Wii Fitness and Gaming

Using Just Dance to Work Out

2012-01-19T18:12:00.000-05:00

As I wrote in a previous post, I have fallen out of my exercise routine. The over the holidays my pants all mysteriously shrunk. (That’s right. The pants shrunk. I didn’t gain weight. Wink wink.) I have finally gotten myself back into exercising. I decided that for a while I am going to only use Just Dance. I want to see how well it works as an exercise tool and see if it helps make my pants feel a it more comfortable. Besides using Just Sweat Mode, I want to share some other methods I use to get the most out of Just Dance as a workout.

Effort and Challenge Levels

Each song listing shows an effort and challenge levels, from 1 (least effort or challenge) up to 3 (more challenging or more effort). Pay attention to how much effort a dance takes. The more effort you need to put into it, the more energy it will take to do the dance. Some songs really don’t take much effort, especially those that are duets.

Put Effort into the Dances

Don’t cheat! By now you know that you can cheat at Just Dance by moving the remote. Do the opposite. Move a lot. Even exaggerate your movements. If you have to lift your knee in a dance, don’t just raise it a little – make it a real knee lift and work the muscle. If you have to raise your arms, then raise them all the way. You get the idea.

Try New Songs

There are a lot of songs on Just Dance 2 that I wasn’t familiar with. Others I didn’t necessarily like. But you may just find that the dances are fun and some have moves that are compatible with a good aerobic workout. Body Movin’ by the Beastie Boys with Fatboy Slim is one of those songs that has elements of a workout within the dance.

Have Fun!

Don’t worry yourself about getting a high score. Concentrate on a good workout and having fun.

Time to get Back on the Balance Board!

2012-01-04T09:03:00.000-05:00

Work and other things have kept me away from working out with the Wii. Well, just exercising in general. Then the holidays came along. Not only did it make me so busy, all those holiday cookies have left me with my pants feeling a little tight. So now that New Year's has passed and things are calming down and getting back to normal, I plan on getting back into a good workout routine. I think I'll start out by using Just Dance 2. Maybe I'll do the hardest level Just Sweat mode to get myself back into it all. Plus I have a goal. I have a wedding in June and I want to be able to get into a dress! One I just bought a couple months ago is tight around the tummy.

Is anyone else getting back into a new workout routine for the New Year?

Zumba Fitness 2 Coming Soon

2011-11-09T20:36:00.000-05:00

If you like Zumba Fitness for Wii, it sure looks like you'll love Zumba Fitness 2!

If you have used the original Zumba, you'll be shocked when you see some of the screen shots. This new version has a completely new look. Lots of my issues, like not having a real avatar and dull backgrounds, have been addressed. Check out the new look with these screen shots!

Zumba Fitness 2 will also feature new music, new routines and even new dance styles. Although the box cover doesn't show anything about it, you'll still dance almost controller free with the use of the Zumba waist belt that will come with the game disc.

Zumba 2 for Wii is coming out on November 15 and will sell for the same price as the original, $39.99. You can pre-order at Amazon.com.

Learn More About Just Dance Just Sweat Mode

2011-10-20T19:55:00.000-04:00

Come see my Wii Fitness Examiner article at examiner.com about Just Sweat Mode in Just Dance!

Just Sweat Mode

Newest Just Dance games:

Great Deal on Gold's Gym Cardio Workout

2011-10-04T10:31:00.001-04:00

I absolutely love working out with Gold's Gym Cardio Workout. You may have read previous posts where I have raved about how much fun I have doing their shape boxing workouts.

Shape boxing works out your entire body using boxing moves such as jabs, punches, bob and weave, and ducking. You'll feel it in your arms, you'll feel it in your legs, and you will sweat! It can also be referred to as rhythm boxing, since you have to perform all of your moves at the correct moment and beat. Among all of the Wii fitness workouts I have tried, this still remains at the top of my list as one of my favorites.

This normally sells for $19.99, but right now it is selling on Amazon.com for only $14.48. That's the lowest I have ever seen this Wii workout game.

Related Gold's Gym Cardio Workout posts:
http://www.wiifitnessandgaming.com/2010/05/golds-gym-cardio-workout.html - includes game video
http://www.wiifitnessandgaming.com/2011/04/i-forgot-how-much-i-love-golds-gym.html
www.epinions.com/content_507272793732 - my epinions review

Now is a great time to start cardio boxing!

Under a Little Construction...

2011-08-24T21:16:00.000-04:00

Please pardon the appearance of theblog for the moment. I am making some updates to the site to make it a more pleasant reading experience. Now get back to working out on your Wii!

Just Dance 3 Song List

2011-08-19T21:38:00.000-04:00

The anticipated Just Dance 3 is scheduled for release October 11, 2011.

If you are waiting for the song list, just take a look at Joystiq. The list of 46 songs is available. Much of the list made me say "huh?" Maybe it's because I'm not the biggest fan of pop music, but I just don't recognize a lot of the songs. I'm just not sure if I see Just Dance 3 in my future.

Music for Zumba Fitness 2 Announced

2011-08-12T18:31:00.000-04:00

Come check out this article about the music that will be on Zumba Fitness 2, scheduled to be released later this year.

Zumba Fitness 2 Music

Troubleshooting Wii Balance Board Problems

2011-08-10T12:30:00.000-04:00

If you are having trouble with your Wii balance board, take a look at this article for some troubleshooting suggestions.

Help... my Wii balance board isn't working!

Suggestions for Improving Your Walk It Out Workout

2011-08-05T11:44:00.001-04:00

Walk It Out may not be the most popular of fitness games, but users love it. I know I do. Here are a couple posts from my National Wii Fitness Examiner page that will help answer questions you may have about the game as well as some suggestions for getting more our of your Walk It Out workout. Have fun walking!

How to Unlock Music and Zodiac Signs

Getting More Out of Your Walk It Out Workout

Just Dance Sweat Points

2011-07-28T09:32:00.000-04:00

Just Dance is an incredibly fun, popular dance game. But the fact that you can work up a sweat and have a great workout at the same time prompted the folks at Ubisoft to create "sweat points" for all of the games that followed up the original Just Dance.

I finally started playing Just Dance 2 in the Just Sweat section. As I saw my sweat points rack up, I really got to wondering if they meant anything at all. There is no explanation of what a sweat point is equivalent to. All I knew is that my goal was to get 1000 sweat points. But what did I get out of earning those points?

I did a little research. I found this post at Yahoo Answers that explains sweat points as this:

4.2 sweat points = 1 calorie burned

Mild Program - 300 points per day is about 72 calories
Tough Program - 1000 points per day is about 238 calories
Intense Program - 2000 points per day is about 476 calories

And 3500 calories burned is about 1 pound of fat lost.

Now, I have no idea how accurate this information is. And thinking about it, I am feeling a little doubtful. In order to get 1000 sweat points, I need to do between three and four dances. That takes about 15 minutes. Can I really burn over 200 calories just by dancing for 15 minutes? I have not used any other Wii fitness games that has this kind of calorie burn in such a short period of time.

Whether or not I am burning that number of calories, the sweat points give me something to work towards. The dance part is fun, and watching my numbers on the graph move up is motivating. So get dancing, and Just Sweat!

Just Dance 2
Just Dance Summer Party

Fit in Six Price Drops by Half

2011-07-19T18:18:00.000-04:00

If, despite my unfortunately negative reviews, you still want to buy Fit in Six for Wii, then you should jump on it now. The price for the camera bundle has been cut in half to $25. The game only version is down by 70%, at the small price of $11.88.

Take a look at these posts to see what I had to say about my experience with Fit in Six:

http://www.wiifitnessandgaming.com/2011/07/fit-in-six-review.html

http://www.wiifitnessandgaming.com/2011/06/2-days-of-fit-in-six-and-im-just-not.html

Fit in Six Review

2011-07-18T11:00:00.000-04:00

If you have been wondering about Fit in Six, please go check out my review at epinions.com. I wrote all about my experience working out with Fit in Six, the web camera, and my opinion of one of the newest Wii fitness games.

Have you tried Fit in Six yet? Do you have the same opinions?

Get Your Shape for Wii at an Incredibly Low Price!

2011-07-17T23:11:00.000-04:00

http://www.epinions.com/content_504021487236When Your Shape came out a couple years ago, it was ahead of the curve with its motion detection camera technology. However, due to camera limitations, it got somewhat of a bad rap.

Your Shape allows you to exercise controller free while still getting immediate on-screen feedback. I have used Your Shape, and while there are camera issues, you will certainly get a great aerobic workout. It's like doing an aerobic gym class right in your own home. The immediate feedback will keep you motivated to push on through the workout.

To get a more in depth look at Your Shape and learn about the issues and benefits, take a look at this detailed review.

Your Shape was initially sold for over $50 when it was first released. Now you can buy it on Amazon.com for just pennies less than $8.00. For only $8, you get check it out and not feel back about spending too much on the motion tracking web cam. Get into shape with Your Shape!

Just Dance Summer Party Coming in July

2011-06-24T13:55:00.000-04:00

It was recently announced that Ubisoft will be releasing Just Dance 3. It will be coming out this fall. But if you can't wait long enough to get boogy-ing to the latest Just Dance dance moves, then you won't have to wait until fall. Coming for the summer is Just Dance Summer Party. Hmmm, so is this Just Dance 2 1/2?

The Just Dance 3 Facebook page provides a song list for Just Dance Summer Party. Here are all the great tunes you'll be partying with:

A Band of Bees – "Chicken Payback"
A R Rahman, The Pussycat Dolls Featuring Nicole Scherzinger – "Jai Ho! (You Are My
Blur – "Song 2"
Carl Douglas – "Kung Fu Fighting (Dave Ruffy / Mark Wallis Remix)"
Countdown Dee’s Hit Explosion – "Barbie Girl"
Estelle featuring Kanye West – "American Boy"
Katy Perry – "Firework"
Love Letter – "Why Oh Why"
M/A/R/R/S – "Pump Up The Volume"
Nick Phoenix and Thomas Bergersen – "Professeur Pumplestickle"
Panic At The Disco – "Nine in the Afternoon"
Rihanna – "Pon De Replay"
Steppenwolf – "Born To Be Wild"
Studio Allstars – "Maniac"
Sweat Invaders – "Funkytown"
Sweat Invaders – "Skin-To-Skin"
The Hit Crew – "Here Comes The Hotstepper"
The Lemon Cubes – "Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit Of Monika)"
The Lemon Cubes – "Moving On Up"
The Reverend Horatio Duncan & Amos Sweets – "Down By The Riverside"
The Supremes – "You Can't Hurry Love"
The World Cup Girls – "Futebol Crazy"
V V Brown – "Crying Blood"

The newest Just Dance will have many of the same features as Just Dance 2, including Battle, Dance Party and Just Sweat.

The Facebook page also says that this dance game will be limited edition, so it may not be around for long! To get in on the action now, it can be pre-ordered through Amazon.com. Just Dance Summer Party will be available on July 19.

2 Days of Fit in Six, and I'm Just Not Feeling It

2011-06-14T21:39:00.000-04:00

I picked up Fit in Six from the library the other day. Things have been a little busy, so I have only gotten a couple workouts in. Fit in Six comes in a camera bundle or just the game disc only. Since I have a camera from Your Shape, I decided to hook that up and see how it works. I'm mention more about the camera a little later on.

I have only done two workouts, but I have to say that so far I am not completely impressed. I filled out a short profile, then tried to work out. I was a bit confused at first, but after a few minutes I figured out the menu. Sort of. There are a lot of workout options in various categories in varying lengths. Once you pick your workout, you are exercising controller free. While you don't have to hold a Wii remote, you are also getting absolutely no feedback. There are no instructions, and from what I have done so far, the audio cues are terrible. They just don't seem to match up to what is going on on the screen.

Oh... and the web camera. As long as you plug the camera into the USB port prior to turning on the Wii, your picture will show up in the upper right hand corner while you work out. The camera does not track your movements such as in Your Shape. I guess it can be used to compare your movements to the trainer. But that was difficult because the image is so small, and the angle of the trainer sometimes changes. I had used the camera with Your Shape. There were lighting issues with Your Shape, but the color was usually on target. For some reason my image with Fit in Six had a sepia tone.

