The Exergaming Network (TEN) Experts wish you "healthy holidays" with Video Games

The Exergame Network (TEN) reveals five ways of getting fit with video games, perfect for school kids to silver gamers with fun as the focus. They state that exergaming succeeds because it makes exercise fun and involving and that choosing the right style of exergaming is vital in making it fun for you.
The Exergaming Network has put together the following CREWS list, which contains 'something for everyone' from five exergaming categories.

1. Camera Exergaming – Your whole body becomes the controller as your movements are motion captured into the game (Eyetoy:Kinetic/Groove/Antigrav, Your Shape, Project Natal & Trazer 2)

2. Rhythm Exergaming – Become the musician or dancer and be guided by the music while the exergame records your dance steps or your musical timing. (Rock Band, Guitar Hero, We Cheer, DDR & iDANCE)

3. Exergaming Machines – Using real fitness equipment, the fun of the games takes your mind of the exercise. (Gamercize, Gamebike, Fitclub, GameCycle, BrainBike & Expresso Bikes)

4. Workout Exergaming – Follow your virtual personal trainer as they guide you through your workout giving feedback on your form and storing your progress. (EA Sports Active, The Biggest Loser, Your Shape and Wii Fit Plus)

5. Sensory Exergaming – These commercial exergames get you jumping and running for your score. (Lightspace Play, Makoto, BodyPad: Tekken 5, SmartUs & TWall)

Warm up before playing Wii

The Nintendo console allows players to simulate a range of energetic sports in their own home, and health and fitness experts are warning those older parents playing Wii games with their children to stretch properly to avoid a pain filled festive period.

Parents who are not used to regular exercise could seriously hurt themselves if they do not warm up and cool down properly before playing. Playing the Wii is like any other exercise routine and you wouldn’t start a workout at a gym without warming up beforehand so it should be no different.

Five Active Games top Amazon's Best Selling List

As Nintendo's Wii continues to grow in popularity, so is the popularity of many active games made for the console. The article, Nintendo Wii Games – Which ones are the Best?, highlights 5 active games topping Amazon's best-selling list including Wii Sports Resort at No.2, Wii Play and Wii Fit Plus at No.5 and No.6, respectively, and The Biggest Loser at the No.10 slot.

Fitness Video Games Are Reshaping Medium

The article, Fitness Video Games Are Reshaping Medium, featured on abc.news.com highlights exergames now being offered in popular sporting goods stores and reshaping the traditional ideas of passive video games.

Childhood obesity can be associated with serious psychosocial issues

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommends kids get at least 60 minutes each day of physical activity, yet most kids fall far short of this target. 1 in 3 children are overweight or obese. This is obviously of real importance from a public health standpoint, because one-third of our youth are at serious risk for numerous chronic diseases. Not only are they at risk for chronic health diseases, numerous studies have shown that overweight and obese kids are also at higher risk for psychological problems. In a study published in the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, titled, “Are overweight and obese adolescents different from their peers?” Dr. Helena Fonseca and colleagues aimed to identify psychosocial and lifestyle behaviors, which distinguish overweight and obese teens from there, lean peers. The study included 6131 students aged 11-16 who completed questionnaires on their body weight, body image, diet history, life satisfaction, health perception, peer group involvement, happiness, irritability and alcohol use. The results, which are not surprising, found that obese and overweight teens when compared with non-overweight teens, were more likely to report a negative attitude toward their appearance; to believe that others made negative comments about them; had a lower level of life satisfaction; had more difficulty in making new friends, and were more likely to describe themselves as unhappy. The results from this one study are obviously distressing and there are several other studies out there with similar results, so this is sending us the message that pediatric obesity is associated with serious psychosocial issues, which require appropriate intervention.
Bottom line. We need to get our kids moving. Increase physical activity to help reduce obesity rates. Exergames can help play a role in this. Exergames can help convert passive screen time to active screen time, however they should not be used as a substitute for other forms of physical activity. They can be great addition to current activities, can help your kids get their needed daily physical activity or provide another option when weather or other things make it difficult to be outside.

Exergames help make fitness fun

As more exergames continue to arrive on store shelves, more people are deciding to add them to their regular workout routine. The article, Video games like Wii Fit help make fitness fun, out of the Detroit Free Press, highlights the booming popularity and benefits of using exergames to achieve fitness goals and how such a routine has helped one local resident lose almost 100 pounds. The person profiled describes her struggle with being overweight and how she found workout DVDs to be repetitive. Gyms and fitness classes also didn't work for her. She enjoys the variety of exercise options with Wii Fit that allows her to "mix it up". She began working out 30 minutes a day using Wii Fit and gradually built up to 90 minutes.

FriiBoard

Stay-at-Home Mom, Gail Stewart and her inventor husband, Tom, wanted to create gaming accessory products that make the gaming experience more real and more fun for players of all ages, therefore they developed the FriiBoard to bring the realistic movement of your favorite sports indoors to your favorite Wii games. The FriiBoard attaches underneath the Wii Balance Board providing a curved contact with the floor. The FriiBoard claims that it makes old balance board games feel new again, makes them feel better and makes the gaming experience more real. This could be a great gift for the Wii lover; the company is expecting high sales for the holiday season and calling it the Wii accessory of 2009. Maybe we should all check it out.

