I tried it: Wii Fit Yoga
Nintendo released the Wii Fit game on Wednesday (see my original July 25, 2007 post). Players use a wireless balance board, which is reminiscent of a bathroom scale, to practice yoga, strength training, and aerobics, in addition to balance games such as Ski Slalom and Tightrope Walk.
My husband found the review copy on our doorstop Wednesday morning, and had it hooked up in 45 minutes and had gone running and skiing before I even had a chance to look at it. Naturally, I was most interested in the yoga component. But first, I chose a Mii character that would be my on-screen personality (Gema) and completed a body test that revealed my BMI (20) and my Wii Fit Age (eight years younger than my actual age. Yahoo!). Then it was on to yoga. There are 15 yoga poses, but only four were “unlocked.” I needed to practice for a certain amount of time before the next yoga pose was available to me. After doing Deep Breathing, Half Moon, Warrior, and Tree Pose two times each, I was allowed to practice Sun Salutation and Standing Knee pose. But after 65 minutes of practice, I still didn’t have access to the other nine poses, which was frustrating. Even though I executed the poses “perfectly,” I could not move to the next level until I had exercised the required amount of minutes.
As I did each pose, the game could tell if I was balancing correctly or if I was favoring one leg or another. In fact, it is easy to become more focused on the Balance Indicator than doing the pose properly. At the end of each pose, the game gave me a ranking of Yoga Newcomer, Yoga Novice, Yoga Trainer, or Yoga Master. It also ranked me against my past performance and other yogis who used the game earlier. My friend, Grace, didn’t like this feature. It made her feel too competitive, she said.
The balance board is two inches high, and it was a little strange doing Warrior Pose with one foot elevated on the board, and the other on the ground. But at the end of the day, I do think Wii would be a fun way to help beginning to intermediate level yogis develop a home practice. Wii Fit, with the Wii Balance Board, retails for about $90. To play Wii Fit, you must first have the Nintendo Wii game system, which costs about $250.
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Comments
I came across your review by searching yoga warrior pose in google, and then finding this site. I thought your review was very well thought out, and I'm glad you think it will help newbie yoga people like me. I thought Yoga was mostly a female thing, but that was just stupid. The stretching involved is great for my back and my entire body. Maybe after I get a regime down with Wii Fit, I can move on to bigger and badder yoga, but for right now, the tree pose has got me everytime. I just can't balance on one leg. Again, great review, and great site!
Posted by: Mel | May 24, 2008 11:05 PM
Fun! But the skiing portion sounds even more fun!
Posted by: Lucy DiFranco | May 26, 2008 07:30 PM
I am enjoying the yoga component of the wii Fit. i do hope they will develop further 'games'. I am perhaps most impressed that my husband will practice the yoga poses without any encourgement from me. I have never been able to get him to accompany me to a yoga class or to join me when I practice at home.
Posted by: MS | May 30, 2008 04:02 PM
Great to see that people who understand yoga think the Wii Fit is of use as well. Never done yoga before be Wii Fit has really impressed me (and I'm a rugby player). Would be great if you post more info on your reaction to continuing playing of Wii Fit....my (often poor) results are on my blog at http://videogamesforthesoul.typepad.com/ . Keep up the good work.
Posted by: James Stafford | May 30, 2008 09:05 PM
As a new yoga teacher, I still struggle with maintaining my home practice when I'm not teaching classes, especially because I travel a lot for my other job. My family and I have been exploring the option of getting a Wii specifically for the Wii Fit game. So I was really happy to see a review on yj from a yogi's perspective.
While I didn't expect the Wii Yoga to be a stellar class, I did hope it would be challenging and innovative, most of all I was hoping to hear that it would help make me more loyal to my home practice.
Thanks for the review, although I can't help but think it was part of your marketing agreement with Nintendo (since the blog is sponsored by the Wii). Just a hunch.
Melissa
Posted by: Melissa | June 8, 2008 04:29 PM
Hi Melissa from a few days ago
I also think that the Yoga review had its genesis in the 'integrated' advertising approach agreed on by Nintendo and YJ. Thus, I expect there are negative aspects of the Wiifit that the reviewer was not at liberty to discuss. If any YJ admins wish to address this issue I will return to read their comments.
I like Scorpion where you lie on your stomach and raise one leg like a scorpion
Posted by: Bobby | June 11, 2008 01:47 PM
Hi Everybody,
Erica here, YJ's online editor. I just thought I'd let everybody know that we'd never put parameters on Jeanne for the Wii review or any other product review. She was encouraged to give an honest opinion, whether it supported the ad campaign or not.
Best,
Erica
Posted by: Erica R. | June 11, 2008 04:19 PM
I just got my Wii Fit a few days ago and am really impressed! I wasn't quite sure what to expect but I've found it to be a fun and motivating way to exercise. You can also set goals toward a target weight or BMI and track your progress.
The one downfall I have right now is that the games the Wii Fit comes with make you go back to menus and walk through intro screens in between each pose. I would REALLY love to see a Yoga only game where you spent 20-30 minutes straight doing various poses, without have to stop each time and walk through menus.
Posted by: Julie | June 13, 2008 04:14 AM
i have been wondering about wii fit/yoga. i am a newbert, but wondered if it'd be worth the investment or if it went into the depth i'm hoping to ultimately dive into. i am unable to attend classes, so i hope it will be. i waited and waited months after first hearing about it because i wanted to find out what more experienced yogis thought of it.
i realize we start small, but i'm hoping that once i master this level of wiiyoga, NES will develop an advanced yoga "game." i am excited and can't wait- mum's promised wii for my family of five for christmas!! hopefully, dh will complete our family gift with wii fit/yoga !:D
Posted by: JMJByogini | October 6, 2008 10:45 PM
So far I like the Wii Fit because it's one more tool to get off the couch and DO.
I have been distracted from unlocking more yoga moves by a Raving Rabbids game that lets you use the Wii Fit to steer an upside down water buffalo down a ski course -- the "fit" part is that the more you lean back as you sit on the Wii, the faster your character goes -- a sneaky ab workout (and pleasantly ridiculous).
Although the Wii incorporates some competitive aspects, per standard gaming, it also has some of yoga's gentleness to self/ahimsa built in too -- you can shield your BMI info if you're shy about it, it's very encouraging to the user if you use it at all, etc.
Posted by: Wendy Wheeler | February 4, 2009 03:37 AM