I think Wii Fit is absolutely fantastic - it's truly inspired. 
It comes with the Wii Balance Board, which is basically a set of four digital strain gauges (feet) under a white battery-powered platform that connects to the Wii wirelessly as Wii Remote #4.
The inventor, in an interview on the Nintendo Channel, says that he got the idea after noticing how Sumo wrestlers weigh themselves on two scales (probably because one scale couldn't cope!) and that the relative readings give an indication of balance. Four scales give the possibility of measuring centre-of-gravity position.
The 'game' is really about 40-odd activities, spanning from a 'body test' (BMI and balance/agility tests) through to...
...muscle workouts (various stretches and the most awful press-ups I've ever tried, since your hands have to be close together to fit on the Balance Board)
...aerobic workouts (jogging actually doesn't use the Balance Board - you just stick a Wii Remote in your pocket and run on the spot). Hula hoops are one of the more clever activities but a bit 'girly' Steps - on and off, in various directions, are carried out to music, in time with other Miis, and with an audience clapping and cheering... surely only the Japanese
...Yoga - I found this quite difficult - of course, all the time you're being reminded of how much you're swaying about!
...balance games (my favourite is the ski slalom) which don't exactly work up a sweat but definitely require careful control.
The claim is that by being more aware of balance, we can improve our postures and build muscles more effectively. I imagine that rigorous use of the muscle workouts would achieve this - but I still can't do more than three of those press-ups...
One thing you can be certain of - the execution is brilliant - as a friend's wife said: "it's so cute - both you and your Mii". There is a slight snag in that it's quite slow to switch between Miiis (have to back out to the first screen). But watching your friends FAIL at the balance tests is priceless. I was also shocked to find that my BMI of 21 is higher than my friends And my Wii Fit age is ten years older than I am
-Alex
It comes with the Wii Balance Board, which is basically a set of four digital strain gauges (feet) under a white battery-powered platform that connects to the Wii wirelessly as Wii Remote #4.
The inventor, in an interview on the Nintendo Channel, says that he got the idea after noticing how Sumo wrestlers weigh themselves on two scales (probably because one scale couldn't cope!) and that the relative readings give an indication of balance. Four scales give the possibility of measuring centre-of-gravity position.
The 'game' is really about 40-odd activities, spanning from a 'body test' (BMI and balance/agility tests) through to...
...muscle workouts (various stretches and the most awful press-ups I've ever tried, since your hands have to be close together to fit on the Balance Board)
...aerobic workouts (jogging actually doesn't use the Balance Board - you just stick a Wii Remote in your pocket and run on the spot). Hula hoops are one of the more clever activities but a bit 'girly'
Steps - on and off, in various directions, are carried out to music, in time with other Miis, and with an audience clapping and cheering... surely only the Japanese ...Yoga - I found this quite difficult - of course, all the time you're being reminded of how much you're swaying about!
...balance games (my favourite is the ski slalom) which don't exactly work up a sweat but definitely require careful control.
The claim is that by being more aware of balance, we can improve our postures and build muscles more effectively. I imagine that rigorous use of the muscle workouts would achieve this - but I still can't do more than three of those press-ups...
One thing you can be certain of - the execution is brilliant - as a friend's wife said: "it's so cute - both you and your Mii". There is a slight snag in that it's quite slow to switch between Miiis (have to back out to the first screen). But watching your friends FAIL at the balance tests is priceless. I was also shocked to find that my BMI of 21 is higher than my friends
And my Wii Fit age is ten years older than I am -Alex