The Biggest Loser Videogame Makes Guest Appearance in Hit NBC Show

The Biggest Loser videogame adds new at-home challenge for show's contestants and now the show’s millions of fans can see what exergaming and getting in shape in the comforts of one's own home is all about.
On the episode the aired on December 1, the hit NBC TV show, "The Biggest Loser," announced that contestants will incorporate The Biggest Loser interactive health and fitness video game into their daily routines as part of the last challenge, the "At Home Challenge," which is the final test to see if contestants can take what they learned at the ranch and apply it at home.

Nintendo Wii bringing generations together

For the past two months, 5th and 6th graders from Amesbury's After School Program in Boston have been spending each Tuesday afternoon with senior citizens at Amesbury’s Senior Center. What is responsible for bridging this generation gap? It is the Nintendo Wii. The two generations have been bowling on the Wii every Tuesday. The game gets everyone up and moving and also teaches the importance of respect and self-confidence.

Keeping Kids Active Now Pays off Later

In a study that has just been published in the British Medical Journal, the authors, who asked 7159 12-year-old children to wear accelerometers for a full week and then come back to the lab at age 14 and have their body fat mass directly measured using Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry, found that the more physically active the kids were at age 12, the lower their fat mass was at age 14. Surprisingly, these results were independent of the children’s fat mass at age 12. So, no matter how much fat a child had at age 12, if he or she was more active, the less fat mass he or she had at age 14. Author Chris Riddoch and colleagues also estimated that 12 year old children "who meet current health related recommendations of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day would be expected to have around 4.3 kg less fat mass at age 14 than children who do not meet those recommendations.

So why do I care to mention this study today on our exergames blog? In their results, the authors specifically mention that an increase of 15 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity at age 12 is associated with around 10% lower fat mass in girls and a 12% lower fat mass in boys at age 14. This percentage difference is equivalent to a reduced fat mass of about 1 kg. That is the equivalent of 2.2 pounds and I am sure it is the same at any age, not just 12 to 14. So we need to get our kids moving and up off the couch, replacing the passive video games with active games. Adding 15 minutes of activity everyday is easy and with exergames it can be fun.
The study is available free online on the BML website.

ACE says Exergaming among top fitness trends for 2010

The American Council on Exercise named exergaming and the use of exergaming equipment among the top trends for fitness and health maintenance for the upcoming year. The association cited budget conscious consumers as the reason for some changing health and fitness trends that included active gaming software and equipment. Also, the group suggests that exergames will take the next leap forward into health clubs and gyms.

Other fitness trends ACE predicts includes more collaboration among government and commercial agencies to help promote fitness and health awareness and more technology-infused fitness tools to help track progress.

dreamGEAR and 24 Hour Fitness Announce Gaming Accessories Partnership

According to this press release, dreamGEAR, a leading provider of high-quality and cutting-edge accessories for all video game platforms, has announced an exclusive partnership with 24 Hour Fitness, a national leader in the health and fitness industry, for fitness related video and computer game accessories. It seems national fitness and gaming accessory leaders are joining forces for the first time to close the gap between virtual and physical workout instruction.
Inspired by the wide variety of available Wii Fit games, dreamGEAR’s collection of accessories and Workout Kits will include rechargeable batteries, fitness mats, travel bags, textured socks, protective sleeves and much more. Workout Kits for Nintendo Wii Fit featuring a free 30-day 24 Hour Fitness membership and dreamGEAR accessories will be introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show January 7 – 10, 2010, and available at dreamGEAR.net, 24HourFitness.com and national retailers in the first quarter of next year.

Can the Wii add fun to injury rehabilitation?

Adding fun to injury rehabilitation? Yes Wii can

Many physical therapists are turning to the Nintendo Wii for rehabilitative purposes. Using the Wii can be fun ways to help victims of brain injury recover in a non-monotonous way. The Wii offers many benefits to rehabilitation; just using the joystick’s buttons assists with the recovery of a patient’s basic motor skills, and newer games like Wii Fit Plus, which use the balance board, add elements of balance, strength conditioning, stretching, aerobics, and yoga, which add basic workouts to a therapy program. Wii-hab, or Waggle Therapy as it is also known, continues to grow as a popular source for brain and spinal injury rehabilitation, and it is currently being utilized for its positive encouragement and therapeutic purposes in cases of stroke, motor vehicle accidents, combat wounds, and Parkinson’s disease.

Director of NMSU's Learning Games Lab provides some holiday video game buying tips

As the holidays near, most parents have already begun shopping or are preparing to start, and for many parents, like myself, video games are number one on your children's list, which can cause anxiety if you are unaware of what type of game to give your kids. To help parents out, the director of our (New Mexico State University) Learning Games Lab, Barbara Chamberlin PhD, associate professor and extension instructional design and educational media specialist, wrote a simple guide, which offers parents tips on holiday shopping. One of her tips is to include active or “exergames” in holiday game purchases. Chamberlin said there are primarily two types of games to play: passive and active. Passive games involve the gamer playing the game solely with a controller, while active games require the gamer to stand, jump or move quickly and use controllers with their feet or hands. She suggested replacing some passive screen time with active screen time. She also recommends that parents use the Educational Software Review Board ratings printed on every game package as a guide. You can view Chamberlin's “Video Games Buying Guidelines”, as well as “Our Favorites Game Buying Guides”, which are a list of some of our favorite exergames and educational games for various consoles at our Learning Games Lab website www.learninggameslab.org.

