Now that EA’s Wii Active is out in the market, a few of its users had questions about the use of the new product. EA set out to answer them as clearly as possible.
What controls are needed to use EA SPORTS Active? Basically, you just need two of them, namely the Wii remote and nunchuk. The nunchuk has to be plugged in to the Wii Remote throughout the exercise program. You can also use the Wii balance board for some exercises. But for EA Sports Active, this is not a necessity.
How are the remote and nunchuk used? Depending on the exercise, these two accessories will have a variety of uses. Not to worry because a trainer and video instruction are available for each program. Generally, you will be asked to hold the Wii remote on your right hand. The nunchuk will either be placed on your left hand or on the leg strap, depending on the kind of exercise you choose.
How do the controls respond to the movements? The secret to this is to always try to follow the trainer and mimic his movements. If you have difficulty doing this, again it is advised that you watch the video instructions before you exercise. This will provide you with tips on how to move correctly. Once you’ve started, listen to the trainer carefully and follow the text on the screen. When you need to put the nunchuk on the leg strap, insert it properly, pointing down with the control stick facing to the right.
There are days where working out is simply not an option. When exercises get too repetitive and tedious, you may have a harder time convincing yourself to put that television on and exercise. An answer to this dilemma is EA’s new Wii Active.
The squats and lunge jumps are always difficult to perform, but when you shift onto the other games such as inline skating, dance, tennis, batting, and several others, you add spice into the whole workout. The best thing about the Wii Active is that the accessories are handy and simple to use. You can have the nunchuk in the leg strap as you get real time feedback on how your entire body is positioned. If you have the wrong posture, you immediately get some feedback from the screen. Your very own avatar moves along so that you have a guide on how you’re performing. You can have the real physical workout without feeling like you’re working hard to keep yourself motivated. The variety of features is enough to now make you look forward to exercising.
What makes EA Sports Active a real champion is the combination of variety, flexibility, and fun. You have the freedom to choose whether or not to use the balance board or just utilize the leg straps and resistance bands. The addictive exercises were designed to continually challenge you as move a notch up each level. You no longer have to overexert yourself and strain your muscles because each regimen was carefully planned and designed.
For those who prefer the outdoors and want a chance to get some exercise even while living in the city, there’s EA’s new product called The Active Life. This outdoor challenge is set out to rival Nintendo’s Wii Fit. Just like its market equal, the whole purpose of the software is to help everyone burn calories. With constant use, losing weight is a definite possibility. The software was developed to target the female market. Nonetheless, men can participate in it as well.
What makes Wii Active worth your every penny? The makers behind this product realize the need for entertainment value. After all, who wants to get into an exercise regime that is monotonous and tedious? Its fun activities were set out to give life to the everyday health regime. You can pick a medley of daily activities as you play sports games while you challenge your strength and resiliency.
While Wii Fit is still the formidable seller out in the market, the outdoor challenge comes close to providing you with a good aerobics workout. Run and jump your way to a better body. As with any exercise program, you must consult with your doctor first to make sure that your body can handle the different levels of strenuous exercises. You should also do some stretching exercises before you start playing the game. It’s a real physical workout with a realistic simulation with outdoor sports. Set to hit the shelves on May 19, buyers can enjoy the low price, selling at $30 less than Nintendo’s Wii Fit.
The best thing about Wii Active is that you can do the exercises with a friend. But if you’ve set to join the 30-Day Challenge, it is best that you do this alone. Not to fret, because if you’ve exercised with a different program which is not part of the challenge, you simply have to log it in your journal. The software immediately adapts to the changes.
During the actual exercise, you should follow the on screen prompts during the workout to ensure that you are doing them at the right pace. Remember, each exercise was designed to work at a specific pace. Some programs will show on screen messages that tell you if you are following the set rules while others use a “ding” sound effect to let you know when your next move is coming up. A trainer is set up so that you can take their lead and follow their body movements. When the next routine comes up, the avatar moves to indicate when its time for you to continue. It is very important that you carefully keep an eye on the correct positioning of your body as an assurance that you are targeting the right muscles.
If you find an exercise too difficult to do and follow, you can opt to skip it. To do this, just press the + button on the Wii remote and go to the pause menu. Select “skip exercise” to move on to the next routine. You can also remove exercises on the Today’s Exercise screen before the workout. Just mark a red “X” next to the exercise you do not want to do for that day.
You can watch yourself box, inline skate, and do all manner of exercises in this wonderful breakthrough in the technological arena. EA’s Wii active aims to make exercise more fun, motivational, and addictive. For those who get bored with the same routine, they can also choose not to have the same exercise twice. Flexibility: that’s its main strength.
EA Sports Active for the Nintendo Wii has been released last May 2009, and they’ve launched a website that features Carmen Bott and Bob Greene, world class trainers and health enthusiasts. Though both Wii Active and Wii Fit were designed to be fun and functional, the former enhances the program by making the activities more “westernized.” Gone are the voice-overs that are done with thick Asian accents. People from English-speaking countries can now better understand their avatars. Moreover, the music that goes with each workout no longer sounds like it came from a decrepit 80’s radio show. The beat reflects the current trends, making movement more fun. Users of the Nintendo Wii don’t have to put their TV’s on mute because they can now listen to the improved sound quality that Wii Active offers.
If you haven’t tried the Wii Fit at all, go to your nearest retail shops and compare the two software products. It’s hard to stay motivated watching cute little Wii Mii’s move along to sounds that are totally unfamiliar to you. Wii Active, on the other hand, has been designed and programmed to fit the interests of the western culture.
With Nintendo’s Wii Active, you will be using a control mat, which comes with the outdoor challenge games. It plugs into one of the GameCube ports found on top of the Wii. This mat is a little more sophisticated when compared to the traditional dance mats that we all know of. The Outdoor Challenge mat is equipped with six direction arrows and button pads, allowing two players to use it at the same time.
The mat is divided into two sets with four button inputs on the blue side and on the amber side for. Each player takes one color, but if there is only one player, he or she puts their feet in the center. For good exercise routines, here are a few suggested games:
1. A good aerobics exercise is called the Timber Trail game. In its most basic level, you will be asked to run in place to reach your goal. The higher levels present chasms and other obstacles that you will have to jump over or dodge. Unlike the Wii Fit board, this mat is more durable, allowing you to stamp on it.
2. There are other mini-games such as mine cart or river rafting. Most of these games are cardiovascular exercises that were mean to make you sweat.
3. Boxing and inline skating. Follow your avatar as you work your way to your goal. The leg straps and nunchuks are there to help gauge your movements and stretches. Again, there are levels available for those who want to work their way up to the most difficult routine in wii active