WiiFit Less Fit Than WiiSports

[Greg Tito]

WiiFit Less Fit Than WiiSports

Research states that the health benefits gained from playing Wii Fit is less than recommended fitness guidelines.

The Wii Fit game, for use with the Wii Balance Board, is intended to be a wonderful workout for the whole family. The game and peripheral sold over 20 million copies worldwide for Nintendo. By all accounts, it was a huge success, but research released by University of Wisconsin La Crosse Exercise and Health Program declared that the exercise in Wii Fit is a "very, very mild workout" and that gamers would be better served playing Wii Sports for any real health benefit.

One can understand how standing on a balance board for long periods of time might not exactly be sweat-inducing, but the research used six of the more energetic activities in its experiments: Free Step, Island Run, Free Run, Advanced Step, Super Hula Hoop and Rhythm Boxing. Of those, Island Run and Free Run were the most vigorous and burned the most calories, but even then, neither held significant longterm fitness benefits. With each activity studied, researchers found that performing the actual activity burned much more calories than the virtual one on Wii Fit.

One of the study's authors compared the game with another Nintendo game, Wii Sports, which makes no specific claim to increase fitness. If you are going to use a game to gain most of your exercise, John Porcari, Ph.D. stated in the study:

You're better off doing Wii Sports than Wii Fit. In Wii Sports there's more jumping around, and you're not constrained by having to stand on the balance pad. I just think there's much more freedom of movement and you get a better workout [with Wii Sports].

I can relate. More than any of my attempts to "play" the boring Wii Fit, playing most of the games in Wii Sports and the new Wii Sports Resort gets my heart pumping faster than a greyhound on speed. No matter how fast you pull the paddle, that damn canoe doesn't seem to go any faster. My poor gamer joints have been sore for days from a vigorous tennis match. And that is something that I can't say in relation to any other game I've ever played. I wonder if Nintendo would have been served had they marketed their suite of games as a fitness regimen, instead of only the Wii Fit series.

We don't have electronic personal trainers yet [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_227/6753-Gamer-Size-Me], but at least we're headed in the right direction.

via Industry Gamers [http://www.industrygamers.com/news/wii-fit-called-a-very-very-mild-workout-by-study/]

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[[Cold-Shoulder]]

*Trying to not burst into laughter*
I'm not surprise but I still find it funny.
I would rather just "exercise" instead of paying for a game that I'll probably never even bother to play.

 

[Curtmiester]

I still find it hard to believe Nintendo can actually sell a console and call it a "work out". This may seem like a dick thing to say but, I'm glad it backfired.

 

[Mr. Fister]

I still find it hard to believe Nintendo can actually believe they can sell a console and call it a "work out". This may seem like a dick thing to say but, I'm glad it backfired.

It didn't really backfire if it sold over 20 million units, now did it? And Miyamoto has been saying from day one that it's more of a first step in adopting a more active lifestyle than it is a practical workout device.

And I'm not surprised that WiiSports is a bigger workout than WiiFit. Most of Fit's games are based on balance where Sports actually requires effort, especially Resort's swordfighting and canoeing games.

 

[theownerer]

Playing the actual sport burns more calories then playing a video game? What!?

And wii sports really doesnt exercise much after you realize that you can do a tiny wrist movement instead of doing what you would actually do.

 

[Amnestic]

And wii sports really doesnt exercise much after you realize that you can do a tiny wrist movement instead of doing what you would actually do you can play it like a tool.

Fixed.

Might be an okay plan for Zelda, but if you're not jumping about for WiiSports you're doing it wrong.

 

[Curtmiester]

I still find it hard to believe Nintendo can actually believe they can sell a console and call it a "work out". This may seem like a dick thing to say but, I'm glad it backfired.

It didn't really backfire if it sold over 20 million units, now did it? And Miyamoto has been saying from day one that it's more of a first step in adopting a more active lifestyle than it is a practical workout device.

And I'm not surprised that WiiSports is a bigger workout than WiiFit. Most of Fit's games are based on balance where Sports actually requires effort, especially Resort's swordfighting and canoeing games.

