthly gym membership or the mammoth cost of assembling a decent home gym, a Wii Fit is actually affordable.

* The technology is awesome. And it gets better each year.

As a personal trainer you have to look at this type of technology with great enthusiasm for the future. You could, of course, see it as a potential threat however to me that's a sign of an insecure teacher. The fact is, this type of software allows gyms to prosper as it will help way more people get through the first, giant step of joining a gym. Who knows, maybe they would previously never have reached that stage with their confidence had they not been able to get started at home first.

Make no mistake about it. If you have never really been one for working out or trying to lose weight in the past, then a Wii fit, Xbox Kinect or Playstation Move will provide you with an EXCELLENT starting block. And the technology is moving forward all the time. As a trainer I cannot wait to see where this leads in the next five to ten years.

Is it as effective as actually going to the gym? No. Well, actually, this depends on what you want to do in your workout. For stretching, yoga based activities and perhaps even cardiovascular training the keep fit games console is an excellent tool.

I fully expect to see the functionality of weight training workouts integrated into the already great technology we have developed on Wii, Xbox and Playstation. Within five years or so, you will literally be able to do an entire workout at home. If weights aren't really your thing, though, then the progress already made is very good.

If you are thinking about buying an Xbox Kinect, Playstation Move or Wii Fit for weight loss purposes then a as a Fitness Instructor I highly recommend that you do. Not only will you be able to achieve great results with what is already available right now, but it gets better all the time.




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