Console fitness?

[Hitchie]

Before you read any further, I want to say that I have no intention of using a console to get fit. At the moment it is body weight exercises for me and when money and time afford I'll be back in the gym (can't wait).

 

However I just wanted to ask if any one has had any success stories with them? I saw a post of a friend on facebook that they wanted to get fit and was doing a 90 day programe to get fit. Naturally, I pointed them to Nerd Fitness, and I think that they have a fairly good mentality and goals going into this. But it was a comment of a friend of their on facebook that got me thinking about this. They were hoping that my friend getting fit would encourage them to plug in their console and get fit too.

 

I am the kind of person that can pick out a gimmick pretty quick and throw it by the way side. But I am just curious if any one has had experience with console fitness programes, and what kind of result have they achieved.

 

Thought it might spark some conversation.

 

-Hitchie.

[SpecialSundae]

I've got Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 for the Kinect and use it regularly for cardio and circuits (bodyweight and dumbbells).

It isn't perfect but it's not a bad option for cardio warm-ups, days when I'm not using my weights room and fun fitness (particularly whilst I can't run).

I can't say what effects it has had though because I'm using it alongside strength training and other forms of cardio.

[SSquirrel]

If people are currently doing nothing and SE a console to start exercising, it's better than nothing. I think the people who claim just playing their Wii made them lose weight are full of it, but using the balance board to do yoga and the exercise stuff from Wii Fit or some of the stuff on the 360 or PS3, it certainly seems reasonable

I don't know any personally who have done this for their weigh loss routine tho

[NicoleCanoes]

I use my kinect all the time in the winter. It's much more fun than the treadmill. I am usually a sweaty mess after zumba. The other dance games are not as hard. The fitness one has some good body weight abs and legs routines. The adventure game gets pretty intense on solo hard. The rest of the games are more for parties but definitely better than sitting on the couch.

[WizardTrip]

Not specifically a fitness game, but in the past I have used Dance Dance Revolution as cardio. I have some heavy duty mats, an old hacked Xbox using Stepmania with over 1000 songs, and some friends and I would play it non stop for hours. If you work up to the more difficult settings, even better.

[((TheShake))]

I've been using UFC Personal Trainer on XBox Kinect for a while now. They do 30 and 60 day programmes for strength and conditioning, endurance and weight loss. I did 30 day weight loss programme and, coupled with a good diet along with running and the gym, managed to lose 25lbs in around 8 weeks.

Console fitness is definitely worth a go but only when done alongside other activities and diet.

[Raikas]

Not specifically a fitness game, but in the past I have used Dance Dance Revolution as cardio. I have some heavy duty mats, an old hacked Xbox using Stepmania with over 1000 songs, and some friends and I would play it non stop for hours. If you work up to the more difficult settings, even better.

 

About 10 years ago I knew someone (a friend of a friend) who lost 20kg (just under 50lbs) playing DDR. 

 

I also have a co-worker who used the WiiFit to work on her yoga and she went from not being able to touch her toes to being fairly flexible - and she said it improved her skiing, so there's that.

 

To answer the original question:  is it gimmicky?  Sure.  But like a lot of fitness fads, it works if you work with it, so who cares if it's gimmicky if people are having fun with it (and getting results, if that's what they're after)?

[Maledictus]

My brother swears by/at UFC for XBOX.  I keep toying with the idea of writing some lifting form check software for the PC using kinect but I never seem to have the time.