-My Thoughts on EA Active for Wii!-
Yep...that's me!
Monday morning, one of my clients told me she’d just gotten EA Sports Active, and she asked me to take it home to try it out and see what I thought. Of course, I was excited because i’m a big kid and love video games! This particular client, along with her hubby and two daughters, realized this about me because they bought me a Wii for Christmas this past year. Really awesome, huh?! The girls were SO excited and wanted me to open my present that day, so it bummed me out to have to tell them that i’d already bought myself a Wii a few weeks before!
May I just reiterate how awesome my clients are? 🙂
Wii Fit
I’ve messed around with Wii Fit a great deal of times. I love the ski jump, downhill skiing, & soccer ball-heading games. For a while, a few friends and I would get together to play Wii Fit. We’d drink a few beers (yes, I drink beer, lol) and laugh as we watched eachother perform yoga poses. One of my friends is the ski jump champion, and she and I had a competition going for a while. I’d beat her, and she’d keep having to do the jump until she beat me. I don’t have the heart to tell her that i’ve beaten her top score while playing Wii Fit at home! 🙂
I’ve also messed around with the Jillian Michaels game. I wasn’t impressed. The graphics are atrocious and on top of this, you have to endure listening to Jillian’s nasaly snarly voice as you exercise. Who wants that? She says things like “you’re doing great” and “keep it up,” with a less-than-genuine tone! How motivating! For the Jillian fans out there, don’t get mad at me. Obviously i’m not a Jillian fan – I question her credentials, background, and techniques…but hey, she’s a TV star, right?
Selecting intensity level!
So, back to EA Active. You start out by entering your basic information and creating a character. I was surprised to find quite an extensive collection of outfits for my “mini me,” yet sadly, there weren’t any cool-looking black tanks and black shorts. Oh well. Also, the shoes left something to be desired…
BUT, I did make her wear sunglasses!
After you create your character, you go on to choose your program. I chose the “30 Day Challenge,” and then selected the “High Intensity Workout.” I had done a half hour kettlebell/bodyweight workout earlier that day, and was fiddling around with EA Active while having a glass of merlot.
I know, I know…I make it sound like all I do is drink!
Trust me, I don’t drink ALL the time…just when i’m playing physical activity games on the Wii! LOL!
The thigh strap thingy that holds the nunchuk! It took me forever to locate my nunchuk...it was hidden underneath my TV stand...forgotten, as i've been a Guitar Hero addict since January!
My workout was said to take 37 minutes, including the video clips. Being Sarah, I opted not to watch the video clips throughout the workout, as that’s a time-waster! The workout started off with some jogging. I was barefoot on my tile floor, and this was okay, but after awhile, I realized I was running on the balls of my feet. I corrected this, and soon realized my arches weren’t happy. I have had metatarsal stress fractures in the past, and although I work out barefoot at home most of the time, I am definitely not used to running without shoes! I paused the game, put on my Mizunos, and started back up. My calves were like, “hello!”
Here I am, on the way up from going too low!
After running a bit, I then did squats. The game has this little sidebar meter thingy that shows you how low to squat. I soon found out that my “ass to grass” squatting ability was not wanted in this game, as the trainer chick chastised me for going too low! 😦 After the squats, there was more running…”kick ups,” I believe they were called, which were like butt kickers. I was sweating a little at this point, and a bit aggravated at the fact that it didn’t matter if I ran faster…my character was cruising at top speed. Grrr…too slow!
No, this wasn't the band I used...
Anyhow, the next exercise was biceps curls, which required me to use this flimsy flat resistance band. This band was not unlike the Therabands PT’s use with shoulder rehab patients. I tied the ends of the band to the strappy handles, stood on it, and thought “WTF?” I mean, my 92-year-old Nanie would have thought this was too easy! By this point, I was pretty much over the game. I mean, my gigantic biceps weren’t getting a pump or even remotely feeling the burn! Obviously, you can use your own band, but come on cheapo EA/Nintendo…package this game with several levels of resistance bands, please? After the curls came bent-over rows, and I was obviously not doing them as the game wanted. Come to find out, you have to row with the nunchuk and controller facing the TV, then point them toward the ground as you return to starting position. Huh? Why does this matter?
Next on the hitlist was some boxing, which was actually quite fun. You stand in front of this machine thing that flips out targets. You alternate left and right jabs as well as crosses, and if you hit them hard enough, they shatter. I had a blast trying to get each one to shatter, and when they didn’t, I was a bit peeved! Yeah, i’m a goober! After the boxing came more squats and then some inline skating, which was fun as well. It was also quite painful, as you’re required to maintain a crouched position prior to launching yourself off ramps. I didn’t like the fact that it didn’t matter if I tried to steer or not, because my character stayed on track the entire time. I think it would be more fun if you had to steer, but that’s just me! Once you jump, you can flip and do various tricks by moving your arms about furiously!