So far, Fit in Six is really not holding my interest. I'm not motivated to pick it up and do another workout. I will use it some more before I have to return it to the library so I more accurately judge the game. Maybe with a few more workouts something will appeal to me.

Cyberbike rolls in this Summer

2011-06-06T09:12:00.000-04:00

The latest product to be introduced to Wii fitness fans is the Cyberbike. Are you wondering what the Cyberbike is? There it is to the right. It's a stationary bike. But... it connects to your Wii. It has attached Gamecube controls to allow you to play both Gamecube and Wii games. It comes with a game that allows you to pedal through various locations in three different game modes. The bike has adjustable handles and seat. The pedals have an optical sensor to record real time pedaling. The system will have a price tag of nearly $200.

The Cyberbike has been available in Europe for about a year or so. I'm guessing it has had some success if it is now being released in the US. But to be honest, I'm not so sure about this one. I'm all for Wii fitness, but I can see myself spending the money on this. Not to mention I don't have the space for this kind of thing. I have read about and known of many people who don't even want to spend the money on the Wii Fit bundle. That isn't even $100! Will users really buy a Wii bicycle?

The Cyberbike is currently available for pre-order through Toys R Us. The pre-order price is $199 and has an estimated ship date of June 29. For more information, trailer and screen shots you can look at the Cyberbike website.

ExerBeat Looks Promising...

2011-05-29T18:26:00.000-04:00

Namco's ExerBeat finally came out a few weeks ago. Ever since I saw the ExerBeat game trailer, I have been anxiously awaiting this game. It has definitely piqued my interest.

ExerBeat is billed as a rhythm based fitness game containing over 150 exercises ranging from yoga to aerobics to Latin dance to karate. So far, in the few weeks since its release, ExerBeat has been seeing very positive reviews.

As of today, Amazon.com reviewers have rated ExerBeat with no less than four stars, with the majority giving it five stars! While it is being compared to Wii Fit Plus, you'll see lots comments describing how much users are loving this fitness game.

Family Friendly Gaming has also given ExerBeat a very favorable review.

I had mistakenly assumed that ExerBeat would be available in all stores. Well, you know what they say about making an assumption, because I was wrong! I found out through a post at Arrow Dynamic Mom that ExerBeat is not being sold in brick and mortar stores at this time. Some stores, such as Target, do carry it through their online sites. Although you can't get it in stores, you will be pleased with the price. At $19.99, that is a great price for a newly released Wii fitness game.

I can't wait to try out ExerBeat. Have you tried it yet? Comment with your opinions!

Majesco to Release Zumba Fitness 2

2011-05-14T18:27:00.000-04:00

It looks like Zumba Fitness for Wii has become so popular, that game producers are already working on a follow up. Zumba Fitness 2 is planned to be available by the end of the year, in time for the holidays.

Based on the press release issued just days ago, it looks like Zumba is in for a few changes. There will be new dance styles added to the current list including Bellydance and Latin Pop. Also listed are Pasodoble and Axe. I have no idea what those dance styles are, so I have to go look those up! There will be options to change the dance location.

The statement that is really appealing is that it indicates the user can customize the instructors' outfits. I'm taking that as if the instructors will now be an avatar rather than the silhouetted image in the current game. I have found that there are times that it is hard to recognize the instructors' moves, and this should hopefully be alleviated with an avatar.

Those who like to keep track of their stats will be happy to know that there will now be features to identify such information as calories burned as well as achievement trophies.

To learn more about Zumba Fitness 2 for Wii, please visit Majesco Entertainment to read the entire press release.

Breakdown of Some of the Top Wii Fitness Games

2011-05-09T17:47:00.000-04:00

Not sure what Wii fitness game to buy? Come visit this list at Shopping.com which breaks down some of the top and best selling Wii Fitness games. The list includes links to detailed reviews. Which Wii fitness game will get you in shape?

ExerBeat Release Pushed off Until May

2011-04-21T14:15:00.000-04:00

The release of one of the latest Wii fitness based games called ExerBeat has been pushed off until May. This game was originally scheduled for release next week on April 26. The release date has been changed to May 17.

This game is being called a "rhythm based game", and will contain over 150 exercises, some suitable for both children and adults. It will feature Latin dance, yoga, kickboxing and others as well as Party Fitness for kids. It will also have an opportunity to use your Mii.

The ExerBeat game trailer, originally posted here, reflects a new and fun workout fitness game. Something interesting to note is that although the game has not even been released yet, the price has dropped. In February when I first posted about ExerBeat the list price was $29.99. Now, with the release date still a month away, the price is down to a low $19.99 on Amazon.com. We'll just have to keep watching and see what happens with ExerBeat.

I Forgot How Much I Love Gold's Gym Cardio Workout

2011-04-19T18:09:00.000-04:00

I have been using so many of my newer Wii fitness games lately that I have neglected some of my old favorites. Today I did Gold's Gym Cardio Workout, which I haven't done in months. I forgot what an awesome workout it is! The workouts can strengthen and tone your whole body, and they also work on your rhythm and timing.

If you haven't tried it yet, Gold's Gym Cardio Workout is cardio boxing or shape boxing. These types of boxing workouts are great for the whole body. Today I was doing jabs, hooks and upper cuts along with ducking and weaving. It's only been a few hours and I can already feel it in my arms. But it's that good kind of feeling like I am building up my arms. I always feel completely energized after a shape boxing workout. You do not need a balance board. There is a section for exercises. Only 4 out of the 10 exercises require the balance board. These are leg lifts and squats - any of which you can do on your own without a balance board.

If you enjoy Rhythm Boxing on Wii Fit, or even just Wii Boxing, then I would give Gold's Gym Cardio Workout a try. It's just as fun, but a more challenging and more controlled workout. This video gives a great idea of what this cardio workout has to offer:

Released in 2009, Gold's Gym Cardio Workout was one of the earlier fitness games for the Wii. Since there have been so many newer games hitting the stores, you shouldn't have to pay any more than $20.

Related post: Gold's Gym Cardio Workout

Are You Ready to Train Like a UFC Champ?

2011-04-18T13:19:00.000-04:00

Coming in June is UFC Personal Trainer for Wii by THQ.

UFC Personal Trainer is going to offer an MMA, or mixed martial arts, workout. The workout program been designed by MMA training experts, and it has also been certified by the UFC and the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

MMA combines a variety of contact sports including kickboxing, Judo, wresting, Muay Thai and Jiu-Jitsu. UFC Personal Trainer will have over 70 MMA inspired exercises, and will give you a chance to learn some of these fighting arts. I love the idea of doing some kickboxing with my Wii workouts. The goal of these workouts will be to “to build strength, increase endurance, burn calories and get results.”

The game box indicates that UFC Personal Trainer will be balance board compatible. There will also be a leg strap included. The leg strap shown on the box cover has a similar look to the EA Sports Active leg strap, however it looks almost as if the pocket may accommodate the Wii remote rather than the nunchuk. The image suggests that this may be a somewhat controller free workout.

UFC Personal Trainer will be available for other game systems The current game trailer is for Kinect. Check it out - it's not a Wii Fit workout. It definitely looks like it will be able to provide an awesome, intense workout program.

UFC Personal Trainer is scheduled for release on June 21, 2011. The rating is still pending. The current retail cost is $39.99. The fitness workout game can be pre-ordered at Amazon.com.

Zumba on Sale at Amazon.com

2011-04-12T11:09:00.000-04:00

If you have been thinking about buying Zumba for Wii, this week is a good time. Amazon.com has an Easter special on Wiii games, including Zumba. The regular price for Zumba is $39.99. The sale price is $29.99! You won't find it any lower than this, so check it out! Zumba at Amazon.com.

If you are still unsure, read my Zumba for Wii review.

Review of Zumba for Wii

2011-04-11T09:40:00.002-04:00

So I've been using Zumba for a few weeks now, and am ready to share my thoughts about it!

If you've seen anything about Zumba, you may already know it comes with a "Zumba Belt". The belt holds the Wii remote. Instead of holding the remote, the remote will sit on your waist and track movements from there. The belt is black with a neon yellow/green trimming. If I ever have to go running at night, I can safely use the Zumba belt as a reflector. It's that bright. I don't know why the color was chosen. Is it the official Zumba color? The belt has a Velcro closure. It pretty mush stays in place. It doesn't loosen up a little bit throughout the workout, but it's not much to complain about.

The navigation menu is frustrating. It is a little confusing to set up a profile. On top of that, Zumba is set for widescreen display. Because of the widescreen, the text is incredibly compressed and hard to read. To adjust this, you can adjust your Wii settings by going into options and switching to the widescreen option. I set up a very brief profile, and chose the easy setting out of the three difficulty settings. (More about those later).

There are a set of tutorials that I chose to skip over. There is a tutorial to learn the dance steps and also familiarize yourself with the other functions of the game. I jumped right into dancing at the beginner level, which is the only level that is unlocked when you start. This was my first experience with Zumba, so I had expected some verbal instructions. I was shocked to find out there are absolutely no verbal instructions. You must mirror the instructors movements, such as in Just Dance. However unlike Just Dance, you have no idea what moves are coming up next. There is the occasional visual cue as the instructor will point or tap a leg, but that is the extent of it. I found this really frustrating in the beginning, but has become a little easier as I play.

The instructor is also similar to Just Dance - it's a silhouetted image of a real person. I would prefer a real person/avatar. There are times that it is hard to figure out what move to do.

As you dance there is an energy meter along the bottom of the screen. The more energy you put into your dancing, the faster you fill up your energy bar. This is where the difficulty settings come in. I started out on easy, then I changed it to medium. As far as I can tell the difficulty setting make it harder to fill up your energy bar. Each time you fill up your energy bar, you will gain more on screen people to Zumba with you.

The game starts out with beginner levels, and you must complete them in order to unlock harder levels. I have completed the beginner levels, which are 20 minutes. I also unlocked the intermediate. The first two are also 20 minutes. The next two are 45 minutes. I haven't tackled those yet. I'll be honest and say that while I regularly work out, I am not used to doing 45 minutes of cardio! There are two 45 minutes workouts, and more to unlock from there.

The workouts are done in segments of about five minutes long, with a very short break in between. You'll have at most 10 seconds to recover before starting the next section. Some breaks are less than five seconds, so there is often no chance for a sip of water. During those breaks you are often reminded to get water, and I often look at the TV and wonder how I can get that water in only three seconds.

For those that like to keep track of their progress, you'll be disappointed. The only thing that will be tracked is when you work out. You won't find any graphs or even calories burned.

I have been thinking about how the Wii version of Zumba benefits over getting a DVD.
A DVD would have a real instructor.
A DVD would (I assume) have verbal instructions.
Wii probably has more dance options than a DVD.
The energy meter on the Wii version may motivate you to work harder. (It does sort of push me a bit harder.)

I have having fun Zumba-ing. I have never done it before now, so I can't say how it compares to a class or DVD. While I can't say it's one of my favorites, it's been fun doing something totally new for me. It gets me moving and works up quite a sweat.

The regular price for Zumba is $39.99, but I have seen it on sale at stores and on Amazon.com for as low as $29.99.

Trying out Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatium 2010

2011-04-02T13:02:00.000-04:00

I picked up Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 yesterday from the library. Back when the first version Fitness Ultimatum 2009 came out, I was really eager to get it. At the time Wii Fit was the only other video fitness game. While it had a slew of issues, I liked using it at the time. But new fitness games have since came out, I haven't even taken out the disc. I had hopes that 2010 was an improvement.

With only one workout under my belt, I can say they have made some improvements. The graphics are noticeably better. I decided that I wanted to do a workout. I chose one of the 5 pre-made workouts. Unless I'm getting something wrong, there are only 5 workout segments. There were no explanation of how to perform each exercise, nor could I find a help option to figure out what to do. There was no indication of whether or not I should be holding the Wii remote. There was a green/yellow/red bar going across the screen. I finally figured that to be either a timing bar or a gauge to identify if I am doing the exercise correctly. I'm still not sure, nor could I find an answer in the manual.

