Do you need to go for a Wii?
The Wii has brought physical activity to the computer game generation. The experience and interface has the game player moving in a way that no other computer game has managed previously.
The Wii was launched on 8th December 2006 in the UK. Have we seen a change in the nation’s health since then? Is there any group that has improved their health? Have people improved other aspects of their lifestyle since becoming Wii users? Does average Wii use equate to thirty minutes of moderate activity a day?
There is no doubt that a Wii is fun. I am not normally interested in computer games but the Wii is different. It seems to me that skills are more transferable. What I mean is, that I was never very good at using a keyboard or joystick. When I play the tennis game on Wii I use the controller in a similar way to a tennis racket. But I get the feel of playing tennis without actually having to learn how to grip the racket or run around very much. It is easier to get going.
The television commercials that I have seen portray the Wii as a family console. Everyone gets involved. In the same way that a family might play Frisbee in the park after a picnic, they might now head for the Wii after Sunday lunch.
All in all, I feel that it’s important to keep the Wii labelled as a game console. Not fitness (or sports) equipment. It’s great fun but my childhood is filled with memories of grabbing a tennis racket and hitting a ball against a wall for hours. Or heading for the park with friends to find a game of football. Sometimes we would go to White City Stadium and try the high jump or shot put. Those actual (rather than virtual) experiences set up a love for sport and exercise that I just can’t shake!
What do you think? Do you use a Wii for fitness? Have you got good results?