Thinking about getting a Wii

dakotababy
dakotababy Posts: 2,406 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone - So i have been thinking about getting a Wii system...and the new Wii U will be coming out here in 2 weeks.
I am just wondering what games for the Wii are effective for a decent workout (breaking a sweat at the very least!)

I was thinking I wanted to try the Wii tennis and a Wii Boxing game (any recommendations for these would be wonderful)

Any other games that you have enjoyed and found were effective would be awesome to hear your reviews!

Replies

  • sweettalkinggirl
    sweettalkinggirl Posts: 76
    I have used Wii Fit, which is great for learning some basic Yoga moves, and also Wii Sports but I wouldn't recommend them for burning calories if you are looking for a high calorie burn. The Just Dance Series though is great (you could log it under dancing - general) you can dance around and build up a sweat with their moves while listening to some great tunes. Hope this helps :)
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    "golds gym"..it's old and can be found very cheap second hand..it made the lbs MELT away...it is by far and easily the best workout 'game' i have played and you dont even need that worthless board for it. bu it will make you ACHE bad the first couple of times...it's a boxing exercise game..and it's AWESOME!
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,406 Member
    I have used Wii Fit, which is great for learning some basic Yoga moves, and also Wii Sports but I wouldn't recommend them for burning calories if you are looking for a high calorie burn. The Just Dance Series though is great (you could log it under dancing - general) you can dance around and build up a sweat with their moves while listening to some great tunes. Hope this helps :)

    So is Wii fit (which i have heard good things about) mainly yoga?
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,406 Member
    "golds gym"..it's old and can be found very cheap second hand..it made the lbs MELT away...it is by far and easily the best workout 'game' i have played and you dont even need that worthless board for it. bu it will make you ACHE bad the first couple of times...it's a boxing exercise game..and it's AWESOME!

    Right on! thank you very much - ill try to find this one!
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,406 Member
    "golds gym"..it's old and can be found very cheap second hand..it made the lbs MELT away...it is by far and easily the best workout 'game' i have played and you dont even need that worthless board for it. bu it will make you ACHE bad the first couple of times...it's a boxing exercise game..and it's AWESOME!

    Right on! thank you very much - ill try to find this one!

    I am assuming it is the "cardio" one?
  • carramel0705
    carramel0705 Posts: 183 Member
    zumba works up a sweat , i also like the biggest loser
  • jaylas_mom21
    jaylas_mom21 Posts: 311 Member
    We have Just Dance 2 and I used to play it and would get a good workout!
  • BehindBlueEyes988
    BehindBlueEyes988 Posts: 433
    I have used Wii Fit, which is great for learning some basic Yoga moves, and also Wii Sports but I wouldn't recommend them for burning calories if you are looking for a high calorie burn. The Just Dance Series though is great (you could log it under dancing - general) you can dance around and build up a sweat with their moves while listening to some great tunes. Hope this helps :)

    So is Wii fit (which i have heard good things about) mainly yoga?

    From what I saw on Wii Fit, yes, mainly Yoga. It's "cardio" is merely jogging in place which is not the same as going out. But the yoga it teaches is quite useful. My mother raves about the EA Sports pack
  • phoebeleb
    phoebeleb Posts: 172 Member
    I have had my Wii for several years and love it! These are my favorite games for fitness exercise: Gold's Gym Cardio Boxing, Exerbeat, Zumba 2, the Dance party series, EA Sports fitness, Walk it Out; I just keep switching them out...and yes, the tennis and some other games are fun too, to do by yourself and with your family.
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,406 Member
    zumba works up a sweat , i also like the biggest loser

    I have just looked up "Zumba for Wii" and there is like 3 or 4 different games - can you be specific please?
  • sweettalkinggirl
    sweettalkinggirl Posts: 76
    I have used Wii Fit, which is great for learning some basic Yoga moves, and also Wii Sports but I wouldn't recommend them for burning calories if you are looking for a high calorie burn. The Just Dance Series though is great (you could log it under dancing - general) you can dance around and build up a sweat with their moves while listening to some great tunes. Hope this helps :)

    So is Wii fit (which i have heard good things about) mainly yoga?

    There is a large yoga and basic strength training sections as well as games that focus on balancing and shifting your weight. However an hour of the low intensity workout only burns around 270 calories and I find I don't build up as much of a sweat or increase my heart rate compared to when I go for a 50 minute walk on the treadmill doing a reasonably fast speed. But that is just me - others may have had a different experience with this software.
  • tistal
    tistal Posts: 869 Member
    Zumba! But honestly, I worked up more of a sweat on Zumba 1 than I did on Zumba 2! But it is so much fun and a great workout!
  • fishax
    fishax Posts: 33 Member
    I borrowed a friends last year with a view to buying one myself and was not impressed. Did not work up a sweat and there was way too much slow time for my liking.
  • AliandTrev
    AliandTrev Posts: 194 Member
    I like EA Sports Active 2. I also have the Golds Gym cardio and boxing games.
  • Moosycakes
    Moosycakes Posts: 258 Member
    I have used Wii Fit, which is great for learning some basic Yoga moves, and also Wii Sports but I wouldn't recommend them for burning calories if you are looking for a high calorie burn. The Just Dance Series though is great (you could log it under dancing - general) you can dance around and build up a sweat with their moves while listening to some great tunes. Hope this helps :)

    So is Wii fit (which i have heard good things about) mainly yoga?