So far, even with some of the improvements, it really is similar to the original game. I will be doing my Wii workout later this afternoon. I don't even want to do Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010! But, I will continue using it for the next couple weeks so I can provide a more accurate review.

Fit in Six Reviews

2011-03-31T20:42:00.000-04:00

The latest Wii fitness game to be released is Fit in Six, which hit the market just two weeks ago. Fit in Six is being offered as a camera bundle, containing a web cam to be used in a similar fashion as in Your Shape.

Reviews are starting to come in and they are a mixed bag. There is a fairly detailed review at Video Game Talk. One thing I learned from that review is that you exercise controller free.While that is appealing, it leads me to wonder how the game will provide workout feedback. Reading further into the review, it looks like you don't get feedback during workouts. The review left me a bit unsure about Fit in Six.

Reviews at Amazon.com have also left me really at a loss. There are only four reviews so far. Reviewers are relaying such differing views of the game. One person says it's excellent, the other says is it a poor Wii fitness game.

I won't be running out for Fit in Six just yet. I'll definitely sit and wait for more reviews.

Examiner.com: Balance Board Step Risers

2011-03-25T12:30:00.001-04:00

Come read how a balance board step riser can help give your Wii workouts a step up!

Using a Balance Board Step Riser for Your Wii Workouts

Fit In Six Coming this Friday

2011-03-16T20:32:00.000-04:00

Fit In Six by UbiSoft will be released this Friday, March 18.

This new Wii workout is based around six fitness elements: cardio, balance, upper body strength, lower body strength, core strength and flexibility. Here is the game trailer. The game is designed for several gaming systems and in the trailer you will see the remote is for the Playstation Move.

The trailer really doesn't provide a whole lot of insight about what we can expect with the game. I guess we'll have to wait for some reviews to get a better idea of this game.

My First Week with Wii Zumba

2011-03-11T13:13:00.001-05:00

I got Zumba for Wii earlier this week and have used it a few times so far. I have mixed feelings so far. I have been having fun - it's nothing like any other workout I have done before. My issues are coming more from the game itself. At first it was a little confusing navigating the menu. The screen is also in "letter box" such as when you watch a movie. It makes the controls really hard to read. I have been adjusting the screen settings each time I play so that it shows in full screen. There are no audio cues. Instead, you are mirroring the moves such as in Just Dance.

But.... like I said, I am having fun. It certainly works up a sweat. Hopefully it won't be long before I can move on from the beginner level. In a few weeks I'll be back to give a more detailed review of Zumba.

More Workouts for EA Sports Active Review

2011-02-16T11:38:00.000-05:00

EA Sports Active More Workouts is a follow up to the incredibly popular EA Sports Active. I got this for Christmas and have been using it regularly.

Navigating around More Workouts is exactly the same as the original game and workouts are also formatted in the same way. But with More Workouts you will have all new exercises and a new 6 Week Challenge.

The workouts now talk place in more of a beach locale. Some events take advantage of the beach location, and you will find yourself running along the water and water skiing. There are all new strength training exercises to work out the arms. There are new sports related activities including racquetball and sparring. You even get a chance to do some step aerobics. A balance board step riserreally helps improve a step workout. While many of the exercises seem to get my heart rate going more than when I do EA Sports Active, I never burn the projected number of calories, which I find unusual.

There are also floor exercises like push ups and crunches. I hate doing floor work, but luckily there are only one or two floor exercises per workout.

More Workouts requires the use of the resistance band and leg strap. If you do not have the original EA Sports Active, you will need to purchase an accessory pack with a leg strap and resistance band. If you are looking for some new workouts but want to stick with EA Sports Active, then definitely give EA Sports Active: More Workoutsa try.

Wii Success Story at Shaping Up with Wii blog

2011-02-11T09:46:00.000-05:00

So far all of the Wii success stories I have posted have been from women. If you are looking for success stories from a male perspective, take a look at Shaping Up with Wii. This blog is written by Drew, who has been mainly using EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp. He has been giving some great details about this fitness game, and it sure looks like he is having great success shaping up using the Wii. Visit the blog here: Shaping Up with Wii.

ExerBeat Trailer

2011-02-05T13:25:00.000-05:00

Just a few weeks ago I posted about an upcoming fitness game called ExerBeat. You can read a it about it here. Based on some of the screen shots, I was a little unsure about ExerBeat. But after checking out the trailer, it is becoming really appealing to me. It appears to have a combination of Wii Fit-type mini-games mixed in with some dance and cardio boxing. The more I watch it, the more interested I am. Check out the trailer below.

ExerBeat is scheduled for release on April 26. You can pre-order on Amazon.com. The current list price is $29.99.

Zumba for only $29.99!

2011-02-01T03:06:00.003-05:00

Quick! If you have been waiting for the price to go down to get Zumba for Wii, get over to Amazon.com and get yours for only $29.99 plus free shipping. They do show the versions for PS3 and XBox, so be sure you are clicked on the one for Wii.

I haven't seen it any cheaper than this price, so now is the time!

Wii Success Story Guest Post - Adding Wii to your strength program

2011-01-31T10:40:00.000-05:00

I’m Sue from Arrow Dynamic Mom, and while I love to play Wii games for cardio, resistance training with weights is also a vital part of my workout routine. When I lift, I like to go heavy, with kettlebells, barbells and heavy dumbbells. That means I need to get my muscles warmed up, my joints mobile and flexible, and my mind in a place that says, “Let’s roll!”

Some Wii games such as Wii Fit and the EA Sports Active series offer strength training in their routines, but I like to lift separately from Wii, using mostly routines from books. My favorite lifting books include Body Sculpting with Kettlebells for Women by Lorna Kleidman, New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove, Female Body Breakthrough by Rachel Cosgrove, and Core Performance for Women by Mark Verstegen. Wii games can make for effective and fun warmups for these books’ strength routines, as well as not-too-strenuous cardio on your recovery days.

Wii dance games like We Cheer 1 and 2, Just Dance 1 and 2, Michael Jackson The Experience, Helix (a WiiWare downloadable) and Dance On Broadway are great for warming up the upper body. I especially like the We Cheer games (We Cheer 2 is the better one to start with) because their bold, powerful arm movements really loosen up my shoulders and arms. These games are all easy to jump into, and you can pick as few or as many songs as you like. Just don’t get so caught up in them that you forget all about hitting the weights! You can also create a circuit workout consisting of one Wii dance song followed by one set of weight lifting, rest and repeat.

Michael Jackson The Experience is a blast for anyone who’s enjoyed the King of Pop, but one thing I especially love about this game is the slow songs - Heal The World, Earth Song and Will You Be There. The slow, flowing movements make these songs great for warmups, cooldowns, waking up, before bed - any time you want a quick mental or physical pick-me-up that doesn’t involve junk food.

If you want to do cardio on days in between strength training, when your muscles are recovering, Wii cardio games are an ideal, not-too-strenuous choice. Zumba Fitness is a lot of fun for shaking that booty, and you can select individual songs or 20-minute or 45-minute workouts. Gold’s Gym Dance Workout also lets you set up workouts in a specified length of time, and has a variety of dance, boxing and minigame segments. The Dance Dance Revolution series for Wii is a classic favorite floor-mat game that lets you string together songs into “courses”. For the dance-challenged, the Active Life series (Active Life Explorer is the latest) offers active minigames on a mat, and Gold’s Gym Cardio Workout focuses on boxing. Finally, Walk It Out is a terrific, “anytime” cardio game where you walk through a fantasy island to catchy music.

Mixing heavy strength training with Wii games has given me great results as far as weight and inches lost, strength and flexibility, and caring for my bones as they age. And perhaps most importantly, Wii games make my workouts a pleasure instead of a chore. Please stop by and visit my blog for more active gaming fun!

Be sure to check out Arrow Dynamic Mom and read about all her activities with the Wii and more!

If you have been successful using the Wii for fitness and you'd like to write a guest post, send me an e-mail at info@wiifitnessandgaming.com.

Fit in Six to use Web Camera

2011-01-26T11:02:00.000-05:00

It appears that the upcoming fitness game Fit In Six will be utilizing a web camera, such as was used in Your Shape. There will be a bundle sold with the camera, and it will be sold game only. It makes me wonder if the camera will be required for the game or if it is optional. If you have played Your Shape, you will know that there were some quirks to work out with using the camera to work out such as camera lag. There was also problem with the game not properly detecting motion due to shadows, too much light and even wearing the wrong color clothing. Maybe Ubisoft has tackled these issues.

To learn more about Fit In Six, visit my National Wii Fitness Examiner page, or this post.

Namco Bandai Announces ExerBeat

2011-01-21T09:59:00.000-05:00

There's another new Wii exercise game coming called ExerBeat made by Namco Bandai Games. You can check out the press release issued yesterday which tells us a little bit about the game. It doesn't reveal a whole lot. They're calling it a rhythm based game, so that seems to indicate it is a dance oriented fitness game. This game will have 150 activities and will be balance board and Wii Motion Plus compatible.

Gamespot has posted some images and screen shots of the game. Click here to check all of them out, but also here is a sampling:

I'm not completely impressed by the graphics, but that doesn't mean it will be a bad fitness game. We'll have to watch for more information on this one. The press release is a little vague, so hopefully Namco will be coming out with some new info soon so we have some more details about this game.

ExerBeat is scheduled to come out spring 2001 and is rated E for Everyone.

Read the press release.

Amazon.com Buy 2 Get 1 Free

2011-01-18T09:04:00.001-05:00

Amazon.com is running a Buy 2 Games, Get 1 Free offer. It doesn't apply to all Wii games, so you have to make sure you pick on that is part of the promotion. But there are 98 games as part of the sale. If you have been thinking about Gold's Gym Dance Workoutor Nickelodeon Fit, then now may be the right time to buy it. Unfortunately Zumba is not part of the promotion - I have been dying to get it!

Amazon does not specify when this offer will end - the Terms and Condition only say "limited time". That's kind of vague, so you may need to might not want to wait. Visit Amazon.com to learn more about their Buy 2 Get 1 Free Promotion and see a list of games.

More info about Ubisoft Fit in Six

2011-01-05T12:08:00.000-05:00

Ubisoft has released some information about Fit in Six, first mentioned here. It looks like this fitness program will focus on cardio, balance, upper body, lower body, core strength and flexibility. Workouts have been created by fitness professionals. It is currently showing that this is scheduled for release in Spring 2011.

To read more about Fit in Six, check out the information on the Ubisoft page.

Examiner Article - Host a Wii Party

2011-01-05T10:17:00.000-05:00

Come read my Examiner.com article about hosting a Wii Tournament Party!

Wii Dumbbells

2010-12-30T15:51:00.000-05:00

A great way to enhance your Wii workout is with a set of Wii remote dumbbells. The problem is, there are now so many different types to choose from. I am going to try to help narrow down your choices. Following are a few popular choices.

Dumbbell Set for Wii by CTA Digital- These dumbbells weigh 1.7 pounds each. These can accommodate a remote and a nunchuk. List price is $19.99.

Riiflex 2lb. Dumbbells for Wii-Each dumbbell weighs 2 pounds. This set is compatible with Wii Motion Plus, and accommodates a remote and a nunchuk.List price is $29.99.

Wii Adjustable Weight Dumbbell by CTA Digital-This is an adjustable weight dumbbell set. The two dumbbells can have up to a total weight of 9.8 pounds. The set is compatible with Wii Motion Plus. A Wii remote can be placed in each dumbbell, which is perfect for games such as Gold's Gym Cardio Workout that gives you the option of using two remotes instead of using a remote and nunchuk. List price is $29.99.

Everlast 2lb Dumbbells- Each dumbbell weighs 2 pounds. It can hold a remote and nunchuk. List price is $12.99.

Among these options, my personal choice would be the CTA adjustable weights. Aside from the fact that you can adjust the weight, I love that a remote can be used in each remote. Any time I have an option of using using two remotes instead of a remote and nunchuk I prefer to use two remotes. It gives better reach as well as it eliminates the nunchuk cord swinging around. Have a good workout!