Biskit was over it too!
Overall, it’s a pretty cool game, but I personally would not continue to use it. I stopped after 20 minutes and was ready for more wine! I’m not the “average” consumer. I’m a trainer. I like to call the shots…I don’t like being told what to do…I mean, I know EVERYTHING, right? 😉 Y’all know i’m seriously joking about knowing everything, I hope! Anyhow, for the sedentary individual, I can see how this game would be a good thing. It tracks your progress, keeps you on schedule, and has a good variety of exercises. I didn’t even get to mess with the tennis or baseball!
So, for those who are needing something to help them start exercising at home, without spending too much money, this is a good option. It’s not expensive, it’s convenient, and it makes exercise a game. The problem with many people trying to do things on their own at home is that they end up throwing in the towel after a short while without any accountability. Can a game provide accountability? Perhaps, but it’s nothing compared to that of working with a trainer (either in real life or via the Internet…I do both).
Obviously, i’m a big proponent of working with a qualified fitness professional if you’re in this situation! Nothing beats the personalized attention a personal trainer provides, and this is extremely important for those who have never exercised and/or are wanting to get started on the right foot!
Just for those who are curious…my quads were killing me (and still are) yesterday! I don’t know if it was my kettlebell/bodyweight workout that afternoon, or the inline skating and squats on EA Active…lol…i’m thinking it was a combination of both! I did a lot of squatting Monday…clean/squat/press, swing/catch/squat, deck squats (YAY!), and then the EA Active stuff. Quads are still saying “holla!” 😀
-Don’t Watch Bob, Either!-
He's a hoss, and a nice guy...but he's a Biggest Loser trainer...that's not saying much.
Okay, okay…I can’t just pick on Jillian…that wouldn’t be fair! Let me preface this by saying that I feel Bob Harper is a sweet guy, and he seems to have a genuine interest in his clients’ health and well-being. With that being said, the stuff they show on The Biggest Loser is just plain preposterous! Yes, it’s a TV show and it’s hyped-up and edited, so who honestly really knows what goes on. Anyhow, you’re going to be seeing more posts from me regarding the “WTF?” workouts shown on this show! Why? Because the public is watching this show, and getting some really bad information from it. No, i’m not in the least bit jealous of either Bob Harper or Jillian Michaels, and as i’ve said before, I wouldn’t want their job. I’m not hatin’ on them…i’m hatin’ on the crap they are representing on the show and i’m hatin’ on the fact that people simply do not know that a lot of what’s shown on the show is CRAP!
Yesterday and earlier today, I shared my feelings on Jillian’s glorious kettlebell skills. I also wanted to comment on the “circus act” of an exercise Bob had Sione doing.
This is a quadruped arm and opposite leg raise, or as some call it, a “bird dog.” OF COURSE doing the exercise on the floor just isn’t good enough…it’s not good TV! NO! We gotta do it on the ball! Check out the sweat! See how hard he’s working?
WTF?
I would NEVER have a client do this kinda crap. It infuriates me, then amuses me, to be honest, when I see the ridiculous “circus act” exercises they show on The Biggest Loser! I wanna ask them “WHY?” Why do you guys show this crap? It’s obviously not for the sake of improving someone’s fitness level…it’s for the “wow factor” and gets good ratings, right? Right! What we don’t see is the “cut” footage that is now lying somewhere in a landfill…the footage that shows Sione busting his as* after he slips off the ball.
I am not a fan of having clients stand on a ball, either. If your trainer has you do this, fire them. That’s all i’m gonna say.
There are a ton of exercises out there, people. A ton of really good ones, and even more that aren’t worth wasting your time on. I feel i’ve reached a point in my career where I have a pretty good grasp on what works, and what’s not worth doing. Why mess with something that’s not broken in the first place? When it comes to exercises, a trainer must have a REASON behind each and every one they choose. Why would I have a client do the exercise demonstrated above? I wouldn’t…okay, well, I did try it yesterday goofing around with one of the couples I train. I felt like a circus bear! There simply isn’t a point, in my eyes, to have any of my clients do this exercise. It just doesn’t make sense to me. There are more effective (and safe) ways of kicking things up a notch once the basic movement is mastered.
What I would do, you ask? I would move on to a more challenging exercise that trains rotation…because the quadruped opposite arm & leg raise is an exercise that trains rotation…more specifically, anti-rotation. I would progress my client to something done in the standing position, because that has more functional carryover to real life than a floor-based exercise. I would choose an exercise such as a band iso-hold, which is awesome because the band generates a pulling force that wants to rotate the torso. The goal is to not give in to this pulling force, thus “locking down” the core and promoting integrity throughout the entire body, as virtually every muscle is working to hold a static position. Once this kinda exercise is easy for my client, i’d then incorporate some movement by having them perform various steps or lunges, all the while keeping arms fixed and core braced.
