My Fitness Coach - Nintendo Wii

For those of you who are gun shy after getting burned by the Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum, there is no reason to wait. JMFU was garbage. This is the real thing. It does not use a balance board. Some people seem to have a problem with that but it's not like they claimed to have balance board support and failed to deliver. The description in Amazon of what it does is completely accurate. Also, if it had balance board support it would be nearly twice the price. I received it yesterday and have done 2 workouts on it. Things I like (There is no way that I will hit all the good features): 1. There was a very thorough fitness test when you first set up a profile. I wish Wii Fit had something this comprehensive. 2. Maya, the coach, is a pleasure to work out with. She has a pleasing voice. She asks how you felt during a segment of the workout. The choices are No Sweat, I Was Working Hard, and I Couldn't Keep Up. If you choose the first or the third answer, Maya promises to adjust that segment the next time she presents it during a workout. 3. I like being able to change the environment that Maya leads the workout from and I like that the view of Maya changes during the workout. 4. You can incorporate other equipment into the workout. I happened to have an unused step, some weights and a stability ball stored in the basement. Neither of the workouts I did so far used the stability ball. 5. I still use the advanced step program on the Wii Fit but it is the same every time and the step is so low. With this I am able to use a real step and adjust it to the height I want to get the best workout. 6. The routines scroll across the bottom so I can see how much is left of the current routine and which routine is coming up next. 7. The tutorial feature was a necessity for me. When Maya started a routine that wasn't clear to me I selected the tutorial. Maya explained how to do it. It repeats until I select Resume. Then Maya restarts the routine. 8. A workout DVD repeats the same workout every time. This game is dynamic. I need that kind of variety. Things I didn't like: 1. I don't have a large space to work out in. I needed to have the step in a place where there was sufficient space to do the step routines but I also needed enough space to perform the non-step aerobic routines. I banged into a couch a few times. I think I'll be able to work this out after a few workouts. 2. This is probably related to my lack of space but I think I would prefer that it stick to the equipment for a longer time. It used the step, then it didn't, then it did again, and so on. On the other hand, not doing that may interfere with the randomness of the workouts and that would be a bad thing. I had 2 good workouts and definitely recommend this game as long as you have read the description and understand what you are getting.

This is the workout product I've been looking for! Something that will get my heart pumping, sweat pouring, and muscles working without boring me to tears in the process. Please note that this is not a "game" that tries to make exercise fun and entertaining. If you want that, stick with Wii Fit or a host of other products out there. My Fitness Coach is for those who want straightforward aerobic, muscle toning, and flexibility exercises that really give you a solid workout. Things I like: - It does *not* use Wii balance board at all, and the Wii controller has only limited use for selecting your day's workout focus and responding to questions. I got fed up with other fitness products like EA Sports Active that refused to recognize I had made a particular movement or told me I did it incorrectly when I had done everything right. MFC relies on me to do the exercises without "looking over my shoulder", and that's the way I like it! - MFC varies the workout from day to day and provides a more or less intense workout depending on how difficult you found a particular segment. - MFC allows you to pick a particular focus area each day (aerobics, upper body, lower body, core, etc.). While the customized workout will devote most of that day's exercises to your selected focus area, it will still provide some time to the other areas. So for example, if your long-term goal is weight loss, you can expect a certain aerobic portion in each workout even if your chosen focus that day is lower body. Choose aerobics each day, you will still get some strength exercises included in your workout. Excellent for a well-rounded fitness program. - You can select the length of workout in 15-minute intervals. Have only a little time for a quick workout? Choose a 15-minute program. Have a lot of time for a full workout? Choose an hour or longer. - Excellent motion-capture for Maya. Her movements are very realistic, even during her random actions during the rest segments. Things that could be improved: - Cool down segment is too short...and why do we need rest segments between cool down stretches? - Due to injury, there are a couple of exercises I just cannot physically do. I wish there was a way I could tell MFC to eliminate these from my fitness routine. - After each strength segment there is a rest segment where Maya tells you to stretch those muscles you just worked. Unfortunately she neither says nor demonstrates a good way to stretch them. Oh she will show some stretching moves, but these are randomly selected and the muscles she's stretching are not necessarily the ones you just worked. - Some of the exercises are little tricky at first. Each has a tutorial available where Maya steps through how to perform it, but this requires stopping your workout to watch it. It would be nice if she gave some explanation during the exercise itself, at least when a new exercise is introduced. A few minor gripes for an otherwise excellent workout product!