Palo Alto develops online fitness course using Nintendo Wii

Starting Spring 2010 semester, Palo Alto College students, in San Antonio, will be able to earn college credit from their home just for getting fit using the Wii Fit. Dr. Robert Garza, dean of student affairs, came up with the idea for the course in 2007 as a way to engage more college students in fitness, and hopes that it will become a national model for innovative teaching and learning. Now that he is getting his concept started at Palo Alto, Dr. Garza has plans of expanding on this concept to neighboring elementary, middle and high school partners as a way to encourage more physical exercise, along with combating our nation’s obesity problem.

Woman loses weight with the Wii

Sherry Bridson, a South Lyon resident, lost 98 pounds using the Wii Fit her husband bought for her. She started out with a 30-minute routine and worked her way up to her current 90-minute routine. Bridson is a Wii Fit success story, and part of the growing trend of people who are getting fit the Wii way or getting fit through other exergaming titles. Now days you can walk through a video game aisle and see many exergame titles available and The American Council on Exercise (ACE) named technology-based fitness one of its top 10 trends of 2009. Exergaming can be good for people who don't care for gyms or group fitness classes, but as with any fitness program, you get out of it, what you put in to it.

Seniors love Wii Bowling

When Nintendo created the hardware and software that are behind Wii bowling, they did so with an eye toward expanding the traditional gaming demographic, and one audience that Wii bowling appeals to is our senior citizens. Perhaps part of the appeal of Wii bowling is the nostalgia, as it mimics the moves a bowler makes in an actual bowling alley, but whatever it is, senior citizens across the country are saying goodbye to shuffleboard and hello to Wii Bowling. Not only do they play the game during their leisure time, they have formed leagues and some even show up to practice daily. Amazingly, there are 186 teams and more than 1,000 bowlers in the throes of a virtual competition from California to New York as part of the National Senior League' Wii Bowling Competition.

Sports Authority to give away 30 Wii Fit Plus with Balance Boards

Starting Thanksgiving Day through Christmas, Sports Authority, will give away 30 Wii Fit Plus with balance boards. The following excerpt is from their website: Sports Authority is teaming up with Nintendo to create a new way to experience fitness gaming. The collaboration will allow Sports Authority to sell Wii gaming consoles, Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus, as well as various accessories and games for the Wii, in its stores. To launch the product and to help customers get to know the Wii better, Sports Authority will create a "We know fit. We know fun." experience at 102 of their stores. Stores will feature a dedicated area with a demo unit and knowledgeable trainers to help customers try the Wii Fit Plus before they buy. This will help moms trade static workouts for ones that involve fun and fitness for the whole family.
Starting November 26, visit here for your chance to win.

Nintendo wants to make holiday shopping more fun

Nintendo has announced a special holiday mall experience where games for the Wii and DSi will be available for play in multiple malls across the country. This gives parents and kids the chance to try out the games before they buy them. Games on display will include 2 popular exergames, Wii Fit plus and Wii Sports Resort, among other non-exergames. The mall promotion begins on Nov. 23 and runs through Dec. 20. Check the list to see if there is a location near you.

Oprah's trainer talks about "Video Game Workouts"

Bob Greene admits he's no fan of TVs and computers, because he says they've made us stop moving as a culture, however he is promoting EA Sports Active: More Workouts. He actually had a lot of hands on involvement with creating some of the workouts in the game. He says he was really blown away by these exercises in "Sports Active." He was sweating, and his legs were burning. See what else he has to say about video game workouts.

Exergaming among the top 10 fitness trends for 2009

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) has announced the top ten fitness trends from 2009; based on its annual survey of personal trainers, group fitness experts, advanced health and fitness specialists and lifestyle and weight management consultants. Boot-Camp style workouts came in number one, but number eight on the list is technology-based workouts, which includes exergaming. So throughout 2009 things like the Wii Fit and Expresso Bikes continued to infuse themselves in all aspects of fitness, and with the research still growing, I expect to see that trend rise in 2010.

Nintendo Wii Study Says Wii games DO offer benefical workout time

A Nintendo-funded study found that Wii Sports and Wii Fit games and related activities do in fact have the potential to engage users in moderate to intense physical activity. The study confirms that about one-third of the physical activity offerings through the Wii suite programs require an energy expenditure of 3.0 METS or above, which the American Heart Association (AHA) considers moderate activity. Some activities (single-arm stand in the Wii Fit) were found to require as much as 5.6 METs and 4.5 METs (Wii Sports Boxing). Six METs is considered vigrous activity. Study leaders also call on video game producers to create more physical active games to help combat rising obesity rates in both Japan and the U.S.