I'm a Wii Examiner

2010-12-18T09:02:00.000-05:00

In addition to this blog, I am now writing all about the Wii at Examiner.com. The content there will not be limited to fitness, and will cover many different aspects of Wii. From time to time I may post here some links to my posts at examiner.com. If you would like to visit and become a subscriber to my posts at Examiner.com, click to visit my Wii Examiner page. Right above my bio is a button to click "subscribe". Thanks!

Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatium 2011 Giveaway

2010-12-16T19:51:00.001-05:00

Mommies With Cents blog is giving away 2 copies of Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatium 2011. Entry is simple - just put your name, address and e-mail in the entry form. There are many opportunities for additional entries.

I wasn't completely enthusiastic about the Fitness Ultimatum 2009. It was very hard to learn how to do the exercises because the instructions were terrible. I am hoping that since there is now a third version of the game, that maybe this one will be a significant improvement. I'd love to give Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2011a try.

Hop on over to Mommies With Cents to enter. I did!

EA Sports Active Review

2010-12-14T13:59:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love EA Sports Active. With its combination of cardio, strength training, and fun sports workouts, it gives me such an incredible full body workout. I just wrote a very detailed review about it that can be found here on epinions.com. If you have been considering EA Sports Active, please go take a look at the review to see why I love it so much!

Fit In Six

2010-12-11T09:31:00.000-05:00

I came across an article on Joystiq about the possibility of a new Wii fitness game called Fit In Six made by Ubisoft. It describes the new fitness program of having personalized yoga, pilates, cardio, dance and kickboxing. Wait, did I read correctly? Kickboxing? Yes! I have been wait for a someone to come out with a kickboxing program for Wii. Unfortunately there really aren't too many details, but I'm going to keep my eyes open for this. In the meantime, you can check out the original article here.

New U Fitness First Yoga and Pilates

2010-12-06T20:45:00.001-05:00

Last month we saw the release of the much anticipated Zumba and EA Sports Active 2. Coming out tomorrow, December 7 is New U Fitness First Yoga and Pilates. After being so disappointed by Daisy Fuentes Pilates, (read that review here) I have been waiting for a game exclusively for yoga and pilates. This game is "developed with the guidance and expertise of Fitness First, the biggest gym chain in the world." I can't say I have ever even heard of Fitness First, but I'll take their word that they are they biggest gym chain.

A great feature of this game is that it has actual video featuring real yoga and pilates trainers. Others features of this program are:

117 standard exercises
4 core skills exercises
3 personal trainers
1 breathing exercise
4 meditation poses
6 workout locations
Customizable goals
Compatible with Wii Balance Board and Wii MotionPlus

More New U Fitness First images:

I have really been wanting to integrate a pilates workout into my Wii workout routine. Daisy Fuentes Pilates was so close to being a good pilates workout. I'll be keeping an eye out for reviews to see if New U Fitness First Yoga and Pilates will be the pilates fitness game that works well with Wii.

Wii Fit Routine

2010-11-07T16:23:00.001-05:00

I recently came across a site called Wii Fit Routine. If Wii Fit is your choice for Wii exercise, I suggest taking a look at this site. Wii Fit Routine has a community for support, but more importantly, it has taken the guesswork out of Wii Fit workouts.

At Wii Fit Routine, you can find pre-made Wii Fitness routines to meet your needs. You can find 14 different 15 minute warm-up routines. Once you have completed your warm-up, move on to one of their workout routines. Workouts are 30, 45 or 60 minutes. Workouts are broken down into strength training, yoga, endurance or weight loss. Once you make that choice, you will then have numerous choices of easy, medium or hard workout sets. A 30 minute workout includes a stretch, warm-up, 20 minutes of exercise, then a cool down.

Each step of your Wii Fit Plus workout is planned with WiiFitRoutine.com. I think it is great that I can now have a full, targeted workout where I don't just randomly pick and choose an exercise. These workouts are only available to members of the site, and Wii Fit Routine is free to join. Other benefits of joining this community are fitness articles, diet plans and recipes.

If you love working out with Wii Fit Plus, definitely try one out a workout from Wii Fit Routine.

CTA Digital Adjustable Weight Dumbbell Set for Wii

2010-10-18T19:11:00.001-04:00

CTA Digital posted on their Facebook page about this Adjustable Weight Dumbbell Set that was recently released. They are made to work with the Wii remote and nunchuk. The remote and nunchuk are placed within the dumbbell, and you can add on just over 4 pounds of weight to each dumbbell. That's over 9 pounds to work out with while exercising with Wii! Plus the dumbbells can take either control, so if you are playing a game where you prefer to use a 2 Wii remote option, these dumbbells can accommodate that option. The set is also compatible for use with Wii Motion Plus controllers.

Check out their Facebook page for more information about the dumbbells, along with links to a video demonstration of the Adjustable Weight Dumbbell Set..

FriiBoard Review

2010-10-13T21:08:00.002-04:00

You may be wondering "What is a FriiBoard?" Well, you are in for a ride with the FriiBoard - literally! Read on to see how this fun balance board accessory can change how you use your Wii!

The FriiBoard is made by Swiit Game Gear. This is a balance board attachment. It is a heavy duty, curved piece of plastic that goes beneath your balance board. Once attached, your balance board will rock, sort of like a wobble board. This new motion of the balance board will make Wii ski, snowboard and skateboard games feel more realistic. It will also change the way you play Wii Fit Plus!

I couldn't wait to try out the FriiBoard. All you have to do is place the balance board onto the FriiBoard. I immediately popped in my Wii Fit Plus disc. One of my favorite games is Skateboard Area in Training Plus, so I decided to save it for last. I first tried out some balance games like Balance Bubble and Table Tilt. The FriiBoard changed the whole thing. Instead of leaning your body, you are now using the strength in your legs to rock the board back and forth to keep balance. And let me tell you, you will use your leg muscles from your calves up to your butt. And I definitely felt it in my legs the next day! With the FriiBoard, the Wii Fit Plus balance games now have the added bonus of being a lower body toner.

Next I tried the ski games in Balance Games. How cool! I have absolutely no real ski experience to compare this to, but using the FriiBoard certainly made doing the snowboarding so much more fun. After trying out some more activities, I finally went to Skateboard Arena. I had such a blast using the FriiBoard. It really gave me the feeling that I was using a skateboard. I used my whole body to rock back and forth to move my on screen skateboard. I could not believe how I worked up a sweat. Ever since I had first tried Skateboard Area I have been thinking about getting Skate It, a balance board compatible skateboard game. Now that I can use it with the FriiBoard, it is definitely on my "to buy" list. I tried the FriiBoard with We Skiand it was great. It required so much more body movement and made the game feel more realistic.

The instructions for the FriiBoard indicate to use it on a non-slip surface. I first tried mine on a rug. While I didn't have any problems with falling off the board, my constant movement on the board made it move and slide along the rug. I kept having to move it to get it back in place. I have started putting my board on a yoga mat to help keep it secure.

The FriiBoard is a great way to enhance your Wii balance board experience. There are a couple similar products that came out recently, but you'll find that the FriiBoard is a great deal costing only $19.99. The other similar attachments are more expensive. You can get it at the Swiitboard website for that price plus free shipping. If you prefer, you can get it on Amazon.comfor the same price. Plus it is made in the USA. Go for a ride on the FriiBoard!

Disclosure: I received the FriiBoard free of charge in exchange for a fair review of the product. All opinions and statements are purely my own.

Just dance 2 is Out

2010-10-12T20:28:00.000-04:00

For those anxiously awaiting it's release, Just Dance 2 is officially for sale today. As of right now while I am writing this there are already three Just Dance 2 reviews on Amazon.com, and all reviewers love it. It's is currently selling for about $36.00. Get dancin'!

Zumba for Wii Update

2010-10-06T14:48:00.000-04:00

Those of you anxiously waiting for Zumba Fitness for Wii, you'll have to now wait just a little bit longer. The new release date is November 18.

Take a close look at the box cover and in the bottom right you'll see that included with the game is a "Wii remote belt". This must be a way of Zumba-ing (is that a word?) controller free. Pretty cool!

Also Coming Soon:
Just Dance 2
EA Sports Active 2

Your Shape on Sale at Amazon.com

2010-10-02T14:10:00.000-04:00

If you were thinking about buying Your Shape, but have been hesitant over the price, go check out the bargain at Amazon.com. Right now it is for sale for only $12.92. That's a pretty good deal considering that it came out less than a year ago and was selling for close to $50 at the time.

Your Shape offers a great cardio workout. You will get a custom workout ever time you exercise.

Guest Post - Sara from My Basement Gym

2010-09-29T11:38:00.000-04:00

As part of my Wii Sucess Stories Series, I have invited Sara from My Basement Gym to talk about how she has successfully used the Wii as part of her fitness routine. Enjoy!

Hi everyone! I'm Sara, from My Basement Gym, and I was delighted when Lisa asked me to write a guest post for her Wii Fitness and Gaming blog. I'm a home exerciser, and I use my home gym, fitness gadgets, a huge variety of exercise videos, and my Nintendo Wii to stay active. I'm a very casual gamer with a bit of a short attention span, though I have a great time with my Wii. My last video game console purchase was Super Nintendo back in the 90s, but I was very excited when the Wii came out - even if I did wait about two years to buy it. ;) My favorite games include Samba de Amigo, Walk It Out, drums on Guitar Hero or Rock Band, and nearly all of the boxing titles for the Wii.

I don't use my Wii as my main form of exercise, but I really enjoy getting bonus activity by playing fitness games and other games that require movement. I'm always trying to figure out ways to integrate my cardio machines with the Wii, in an effort to add variety to both the machine exercise and the game play. So far I've been pleased with the games I've been able to "power" with my fitness equipment.

Walk It Out is an excellent example of a versatile game that can be used in many different ways. If you play the game using the remote and nunchuk option, I've found several ways to change up the game. Using a rebounder is a fun way to explore Rhythm Island, and I find that the exaggerated bouncing on the surface of the rebounder really registers well on the Walk It Out game. But, I do have the missed steps penalty turned off so staying on beat isn't a priority for me, heh. Another way I like to Walk It Out is on the treadmill, and I have fun speeding up and slowing down based on the beat of the music. It also translates well to the elliptical machine, and I've even been able to Walk It Out on my recumbent bike by strapping the nunchuk to my leg using the strap from EA Sports Active: Personal Trainer. Though it did require a heck of a lot of pedaling to get my character to walk!

Other games that work well with the above options are most types of free running, like in Jillian Michael's Fitness Ultimatum 2010 and Wii Fit Plus. Also, adding the rebounder to any type of boxing game can increase the activity level as well. My favorite boxing games include Gold's Gym Cardio Workout, Gold's Gym Dance Workout, and the fitness section of Don King Boxing. When I first read about the Wii rower that was coming out, I was hoping for some rowing games to go along with it, but as of this writing I'm not aware of any new titles that could be used with the rower. I'd certainly like to try some rowing games on my Waterrower!

For games where you don't need to press any buttons, I recently bought two Wiitality bands, and I like using them when I'm on the elliptical, as well as with boxing games. I'm happy with the fit and function so far. I also make good use of my Wii pouch, which I use to hold the nunchuk during Walk It Out and to hold the remote during free running games. I’ll continue to look for more ways to integrate Wii gameplay with my cardio machines, and I look forward to finding more games that translate as well as those I have tried so far.

Thanks for a great post, Sara! You have given me some new ideas and I think I need those Wiitility bands!

If you have had success integrating the Wii into your workout, I would love to hear your story and post it here at Wii Fitness and Gaming. Visit my Contact Page to e-mail me.

New Domain Name

2010-09-28T16:15:00.000-04:00

I have changed the domain name of Wii Fitness and Gaming. It is no longer a "blogspot". You'll still be able to access the site using the old domain, but you should probably bookmark it under the new name. The new domain is www.WiiFitnessAndGaming.com. Feed and RSS subscribers may need to re-subscribe. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Please keep coming back to visit!

Daisy Fuentes Pilates Review

2010-09-26T20:08:00.000-04:00

I took out Daisy Fuentes Pilates from the library. I had read some poor reviews of it, but since I have been wanting to get back into a Pilates routine, I thought I would give it a try anyway.