But don't yu find it kinda awkward that a ame based on exercise isn't as good as a game that isn't? I'm not saying it didn't make money, most of Nintendos buyers now don't actually game and think that just because the game says exercise it's an actual work out.

 

[oneplus999]

the research used six of the more energetic activities in its experiments

this is not true.

they only did one of the four categories of exercises. the strength training exercises and some of the "games" are the two that actually get you worked out the hardest, and they didn't even test those.

 

[oneplus999]

And wii sports really doesnt exercise much after you realize that you can do a tiny wrist movement instead of doing what you would actually do you can play it like a tool.

Fixed.

Might be an okay plan for Zelda, but if you're not jumping about for WiiSports you're doing it wrong different than me and so i'm going to judge you for that.

Fixed.

 

[theownerer]

And wii sports really doesnt exercise much after you realize that you can do a tiny wrist movement instead of doing what you would actually do you can play it like a tool.

Fixed.

Might be an okay plan for Zelda, but if you're not jumping about for WiiSports you're doing it wrong.

Id much rather be doing it wrong then and so will most people. Why flail your arms around like a moron when you dont have to?

 

[Amnestic]

And wii sports really doesnt exercise much after you realize that you can do a tiny wrist movement instead of doing what you would actually do you can play it like a tool.

Fixed.

Might be an okay plan for Zelda, but if you're not jumping about for WiiSports you're doing it wrong different than me and so i'm going to judge you for that.

Fixed.

Yeah, all those adverts of people jumping about on their feet having fun by Nintendo were just a clever doubletake to trick you into buying it so you could sit on your arse.

 

[Woodsey]

All Wii Sports does is buff up your wanking arm.

 

[Tharwen]

With each activity studied, researchers found that performing the actual activity burned much more calories than the virtual one on Wii Fit.

Wow... I can't even think of anything sarcastic enough to put here.

 

[Disembodied_Dave]

y'know what game will really give you a work out? Boom Blox Bash Party. Man my arms are sore just thinking about it.

 

[Pingieking]

I wonder how they managed to get the funding for that research, assuming that Nintendo didn't pay for it.
This research probably can't even qualify for an Ig Nobel prize. Why do people fund stuff like this when there are much more important and interesting subjects?
Example: Can carbonated soft drink be used effectively as spermicide? Latest research shows conflicting results, so we need some more research money to sort this thing out. Might come in handy for people who live in communities that don't approve of the usual contraceptives.

EDIT: Upon recollection, I seem to remember DDR as being the most physically demanding game I've played. I wonder if that thing burns more calories than actually dancing.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

I still find it hard to believe Nintendo can actually sell a console and call it a "work out". This may seem like a dick thing to say but, I'm glad it backfired.

I guess the minor arm flailing required is a bit more activity that just alternating between leaning in and lounging.

 

[ZeroKadaver]

Did anyone notice the abhorrent failure the researchers committed in the "study"? Wiifit is designed to teach people how to perform various activities and they do so in short bursts. When exercising properly people start with light stretching, move to cardio, and finally strength training only to do the first two again in reverse. Activities/Exercises in Wiifit last 3-5 min and show people various techniques which are to be practiced and perfected with the balance board.

It grades you on how well you perform the exercise. Just because the game doesn't tell you that a proper workout consists of xyzyx with each variable consisting of various activities to complete a full body workout.

Understanding this the researchers fail in their assumptions that Wiifit and WiiSports are comparable. An informed person would understand the difference and be able to get the most out of the product.

 

[Graustein]

And wii sports really doesnt exercise much after you realize that you can do a tiny wrist movement instead of doing what you would actually do you can play it like a tool.

Fixed.

Might be an okay plan for Zelda, but if you're not jumping about for WiiSports you're doing it wrong.

Id much rather be doing it wrong then and so will most people. Why flail your arms around like a moron when you dont have to?

Because it's fun?

 

[Electrogecko]

Lol I'm picturing people running back and forth across the room while playing wii sports tennis.