Jan 19
Jan 09
Roy picked this up for me from Best Buy this weekend when it was on sale for $19. It’s a pretty good program. It’s almost exactly like the one we had for Xbox (that didn’t quite work right with Xbox 360…every now and again she’d “yoga move” right through the floor…a tad disturbing). Maya, the trainer, starts you out by putting you through a fitness evaluation. In this one you even take measurements. Very cool. I did the evaluation last night and we did a yoga session.
After you’ve been evaluated she gives you a suggestion for what you need to work on. You choose a schedule for using the program, and then do a workout. This morning I did the cardio workout. It’s most beneficial if you have all the equipment it’s designed to work with: fitness ball, step, weights, heart rate monitor. I didn’t feel like pulling out my HRM, so I just checked ball, step, and weights. (Hey, the strap is too cold to put on at 4:30 in the morning.)
The workout is well rounded and fast paced, which I appreciate. One of my bones of contention with many workout videos is that there is too much time spent “setting up” a routine. I don’t want to stand there while the trainer explains for 60 seconds. Yes, I am that impatient. If I am working out for 60 minutes, I want to be sweating for 60 minutes, not 54:43. Yes, I am that anal retentive.
The workout starts with a warmup that uses dynamic stretching. Very good. Static stretching at the beginning of a workout can cause muscle damage and can lower your ability to perform well during a workout. The warm up takes approximately 5-7 minutes. A timer on the screen shows you how much time is left in your workout. There is also a bar across the screen that states the current movement you are doing and “moves” with the time so you can see not only how much time you have left in this particular move, but which move is next so you can prepare to transition into it.
The cardio portion was approximately 35 minutes long and is fast paced and (today) utilized the bench. Moves transitioned quickly. I had a hard time with a few of the step moves because I have the coordination of a hippo on stilts, but I was getting them when they repeated the second time, except one. One I never got so I simply chose another one I could do. Hey, what was Maya (the trainer’s name) gonna do? She can’t really see me. (Can she?) If you’ve had a step class, the moves are pretty standard moves of varying difficulties. If you’re new to step, they would be a challange. But again, no one can see you and unless you post it on Youtube just go with it and keep moving.
At the end of the cardio portion a rest break gives you time to get water. She reminds you to drink, which is great. This rest time doesn’t come out of the workout time either, so be aware that if you have only 60 minutes, the 60 minute workout takes about 65 total with rest and transition. She also asks you how challenging the workout was. You can select tell her it was easy, your heart was pumping, or you couldn’t keep up. Since I said “No Sweat!” on each segment, she assured me she’d make it harder next time.
B****
Today’s workout went into core conditioning after the cardio. It actually continued with some cardio after the rest to cool down a bit. You don’t want to move from hard cardio to floor work without letting your heart rate fall, so again…a very good thing. The floor work was challenging, but my only beef was that there were too many rests between movements. Of course that’s just me. I kept on crunching and often was able to double.
Core moved into flexibility with some modified yoga moves that were described pretty accurately. Having done the yoga segment last night, I had the same complaint…the animated character moves in and out of the positions too quickly so you can’t really “see” the transitions. If you’ve had a yoga class, you’ll know not to do that.
After both of those sections, again, I was asked how they went. “No Sweat!” left me with the comment that she’d really kick it up a notch tomorrow. (She might have even said *BAM*.)
Cool down stretching takes approximately 4 minutes and is done slowly and carefully. She then tells you you did a great job (I did), and she’ll see you tomorrow.
I wish it used the interactivity of the Wii. That’s a negative in my book. Although the benefit of that is that you do NOT have to have the Wii Fit balance board to get a good workout. If you’re looking for Wii Fit but can’t find it, this is a much cheaper alternative until stock is back in stores.
Overall the only complaints I have are listed above. They’re minor. I used the Xbox game quite a bit, so know that my next workout will be different. That’s the main benefit of this. A DVD is static, but this is more along the lines of a fitness class. I also know that if I do the other focal points, it will integrate the ball and weights.
There are four areas of focus:
-Cardio
-Upper Body
-Lower Body
-Core
You choose your focus at each workout, although one is already suggested. There is also a yoga segment. Workouts can last from 15 to 90 minutes and are very well paced. Moves are intelligent, and the character reminds you to do things like engage your core, don’t pull on your neck, and breathe correctly.
I give this game a **** out of ***** stars. It’s not as “fun” or interactive as Wii Fit, but it is a very well rounded workout that will have you sweating and feeling like you really accomplished something.
Jan 05
Join me on my resolution run. I run seven miles and share my resolutions for the year.
Tags: goals, motivation, resolutions, runcast, running
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