This Wii workout gives you 10 different Pilates poses that you can choose to do individually or as a part of 5 pre-made workouts. You also have the option of customizing a workout. If you are wondering if you are reading correctly, yes, it is right. There are only 10 exercises to choose from. There are only 5 pre-made workout sets that have anywhere from 5 - 10 poses to do. That's pretty slim pickings as compared to other Wii fitness games.

A very positive aspect of this workout is the tutorials for each pose. They have very detailed instructions for performing a pose as well as the proper way to be holding your Wii remote and placement of the balance board. If you haven't done Pilates before, then I would suggest doing these tutorials. If you jump right into a workout you may not know how to do the exercise since there will be no instructions at that point.

You will be given points and an accuracy level based upon your timing bar. This bar lets you know if you are performing each exercise at the right pace. I tried the pre-made workouts, and I wasn't too crazy about the flow of the set. In between each pose you will have to push the "A" button twice. It kind of disrupts the smoothness of the routine. Pilates is all about fluid motions, and having to constantly stop to point with the remote takes away from those motions.

The game box shows this as being balance board compatible, but you can still use this without the board. Only some of the poses use the board, but it is not required. If you choose not to use the balance board you won't get scored on points or accuracy.

I really was hoping this would work out. I really want to get started on a Pilates routine. This had so much potential. But the choices are too few and the workouts just don't move along as smoothly as I would like. Unless you're OK with buying a workout that only has 10 exercises, then I'd say skip this.

Walk It Out Song List

2010-09-22T14:07:00.001-04:00

If you have been curious about the entire Walk It Out song list, the Walk It Out Facebook fan page has it here. You'll find a lot of unknown names on the list, but you'll find most of the songs are upbeat enough to keep you walking at a good pace for at least a mile or so.

Other Posts relating to: Walk It Out

Do You Dread When the Wii Wants You to do Push-ups?

2010-09-15T22:20:00.000-04:00

I don't know about you, but I hate doing push ups. I avoid them in my Wii workouts like Wii Fit Plus and The Biggest Loser. One huge reason I don't like push ups is the discomfort I feel in my wrists. (Well, that and I find push ups are hard to do.) If you are willing to do push ups, but find them too hard or you find there is too much stress on your wrists, then take a look at Wii Push Up Bar from CTA Digital. This bar is designed to go right over your balance board to help make your push ups more effective and relieve pressure on the wrists.

A cool aspect of this bar are the detachable handles. You can put the handles in three different set ups to accommodate your comfort, as well as work out different parts of your arms. A video on Amazon.com demonstrates the different configurations and how simple it is to adjust the bars. It also demonstrates how the Wii Push Up Bar can help make your push ups more productive.

The four reviews on Amazon all give the push up bar 5 stars. Users say that it has helped with their wrists and has helped achieve a better push up. If you are ready to stop avoiding those push ups, take a look at the Wii Push Up Bar.

Just Dance 2 Song List

2010-09-08T18:20:00.001-04:00

Take a look over at Joystiq. If you have been waiting for the Just Dance 2 song list, here it is.

There are 44 songs listed. There are a lot of song titles that I don't recognize, but maybe once I hear the songs I will know them. My daughter will be thrilled to hear The Bangles "Walk Like an Egyptian", and I think it will be pretty cool to dance to The Beastie Boys and The Ting Tings.

Just Dance 2is scheduled to be released Ocotber 12, 2010 and is currently listed at $39.99. Amazon.com is running a special offer - if you order Just Dance 2, you will get $10 off a future order of a video game from Amazon.com. Not a bad deal, especially with all the great new game titles that are coming out soon. Take a look at the offer information on Amazon (right under the price you can click on "Special Offers Available".

Related Post: Just Dance 2

Upcoming Releases - EA Sports Active 2 and The Biggest Loser Challenge

2010-09-08T14:44:00.000-04:00

November is going to be a big month... look for the release of EA Sports Active 2 as well as The Biggest Loser Challenge.

EA Sports Active provides an incredible workout and is a top selling Wii workout game, so it's no wonder that there is going to be an EA Sports Active 2. Here is the product description:

"EA SPORTS Active 2 with Total Body Tracking will feature an innovative wireless control system powered by motion sensors in leg and arm straps that provide complete freedom of motion. Additionally, it will feature a heart rate monitor that provides constant on-screen monitoring, allowing users to capture intensity and optimize performance over time. Users will be able to track and share their workout data online through automatic uploading from their online connected console to their personalized EA SPORTS Active profile. EA SPORTS Active 2 with Total Body Tracking will make working out simple, fun and effective wherever you are."

Wow! I'm sold on the wireless control system and motion sensors for the arms and legs. The heart rate monitor is a great bonus. There is a video on Amazon.com that really gives you a good idea of the changes and improvements made to the original game. The graphics look like they have greatly improved. But with all of these advances comes a price - it is currently listed on Amazon at $99.95. It is scheduled for release November 16, 2010.

The other November release is The Biggest Loser Challenge. Here is the product description:

"One of the leading interactive health and fitness video games is back with The Biggest Loser Challenge. Players that are looking to lose weight or maintain will now be able to enjoy more than 125 exercise moves in four different environments"

I have used The Biggest Loser for Wii, and I thought the workouts were good. The exercises really were challenging and there was focus on working many body parts at once. But one issue I had with The Biggest Loser was the need to constantly move the remote to a different hand. Plus, there are a lot of floor exercises, and you are often instructed to put the remote in your pocket. I don't know about you, but none of my workout wear has pockets, so getting the correct response from the Wii remote was not easy to achieve. With The Biggest Loser Challengethere is now an option to work controller free. This is balance board compatible, and you have the option of using a stability ball or resistance bands. It is currently listed at $32.99 and is scheduled to come out November 2, 2010.

I Just Can't Stop Walking It Out

2010-09-03T16:42:00.000-04:00

I have become addicted to the Wii walking game, Walk It Out. I was a bit hesitant to even buy this game, but I am now so happy that I did, and I find myself looking forward to using it.

If you are not familiar with it, Walk It Out is a walking fitness game. You walk around Rhythm Island, and unlock event capsules that will create buildings, trees, cars and more that will create a virtual city all as you walk to the beat of the music. You can read my review here.

While you can use the balance board, I prefer not to use it. Without it, I can do a jog to faster songs. What I have even started doing is walking forward and backward, and I do a knee lift while I tighten my core. I now feel like I am getting so much more out of the workout than just walking! I find myself doing about 2 miles, and sometimes I don't even want to stop!

I have also been learning little things about the game. Sometimes I walk at night, but other times I walk in the afternoon. I have realized that some items can only be unlocked at certain times of the day!

If you have been unsure about buying Walk It Outas a part of your Wii workout routine, I recommend it!

Gold's Gym Dance Workout Reviews

2010-09-02T22:27:00.000-04:00

Gold's Gym Dance Workout has only been out for a few weeks, and it is has been getting some very positive reviews! This new dance fitness game is designed to get you dancing to a more fit you. It's a dance game designed specifically for fitness and weight loss.

With Gold's Gym Dance Workout you'll move to Latin dance and you will find more than 30 songs to get you moving, including Good Vibrations, Gonna Make You Sweat, I'm Too Sexy, and Heart of Glass.

Take a look at some of the great reviews and see if Gold's Gym Dance Workout is for you:

Amazon.com reviews - there are already 28 reviews, and 19 of them give Dance Workout 5 stars
Gamestop
My i Reviews
Best Buy

For me, it is looking like this game will be on my "to buy" list!

Universities turning to Wii Fit

2010-08-23T21:35:00.000-04:00

This is an interesting story from the Washington Post. It is discussing how various universities are using Wii Fit to help diagnose concussions in athletes as well as measure recovery from the concussion. This is being done with the use of the Wii Fit balance features. Stop by the and read all about this new trend as described in this article from the Washington Post.

Everlast Core Balance Trainer Wobble Board

2010-08-11T22:21:00.000-04:00

In a few weeks Everlast is coming out with the Core Balance Trainer Wobble Board for the Wii balance board. This is an attachment for the balance board designed for use in Wii Fit Plus balance games as well as ski, snowboard and skate games.

The balance board gets placed on top of the Core Balance Trainer, or it can be used alone as a wobble board balance trainer. This balance board attachment is similar in purpose to the one that I talked about here, which is the Wii Fit Radar Real Balanceattachment by CTA Digital.

I can't find much on this wobble board attachment, but one difference I can see between this one and the CTA Radar Real is that the CTA board is able to hold the Wii remote right within the board.

I really like the idea of this type of attachment for the balance board. It would add a whole different level to Wii Fit Plus games like Skateboard Arena and Tilt City, not to mention what it could do for leg strength. The CTA board is finally available through Amazon.com, and the Everlast board should be coming out on August 31. I haven't seen any reviews on the CTA board, so I am going to keep looking for reviews for that as well as the Everlast Core Balance Trainer Wobble Board to make some comparisons.

Wii 10 Minute Solution Review

2010-08-08T09:14:00.000-04:00

After all of my anticipation for this game, I finally got a chance to try Wii 10 Minute Solution Knockout Body when I took it out from the library. This game is based upon the 10 Minute Solution DVD series. In the game, you do 10 minute workouts that are comprised of two 5 minute workout segments.

There are three categories - cardio boxing, mixed games and step aerobics. I don't enjoy any of them on this game. I absolutely love Gold's Gym Cardio Workout, which is also cardio boxing. While the execution of the workout is similar for each game, the cardio boxing on 10 Minute Solution just can't compare. I immediately had to step up the difficulty level because the pace was so slow. I found the controls to often be unresponsive. I would jab or duck, and my avatar just didn't respond. Also, the icons are difficult to identify and there are no audio cues.

The next category Mixed Games, has four 5 minute workouts. On the screen, the first game is identified with a volleyball. That interested me until I found it was a game called Defender. There really wasn't much in the way of instruction for this game, but it is basically putting your arms out left and right to block a volleyball coming at you. Five minutes of this becomes tiring in a repetitive sort of way. Badminton next piqued my interest. Unfortunately badminton is just swinging your remote as if it were a racket, with little challenge. You will only see the back of your avatar, and not your competitor. If you have played tennis on Wii Sports, you know that the way you swing your remote may not always be the same as it comes out on the screen. Badminton is the same, except at a slower pace requiring less effort. Five minutes of this becomes boring. You can get more out of playing tennis on Wii Sports. Disc Grab is basically the same as Defender. The final workout in this group is Pugil Sticks, which is pretty much just a variation of cardio boxing.

The final section is step aerobics. I was definitely interested in this part being that there isn't much step aerobics for Wii games. Like some of the other workouts, these were just too repetitive and left me wanting more. Although the game says it is balance board compatible, you can't do step aerobics without the balance board of some type of workout bench.

The commentary got to me. It's nice to hear that you are doing a good job, even if it is from a video game. But hearing comments like "Ride 'em cowboy" really didn't do anything for me. In fact, the more I heard comments like that the less I wanted to play.

I was truly disappointed by 10 Minute Solution for Wii. The pace is too slow, the workouts are too repetitive, and there was too much non-responsiveness. This game is not the solution.

Related posts: Gold's Gym Cardio Workout review

Portions of this review can be found on my review of this game on epinions.com.

Doing a Happy Dance for Just Dance 2 !

2010-07-30T16:16:00.000-04:00

So if you can't get enough of Just Dance, but you are ready for some new moves and new music, Just Dance 2 is scheduled for release October 12, 2010. Amazon.com has it listed at $36.99, which is comparable to what the original Just Dance sells for. The game that made a huge hit at parties as well as for those seeking to get fit will be coming out with an all new sequel, and it looks like like there are lots of new changes and features.

Here is what is being listed as the features of Just Dance 2:

Chart-Topping Singles: Over 45 new tracks from classic hits and legendary songs to today’s chart-toppers.

Real Moves: Just Dance 2 features iconic dance moves choreographed by real experts in every style of music.

All New Game Modes: Dance off and party mode.

Just Sweat it Off: Just Dance 2 is a workout in disguise.

Based on the screen shots alone, it sure looks like there have been lots of changes from the original Just Dance.