Congress pushing for healthier, kid-friendly advertising

The obesity epidemic now has legislators thinking about how they can limit harmful commercial exposure to children, especially through snack advertisements. This proposed "Healthy Kids Act" won't be the last we hear of government trying to intervene in the national epidemic. Whether or not it is successful, the push for healthier kids is reaching greater proportions with more and more government support.

MSU To Study Video Game Exercise

Michigan State University received a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to study the health effects of exergames to see if they live up to their promises of health improvement. Researchers from the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media, and from the Department of Kinesiology, using overweight or inactive college students in their study, want to see if playing the games can actually help you burn calories and help overweight and inactive people to lose weight. The team is also in the works to develop a new, 3D fantasy role-playing, physically-involved but similar type of game called Mount Olympus, which requires players to move their upper and lower body in order to control their character’s movements.

When school districts cut PE, teachers turn to exergames

When budget cuts made it necessary to cut programs, Redmond School District cut many of the subjects that were considered “extras” like music, art and PE. Luckily at Tom McCall Elementary teachers realized the importance regular physical activity breaks for their students and took time and effort to re-think what they could do to make physical activity happen. Michelle Zistel and Heather Renz turned to video games. These two teachers are using the ExerLearning computer program as the core of their PE classes. The students not only get exercise from dancing on the pads to Dance Dance Revolution, but they also learn about music and get to play leadership roles within their own classrooms, as they often get to teach others how to use the program.

ACE Announces Test Results on Fitness Benefits of Nintendo's Wii Fit and PC based Exergame Dancetown

Fitness Industry Leader, in Conjunction with University of Wisconsin La Crosse, Release Proven Data that Shows Pros and Cons of Newest Interactive Video Games.
The American Council on Exercise (ACE), released key findings from two separate studies examining the fitness benefits of six of the activities featured in Nintendo’s Wii fit including: Free Run, Island Run, Free Step, Advanced Step, Super Hula Hoop and Rhythm Boxing, and the PC-based fitness system geared toward older adults, Dancetown.
The goal of the study was to test the performance of both exergames and determine if their activities are enough to produce results that meet or go beyond recommended physical activity guidelines. The study found that playing the Wii Fit burns twice as many calories as a sedentary video game, however the authors of the study suggest that playing Wii sports is a better way helping users meet minimum intensity guidelines for exercise. The Dancetown study showed a significant increase in exercise intensity and calorie expenditure for all subjects on all modes of play.
The Wii Fit study, which tested men and women between the ages of 20-24, found that after 30 minutes of play, the caloric expenditure of each of the six activities on average was as follows: Free run 165, Island run 165, Rhythm Boxing 114, Super Hula Hoop 111, Advanced Step 108 and Free Step 99. The Dancetown study, which tested men and women between the ages of 32-70, found that after 30 minutes of play the average caloric expenditure was 136.
Complete summaries of both studies appear in the November/December 2009 edition of ACE's Fitness Matters magazine and on the ACE Web site at www.acefitness.org.

University researchers to study video games' effect on health

Nine research teams from universities across the U.S. will study how interactive video games can help fight childhood obesity. The teams will also focus on how video games can be designed to help people change behaviors and self-manage chronic illnesses. The nine teams were chosen from among 185 proposals and were awarded between $100,000 and $300,000 each. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is providing the funding. The studies will focus on diverse population groups that vary by race and ethnicity, health status, income level and game-play setting, with age groups ranging from elementary school children to 80-year-olds. To read who the nine recipients are and a brief description of their research aim, read the following article: University researchers to study video games' effect on health, The research may discover new ways to quit smoking and lose weight.

Career TV features "Wii OT" using Wii in Therapy

This clip on Career TV features Mershon W. Hinkel, MSPH, OTR/L, who is also known as the “Wii OT”. The video highlights how incorporating the Nintendo Wii into therapy helps many clients improve their function.

EA SPORTS Active More Workouts in stores November 17

Thanks to the success of EA Sports Active Personal Trainer, selling over 1.8 million copies worldwide. EA Sports Active has developed a new title, More Workouts, to add to the innovative line of interactive fitness products offering personalized, customizable workouts that can be done from the comfort of home, which is due to hit the shelves November 17.
More Workouts will feature 35 new exercises and fitness activities, all new cool down/warm up stations, abdominal exercises, a 6-week challenge and an all-new special edition Bob Greene Nutrition Best Life Book that will feature tips on creating a balanced lifestyle.

Gaming your way to good health

Check out this slide show at CNN. Each slide explains a way that video game play can be good for your health. The story highlights include:
• How playing action games could improve your vision and help cure "lazy eye".
• Playing Tetris can boost brain efficiency.
• Parkinson's patients could improve their balance by using Wii Fit.
• DDR and In the Grove, along with the Wii make players get up off their couches and move.
• A study found that surgeons who played some video games made fewer mistakes.

What do women want?

