I had a new Wii yoga program on my Christmas List but it didn't release for sale when it was expected and when I read the reviews recently they were not very good. Kevin told me the new Wii Fit Plus program that he got had routines that you can set up instead of doing individual exercises. I decided to give it a try a couple weeks ago. This is so much better then the previous version. All of the exercises are open and available to use. The original version you had to wait until you had enough points to open the next exercise so I only had 6 or so yoga moves open. I tried a few of these new ones then put a bunch together in a routine. I add a couple new exercises each time and my routine is up to 27 minutes and it is continuous; no pauses or pushing the A button. Thanks Kevin, for letting me use your game.
One of the great things about using Wii Fit again is that the kids are hooked on it again as well. It's nice to see them exercise and be excited about it. Zack likes the running, and Chad may even have him talked into a kid's run later this year. He follows cats or dogs during the run and there are quizzes at the end of the runs that ask questions about what you saw while running, like number of gophers or who you saw pass you on the run. He is also earning points for a school project in which he gets a point each day for 15 minutes or more of exercise. Kevin's current favorite on the Wii Fit Plus is the Kung Fu Rhythm.
The family is also starting to enjoy the yoga along with me. The kids cheer me on during my weekly routines. They encourage me to hold my balance steady or let me know that I am holding the correct position. On Saturday morning they did some moves along with, as Chad and I were doing the full routine. Everyone was behind me so I didn't get a good look, but I heard some groaning about difficulty in addition to laughing and having fun. After we were done they were all set to have their own yoga mats, probably because I mentioned one and they jumped on board. We took a look in the big city when we were shopping and found something to satisfy each. Zack got a blue mat with a cool design, and Kevin got a Wii yoga set up that came with a mat, neoprene cover for the Wii board, rechargeable battery and a carrying case. The boys have both tried the cover and say it works nice and is comfortable. I hope it's not too soft that the balance exercises are harder yet, I'll try it soon.
Although Chad refused to check out with me at the register with the item I picked up, I found a Shake Weight, the arm exerciser that's been on TV recently. OK, he did stand with me in the register line and even paid for it. My impression of the item on TV was that it moved on it's own and you resisted it moving. I question if it even works but it was just so intriguing that I had to try it for less then $20. If I can build up my arms for just 6 minutes a day...it's worth it. Well on opening, I discovered it doesn't move on its own, it just shakes back and forth. Chad just laughs at me when I try to use it, and the kids seem to be amused as well but they all had to have their turn trying it. My first thought was to return it, but I figure I might as well give it a try for a few weeks. It comes with a DVD that I have yet to watch. I'll give it a fair try and review it here when I'm done.