You may be able to make out a couple song titles on the cover. I was also able to find a short, UNOFFICIAL, list of some of the songs on Just Dance 2:
1. I Got You by James Brown
2. When I Grow Up by Pussycat Dolls
3. Proud Mary by Ike & Tina Turner
4. Hot Stuff by Donna Summer
5. A Punk by Vampire Weekend
6. Idealistic by Digitalism
7. The Power by Snap!
8. S.O.S. by Rihanna
9. YMCA by The Village People
10. Tik Tok by Ke$ha

This was a list I found on an Amazon.com forum compiled by someone trying to find the Just Dance 2 song list. I don't know how accurate this list is.

Another new feature is that you can now play with up to 8 players. How great is that for a party? The new Just Sweat it Off mode sounds great for those who use Just Dance to exercise. Take a look at the Just Dance 2 videofor a peek at what is to come on Just Dance 2coming in October! In the meantime, keep on dancin'!

Related Posts: Just Dance

Wii 10 Minute Solution

2010-07-26T15:41:00.000-04:00

I was able to get 10 Minute Solution for Wii from the library today. Unfortunately, it seems as if this hasn't gotten such great reviews since its release a month ago. I'll be back soon to give my review once I have had a chance to try it out.

Inflatable Racing Kart for Mario Kart Wii

2010-07-10T09:03:00.000-04:00

OK. This is pretty cool. This is CTA Digital's Inflatable Kart designed for use with Mario Kart Wii and other Wii racing games. It includes a steering wheel that holds the Wii Remote.

I can totally picture my daughter playing Mario Kart in this and having a blast. The only problem I see is that we would need more than one. We play Mario Kart Wii as a family, so of course if there was only one Kart, we'd all be fighting over who gets to sit in it! Unfortunately, the Wii Inflatable Racing Kartis $36, so if we wanted to get two, we'd be shelling out over $70.

There is a video demonstrating usage of the inflatable kart. It shows adults sitting on it, so I would imagine that it is pretty durable. If you and your family love Mario Kart, this is a fun accessory to add to the game. I'll keep this in mind as a Christmas gift for the family.

Dora Dora Dora the .... Exerciser?

2010-07-06T22:37:00.000-04:00

In November 2010, Dora will be exercising instead of exploring. 2K Play And Nickelodeon will be releasing Nickelodeon Fit, a way for children to keep themselves physically active along with their favorite characters like Dora, Diego, Kai-lan and the Backyardigans. Nickelodeon Fit "features 30 exercise games targeting cardiovascular activity, core muscles, upper and lower body strength, balance, motor skill development and foot and hand-eye coordination" through games such as jump roping and river rafting. This will also be balance board compatible.

My daughter really enjoys playing Wii, but I prefer that she plays games that keep her moving and not just sitting on the couch pushing some buttons. I really like the idea of having a fun, physical game designed just for her. She has played other 2K Play games such as Dora Saves the Snow Princess and Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: Super Game Day. These games are great and wonderfully appropriate for a pre-school age child. They are very simple to control so even the youngest Wii player in your home can participate. The video and audio cues are terrific for a pre-schooler. Even those games got her up and off the couch, so I would expect that Nickelodeon Fit would be of the same high quality, and truly encouraging physical activity.

Read the entire Nickelodeon Fit Press Release as well as view some Nickelodeon Fit screen shots.

Zumba is coming to Wii!

2010-06-29T20:26:00.000-04:00

I read a post by Arrow Dynamic Mom that Majesco will be coming out with a Wii Zumba game. I have always thought Zumba looked pretty cool. But I would never go do it at a gym. I feel like I am pretty uncoordinated and that I would just wind up feeling embarrassed. But Zumba with a Wii in my home... yes!

I haven't been able to locate much information about Zumba for Wii, but there is already a page on Amazon called Zumba Fitness. It says that Zumba Fitness will be released October 19, 2010 for $39.99. There is an option to pre-order.

I will post updates about this as I find them!

Radar Real Balance Board Attachment

2010-06-27T19:45:00.003-04:00

The Radar Real Balance Board Attachment by CTA is now for sale. Here is what CTA has to say about this new Wii accessory:

"With our easy to use Tilt-Board attachment, you will be thrown right into the game! Your skills will be tested in snowboarding and skateboarding games like never before. By placing the Wii™ Fit balance board on the Tilt-Board attachment, your overall game experience will be pushed to the edge, literally. The Tilt-Board allows you to bank and tilt as you play your games by using your body weight to carve a turn, or avoid an obstacle. All you do is connect the Wii™ Fit™ balance board onto the tilt-board, and control it by shifting your body weight. The tilt-board attachment for the Wii™ Fit™ balance board adds a much more realistic quality to playing any balance board compatible game."

I think this new Wii accessory looks like it could be pretty cool to use with Wii Fit Plus games. I love Skateboard arena, so much so that I have been thinking buying Skate It. This new board could possibly make Skateboard Arena much more fun and challenging. I think this new attachment could also add another level of challenge to Wii Fit Plus balance games.Could you imaging doing Table Tilt Plus with this tilt-board attachment? I bet your legs would get an awesome workout while playing! Forget about Balance Bubble. I find that so frustrating as it is - I bet I could never do it with this board! The ski balance games would be great with this too.

CTA Digital also suggests that this can be used with just the balance board (no game) for balance training, so this new product can serve a dual purpose. It appears that it could take the place of a "wobble board", which is a balancing board designed for balance training.

I'll be keeping my eyes on Radar Real Balance Board Attachmentreviews to see what others think about it. This attachment is definitely on my list of Wii accessories to watch.

Why Wii Fitness is Better Than Going to the Gym

2010-06-21T13:32:00.000-04:00

I prefer to exercise in my home using Wii Fitness games. Here is my list of why I would rather use a Wii to work out and exercise instead of going to a gym:

A Wii has no membership fees or monthly fees
Using a Wii is cheaper than hiring a personal trainer
I can exercise on my own schedule, not by class or gym hours
I don't have to worry about when the gym's child care is open
I don't have to feel embarrassed exercising in front of a room full of other people
Wii fitness games give me personal feedback
A half hour workout at a gym can end up being an hour and a half out of my day. I have to get the kids ready, get them to the gym child care, pick them up....
I have my choice of any Wii workout right in my own home
I can customize my Wii workouts
I don't have to drive to the gym, only to find out the class I was planning to take has been changed to pole dancing. (Yes, this happened to someone I know!)

Wii Rowing Machine

2010-06-15T22:06:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago I introduced a Wii rower in this post, coming out on June 27, 2010. The features of this Wii rowing machine are:

Connects to the Wii remote
Tension knob for adjustable resistance
Compact and non-electric
Similar to gym standard rowing machine

I was initially unsure about the uses of this rower, but there is now a video with a short demonstration of this rower and the rowing machine features. That video can be found here. The video claims that the Wii rowing machine is good for use with Wii Fit Plus, Wii Sports Resortand Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum. I know that Jillian Michaels and Wii Sports Resort has rowing games, but I can't think of a good use for it in Wii Fit Plus.

The video also says this rower can help with abdominal workouts.
As demonstrated in the video, you would put your feet on the foot rest, and hold the handle while doing sit ups.

Until there are some more uses for this rower besides a couple rowing games, I think I'll have to pass on buying the Wii Rowing Machine.

New Blog

2010-06-14T21:15:00.004-04:00

I have started another blog. Please stop by to visit and follow!

Sugarplum Fairies

10 Minute Solution for Wii Pushed Off Again

2010-06-10T09:00:00.001-04:00

The release date for Wii 10 Minute Solution has been changed... AGAIN! This Wii game based on the 10 Minute Solution DVDs was supposed to come out last month, then the date was changed to Jun 22. Now the date has been changed again to June 29.

Other than this date change, I still have not been able to get any new information about this game besides what I have posted here, which has some screen shots and what little details I could find about this game. As soon as I can find more info, it will be posted here!

Wii Success Stories

2010-06-09T16:10:00.000-04:00

I often see or hear people asking if using a Wii Fit, or any other Wii fitness game, works for weight loss and getting fit. So now I want to share Wii success stories. I am hoping to post other success stories in the future. Right now I'll just write about my own progress using the Wii to get fit.

I have always been "petite". At 5 foot 1 inches, I'm not at all tall, and have a small frame. As I got older, the little belly I was getting started to bother me. After having 2 kids - and 2 c-sections - that belly was bigger, was making me feel uncomfortable, and it just wasn't going away. I had read about how difficult it can be to get rid of that baby belly after a c-section. That article was quite discouraging, and so for a while I just decided "Why bother?"

I had Wii Fit Plus, and I used it, but never used it often enough to make a difference. A few months ago I got Your Shape, and I got very motivated. I decided I want to feel comfortable in a bathing suit this summer. For me it's not about the weight, but more the body shape. I wanted to tone up overall and tone down the belly. In February I started working out with lots of Wii fitness games. I regularly use Your Shape, Gold's Gym Cardio Workout, Walk It Out, Wii Fit Plus, and I am currently doing the EA Sports Active 30 Day Challenge. (I get bored easily and need to change up my routines.)

I exercise at least four days per week, usually for a maximum of 30 minutes. I now see definition in my arms, and my thighs have a bit less jiggle to them. My butt is looking a little smaller, and now the little "love handles" along my waistline are gone. My belly is still there, but I know that will take a lot more time. The only exercise routines I do are with Wii fitness based games, so I know I can attribute my progress to the Wii.

I am now way more committed to this than I ever was especially now that I am seeing changes. I can definitely say that yes, working out with a Wii can help you become more fit!

Wii Fitness Games I regularly use:
Wii Fit Plus
Walk it Out
Gold's Gym Cardio Workout
EA Sports Active
Your Shape

Gold's Gym Dance Workout

2010-06-07T18:33:00.001-04:00

It was announced a couple days ago that Gold's Gym has teamed up again to help produce another Wii fitness game. The first was Gold's Gym Cardio Workout, which is a personal favorite. In a few months you'll be able to dance off the calories with Gold's Gym Dance Workout. This is quoted as being the "first dance game specifically dedicated to fitness and weight loss".

This will be a balance board compatible game, and according to Amazon.com, here are just some of the features:

Build your own circuit program or let the game create one for you. Circuit programs are continuous dancing and mini-game sessions lasting up to 30 minutes. Experience the fun of working out as you dance off extra pounds!
Your personal trainer teaches you dance moves, motivates you and increases the intensity of your workout based on your performance

I love exercising with Gold's Gym Cardio workout. You can read about my review of that game here. Hopefully this new game will be just as great of a workout. You can read more about the release at IGN. Amazon.comalready has it listed, so take a look there learn more about the game features. They even have a video about the game, and the game can be pre-ordered, so be sure to check out Gold's Gym Dance Workout!

What is the Best Wii Exercise Game?

2010-06-03T21:21:00.001-04:00

I have seen this question a number of times. Unfortunately there is no real answer to this question, especially with all of the choices there are now. What might be good for one, may not be right for the other. I am going to give a short synopsis of as many Wii fitness games as I can. Hopefully, it can help you answer the question of "What Wii fitness game is right for me?"

Wii Fit (Plus)- Wii Fit... the game that started a gaming fitness craze. You can do yoga and strength training exercises. There is also aerobic exercise, balance exercise, and "training plus". Training plus involves coordination, rhythm, and balance workouts. The aerobics, balance and training plus workouts, or mini-games, are all done with your Mii. These exercises are all different, unique and fun. Spin a virtual hula hoop, fly around like a bird, and even lead a parade! It is not intense cardio, but it is fun, and you will be moving and getting your heart rate going. You can create custom workouts with yoga and strength training. The balance board is good to have, as many other games (both fitness and regular games) are now balance board compatible.

Gold's Gym Cardio Workout- One of my personal favorites.The name may be a little misleading. While this is a cardio workout, it is based around shape boxing, or cardio boxing. Follow your trainer and on-screen icons as you get an awesome boxing workout. You will use jabs, hooks and crosses to work your arms. Ducking, weaving and blocking will work your legs and core. As you learn moves, the workouts will become more challenging, and new moves will be introduced. I have always enjoyed boxing, and I feel like this gives me a great workout. It really works up a sweat. There are ten other exercises on this game, four of which are balance board compatible.

