Video Game Fitness

Hey there! Hope you are doing awesome :-)

If you've read my blog, you know I am a huge fan of leveraging technology to help my fitness clients get in the best shape possible.

• a website! (duh)


• online workout & food journals


• workout videos


• client video/ before after photos for testimonials


• online billing/paypal


• free fitness business software & free money software

There are all kinds of cool technological tools out there you can harness to grow your fitness business and make it easier for your clients to get in amazing shape, but what about video games?

An Awesome Workout Staring at a TV?

I admit, I would much rather people get outside and connect with nature when they workout, its so much more fun, enjoyable, and healthier.  But many people like in huge cities or in the suburban sprawl and don't have great access to natural resources. Other people do have access, but find it "inconvenient".  Well this is about as convenient as it gets, and if it helps a large # of people to get moving a little bit more, I am all for it.  Of course, a video game will NEVER replace a personal trainer :-)

  Well a couple weeks ago, I played the "Dance Central" game for X-box, which uses the new Kinect system to translate your physical motions in space to the video game charachters movements in the video game.  It was SO much fun! Not only did I get my heart rate up, I learned some new hip hop dance moves too :-0

Laugh Out Loud While Working Out :-)

Yup, that's what happened, and I got out of breath too!  (I'm no slouch mind you, I can run up all 86 flights of the empire state building race in 13minutes & 39 seconds.)  The same thing happened when I played Dance Dance Revolution for Wii.  For those of you that don't know, DDR started out as an arcade game, you basically dance on a pad and have to hit the arrows on the pad exactly as they pop up on the screen.  The first time I ever plaid this was back in 2003 on the Santa Monica pier.  Laugh out loud workout, and so much fun to battle a friend!

    I recently bought the Wii for my mom, and she used Dance Dance Revolution to workout a couple times a week, since I live a few miles away and am not around to train her all the time.  The light impact of "stomping" on the bad is excellent for bone growth too!  (Not too much too fast, mind you, but compressive forces along the length of the bones is one of the best ways to increase bone growth, something that is especially important in post-menopausal women.)

But Is It Safe?

Don't get me wrong, I am sure a small percentage of people will get injured using the Kinect system for XBOX and the Nintendo Wii, that is the sad reality when introducing something like this to a huge population or people who are generally undernourished (or eating processed edible poisons), and have been told to sit still and not move for years by their teachers/bosess, etc.  Then they get an XBOX, try and bust this move below in the Karate game, and pull a hammy!

    Definitely not progress for the person with the blown hamstring, but that it is why it is important for us trainers to be aware of these technologies, so we can advise our clients on how best to use them without getting injured.  And luckily, I think it will be a small majority of people who get injured using these games.

A Challenge or Opportunity for Fitness Professionals?

Well, it really depends on how you look at it.  Do you educate your fitness clients?

• empower them to tune into their body?


• show them how to better manage their body and understand the sensations that come with working out?


• teach them how to workout on their own, warm up, progress exercises, etc?

If the answer is yes, then adding a video game workout to their program 1x-2x per week might be appropriate. And what about for youth fitness?  I think this is a no-brainer for kids, before school programs, after school programs, even gym class.  Exercise has been proven to be absolutely critical in helping the brain create new neurons in the areas of the brain that deal with memory, learning, attention, and survival. Hmm, perhaps this would be huge for the right fitness professional looking to take over the booming youth fitness market in their area. In fact, what about incorporating some video games into your gyms cardio area? Or creating a video game only gym?  How about a video game only gym that is in the back of a huge truck, so it can go around from neighborhood to neighborhood? Kinda like the ice cream truck, but way healthier and cooler!  :-)

What Do You Think?

Have you played any of these games? Do you think they are safe?  What considerations/concerns do you have with using them in a workout program for the general population?  Mark my words, somebody is going to make a killing with that fitness video game truck idea :-) Until next time, keep your business fit. Johnny Fitness