We have all seen the ads, the toned girls working out at home in front of their Wii Fit, Xbox Kinect or Playstation Move consoles. But today we answer the question everybody wants to know...
Is losing weight at home via Wii Fit or other games consoles REALLY as effective as going to the gym?
As a Fitness Instructor, it would be very easy to condemn the use of home gamin equipment instead of actually going to the gym however I want to be very clear that the benefits of tools such as the Nintendo Wii Fit or Xbox Kinect certainly has it's place in the fitness community. Here are a couple of reasons we believe this software works.
* Have you ever heard anyone say they must lose some weight before they go to the gym? As a trainer, I have, and it drives me crazy. However, if you do lack the confidence to join a public gym, this is now a very god option.
* It's very easy to fit in a workout when you have the tools in your house. Convenience is an understatement.
* A games console costs less than a home gym or a gym membership, and has other uses such as keeping the kids entertained.
* The technology we currently see is developing all the time.
As a trainer myself, I absolutely embrace the direction the gaming industry is taking here. While many less secure personal trainers and fitness instructors would openly dismiss the notion of working out at home as they consider it a potential threat to their own income, or even their job, anyone comfortable with their knowledge and customer base can only see this as a great step forward for exercise and fitness in general.
Make no mistake about it. If you have never really been one for working out or trying to lose weight in the past, then a Wii fit, Xbox Kinect or Playstation Move will provide you with an EXCELLENT starting block. And the technology is moving forward all the time. As a trainer I cannot wait to see where this leads in the next five to ten years.
Is it as effective as actually going to the gym? No. Well, actually, this depends on what you want to do in your workout. For stretching, yoga based activities and perhaps even cardiovascular training the keep fit games console is an excellent tool.
When it comes to a heavy weights session, or any other form of resistance training, the software isn't in the same league as hitting a gym for real. However, given the constant progress made in the gaming world I wouldn't be surprised if one day you and I met via a Playstation for one of my workout routines instead of face to face.
If you are thinking about buying an Xbox Kinect, Playstation Move or Wii Fit for weight loss purposes then a as a Fitness Instructor I highly recommend that you do. Not only will you be able to achieve great results with what is already available right now, but it gets better all the time.
Is losing weight at home via Wii Fit or other games consoles REALLY as effective as going to the gym?
Click here for Fitness Instructor Russ Howe\'s review of Weight Loss with Wii Fit
As a Fitness Instructor, it would be very easy to condemn the use of home gamin equipment instead of actually going to the gym however I want to be very clear that the benefits of tools such as the Nintendo Wii Fit or Xbox Kinect certainly has it's place in the fitness community. Here are a couple of reasons we believe this software works.
* Have you ever heard anyone say they must lose some weight before they go to the gym? As a trainer, I have, and it drives me crazy. However, if you do lack the confidence to join a public gym, this is now a very god option.
* It's very easy to fit in a workout when you have the tools in your house. Convenience is an understatement.
* A games console costs less than a home gym or a gym membership, and has other uses such as keeping the kids entertained.
* The technology we currently see is developing all the time.
As a trainer myself, I absolutely embrace the direction the gaming industry is taking here. While many less secure personal trainers and fitness instructors would openly dismiss the notion of working out at home as they consider it a potential threat to their own income, or even their job, anyone comfortable with their knowledge and customer base can only see this as a great step forward for exercise and fitness in general.
Make no mistake about it. If you have never really been one for working out or trying to lose weight in the past, then a Wii fit, Xbox Kinect or Playstation Move will provide you with an EXCELLENT starting block. And the technology is moving forward all the time. As a trainer I cannot wait to see where this leads in the next five to ten years.
Is it as effective as actually going to the gym? No. Well, actually, this depends on what you want to do in your workout. For stretching, yoga based activities and perhaps even cardiovascular training the keep fit games console is an excellent tool.
When it comes to a heavy weights session, or any other form of resistance training, the software isn't in the same league as hitting a gym for real. However, given the constant progress made in the gaming world I wouldn't be surprised if one day you and I met via a Playstation for one of my workout routines instead of face to face.
If you are thinking about buying an Xbox Kinect, Playstation Move or Wii Fit for weight loss purposes then a as a Fitness Instructor I highly recommend that you do. Not only will you be able to achieve great results with what is already available right now, but it gets better all the time.
About the Author:
Author: Russ Howe is a respected Personal Trainer. Watch his free video review of Wii Fit vs Xbox Kinect.