If you've tried yoga, you find that it works for you, and you want more poses and options that the yoga section of Wii Fit Plus can't deliver, then you have to consider some options.
For those who aren't challenged by disability and mobility issues, that may mean finding a yoga class that suits you. Having an experienced yogi and supportive class environment provide instruction and feedback is very beneficial and motivating. Visit classes and speak with instructors to find the program that best fits your needs, personality and budget!
Those who don't have the physical ability, time, or money to attend classes regularly need other options. Yoga DVDs can be a good choice to expand your yoga knowledge and practice. You won't get feedback but DVD instruction will teach and demonstrate the poses and flows. Just be careful not to overdo!
When searching for yoga options for my Wii, I discovered that there were only two -- Yoga for Wii and New U Yoga and Pilates. I read the reviews online, particularly at Amazon.com, and the choice became clear. New U was the way to go!
Some of the reviews mentioned that New U may be too challenging for those with absolutely no or very little yoga experience. I believe that's absolutely true. The pace is a bit faster than I would have expected on the Beginner setting and I would have been frustrated if I hadn't spent a few months with Wii Fit Plus yoga. Fit Plus yoga is an excellent introduction; New U is the logical next step if you want and need more.
I've been using the program for about 6 weeks and am delighted with its flexibility and customization. The program allows you to choose one of many goals such as flexibility, back problems, weight loss, tummy toning, lower body fitness, stress relief, and even post-natal exercise. Once you choose a goal, the program creates a yoga workout for you. The workouts are comprised of 10-12 poses and flows and take 30-40 minutes to complete.
You choose your instructor from three real people/profiles and a setting. The graphics aren't the best but, hey, you can't have everything! And then you begin your class. Each pose or flow offers a demonstration/instruction that you can go over as often as you want until you think you have it. Obviously, the first time you do your class, you will need instruction on each of the poses.
The game monitors and rates how well you do each pose, awarding statues and medals for a job well-done. It keeps track of your progress, calories burned, repetitions completed, and mastery. If you don't have time or energy to do a full class, there is a quick class option that reduces the number of exercises and the length to about 20 minutes.
And once you've had instruction and practiced poses, you are able to create a customized class of your own! I LOVE this feature! The trick with this is to try out as many different poses and exercises as you can in the first few weeks by changing your goal frequently so that the program unlocks new poses for you to try, use and choose from when you want to create your own class.
For example, I have changed my goal from toning and flexibility to weight loss to tummy toning to lower body work in just the first three weeks. Every time you change your goal, the program creates a new class for you. Some of the exercises will be the same but you will get many new, goal-specific poses, too. Practice and do the exercises you can. That way, the system will unlock them and they will be available for you to include when creating your very own, personalized custom class.
This is especially important for those of us with disabilities. There are many exercises/poses (even basic ones) that I simply cannot do no matter how I try to modify them or compensate. For example, I can't do Downward Dog; I can't do Dog Tilt; I can't do Floor Bridge. These aren't even advanced poses but my physical limitations make them impossible for me. I would have been discouraged IF there weren't about 20 (so far!) that I CAN do with modifications. I use these to create a workout/class that suits me, my goals, my abilities, and my disabilities.
Wii Fit Plus yoga encourages you to use something for support, if necessary. I do -- I use my quad cane. By making sure my balance is stable and using my quad cane for support, I can hold many of those "one-legged" poses such as Tree, Willow, and Shiva Twist for 20 seconds. Yay! Trying, achieving, and succeeding provide such a great morale boost!
Some basic things to consider: ALWAYS consult with your doctor and physical therapists regarding exercise and goals. I am blessed with an internist who takes the time to thoroughly discuss and explain issues so she's the doctor I consult, not my specialists. If you are doing physical therapy, have your therapist take a look at the games and make recommendations. Some PT practices and departments are actually using the Wii for patient rehab so they should be familiar with it! If they're not, show them the programs so they can see what you're doing. I had my OT watch my movements while I played the games and offer corrections/modifications.
Above all, listen to your body and mind the feedback that the game gives you! The Wii balance board and the Wii remote are monitoring your movements. Haha, it's almost creepy how the program KNOWS when I'm feeling poorly and am pushing myself to exercise. I see my muscles trembling on the screen. My balance is rubbish. The game trainer is asking me what happened? My scores are low. Major fail -- I don't like it, so I stop, rest, and try again the next day. And that's the beauty of these games.
One more thing: If you find that the program doesn't seem to be recording your movements very accurately, experiment with some adjustments. I moved my sensor bar to the top of the TV and in front of the area where I exercise. It made a big difference! Also, check the sensitivity setting on the Wii itself. In the main Wii screen, go to the set-up section where you can reset/adjust the motion sensitivity. That helped, as well. And in the same section, don't forget to change the location of the sensor bar if you do move it!
Fresh batteries in the balance board are important, as well. To save money, I bought rechargeable batteries. They work great! I have two sets of four -- one set in the balance board and the other charging. I install freshly charged batteries after every other workout to ensure accurate performance.
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