Your Shape- Your Shape is a completely unique method of exercising. This game requires the use of a web cam which will display your image on the TV as you work out. This game allows you to exercise without having to hold a remote or nunchuk. You have the option of using a stability ball, a step bench, and hand weights. Follow the avatar as you get an awesome cardio workout. All workouts are very cardio based, but you can choose to target almost any body part. The camera technology can detect if you are performing the moves incorrectly and prompts you correct your form. What I like about this game is that no two workouts are the same. You will never get the same routine twice. It learns from your progress and tailors futures workouts based upon your results. There are some flaws that can occur as a result of the camera. There are sometimes errors resulting from shadows, color clothing, too much light, etc. But overall, a great cardio workout.

Walk It Out- Like the name indicates, this is a walking based game. I really wasn't completely interested in this one when I first tried it out, but now I really enjoy it. Walk around Rhythm Island and create a virtual city. There are lots of motivators to keep you wanting to walk more. I enjoy my walks now and I typically will walk 1.2 - 1.6 mile per game. This is a balance board compatible game.This one is great for someone who needs a low impact workout or on days where you need a less intensive workout.

My Fitness Coach- this is another controller free workout. Follow your trainer, Maya, in your workouts. This game has workouts for cardio, upper body, lower body and core. This is made by the same makers of Your Shape, so you may find some similarities, such as the audio and even some exercises. You can use a stability ball, step bench, and hand weights if you choose. The cardio workouts are so much like the Your Shape workouts that I don't do the cardio. However I do like to do the other workouts. They are not as cardio based and have very focused exercises. There is a My Fitness Coach 2, but I have not tried it.

The Biggest Loser - Based upon the TV show, you can train along with Bob or Jillian.Workouts are full body, core, upper body, or lower body. You can choose from varying workout lengths as well as intensity (light, moderate, challenging, etc). These are not high intensity cardio workouts, but more like a series of exercises.The exercises will definitely get your heart rate up and are also great at working numerous parts of your body at once, such as a knee lift with torso twist. There is a 30 day challenge that will help guide your daily workouts. This is a balance board compatible game.

EA Sports Active- I am only on day 2 of the 30 day challenge, but I am so happy with EA Active. This game includes a leg strap, which is used for holding the nunchuk during certain exercises. There is also the use of an included resistance band, which really increases the intensity of many exercises. The workouts are varied and fun, with a great amount of challenge. In the two days I have done exercises from lunges to cardio boxing to tennis to bicep curls. If you do not want to do the 30 day challenge, there a a large variety of workouts to choose from varying in time and intensity. You can also customize your workouts and play with another person. This game is balance board compatible. After only two days I think this one is great. And if you like EA Active, try EA Sports Active: More Workouts, which has even more workouts and challenges.

There is another Wii exercise game to be released soon, like 10 Minute Solution.

Getting in shape with the Wii can be lots of fun and effective, but the choices may be confusing. I hope these brief explanations helped get you started on the path to Wii fitness.

Walk It Out Review

2010-05-29T12:44:00.002-04:00

I have been doing Walk It Out for a few weeks, so I now have enough time with the game to give it a review.

Like the name says, this is a walking game. While walking for fitness in your own home, the game adds motivations and incentives to keep you going.

This game can be played with just the remote and nunchuk, plus you also have the option of using the balance board or a dance pad like one you would get in Dance Dance Revolution or Active Life Outdoor Challenge. I found that the dance pad slipped too much. I normally will use the balance board since it will record my steps the best. You can play with one or two players.

You will first set up your profile, then go through a brief tutorial. The tutorial isn't quite complete - it could use some better explanation, but between the manual and just using the game I started to get it. As your avatar walks around Rhythm Island, you will get credits for walking to the beat of the music. Depending on your choice of controls, your steps are measured through the nunchuk, balance board or dance pad. Your credits that you earn will help you create your virtual world. Your credits will allow you to get items from Event Capsules. Event capsules are located all around the island, and are worth varying credits. For instance a tree event capsule is 80 credits. To unlock a new route you may need 300 hundred credits. So you have motivation to walk and earn more credits so you can unlock more features of Rhythm Island. When I first started walking, I was the only one on the island. Now that I have some parts of the island unlocked and items have been built, more and more people are appearing. When I was able to try to unlock a suspension bridge for 1000 credits, I just had to get it. But of course that meant I had to take 1000 steps!

Something that surprised me was when I used Walk It Out at night. In the game it was nighttime too, and I was walking under the stars!

Below is a screen shot. The top left indicates when you should step, and the number is how many steps. Next to the steps is an event capsule that you are working to collect. This shot shows that you are working towards unlocking a park area for 550 steps.

The game comes with 120 songs to walk to, but of course those need to be unlocked as well. I know some of the songs, others I never heard of. In the beginning, I found the music to be a little repetitive, and I do need to focus some more on unlocking some more music. But the music is upbeat, and will keep you moving.

The game has lots of options like creating your own playlist out of the music. You can also adjust the credits. If you are finding it too hard to unlock items, you can set the credits required to easy. If you want more of a challenge, you can set it to hard.

I find that will normally walk 1.2 - 1.6 miles. The time goes really quickly when I have so much to look for on the screen. This makes a good workout for someone that is looking for low-impact exercise. My daughter even likes to walk with me. Since you can do two player walks, she will walk along with me, and I let her choose the event capsules. I also use wrist weights while I walk. (I'll review those weights at another time!)

I have found myself really enjoying my walks, and Walk It Out has been great on days that I need something less intensive than a cardio workout. Give Walk It Out a try!

Facebook Page for Wii Fitness and Gaming

2010-05-27T18:27:00.001-04:00

There is now a Facebook fan page for Wii Fitness and Gaming. Please stop by and click "Like"!

Wii Fitness and Gaming Facebook Page

Jumpstart Get Moving Family Fitness

2010-05-24T18:26:00.000-04:00

On June 1, Jumpstart Get Moving Family Fitness will be released.

Jumpstart is an award-winning brand and has developed educational software for kids for over 15 years. Now they have expanded their world to include a family Wii game, Get Moving Family Fitness. Jumpstart is teaching kids how fitness can be fun!

This family game is hosted by mom and fitness expert Brooke Burke. With this Wii balance board compatible game, you and your family can play 18 sports games such as basketball, volleyball and speed skating. This can be a single player game, or compete together as a family.

Here is a video right from the Jumpstart blog:

This could turn out to be a nice family game. I showed my daughter the video and her eyes lit up as she asked "When can we get it?". I have no problems with my kids playing Wii, as long as it is an active game. I especially like having something for them to do in the winter when we are stuck in the house, and they don't get any exercise. My daughter has tried Wii Fit Plus, but she gets frustrated with it sometimes. Jumpstart Get Moving Family Fitness may be just what we need!

This is being released next week on June 1, plus it can be pre-ordered through Amazon.com. It also qualifies for the current Amazon offer of buy a video game, get $5 in MP3 downloads as I posted here. Get your family moving!

Buy a Video Game from Amazon, get $5 in MP3 Downloads

2010-05-23T14:28:00.000-04:00

I mentioned this offer a couple weeks ago when I placed a video game order, but at the time I could not find anything on Amazon.com to confirm it. But now the offer is up. Buy a qualifying video game, get $5 in MP3 downloads from Amazon.com. Here are the details right from Amazon:

Add at least one qualifying game offered in the Amazon.com Video Games Store to your Shopping Cart and complete the purchase or complete the purchase through 1-Click ordering. The video game items that qualify are games in the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, PSP, Game Downloads, or PC &; Mac categories offered in the Amazon.com Video Games Store that display the offer message on their product detail pages.

After completing your purchase, you will receive an e-mail indicating that a $5 credit for Amazon MP3 music downloads has been applied to your account automatically and providing instructions for redeeming your credit. Additional Amazon MP3 restrictions apply. See Terms and Conditions

Promotional offer is valid from May 7, 2010 12:01am through June 15, 2010 11:59pm.

Redemption credit must be used by July 15, 2010 11:59pm.

I qualified for this offer a couple weeks ago. Amazon has many, many songs to choose from. Individual songs are usually $0.99, so you can get 5 songs. I love getting new songs for my iPod, so I was thrilled to get this little gift for buying a new Wii exercise game.

Qualifying Wii fitness games include Walk It Out, Your Shape, and Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board. Of course lots of other video games will qualify as well. The offer is listed right on the item page, so you will know if it is a qualifying video game. So order your next video game from Amazon.com, and add a few new tunes to your playlist too!

Just Dance Contest

2010-05-21T08:28:00.001-04:00

A few days ago I wrote about Just Dance. Well, I have just come across this Just Dance Talent Contest on Facebook. Submit a dance video and enter to win a chance to be a guest choreographer on the next Just Dance game. I myself will close my front blinds when I play Just Dance - I don't really like to be on display. But maybe you'd like to make a video. Or if you don't want to submit your own video, go take a look at the current entries and vote for your favorite!

Wanna Just Dance?

2010-05-19T09:56:00.001-04:00

Just Dancemay not be a fitness game, but you can definitely have lots of fun and get a good cardio workout at the same time!

Just Dance is an easy to follow dance game. There are 32 songs to choose from, ranging from oldies to today. Amazon.comhas a list of all the included songs. It's really pretty simple - using the Wii remote, all you have to do is mirror the avatar's on-screen movements. The better you do, the more you can score. The dances require a lot of arm movements. You will definitely find your arms getting tired and your heart rate going up. I don't focus on getting points. Sometimes I will modify the moves a little bit to get even more out of it. For instance, if the dance requires me to lift my leg, I will instead do a full knee lift. The songs are given 1-3 stars for difficulty and effort. If you pick around five songs to dance to, especially with a higher level of difficulty and effort, you will certainly get a good 20 minute cardio workout!

The downside to this game is that the graphics aren't that great, and you can't save individual scores. But that really doesn't prevent you from having fun.

This is also a game that anyone can play. My 5 year old loves playing Just Dance, and my 2 1/2 year old has even started asking to play too! (I just wish my daughter would stop singing Britney Spears' "Womanizer" all the time!) I really don't mind playing with them since I know I'll get some exercise out of it. It is also a great party game. Since you can play with up to 4 people we have played together at family get-togethers and it produces lots of laughs.

So if you need a little change and fun in your cardio exercise for the day, give Just Dancea try.

Will Wii Fit Make Me Loose Weight?

2010-05-17T13:32:00.002-04:00

I have seen this and other similarly phrased questions across the internet. You are using a video game console. The balance board isn't magic. These things won't make you loose weight. You need to make you loose weight. The balance board, Wii Fit Plus, and everything else are just the tools you use to help you do it.

So let's try asking a different question. Will Wii Fit help me loose weight? That deserves an entirely different answer. There are now numerous Wii exercise options out there to choose from. Choose one or even a few different Wii fitness games if you want. Commit to using them on a regular basis, and along with a proper diet, you should see some changes. I find that as long as I plan my exercise routine into my daily schedule, I make sure I have time for it. I only workout with Wii exercise games. I do it on a regular basis (at least 4 times per week for 1/2 hour each time) and I have seen my body improve. So yes, Wii Fit can help.

So choose your fitness games, make a commitment and have a positive attitude. Once you actually start doing the exercises on a regular basis, over time you should see results.

Click to see how you can get Wii Fit Secrets

New Wii Accessories to Be Released

2010-05-15T08:51:00.001-04:00

I came across some new Wii accessories that are being released by CTA Digital.

One item is this Wii Rower. This is designed to simulate a gym-style rowing machine. The Wii remote is housed in the handle. It's an interesting concept, but I have no idea what Wii game would need it. If anyone has any ideas please leave me a comment.

The second accessory is the Wii Fit Radar Real Balance. This one I am pretty exited about. The product description refers to it as a "tilt board attachment". It says that it is good for balance games and snowboarding/skateboarding games. The balance board gets attached to the balance attachment. Here are a couple images from Amazon:

I can see the Radar Real Balance being a great tool to use in Wii Fit Plus balance games. I also love Skateboard Arena in Wii Fit Plus, and this may make it even more of a challenge. It is even suggested to use the tilt board on its own as a balance trainer. I am definitely going to keep an eye on this one!

Both of these products are scheduled to be available with Amazon.com on June 27.

