On-Screen Fitness

November 1, 2008

By Kimberly Reishus

Dance Dance Revolution (DDR)

Game system: PlayStation2, PlayStation3, Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PC
Equipment: DDR pad
Cost: There are a range of pads and versions of the game, but for $29.99, you can play simply by plugging the pad into your TV—no game system needed.
How to play: Much like a spinning or aerobics class, this game is all about a song’s beat. You stand on a pad that has four arrows on it, and the screen shows four corresponding arrows. Step on the appropriate arrow on the pad at the right time to master the dance.
Getting a workout: DDR trains your cardiovascular system. The faster the song, the quicker you have to move, and the higher your heart rate gets.
Fitness benefits: Play in workout mode to track calories burned. The game has levels from basic to really, really hard, Dehart says. “The more you practice and memorize each song and each dance step, the better you become.”
Trainer recommendation: For variety, Dehart suggests sitting in the middle of the pad. Then, raise your feet up so your body is in a V shape. Put your hands together and reach them to the right, left, front, and back to play. You’ll work your hip flexors and abdominal muscles.

Photo courtesy of Dance Dance Revolution

Jackie Chan Studio Fitness

Game system: XaviXPort
Equipment: J-MAT, XaviXPort
Cost: $89.99 for the J-MAT at XaviXPort, the system is currently not sold at gaming outlets, only online
How to play: The J-MAT has four different spots to step on, all in a row. For Jackie's Action Run mode (there are also step, agility, and reaction games), you are Jackie Chan running through the streets of Hong Kong trying to dodge obstacles and beat up ninjas.
Getting a workout: The five-minute game trains your cardiovascular system while moving your body in all directions. Dehart warns that your calves will be sore after playing.
Fitness benefits: J-MAT keeps track of calories burned.
Trainer recommendation: To mix it up, wear weights to burn more calories and to increase resistance when you’re squatting and jumping, Dehart says.

Photo courtesy of Jackie Chan Studio Fitness

Boarding games from Qmotion

Game system: PlayStation2, PlayStation3, XBox 360
Equipment: Controller and board; older board is the XBoard, newer ones that are controller-free and just released this year are Big Vert and Titan.
Cost: XBoard: $69.99 from Home Depot, includes SSX 3 snowboarding game
Big Vert: $89.99, Titan: $89.99, both available at GameStop.
How to play: The boards are like a skateboard with a piece of foam on the bottom that makes it wobbly. You move your character by balancing on the board. Games include skateboarding, snowboarding, and surfing.
Getting a workout: Using the board works on leg muscle endurance and balance. Some races last up to seven minutes, which is a long time to be in a squatting position. “Your core is engaged the whole time for balance so you don’t fall off the board,” Dehart says.

Photo courtesy of Qmotion

Source Brands GameBike

Game system: PlayStation, PlayStation2, X-Box, GameCube
Equipment: Upright or recumbent bike
Cost: $399 for the upright, Gamebike.com
How to play: These games involve racing a car, speedboat, or motorcycle. It’s similar to driving games at an arcade where the player steers and steps on the gas. But the GameBikes substitute the gas pedal for bike pedals.
Getting a workout: Biking is a cardiovascular workout and trains your leg muscles for endurance, Dehart says. She recommends increasing the resistance to get a harder workout.
Fitness benefits: Tracks distance, pace, calories, and heart rate

Photo courtesy of Source Brands, Inc.

Wii Fit

Game system: Nintendo Wii
Equipment: Balance board
Cost: Be warned—the Wii Fit’s in hot demand right now. You might have to scout out a retailer to find out when new shipments arrive. But find it at GameStop for $129.97.
How to play: There are four categories of games to play: strength training, aerobics, yoga, and balance. You use the balance board in different ways to do more than forty different activities.
Getting a workout: As a pretty active person, Schaub says the aerobics part of the Wii Fit game didn’t work for her. It doesn’t let users customize a routine, something Schaub hopes will be an option in the future. “It’s definitely a great way to get people started thinking about their bodies and getting into fitness,” she says. But it’s not for someone with long-term fitness goals, she warns.
Fitness benefits: Tracks weight and BMI and calculates Wii Fit age

Photo courtesy of Nintendo