The release of the Nintendo Wii brought about the entrance of the mature female game player who purchases games mainly for “virtual fitness” and videogame publishers, pushing to expand their businesses, are making games that target girls and women a new industry battleground. This holiday season more games than ever are being geared toward female players, including several workout games. Though a few publishers have developed computer games for women in the past, the genre wasn't considered significant until the past several years. Now many videogame firms are making the play for women, as publishers roll out fashion-themed games for girls and workout and dance titles for older females. Ubisoft will be introducing "Your Shape," a personal-training game, and "Just Dance," a dancing game, in November.

Kasabian Football Hero

Is this a different kind of exergame? I think this is just absolutely amazing. This video of Kasabian Football Hero shows freestyle football players (soccer) playing a giant guitar game controlled with footballs. Sure looks like a lot more exercise is involved than in the traditional Guitar Hero Game. 

 

Gamercize Family Fit - 3 in 1 for Fitness now available

Gamercize brings you a revolution in home fitness, with an exercise machine designed to appeal to the whole family, and provide both strength training and health boosting cardiovascular fitness at the level you want and it is available for all three major consoles on the market; Nintendo Wii, PlayStation3 and Xbox360. The patented Gamercize interaction provides you with the best of both worlds, a workout that is second to none in the exergaming world and the very best of video game entertainment. To appeal to the entire family the Gamercize Family Fit 3 in 1 for Fitness can also be used as a regular fitness machine, with both rowing and cycling actions.

Tony Hawk: Ride Skateboard Bundle

Tony Hawk has had many games out in the past, however on November 17, the new Tony Hawk: Ride Skateboard Bundle will be released for all three current consoles. Not only will Xbox360 and PS3 owners will finally get a taste of the balance-board exergaming that has helped make the Wii such a sensation, any gamer that buys this game will get to experience the true thrill of skateboarding as never before through the revolutionary new skateboard controller. For the first time in video game history, anyone can jump on a skateboard and feel the freedom, creativity, and accomplishment of skateboarding. Using full motion sensing technology, the intuitive skateboard controller allows players to physically control the action by performing various movements and gestures on the board that directly translate into amazing tricks seen in the game. Tony Hawk: Ride is designed to be fully accessible to everyone – from hardcore fans to players with no prior skateboarding experience. 

Check out Tony Hawk: Ride - Tutorial Video #1

Special Education Center Uses Wii for Therapy

A special education program in Milton-Freewater, Oregon is using the Nintendo Wii to help kids with various disabilities gain coordination and balance. The Learning Center bought the system this summer, thanks to a grant from a local Casino and has since been integrating it into its therapy program. Center leaders realize that keeping the mood light is very important with these young kids and that motivation is a key factor in therapy. The Nintendo Wii helps that motivation happen. Read more about this program and watch the KEPR News clip at: Kids Use Nintendo Wii To Learn Skills. 

University of Detroit's Athletic Department's rehabilitation is assisted by fun and games

The University of Detroit’s athletic department uses the Wii and Wii games to assist with rehabilitation. The Wii particularly helps with balance and coordination which are usually the most affected after an injury. The Wii also adds structure and fun to a rehabilitation program, so it can help motivate the athlete to stick with the program.

Tone your arms with Wii Dumbbells

Wii Dumbbells can help tone your arms while playing any Nintendo Wii game, not just the exergames. Fitted specifically for the Nintendo Wii remote the slip-on dumbbells add a little extra weight to each wireless controller, which might not sound like very much of a workout, but I am sure you will feel it after playing games for a half-hour or more. The dumbbells allow for full use of all the buttons and leave room for the wrist strap. There are different brands of Wii dumbbells on the market, the Everlast dumbbells weigh 2 lbs each and the Riiflex dumbbells come in 2 different weights, the green ones weigh 2 lbs each and the blue ones weigh 5 lbs each. Whichever brand you buy, they're meant to just add some resistance to your game. The dumbbells don't work with the Wii MotionPlus accessory. 

A school in Asia one of the first to use the Wii in PE

The Primary 2 pupils of North Vista Primary School spend their PE time working out on a Nintendo Wii video game console, in a special galaxy-themed space at their school in Sengkang. The school is one of the first in Asia to incorporate technology into its PE curriculum.

The principal of the school said they felt that the usual game concepts in PE seemed insufficient, and are not always relevant when the kids go home, for instance, students don’t always have a basketball court or the people to make up the teams to play with, so they didn’t want what they taught in school to be so isolated from real life, and the Wii helps make this learning process more relevant. 

The school does not feel that the Wii games are a substitute for real physical outdoor activity, but they help to simulate environments and places like tennis courts, bowling alleys or boxing rings, where it isn’t always possible to take the students.

Read, Wii it’s time for PE, to learn more about this school and their Physical Education Program. 

Group Interactive Fitness with iDANCE

The Positive Gaming iDANCE Multiplayer System is an original idea from Positive Gaming, created and designed for environments such as fitness, school and leisure centers. The Positive Gaming iDANCE Multiplayer System offers up to 32 wireless dance platforms for simultaneous play with up to three separate difficulty levels on screen at once. The Positive Gaming iDANCE Multiplayer system is a fun and challenging group exercise dance game of both perceptive and physical skill. It is simple to learn, exciting to play and offers users a wide range of levels to play and achieve. It provides a wholesome exercise gaming experience for up to 32 players at the same time. As DDR fitness is becoming more and more popular in many schools nationwide, this is something that should definitely be looked into as that it provides a portal for many students to participate at once.

