Exercising with Electronics
Exercising and playing video games or watching TV initially appears
to be in stark contrast of one another, right? Wrong! Several video games now
encourage players to get up and interact with their video game consoles,
resulting in imaginative and stimulating exercises. At the same time, fitness
videos have long provided viewers with engaging instruction and guidance
designed to maximize their fitness potential.
For example, the Nintendo Wii (2006) is a video game console
featuring a multitude of video games that make use of the Wii Remote (also
known as a Wiimote) and the Nunchuck Controller (both pictured below). The
remote and controller allow players to virtually walk, throw, run and catch
depending on the game’s instructions. The addition of this physical element to common
gameplay mechanics is most noticeable in the Wii’s premier game title, Wii Sports (2006). Wii Sports offers players with a plethora of interactive sports,
such as: Baseball, Bowling, Boxing, Golf, and Tennis. Similarly, Wii Sports Resort (2009) introduces
several new virtual sports to the fray, including: Air Sports, Archery,
Canoeing, Cycling, Frisbee, Power Cruising, Swordplay, Table Tennis, and
Wakeboarding. Other Wii games, like Mario
Kart Wii (2008) and The Legend of
Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011), place special emphasis on physical movements
(like steering and swinging) in conjunction with gameplay. These games
ultimately provide players with unique (albeit light) exercise.
However, video gaming is not the only source of exercise that
can be accomplished while using electronics: fitness videos on DVD and Blu-ray
also give viewers the opportunity to energize their bodies and minds through
more traditional fitness activities. Fitness videos provide viewers with the
opportunity to exercise alongside instructors who work to guide viewers toward specific
goals. Companies like Angie Miller Fitness (pictured right) have conventionalized
this type of content while establishing their popularity within the fitness
world. Some instructors even choose to upload their content for free to their
social media sites, such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
While some may prefer exercising without any electronics interrupting
their fitness routine, video and video game fitness provide viewers and players
alike with the incentive to work out and
have fun – a quality that others may argue is (in literal terms) sorely missing
from traditional exercise.
With that being said, the Mercer County Library System
(MCLS) offers its patrons a diverse array of entertaining fitness programs focused
on making exercise fun. Likewise, the MCLS catalog features an impressive
number of fitness titles dedicated to countless varieties of exercise.
To learn
more about MCLS programs, please call or visit your local MCLS branch today.
Feel free to
also browse the MCLS catalog for various video titles on DVD and Blu-ray focused
on instructional exercise.
- Jamie A., Lawrence Branch
Samsung TV photo courtesy of Karlis Dambrans
Wii Photo courtesy of Dongyi Liu
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