Day #2 with Walk It Out

2010-05-13T13:20:00.003-04:00

I did Walk It Out again today, and I enjoyed it so much more! I did 1.2 miles today. I did the instructional part of the game the other day, but there were just a few things that I did not understand. Today it all clicked with me! I had so much more fun playing today and time went by so fast. This can be played with 2 players, and once I told my daughter, she now wants to walk with me. We'll be taking a walk at home together soon!

Initial Thoughts about Walk It Out

2010-05-11T16:23:00.004-04:00

I tried out Walk It Out for the first time today. Released last January 2010, this is a relatively new exercise game for the Wii. This is a low-impact exercise routine focused around walking for fitness.

This game requires the use of the remote and nunchuk, plus you can use either the balance board or a mat (from Dance Dance Revolution or Active Life Outdoor Challenge). I have Active Life Outdoor Challenge, so I tried it first using the mat. I wasn't too happy with the mat, as it kept sliding, so I decided to go with the balance board. With the balance board you are only supposed to raise and lower your heels rather than do an actual walk. I tried both. With only raising and lowering your heels the whole time, you will certainly feel in it in your calves when you are done. I can feel it now!

After filling out my profile and going through a brief training, I began my walk. As you walk, you are supposed to click on icons which will create your virtual world. Walking and clicking at the same time was a little confusing at first. Or rather, it made me feel uncoordinated, but it got easier as I walked. There is music playing while you walk. Some songs I recognized, some I didn't. Some songs are not by the original singer either. But that is all OK - they are all upbeat and motivating and all you have to do is walk in time with the music.

Today I did .07 miles. It certainly didn't feel like I walked that far so I guess all the distractions like clicking on the icons did a good job of making time pass quickly. I used Wii Ankle Or Wrist Weights while I walked for an extra bit of a workout. I was definitely slowing down a bit towards the end. And if it weren't for my daughter wanting to play Wii, I may have gone on longer.

So far I think Walk It Out is OK. I need some more time with it. I think as I go on it will get more interesting. The training indicated there are some "events" (mini-games) along the way. For those who need a low-impact workout at home, this would make a good choice for an at-home fitness workout. As I play more I will keep you updated on my thought about Walk It Out!

How is Wii Fit Plus Different than Wii Fit?

2010-05-08T17:44:00.002-04:00

If you are Wii Fit owner, you may have been wondering what the difference is between the original game and the Wii Fit Plus. If you get the Wii Fit Plus disc, you will find that everything about the original game is there and unchanged. All of your profile information, goals and stats remain unchanged. But you will also find a lot of new activities. There are some new yoga poses and some new strength training exercises. You will also find a section called Training Plus which has 15 new activities, broken down here:

Perfect 10 - balance board. Shake your hips so your Mii can add up the numbers. Not only do you get to exercise your midsection, you've got to think quick too.
Island Cycling - balance board and remote. "Pedal" your way through town to find all the flags. This of course requires lots of legwork. A nice feature is that you will have to "pedal" harder to go uphill.
Rhythm Kung Fu - balance board, remote and nunchuk. Keep in time to the rhythm and follow the patterns using kung fu movements. One of my favorites, even though I can't always follow the pattern.
Golf - balance board and remote. Practice your golf swing and even see the movement of your center of balance and track your weight shift. I'm not too interested in this.
Segway Circuit - balance board and remote. Use your balance and the remote to race along the beach and get all the beach balls popped in a given time.
Bird's Eye Bulls Eye - balance board. Flap your arms like a bird, soar through the sky and land on your targets. This takes lots of arm work, balance and control.
Snowball Fight - balance board and remote. Hide behind the shield then aim at and hit your moving targets with snowballs.
Obstacle Course - balance board. Run and "jump" through a virtual obstacle course. This one takes timing and concentration. I'm not so crazy about this one because you are supposed to be running which you can't really do on the balance board.
Tilt City - balance board and remote. Use the remote and balance board to get the balls into the right bucket. This takes great eye/hand/feet coordination. This one is a challenge and takes some practice!
Rhythm Parade - balance board, remote and nunchuk. Use your sense of rhythm to lead a parade. This takes good coordination of hands and feet.
Big Top Juggle - balance board, remote and nunchuk. Practice your coordination and timing as you balance yourself on a ball and juggle in the circus. This is another one that takes a lot of concentration.
Skateboard Arena - balance board. Use the balance board to skateboard. This works on your balance and agility. Surprisingly, this one really gets my heart rate going. It's another one of my favorites.
Table Tilt Plus - balance board. This is an enhanced, more difficult version of the Table Tilt game on Wii Fit.
Balance Bubble Plus - balance board. This is an enhanced, more difficult version of the Bubble Balance game on Wii Fit.
Basic Run Plus - remote. An enhanced version of the Basic Run from the Wii Fit. You can now unlock new paths to run.

You can now create your own yoga and strength training routines. You will also find Wii Fit Plus Routines which are pre-made targeted groups of exercises.

You can find all of this information as well as more details about Wii Fit Plus here, which is a review that I wrote.

When you are ready to get Wii Fit Plus, take a look at Amazon.com which is currently selling Wii Fit Plus for around $16.00.

Click to see how you can get Wii Fit Secrets.

Related post: Do I need Wii Fit to Play Wii Fit Plus?

$5 MP3 credit for buying a game on Amazon.com

2010-05-07T10:34:00.003-04:00

I just purchased Walk It Out for Wii a few minutes ago. I was thrilled that when during checkout, I got this message:

Important Message
Upon order of your purchased qualifying video games item, you will receive an email indicating that the $5 credit for Amazon MP3 music downloads has been applied to your account automatically. The credit may be used only for Amazon MP3 downloads available at www.amazon.com. You must redeem your credit (in one or more transactions) for Amazon MP3 downloads by July 15, 2010. Customers may only become eligible for the $5 MP3 offer once during the May 7, 2010 to June 15, 2010 promotional period.

It looks like this promotion is just starting today, which may be why it is not showing on the Walk it Out page yet. I looked around Amazon and couldn't find any other information about this offer. But it is valid - I already got my e-mail so I can redeem my MP3 credit. So keep an eye out for this offer. Note that the promotional dates are May 7 - June 15, 2010.

I'm off to look for some music to put into my iTunes now! Go take a look at Amazon.com. I will update when I can find more info about the promotion.

Update on 10 Minute Solution

2010-05-06T22:43:00.001-04:00

A few days ago I wrote about Wii 10 Minute Solution in this post. When I wrote that last Sunday the release date was May 25. Upon checking today on Amazon, the release date has been changed to June 22. Amazon.com is still taking pre-orders for this game.

Gold's Gym Cardio Workout

2010-05-05T18:05:00.002-04:00

Of all the ways I have tried using the Wii to work out, my absolute favorite is Gold's Gym Cardio Workout. This game consists of numerous workouts based around cardio, or shape, boxing. Following the on-screen icons, you will box your way through an awesome workout routine. There are also additional exercises.

In this game you will follow the avatar of your trainer as you learn jabs, hooks, ducking and weaving and more. First you will start out training to learn the moves, then you can progress onto harder levels. As you improve, you can move up in levels which have increased difficulties. And the harder the level, the more challenging the workout. Workouts can begin with a warm up which takes about six minutes. Each level has several different warm ups to choose. The main workouts last anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes, but they are broken into two segments.

There are 10 additional exercises, four of which require the balance board. Most of the exercises are also based around boxing. The four balance board exercises are push ups, squats, leg lifts, and a back exercise. Don't be concerned if you don't have a balance board. Those four exercises can be done on your own without a balance board. The board is not required at all during the shape boxing workouts. If would like to read my review, please read my detailed review here.

Take a look at this video review to see what this game is all about:

I have always loved boxing, and the workout it gives me is terrific. I always work up a sweat and I can definitely feel it in arms. If you like boxing on Wii Sports, I really think this is something different that you will really enjoy.

I purchased this a few months ago for $19.99. The price at Amazon is now down to around $15.00, so it is a great time to check out this game. Have fun boxing!

Initial Thoughts about My Fitness Coach

2010-05-05T14:14:00.001-04:00

So I tried out My Fitness Coach yesterday. There was a lot to enter for my profile. I did a workout, and my first thoughts right away were "This is Your Shape, but without the camera". I need a few more days to better judge this and I'll be back to tell you more about it!

I got my hands on My Fitness Coach

2010-05-04T09:24:00.001-04:00

A friend loaned me her copy of My Fitness Coach. This is one Wii workout I haven't tried yet. I can't wait to try it out later while my son is napping. I'll write mote about it in a few days when I have had a better chance to use it. The Amazon.com ratings for My Fitness Coach are pretty good. I'm looking forward to a fun workout today!

Amazing Deal on Your Shape for Wii!

2010-05-03T15:36:00.000-04:00

Amazon has Your Shape for Wii selling now for only $19.99! This is an amazing deal. Only few months ago when it was first released it was selling for $49.99, so the current price is less than half of the original cost. If you had any thoughts about getting Your Shape, now is the time. It is also eligible for free shipping.

I wrote a detailed review on Your Shape a couple months ago. You can read that review here. To summarize that review, the game has some flaws, but overall I think Your Shape is great. It gives me a great cardio workout, and I love the personalized feedback I get through the use of the camera. It also helps me from cheating on my workouts when I have the instructor saying things like "You better get moving!" You have your choice of using a stability ball, a step bench or hand weights during your workouts. You can choose any or all of the accessories.

Here is a link directly to Amazon.com so you can take advantage of getting this great workout tool at an awesome price:

Turn your Balance Board into a Step Bench

2010-05-02T22:33:00.002-04:00

If you feel like your Wii workouts have been lacking something, try converting your balance board into a step bench with a balance board riser. The one I use is the Everlast 3" Aerobic Step. It comes in three pieces, and with a coupe twists of a screwdriver, you will have a riser on which to place your balance board. The balance board will be raised up three inches, which makes a huge difference in many of the Wii workouts. For instance, my aerobic step workout in Wii Fit Plus has had such a different feel since I started using the step riser.

I also use Your Shape, and there is an option to use a step bench. At first I never chose this option, until one day it occurred to me to use my balance board. But the balance board really didn't make much of a difference since it is only an inch off the ground. My Your Shape workouts have been way more effective since I have been using my balance board as a step bench.

I have found the Everlast 3" Aerobic Step to be sturdy and secure. It only take a moment to set up. This is what the riser looks like with the balance board:

I paid $25 for this riser only a couple months ago. Now you can get it for only about $15. I highly recommend it for your Wii fitness exercises.

Wii 10 Minute Solution

2010-05-02T08:45:00.003-04:00

The popular 10 Minute Solutions DVDs are making the transition to the Wii. In a few weeks, Activision is releasing 10 Minute Solution for Wii.

If you are not familiar with the DVD series, these workout DVDs contain 4-5 ten minute workouts for burning belly fat, pilates, etc. Your daily workouts can be customized by picking and choosing which group of the ten minute workouts you want to do.

This new Wii workout game will cover cardio to strength training. Amazon.com says that 10 Minute Solution will be released on May 25, however I haven't been able to locate many other details about this new game. The game cover says "10 minute cardio workouts for a knock-out body". This is the only other information I could find:

Quick, fun and stackable 10-minute workout sessions
Customizable characters and activities
Compatible with the Wii Fit Balance Board
Health and diet tips for a deeper and all-encompassing fitness experience

I wish there was a little more information about this game. I would at least like to know how many different 10 minute workouts are included.

Screenshots from the 10 Minute Solution page:

As of today, the game is being release on May 25, 2010. If you just can't wait, you can pre order on Amazon.
.

Do I Need Wii Fit to Play Wii Fit Plus?

2010-05-01T15:07:00.001-04:00

This is a question I have seen a lot. It's kind of a yes and no answer.

Wii Fit Plus is being sold in two versions. The first is the Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board, or the Wii Fit Plus bundle. This packages the Wii Balance Board and the game. This version is for those who do not already own Wii Fit and is what you will see selling for around $100.

The second version is the Wii Fit Plus or "Game Only". This version is for someone who already has Wii Fit and the balance board. You are only buying the game disc for about $20. All of your previous information from Wii Fit will be saved.

Click here to order Wii Fit Secrets.