NewU for the Wii

NewU, which doesn’t have a release date set for the United States as of yet, is not a videogame, it is a product wrapping up serious content in a fun package. It claims to be the first Wii title combining fitness and nutritional advice. It has goal-oriented lifestyle makeover programs, full-body workouts from the top personal trainers at Fitness First, custom diets and menus by You Are What You Eat, health tips that shape your life for the totally holistic experience and combines innovative use of the Wii remote and balance board to give you feedback on exercises.  The interactive program is published by Black Bean Games. 

This program sounds like a "serious" fitness experience and I am looking forward to its release date here in the United States. 

Motion Freedom 3D Controller by Blaze for the PS3

Coming soon – a new three dimensional motion sensing handheld controller for the PS3, which will have full PS3 functions, a direction pad and full button control allowing you to put yourself in the game; providing Wii style gaming interactivity.

According to the press release, “Video game accessory innovators BLAZE announced on October 9, 2009, their truly unique motion sensing controller, allowing fully interactive gameplay never before experienced on the PS3. The BLAZE PS3 Motion Freedom 3D Controller thrusts the PS3 gamer into the very heart of the action by employing the latest motion sensing technology which before now has only been the reserve of Nintendo Wii gamers. 

This all new device opens up unthinkable gaming possibilities allowing you to interact and become one with the hottest PS3 sporting and action titles.”

Wii-Hab – Using the Nintendo Wii in a Therapeutic Setting

Mershon W. Hinkel, MSPH, OTR/L, will host a one day workshop titled Wii-Hab – Using the Nintendo Wii in a Therapeutic Setting - on October 21, 2009, from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm at Penn State Abington. This one-day interactive course is designed to introduce the rehab professional to the Nintendo Wii and to activities available within Wii Sports and Wii Fit gaming programs. Professionals seeking to incorporate Nintendo Wii activities into their practice will become familiar with equipment set-up, appropriate adaptations for various patient populations, safety considerations, ideas for therapeutic activity progression, and documentation to satisfy third party payers. Space is limited, so contact Penn State Abington Continuing Education to reserve a spot.

Cyberbike

This Winter Bigben Interactive will release a Wii videogame with an innovative accessory to help keep you in shape, a full-size exercise bike that simply connects to you Nintendo Wii and can be used by the whole family thanks to the adjustable saddle and handlebars. According to the press release, Cyberbike introduces a brand new way to do sports in your living room. The game invites you use your eco-citizen's head and legs to clean up the planet. Clear paths and roads of the sources of pollution that are ruining the environment as you cycle along on some of the most improbable vehicles ever imagined—on land, sea and air.

Bomberman evolved

Six people from Aalborg University Copenhagen located in Denmark, made a game as a class project that I think clearly fits the definition of an exergame. The game features two players wearing colored hats who play against each other by running around on the floor. The player’s movements are tracked through the colored hats using image processing and webcams that are then sent to the game, which is projected on a large screen. The game is called “Bomberman evolved”. Check out the website yourself to read all about the project and to see a video of the game in action.  

Padres Pitcher adds Wii Fit to off-season training

San Diego Padres Pitcher, Heath Bell, found fitness benefits with the Nintendo Wii Fit after he bought it last year for his 11-year-old daughter. Adding the Wii Fit as an addition to his off-season training routine of lifting and running, Bell was able to drop 25 pounds. His on-field performance has also reaped the benefits, which he has attributed to better balance that he gained from using the Fit's balance board. Some of his favorite Wii Fit games are hula-hoop, soccer, skiing slalom and yoga. Bell also states that the Wii Fit has helped to strengthen his hips.

Finnish Defense Force Uses Wii

The Finnish Defense Force is using the Nintendo Wii to get its young servicemen on their feet and moving, and thus far the consoles have proven to be popular among the recruits. This project was funded as a means of addressing concerns about the poor physical condition of the Army’s young enlisted members, however the virtual-based workout sessions are not a substitute for the army’s physical training program, just merely an addition, showing the level of concern that authorities have with the health and physical fitness of their servicemen. 

The Challenge Disc brings some competition to the Wii

MFT recently released it's interactive Challenge Disc, a wobbling balance board, that hooks up to a PC or Mac, and provides "intelligent" physical training with feedback. The company also asserts that performing exercises on the board will improve overall fitness, coordination, back and joint health and even concentration. The system, which comes with 6 different games and the board, has 5 training or difficulty levels. Users determine their level with a pre-test and gradually build to the higher levels. The board uses sensors at the base to read movement and give immediate feedback, but the company claims these sensors work differently than those in the Wii Fit Board, which use pressure sensors. So far, it appears that it can only be purchased in Europe, but I'm investigating to find out more. Stay tuned.

Ohio classroom introduces 'Wiihab'

A multi-handicapped classroom at Elgin West Elementary School in Marion, Ohio, is using the Nintendo Wii to increase students' fine and gross motor skills and help them deal with the concept of winning and losing while they increase their attention in the classroom.