I am a BIG fan of having my clients perform exercises in the standing position…why? IT’S MORE FUNCTIONAL! Yes, I get tired of the “functional” word but it’s true! Once a client can handle such exercises, my philosophy is “let ’em have ’em!” You burn more calories standing up, you use your entire body, and hell…it’s a lot more fun than doing stuff lying on the floor!
Oh…and one more thing? “Outside the Box” passed the 11,000 hits mark today! Just doing my part to spread the truth, people, and it seems to be spreading like a little virus! 😀 I love it! Thanks for stopping by!
-Ah…More Jillian!-
To humor those of you who weren’t lucky enough to see this week’s “Biggest Loser” episode, here’s a treat for you!
I’m thinking the dialog prior to shooting this clip went a little sumpin’ like this:
Producer A: “Hey Jillian, everyone’s talking about these newfangled kettlebells these days…ever heard of em?”
Jillian: “Yeah, they are a NEW exercise tool and supposed to be the latest trend.”
Producer B: “We’d better jump on that now!”
Producer A: “Here’s a 10 pounder…gosh this little sucker is heavy, hahaha…swing it around a few times and talk about how it’s great for fat loss.”
Jillian: “How much am I getting paid for this?”
Producer B: “An extra $100k.”
Jillian: “Roll the camera!”
I was doing my best not to laugh while filming! 😀
-Sarah’s Mini KB Workout!-
SCARY!
Oh Jillian, you inspired me! lol! Actually, you really do…you inspire me to be a BETTER trainer. ‘Nuff said!
In honor of Jillian Michaels…here’s a great kettlebell mini-workout I came up with on the fly:
Warmup with Dowel:
- 3D Hip Stretch
- Orbits
- OH Squats
- Staggered Hip Hinge + Rotation
- RDLs
Kettlebell Circuit: rest only as long as needed between exercises…that means MINIMAL! 🙂
- 16kilo Swings x 20
- 12kilo Cleans x 10 ea
- 8kilo C&P x 10 ea
- 8kilo Snatches x 10 ea
- 12kilo Snatches x 5 ea
I repeated this circuit 3x!
There ya have it…a pretty basic, yet intense little kettlebell workout! If you haven’t gotten it by now, i’m not a big fan of long drawn-out workouts. I keep my workouts brief and intense. It works better for me – I stay lean, i’m not drained, and I feel better overall!
-Wanna Learn Kettlebells? Don’t Watch Jillian!-
Swings a'la Jillian...you drop down into a squat!
Okay, so last night, I was furiously working away on my laptop…and i’d migrated to the couch to “wind down,” as I try so hard to do these days. I had eaten a yummy dinner of grilled salmon and a stuffed potato (hey, this girl can get away with it, lol) while i’d begun watching Tuesday night’s episode of “The Biggest Loser,” which i’d DVR’ed. Problem with working in front of the TV is that I don’t watch the TV. I can’t focus on it. I love DVRing shows b/c I can fast forward thru the commercials and I feel it’s a more efficient way to watch the boob tube! Anyhow, roughly three quarters of the way through the episode, I see “Trainer Tips” flash up on the screen and I pay attention. I always crack up at the “Trainer Tips” because most of the time, they are the most obvious, “not rocket science” tips…and there’s either Bob or Jillian up there reading a scripted dialogue and getting paid who knows how much to do so. I really think it’s funny when they “pitch” products, too, but that’s another post altogether.
This is a Jillian clean...she has no rack!
So, I see that Ms. Michaels is dangling a blue TEN POUND kettlebell from her right hand, and is talking about how great kettlebells are for fat loss, etc. Then it cuts to a few reps of her doing swings. My jaw hit the floor. First off, she dropped down into a squat and performed a funky overhead swing! For lack of a better term, my brain was saying “WTF?!” as I watched in shock/amusement. Then she goes on to do a clean & press, and oh…my…goodness. Her “clean” was a weird around and over the shoulder flopping motion, and she apparently has no clue what she’s doing. Jillian Michaels has no rack!
What’s even better is the fact that I was discussing this with two of my clients this morning, who had also watched the show. Both made remarks regarding how horrible her form was, and one said she was thinking, “Sarah doesn’t do swings like that!” LOL! Priceless. My clients know how to swing a kettlebell better than Jillian Michaels! Move over, Jillian, because you may have little ol’ me vying for your glorious position on the show…okay, just kidding, folks! I don’t want that job!
Sloppy overhead pressing form...note the break in the wrist!
So, who knows how many viewers saw this and are now picking up 10-pound kettlebells and flinging them around ferociously.
Flinging them around ferociously…say that ten times fast! ;D
RIPPEL EFFECT FITNESS 