I originally bought this for the playstation 2, many years ago, and I have done over 150 workouts with that version of the program (it is called Yourself Fitness on PS2). Recently my wife got a Nintendo WII console so she could do wii fit. Looking around at the fitness programs available for the Wii, to my pleasant surprise I saw my old favorite. I didn't think I would get it, because I already have the PS2 version, but I figured I would try it out and see if maybe it is an upgraded version. For the most part, it is the same version as the PS2 one, however, I do notice they have added some new excersizes, like the GrapeVine. I also noticed they fixed a couple of bugs they had in PS2, namely: at some points in the work-out, the game camera would suddenly point to the sky, and you would lose sight of Maya and your surroundings; Also, at some points the fitness coach (Maya) would suddenly slow way down, and then speed way up, which normally occurred whenever there was a song change. Both of these are fixed in this version. Another difference is that the PS2 version would always show how much time you had left in your workout, while the Wii version shows it briefly when you change excersizes. Also, the PS2 had a clear marking of where you were in the current excersize, and where the end point was, when the next excersize would begin. The Wii has a marker, but at first I didn't see it, it is a very light-colored thin line that is almost the same color as the background. Once I got used to this, I now really like it. Other changes: There is no Weight-loss workout choice on the Wii, so I usually pick Cardio for my workout; The PS2 also had a meditation Garden workout you could do, whereas I believe the same thing is available on the Wii if you select Yoga workout; PS2 version would group the excersizes together when you were dealing with a step bench, whereas the Wii will mix them all up so that one is step bench, one is non step bench, then back to step bench. I mention this because you will need a big workout area so you can keep your step bench ready to use, but still be able to have room to do the non-step bench ones. I have tried a couple other fitness programs, both software and real-world, but I always come back to this program - it does the best job of whipping me into shape, and helping me keep in shape. You get to pick your workout music (My personal favorites are Hip-hop, eighties, dance, latin), your workout location (personal favs: Island, Alpine, Desert), length of time of workout (15 minutes minimum, not sure what max is, but way more than I would ever do. I usually do 30 minutes nearly every day), you can specify what equipment you want to work with (ball, weights, step bench). It asks you after each section of workout how it was for you, whether it was too tough, just right, or not challenging, then it adjusts the settings for your next workout accordingly. It asks you before you start the workout how you are feeling, beware if you pick "Nothing can stop me" - you better be ready for the pain! I usually pick "Not bad" and that gives me a pretty decent workout. I also like the fact that you DO NOT have to keep the Wii controller in your hand while you work out! All in all, I really love this software, it is the best workout I have found, producing the most results, and fun enough that I keep coming back to it.

I know many many people have favorably reviewed this product, but I just don't like it. Why? Because it is an aerobics workout like a person would find in a gym class full of women. Why is that bad? Its isn't, if your a woman. The NFL Training Camp is much more my style; however, the sending units on that program didn't work and I don't feel like spending another dollar of my money taking a chance that the next ones will. Nonetheless, the NFL Training Camp program was for men. Sprints, fending off tackles, catching passes, punting, and all the rest got my interest. I also liked the fact that every workout employed the stretch band (I used weights) during the workout. My Fitness Coach is just following the routines of a cartoon woman who goes through what I call the "dance steps" of an aerobic workout through the vast majority of the exercises. After a month I gave it up. I just didn't care to keep going back to the "class" where I couldn't follow the steps and didn't care if I couldn't. Yes, that is correct. I can't dance. After reviewing all the workout programs I could find on Amazon I've given up. I don't see any of them that cater to men or football types anyway. I would like the NFL Training Camp to be put on a program like this where nothing else was needed except the disk. No sending devices. Just follow the NFL workout. It would be OK to hit the control button every now and then to tell the game you wanted to move on, but other than that make the program work on its own without additional hardware. OR at least provide that option. So, in my opinion, this is a gals workout. Not that it isn't hard. I'm not saying that the workouts are easy, far from it. It is the style of workout that I do not like. And if you don't like dancing you will not like this. AD2

THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE WII FITNESS COACH Alright... I hate exercise. The motivation to do it is beyond me, but I appreciate that one must exercise to stay healthy. While I am active in daily life I don't do `traditional workouts'. I'll hike and go to the beach, but put me on a treadmill and I'm off in a minute. That said...I LOVE THIS. I thought having to enter all those measurements at the start to create your profile a bit hassling (make sure you have a scale and tape measure folks) but it makes sense when you do evaluations and it's SO rewarding to watch your progress on the charts. PRODUCT/GAME PLAY: It's not a fitness game it's a trainer. That means with the exception of using the control a few times to tell her how you're keeping up with the exercise, so that it can be better adapted for your personal success, you don't get interactive with the workout. I personally like this as it means that I don't have to buy gear for everyone who wants to follow the workout. I don't have to worry about the bar sensing movements and all sorts of other things. There's no constant input expected during my workout. I can just focus on her comments, my form and workout. The trainer gives helpful tips and motivates you and isn't overly harsh when you miss a work out or two. (She does go a little harder on you to make up for it though.) Don't lie when you do the tests at the start to set up your profile or get discouraged if you seem to suck. It's just to know where you are starting at and you should get a nice gradual increase in your workouts till you get to where you want to be. Lie and I think you may find it to demanding at the start. COST Like 15 bucks for a sweet workout in the privacy of my home versus the investment you would usually make at the gym. Cost of basic equipment will stay the same, as the programme allows for step platforms, hand weights, balance balls etc. But you get to say what you have and the workouts selected reflect that. So you can buy at your own pace if you don't already have gear. I say start with a mat. FUN I do it (and you may have heard I hate workouts) and even got my boyfriend to join in. He does a lot of heavy lifting, tennis and all that sort of stuff and found a few of the exercises got him to work out muscles his `guy' routines didn't account for. We definitely had fun though. IMPROVEMENTS I think it's pretty sweet as is. If the developers are reading... Wish I could add my own music. It starts with 3 options and the more you workout the more options of music, locations etc. you unlock. Adding a scale would drive up the price...but I'm sure they could sneak a cheap tape measure in the box. At the very least put "scale and tape measure" needed on the box. If I didn't sew it would suck to know the day I got it I had to wait to buy a tape measure to start doing my do. OVERALL: Nice workout, great cost, great value, own a bathroom scale and tape measure, get a workout mat and be prepared to be pleasantly surprised. I actually don't mind working out a few times a week now...but that's just between us.

I love this game and here's why: You sign into your profile and do a fitness test. You can measure you arms, chest, waist, hips, and legs. Or you can skip it. You enter your weight. It then does a quick heart rate, then makes you work out to get another heart rate. It uses all the information to make a routine for you. Of course, you can skip all that and just start. If the routine is too hard you can pause it and lower the intensity. OR if it's too easy you can pause it and make it harder. The music on the game is kind of lame. To fix that you can turn it off. This is what I do and plug in my headphones and listen to my own music. The work outs change every time. You rotate through different things from marching in place to jumping jacks. My routines start out with 15 minutes of cardio, a short break, about 7 more minutes of cardio, then some strength training. The last minute of cool down is normally just a quick stretching exercise. You can also tell the game what kind of equipment you have and your trainer will work those into your routines. I have hand weights that I use, for example. When the routine starts she offers encouragement along the way. She also explains proper form. If you don't understand the move she is doing you can click on the exercise and it will stop the game and explain it. Then after that you can resume the game. After the first section of the routine your coach will ask you how that part felt. You answer it was good, too easy, or too hard. Whichever you pick it changes intensity based on your answer. The ONLY problem with this part is after doing a cardio workout it's somewhat difficult to click on the correct answer since they are so close to each other. There's been more than one time that I accidentally clicked the wrong one. After your workout it gives you an estimated calorie burn. I find it pretty close. However I still subtract about 20 calories just for safe measure. Another thing I like is that it doesn't count down your time left continuously. The only time it tells you how much time is left is in between exercises. I always just look away from the screen because I hate knowing how much time I still have left. I hardly have to look at the screen because after I see what exercise is next I just wait for her audio cue. Or I just glance over real quick to see. On the menu you can choose between cardio, upper, lower, or yoga. I've tried them all except yoga. They have a lot of different exercises. I actually haven't seen them all yet. They just add a new one every once in a while. Which is a nice surprise. I love how this is just like an exercise class. You pick how long you want to go (15, 30, 45, 1hour). Then it goes straight through. No waiting for explaining the exercises. This game is for anyone. I started at 195 pounds and now I am 165. When I was nearly 200 pounds I couldn't hardly do any jumping jacks. So when I got over tired I just walked through them. Now I can do jumping jacks for 2 minutes with out stopping. This game works. I really does. You just have to commit to it. I highly recommend this.