Kevin McDaniels, the teacher in the classroom, said that he had seen online how a lot of nursing homes had begun using Wiis for physical therapy so he decided to see if it would also work in his classroom.

In the school’s current program, the students receive physical or occupational therapy once a week, but they can use the Wii daily, which is a major benefit to them.

Read more about how the Elgin classroom is introducing 'Wiihab'. 

Guinness World Record for the “Largest Wii Sports Bowling Tournament"

At the Reliant Senior Center in Houston, Texas, senior citizens gathered in record numbers for a Wii bowling tournament in hopes of setting a Guinness World Record for the "Largest Wii Sports Bowling Tournament." In order to set the record, over 200 seniors had to compete in the virtual bowl off and amazingly nearly 600 seniors actually showed up, achieving them the record. Watch this short video footage of the bowling tournament that earned this Senior Center its spot in the Guinness Book Records. 

Konami Announces DDR U.S. Championship

Konami has announced it's first-ever national DanceDanceRevolution competition. Beginning September 26th, the competition will bring together the greatest DDR players from around the country to compete in seven different regional tournaments all over the United States.

The DDR U.S. Championships will take place inside local GameWorks arcades in each region. The top performer in each region, based on the highest number of points, will advance to the National Finals and a chance to win a $1000 Best Buy gift card and other prizes - as well as the title of top DanceDanceRevolution player in the country.

The date/location for the DanceDanceRevolution U.S. Championships regionals are as follows: September 26th in Dallas, Texas - October 2nd in Miami, Florida -October 11th in Columbus, Ohio - October 17th in New York, NY - October 24th in Minneapolis, Minnesota - November 7th in Las Vegas, Nevada - November 14th in Seattle, Washington and the National Finals are in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 5th. 

Wii Fit Plus is Pet Friendly

Pet owners can weigh themselves and their furry friends on the new Wii Fit Plus. The updated software, which debuted yesterday lets players create avatars of their dogs and cats, enter information such as their pet’s birthday, and use the Wii Balance Board controller to weigh themselves and their pets. The game continues to monitor the pet’s weight alongside its owner. Although the new software has new features for users, it does not have any training exercises for pets. I haven’t tried this out just yet, but as weird as I think it sounds, I might just have to make an avatar of my little rat terrier and have her join in my fitness journey.

 

P.E. with a Wii

P.E. with a Wii

Video games are a part of many children and adolescents daily experience so it only makes sense that many schools are tapping into that and making them part of their physical education programs. The Nintendo Wii especially is making its way into many gym classes including several in the state of Delaware. John Ray, an education specialist for physical education with the state's Department of Education says as far as the workout the students will get with the Wii, they will only get as much out of it as they put into it, but anything that promotes physical activity and being fit for life is good. 

Misconceptions of exergaming

A recent post on the “Using Technology for Fitness and Motivation” blog lists some top misconceptions about exergaming that the author hears time and time again. Along with the misconceptions, he also provides a reason why the misconception is false. The author further purposes that the way to solve these misconceptions and bust these myths is though diversity in research. He says “it's up to the research community to research what exergames are out there and consider how they can be studied to provide policy makers with better information.” I would have to agree with him on this point; I think this is what we all trying to do.

Misconceptions about exergaming– refer to his blog to read his reason why these misconceptions are false.

1.    Exergaming doesn't count as real exercise.

2.    Exergaming doesn't look like fun.

3.    Exergaming is not as good as real sports.

4.    Exergaming is gets boring for the long term.

A gamercising elementary in Arkansas

An elementary school in Paragould, Arkansas, has recently turned a former locker room into a "gaming" cardio room. They have exercise bikes hooked up to video game players, which are used in a cardio class that is offered in addition to normal P.E. classes to all 4th through 6th graders. The school paid for the equipment with funds from a nearly $500,000 grant awarded to the school. In addition to the game bikes, the school also has dance pads, a treadmill, and an elliptical machine set up in their new cardio room. This new program at Oak Grove elementary is the only one of it's kind in Arkansas and with the obesity rates so high, the health and fitness consultant, Diana Layrock, says anything that can give the students a little exercise is great. The school has intentions of installing another 12 flat screens and 24 more dance pads in the near future. This original article, Offbeat: Student Exercise, contains a short video clip about the program.

We Cheer 2 -Releasing this Fall

We Cheer 2 will be released this fall and it will offer new dance moves, more stages to play on and even some new gameplay modes. All the characters that appear in the game, weather they are male or female, can be completely customized, and the routines will flow smoother than in the first We Cheer. It will include several hit tunes but also many unknown ones. In We Cheer 2, just as in the first one, players will use the Wii Remotes as virtual pom-poms and follow on-screen prompts for choreographed routines that utilize a full range of arm and body movements. I am looking forward to trying this out to see if it gives me a workout and may even recommend it to one of our after school programs that uses DDR as something different add to their program. Check out the We Cheer 2 Nintendo Wii Trailer.

