A Gamer’s Guide to Fitness Tips Using the Wii

Undoubtedly, no other console has merged fitness and gaming as successfully as the Wii, with Wii Sports and the more recent Wii Fit. Before Wii Sports was launched in 2006, video games were unfairly perceived as a “lazy” habit. After the sports simulation game hit the mainstream, though, even video gaming’s biggest critics couldn’t deny that the Wii was getting gamers of all ages on their feet. In fact, the Wii even birthed the term “exergaming.” While the Wii has since spawned other games, Sports remains one of its most iconic releases, which was even recently honored with a spot on the World Video Game Hall of Fame. Not bad for a game that features bobble-headed avatars playing golf, tennis, and more on a pixelated field.

That said, just because the Wii has gamified fitness doesn’t necessarily make it any more effective. To get visible and lasting results, gamers must still learn how to approach their Wii-empowered fitness routine best. Here are a few tips on how:

Mix up your routine

We’ve all heard that the best workout is the one you can stick to, so it’s important to find an exercise you enjoy. This is true regarding consistency, but you still need to have some diversity to challenge your body. With the Wii, you may be tempted to stick to the one game you like best, but don’t be afraid to experiment every so often. For instance, if you favor the Wii Fit’s cardio-based Hula Hooping game for fat burning, why not occasionally switch that out with the plank challenge for strength training? Doing so ensures your entire body is being activated and various aspects of your overall fitness are being addressed.

Make it a social activity

As per a Statista survey, many gamers turn to video games as a means of bonding. After all, video games provide a common interest and a shared goal. With this in mind, your Wii fitness regimen should be no different. Instead of just playing solo all the time, try inviting some friends for a multi-player experience. After all, social support provides great motivation for weight loss and overall fitness. Not only does having a buddy or community of like-minded people make the experience more fun, but it also helps keep you accountable. People who approach wellness with others even find that they can maintain their results for longer. Using the Wii, you can try multiplayer games like boxing or Zumba.

Keep it lighthearted

Since Wii Sports and Wii Fit usually have you competing against an in-game goal, it’s easy for some players to get tilted. If you let this feeling fester, it can taint your overall experience and even cause you to rage-quit indefinitely. To prevent this, focus on your personal goals. Let’s say the game wanted you to get to 10 rounds to claim victory, but you were only gunning for seven rounds yourself. So long as you’ve hit the latter, there’s no need to beat yourself up. Doing it this way will make the Wii fitness journey much more tailored to you and your lifestyle. Over time, you may be surprised to see that taking the slow but steady and pleasant approach has brought you closer to your end goals. This also preserves and improves your mindset, complementing the mood-boosting benefits of working out anyway.

Be realistic

In line with the above tip, when setting your personal goals, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. This isn’t to say that you should be lax, but you’re better off being more modest but sustainable. It’s important to keep in mind that consistency trumps intensity. With your Wii, this means you don’t have to keep focusing on routines that run 60 minutes and longer if you feel like that will only drain you. If you do, it’ll soon feel more like a chore and less like a fun exergame. Since time is the biggest barrier for most people, schedule even just 30 minutes of Wii workouts a day. An example of a quick Wii workout you can do is the NFL Training Camp. Here, you can do a few drills in a fairly short amount of time. Many health insiders note that the average person only needs about 175 minutes of moderate exercise per week, spread across the days, for effective health management. Even just these few minutes have been found to help improve cardiovascular fitness, cognitive processing, and mobility.

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