    I have Wii Fit Plus, and it isn't mostly yoga :) Yoga is one section, there's also a section with push ups and that sort of thing, and there's a balance section and an aerobic section.
    If you get it, I recommend the Plus version, because it isn't much extra and it has another extra section with heaps more mini games including cycling, which is really good for working up a sweat, plus you get to go and explore the island that the game is set on while you do it! There's also a martial arts game which is pretty cool.

    Also, Wii Sports (which comes with the console) has boxing, whic is pretty good for getting fit too! :)
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    My mother successfully used a Wii to lose weight, and I've tried it. I don't think it's a good deal for a person who's even slightly more active than 'sedentary', unless they are older or have real limitations.

    These are the games I saw on the Wii fit: yoga, some cardio: 'hula', stepping on and off the thing, and some bodyweight strength moves.

    Most of them incorporate the 'balance board' in ways I'd think might not be biomechanically sound. Is it good for your body to do a pushup or squat off the Wii (and only those pushups or squats)? Probably not, if that's all you do. Your movements have to be limited to accommodate the equipment, and it should be the other way around.

    For at-home workouts when I started, I preferred DVDs and youtube videos.
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    Same thing with the sports game on the wii.

    When you *actually* swing a tennis racket or golf club to hit a ball, you get physical feedback (the weight of the racket, the force of the ball). With the Wii controller, there's no feedback*, and the controller's really light. So you can easily wind up swinging out farther than is safe. Plus you're learning a movement pattern that's got nothing to do with an actual sport. Same with the boxing, no feedback.

    Imo, Wii = crazy fake movements that might actually be hurtful

    (except for the stepping on and off it and maybe the hula)

    (unless all you ever want to do is use the Wii)

    *the controller vibrates a bit, but not in proportion to the force you exerted
  • emmeylou
    emmeylou Posts: 175 Member
    The wii is what you make out of it! We got it, and used the heck out of it (including the wii fit!), and still do! The wii fit is NOT only yoga, not at all. I found that the wii games did make me sweat (even as much as I get at the gym), but again, it was all about effort. If you just stand there and swing your arms, of course you aren't going to do much. BUT, if you really go for it and make it fun then yes, you do get a great workout. It even helps you keep track of the calories you burned during the workout.
  • Tsunami79
    Tsunami79 Posts: 122 Member
    Zumba 2 is great for getting a work out and sweating.

    Walk It Out does not make you sweat much, but you do burn some nice calories.
  • babycakes1970
    babycakes1970 Posts: 111 Member
    I would not rule out getting an Xbox 360 with kinect sensor. This is what I have. When we were considering what kind of console we wanted. we considered what I wanted it for and realized that the Xbox 360 with kinect was probably the far better deal since your own body is the controller unlike the wii. True there are currently more fitness games available on the wii simply because kinect is still fairly new. Xbox does have all the zumba games as well as sports , Your Shape Fitness Evolved and UFC Fighter.

    In fact I have used the wii that we have at work and in all honesty I prefer my Xbox 360. You do not need to buy a balance board either.
  • KimZM
    KimZM Posts: 21
    Hey everyone - So i have been thinking about getting a Wii system...and the new Wii U will be coming out here in 2 weeks.
    I am just wondering what games for the Wii are effective for a decent workout (breaking a sweat at the very least!)

    I was thinking I wanted to try the Wii tennis and a Wii Boxing game (any recommendations for these would be wonderful)

    Any other games that you have enjoyed and found were effective would be awesome to hear your reviews!

    new to this thread;;;;i used the wii to get started..i use the wii fit with the combined workouts so not as much stopping in between, then i got wii zumba, and now i have the biggest loser challenge which i like the most.. it is the most customizable one i have found so far

    and because my balance board can act as a scale as well i like that..but the controller part sometimes annoys me
  • azwaa
    azwaa Posts: 81 Member
    I would go with the kinect on xbox over a wii (we have both) The tracking system is far superior as are the fitness games, if only by virtue of having the newer technology. I just got the Nike Trainer for Kinect, and I was sweating for real, plus I didn't need to hold onto any little controllers, and it wouldn't count my push up until I tilted my butt down into proper position. I have never broken a sweat on the boxing game for the wii and the game play on was amazing when it came out, but it has been surpassed.
  • stayceal
    stayceal Posts: 19
    zumba works up a sweat , i also like the biggest loser

    I have just looked up "Zumba for Wii" and there is like 3 or 4 different games - can you be specific please?

    I just tried the Zumba Dance Party for the first time last night, did about 20 minutes and I definitely worked up a sweat! I would recommend it if you aren't a workout fanatic. It's fun and you get a decent workout.
  • c2111
    c2111 Posts: 693 Member
    Hi have tried Wii, its slow and cumbersome, I recommend Xbox kinnect fitness evolved, cardio boxing, ab workouts, boot camp, yoga, tai chi etc lots of dance :)
  • carramel0705
    carramel0705 Posts: 183 Member
    zumba works up a sweat , i also like the biggest loser

    I have just looked up "Zumba for Wii" and there is like 3 or 4 different games - can you be specific please?

    I had the first one Zumba fitness , i just picked up Zumba core ( Christmas gift to me from gifts card i received)
    I love it even more then the first one.

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