My Fitness Coach does a lot of things right that no other Wii game hasn't, but at the same time, it does a lot of things wrong. Lots of people have touched on what it does right, so I'll gloss over that and go to what's wrong. What it gets right is how it automatically carves out a regiment with warm-ups, cardio, strength, and cool-down exercises, depending on the amount of time you give it. It also, for the fitness challenge, looks at measurements rather than weight, which is helpful in allowing you to see where you have gained and where you have lost, rather than looking at a big number and a BMI. It remembers and charts them, so you can look are your progress. It also seamlessly goes from one exercise to the next, something I missed in Wiifit and that was only somewhat implemented in Wiifit plus. However, where is fails in comparison to wiifit is variation. Do you have knee problems, arthritis, or in someway unable to do one or two exercises but are willing to do others? Too bad! Nothing but jumping for you until we get to the strength portion. This is also an embarrassing determent to those of us who are overweight- the cardio is great, but after a while, the focus on jumping just becomes painful instead of giving you a nice workout. This leads to the next flaw: despite claiming to have 400+ exercises, it doesn't like to vary itself, sometimes giving you two of the same intense exercises in a row instead of two different ones that focus on different areas, so you can keep your heart rate going and build stamina. The strength portions aren't much better, often focusing on one or two exercises with rests inbetween, making it a game to stay interested rather than challenging yourself. The other nitpick is that it doesn't tell you when to switch or position yourself, which is difficult when you're going poses that don't allow you to see the TV screen. Thus, you sometimes may not have any indication that your instructor has moved on until she says something. All in all, there's a lot of things that make this shine, and a few flaws that may detract from how useful it is for your exercise regimen. If a sequel comes out that does more variation, I'll definitely be interested, and the hardcore workout is a nice change. Those who want something that's a definite step up from the Wiifit games should take a look at this.

I've completed my profile (enter weight / height / age details; and take body measurements and do a basic fitness test) and also completed one exercise round (30 min). My first impressions: --For about the $17 I paid for it, I can tell this is going to be a STEAL. --I'm impressed by the varied exercises you do in a round. --Also allows you to incorporate some equipment you have (you indicate to the Wii trainer that you have a balance ball, step, hand weights or heart monitor). --You only use the Wii controller to respond to questions about how you're doing, (too easy, right on, or too tough). This lets you really do exercises without having to hold or wear a controller. --The basic fitness test suggests what area you need to long-term focus on (for me it was upper body) I went with this to start; down the road I may switch it or see what the periodic test will suggest next. --My first workout session was actually a cardio session with some other exercises mixed in. --You pick the focus of each workout session (or you can accept the recommendation by the Wii trainer). This is a great feature that a plain ol' DVD workout video doesn't have!!! --You pick the music type (out of a few choices, with more unlocked as you do more workouts) --There are a few workout environments to start with, more unlocks as you go --At first I felt a little behind in following the Wii trainer at doing the exercises (as I do at the gym). But after about 10 min I got the hang of it and when the switch up was going to happen. --There is a visual indication of when the exercise you're doing is going to change, and to what. There's ALSO indication if that next exercise will involve equipment or not (balance ball or step) because there's a graphical icon with it. --I find it best to have my equipment setup as stations (enough area to do the main exercises + the ball and step nearby so I can just move over to them and use them where they already have enough space) --There is a group workout option, but I have not tried that yet... CON: --This game indicates what proper form is, and you get the general idea by watching the trainer, but it doesn't have an up-close-in-exact-detail demonstration of it. Good form is important to get the right muscles targeted for the workout. This can be done with what verbal/general visual you do hear/see in the game, but with no kind of feedback mechanism, you'll have to evaluate your self compared to the instructions and form of the Wii trainer. Try to keep good form and regular breathing and you'll get the most out of these workouts. Overall, I consider this like a DVD workout but that you can customize to your level, music choice, and what you're wanting to target at each workout session. I love it. If you bring the commitment to spend the time regularly to workout, the game brings what it takes to get results. Well worth the $, and it's healthy for you, too.