Finding it hard to stick to your New Year's resolutions? One of the best ways to get (and stay) fit is to rely on a friend to keep you motivated about getting up and getting active. If you're new in town or don't have any fitness-minded friends, get online with a fitness game and find a digital workout buddy.
With game titles like Kinect Sports and WiiFit gaining ground, it's easier than ever to work out at home. Another advantage of getting active with a video game? You can get online and get fit with nearly anyone in the world.
Studies show that having a friend workout with you, especially an online friend, will improve your own fitness performance. In a study from Michigan State University's kinesiology department, researchers used the Eye Toy camera and PlayStation 2 to gauge how hard participants pushed themselves during exercise, both alone and then with a virtual workout partner. Participants were first asked to hold a plank position alone, then with a buddy. Researchers found that when individuals performed the exercises with a virtual workout partner, they held the plank position for 24 percent longer than when the virtual partner wasn't present. Having somebody there to push you can make the difference between a good workout and a great one.
If you want to work out with an out-of-town friend or your sister who moved overseas, you can take advantge of the benefits of a workout partner using fitness video games. Titles like Kinect Sports on XBOX 360 and Wii Sports on Nintendo Wii allow for online mulitplayer gaming. As long as you and your friend both have internet-connected consoles, you can race each other in a hurdles event or challenge each other to a volleyball game.
Which brings us to possibly the biggest advantage of working out online with a friend: It doesn't feel like working out, it's just plain fun. You'll be fit and fab in no time.
Image: Microsoft
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This IS a Tech blog. There are all sorts of products meant to challenge you with virtual workout buddies while you're outside too. (See Nike+). They have races, tag, and even cheer you on if your friends comment on your activity post on Facebook. So while this post focused on Indoor sports, you can still have a Virtual Workout buddy with outdoor sports too. I live in a mild climate, but not everybody has that option this time of year.
I actually think that is pretty cool. In the apartment complex where I live there are several people who are elderly and the managers bough a wii game console that is attached to a very large flat screen in the work out room. (yes, they have treadmills, etc)
However, the wii is used quite regularly by several of the residents for either bowling, golf, boxing, or stretching exercises. It not only keeps them active physically by making it in a video game style format, they play and its fun as well as stimulating the mind.
I think the invention of wii, and the kinect programs will go along way in strengthening not only the elderly ( i know they have them in several nursing homes here) but it also will get people off their butt and moving at least somewhat.