Could Playing The Wii Compare To Real Exercise?
There is a big debate currently raging over whether Wii Fit, the fitness simulator and computerised exercise trainer already out for the Wii in Japan and Europe, and due out in the U.S. soon, could ever be a viable option for real exercise. That game, combined with the massively popular Wii Sports, means kids can potentially get a wide ranging session of exercise all from the comfort of their own home, and playing their games console.
Greg Chin, a teacher at Archbishop Joseph MacNeil in Edmonton, Vancouver, decided to test the games out to see how much of a good workout they actually gave his class full of junior high school students.
He had them compare real exercise with playing Wii Sports, and came up with some interesting results. While he won’t know the results in full until next week, he has already noted that some of the kids heart rates reached 170 beats per minute, only 10 beats off the 180bpm expected of someone at that age taking part in a proper workout.
He told The Vancouver Sun:
“I was surprised at some of the heart-rate readings. So far, the Wii has been better than I expected.”
While their remains doubters to the cause, there is no doubt in my mind that the Wii, and games such as Wii Sports and Wii Fit could prove a boon for a generation which is lazy and generally do less exercise than the last one.
While it may not be as good as going for a 10 mile run, or a two hour swim, a kid playing a game requiring physical activity on the Wii is going to be doing themselves more good than one who sits down playing PS3 or Xbox 360 all day.
April 30th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
[...] it’s questionable how useful Wii Fit will be for the general population, you have to hand it to Nintendo for at least trying to increase fitness levels. Okay, so they are [...]
May 18th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
[...] by offering $10 gift card to anyone who pre-ordered the game by May 10th. A Teacher in Canada even tested the game out as a possible alternative to more traditional forms of exercise, with surprising [...]