Virtual fitness
The term "virtual fitness" ( Cyber Sport , CyberTraining or cyber Fitness called) is generally Exercising using virtual media understood.
Differences to normal fitness training
It is currently controversial whether virtual fitness can actually replace the traditional fitness program.
A clinical study from the USA has shown that virtual fitness training prevents dementia . Virtual cyber cycling, i.e. virtual training on an ergometer , has proven to be particularly effective. Scientists from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine studied the effects of virtual fitness training on the elderly in 2012. The result: virtual cycling programs promote mental abilities more than conventional training on an ergometer.
history
The Europe-wide appearance of Nintendo Wii Fit in April 2008 (in Japan as early as December 2007) heralded the start of a world-wide new kind of fitness training. In front of the computer or TV screen, athletes can virtually carry out various fitness programs at home on the Wii Balance Board . From its appearance in Japan to November 2010, the Balance Board sold around 32 million times worldwide. In Germany, CyberCycling conquered around 100 fitness studios at about the same time. Online fitness providers include Pure-Life and CyberConcept. The PlayStation Move expansion for the PlayStation 3 was released in September 2010. Xbox Kinect was released a short time later in November 2010 and revolutionized the movement game era, as Kinect does not require any controllers.
McFit has also recently started using the CyberTraining principle. Various courses can be taken within the fitness studios. The trainers , some of whom are prominent, deliver the training units on the screen .
Platforms and Opportunities
Nintendo Wii Fit
The so-called Balance Board can be bought for the Nintendo Wii. This comes with the game Wii Fit. Wii Fit is a collection of muscle building , yoga , balance and aerobic games . The user can enter his own profile with his current data, his clothing and his desired weight and use Wii Fit to train and lose weight and / or build muscle mass. The exercises are performed on the Balance Board and / or with the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk . Since the balance board also has a scale function and the Wii has an integrated calendar , the console documents all training units and warns the user about too much ambition or reminds him of the training.
The successor version Wii Fit Plus is now available. Building on its predecessor, it contains over 60 games - including 15 completely new ones.
PlayStation Move
Since the introduction of the Move Controller, there has also been a fitness offer on the PlayStation 3. Various sports such as tennis , dance or aerobics can be mastered with the help of the PlayStation Move's motion control, which is basically similar to that of the Wii, and a camera . The movements are precisely transmitted to the screen and integrated into the game.
The counterpart to Wii Fit is EA Sports Active 2. This game also offers varied training units that can be specially tailored to the user. Motion sensors are strapped to the arms and legs for the training units. The included heart rate monitor can be used to ensure that the body is not stressed incorrectly. The game only finds its full potential in connection with Xbox Kinect (see below).
In addition to Move Fitness or Adidas MiCoach, there is also the Get Fit with Mel B game . In this game, the user can also provide his or her personal information and thus receive an individual training plan. In addition, the game also provides a balanced nutrition plan on request .
XBox Kinect
Xbox Kinect allows the user to control a game through movement and speech without any physical controls. The new camera can recognize motion sequences with high precision. In addition to EA Sport Active 2, the movement games Kinect Sports, Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, Motion Sports and Zumba Fitness have been released for this system . At the beginning of June 2012, XBox presented the fitness program Nike + Kinect Training together with the sporting goods manufacturer Nike at the E3 game fair . It will be launched in December 2012. This automatically adapts to the fitness level of the user and enables a virtual test of strength with other networked people.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Virtual Fitness - When the software alone sweats. Perspective Mittelstand , March 23, 2010, accessed on March 14, 2012 .
- ↑ Exergaming and Older Adult Cognition. American Journal of Preventive Medicine , February 2012, accessed March 14, 2012 .
- ↑ With Pur-Life, the fitness studio comes into the living room. Artikelmagazin - Das Online-Magazin , January 4, 2012, accessed on March 14, 2012 .
- ↑ Xbox 360 UPDATE: Kinect release moved forward. Games Aktuell , August 17, 2010, accessed March 14, 2012 .
- ↑ Training with virtual coaching. Fit For Fun , accessed March 14, 2012 .
- ↑ E3: Nike + Kinect Training - fitness program for the home. network world ; Retrieved June 11, 2012