Wii Fitness for Dummies

Wii Fitness for Dummies, written by Bill and Christina Loguidice, is on its way to a bookstore near you. It is expected to be available for purchase by February 2010. This book will be a great tool for readers who want to learn how to combine videogames with traditional fitness. It will show readers how to use the workout routine feature to maximize their workout experiences. Readers will be guided through best practices when using the various fitness videogames. Read a review of the book and see its price at Amazon.

Exergaming for Osteoarthritis

University of Florida researchers are utilizing video games in an osteoarthritis study by offering women between the ages of 50 and 70 who have osteoarthritis of the knee the opportunity to try exergaming to see what effect it will have on their level of pain. In order to determine pain levels, researcher will ask women who join the study to ride a stationary bicycle that's connected to a popular car racing video game.

 

Jackie Chan Studio Fitness J-Mat for the Xavix

This weekend I tried out the Jackie Chan Studio Fitness J-Mat for the Xavix. I played it for about an hour and a half with my 14-year-old son. The J-Mat consists of a wireless mat that has four spots to step, hand-weights and the game cartridge. The fitness game comes with 4 modes: the step lively, which is an aerobic workout with Jackie Chan as your personal instructor, the vigorous step, which has varied dance step routines, Jackie's Action Run, in which you become Jackie Chan and travel through the streets of Hong Kong in a 5 minute workout which includes walking, running, jumping, squats and side-step, and dash and reflex, which are designed so that you can test and improve your agility and reaction time. The J-Mat seemed to have the potential for high intensity exercise and it was a lot of fun.

My favorite was the dash, which actually measures how many steps you can do in 10 seconds. My son and I had a lot of fun competing with each other on this one, trying to see who could get more steps in the 10 seconds, and I am proud to say that I beat him by 4 steps, a great feat as that I am 20+ years older than him. It was great that it could be a family activity, be fun and an exciting platform for fitness. After the workout, my heat was pumping and I was sweating, so I think that for indoor fitness, this is a good game system and if the calorie counter is correct, I burned over 500 calories during my workout, which is good for an exergame. The major drawback of the J-Mat is the graphics, they are very primitive, but for me it didn’t affect the workout. Also the side-to-side shape of the J-Mat has you stretch your legs out to reach the two furthest pads for some of routines so if you are short this might be difficult and it takes coordination to follow some of the dance and aerobic routines, so that can take some time to catch on to; it did for me, but I am as uncoordinated as they come, however I would definitely use this again for a workout option.

Video Games Encourage Kids to Get Outside

With obesity rates on the rise, the video game industry is trying to do its part to keep kids moving. Not only are games being created that can be classified as exergames, games are also being created that are encouraging kids to get outside and get moving. Aspyr Media recently published TreasureWorld, which is a game for the Nintendo DS that converts real-world wifi signals into online treasures. In this game, more than 2,500 in-game items and ‘treasures’ can be unlocked as players access the more than 200 million wifi treasure spots worldwide that are registered within the game. There is also an iPhone application called HiddenPark, which is an adventure that leads children into a fantasy world of trolls, fairies and tree genies right in their local park. To read more about both games go to this post, Using Digital Hide and Seek to Get Kids Outside: A Treasure Trove of Ideas, on the Shaping Youth blog.

 

Virtual golf replaces real golf for some

According to this report, Virtual screens replace greens, it is very expensive to play golf in South Korea, therefore many people have taken to playing the sport indoors in the form of virtual golf, which I think is technically an exergame. In South Korea a round of virtual golf costs them between $20 to $30 to play, which is 10 percent of what it regularly costs to play in the field. Simulated golf is a fast-growing pastime with industry officials estimating seven out of every 10 simulators sold globally are installed in this country,

Dr Mark Smith, head of the Golf Education and Research Group at the University of Lincoln, admitted that a future talent could emerge having developed their game primarily through virtual play. He is actually quoted saying that “In theory there is nothing to prevent a player from rising through the virtual world and developing a level of ability with transferable skills to the outdoor game.” With all the research into whether or not exergaming is similar to playing the real sport, I think this is a pretty powerful statement. 

Wii Fit for Stress Relief and Better Health

Stress plays a major role in many health issues. Meditation can help relieve stress and improve overall health. Did you know that you Wii might be able to help? Rosa Casarez, a writer for The Wii Fitness Examiner, suggests using your Wii Fit and My Aquarium for a little stress relief. She suggests while doing Wii Fit yoga, instead of standing, sit and relax, breathing deeply, while having soft, meditative music playing in the background. She also states that the My Aquarium graphics are colorful and sharp, the soundtrack is perfect for meditating, so sitting and watching the fish move while listening to beautiful music will help soothe your spirit and calm your nerves. Read her full article, “How to release stress and improve your health with Wii”, for some more examples of how to use your Wii to relieve stress and set you on a path to better health.

Do Your Own Wii Fitness Research

With the exergaming field being relatively new, it can be hard to find research-based evidence supporting the health benefits of using exergames.  In her article, “Doing your own Wii fitness research”, the author, Raina Casarez, suggests that if you are a passionate Wii player you should do your own research using these 4 protocols, Observation, Theory, Test and Evidence.  In our Learning Games Lab, at NMSU, we are continuously doing observational research with exergames; finding our own evidence in support of the use of exergames in many different programs.