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My first guest post comes from Biray Alsac who has her Masters in Exercise & Wellness with a focus on  Exergaming. Thanks for the post Biray!

By now, most people have had a Nintendo Wii experience; if not, they at least know what a Wii is. Video games (like Wii, Dance Dance Revolution, EyeToy: Kinetic) which require players to physically move during game play are extremely popular. These so-called ‘exergames’ (video games + exercise) have caught the attention of doctors, fitness instructors, exercise physiologists, health educators and personal trainers who are now integrating them into their prevention and treatment programs. In fact, some researchers are suggesting this could be the next step to combating childhood obesity.

Although the idea of playing video games for fitness seems too good to be true, it would be negligent not to ask the obvious question: can exergames really deliver significant fitness results or are they simply an overhyped alternative to sedentary game play?

Good news! Exergaming research is actually proving to be comparable to traditional forms of exercise (walking, kickboxing, cycling). But will it prepare a fitness-enthusiast for a marathon or make significant improvements in muscular hypertrophy? Not exactly. Or more correctly, not yet. With the exception of a few games (Expresso Fitness) which might still be too expensive or not available for home use, exergames that tailor to higher levels of fitness performance are still in their infancy.

It seems the target audiences for most exergames are children, video game addicts and/or those who lead inactive lifestyles. Adults who play exergames enjoy them as an alternative to traditional forms of activity. For the most part, exergames are seen as a ’stepping stone’ to other forms of activity. A 12-week study of overweight children in West Virginia schools found kids who played Dance Dance Revolution saw significant increases in their fitness levels. As a result, game play decreased over time because the kids felt confident in participating in other forms of sports play.

The fact of the matter remains that 76% of the U.S. population is not meeting the Surgeon General’s recommended 30-minutes of moderate physical activity a day. Sometimes getting people to ‘just move’ is a challenge! Exergames are offering another (fun) opportunity for people to lead active lifestyles.

As technology advances, fitness and video games will continue to discover innovative ways to work together. But the exergaming movement is on the rise and Nintendo Wii is just the beginning. Who knows, one day you’ll walk into the gym and see exergames as part of the normal landscape of the weight training area and aerobics room – just like the Reebok Steps, kettleballs, and BOSU.

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