Video games can be beneficial for weight loss and exercise, with examples such as Dance Dance Revolution, Entertrainer, and GameRunner. EyeToy Kinetic and Tetris Weightlifting are also options for active gaming. Scientists have used video games to treat post-traumatic stress disorder and pre-surgery anxiety.
Despite their bad reputation, video games can still be good for you. Scientists have been using different games for a long time to treat post-traumatic stress disorder and pre-surgery anxiety. With that being said, is it a surprise that they are hitting the weight loss market as well? Scientists agree that combining video games and exercise is a great idea, since many children spend hours playing in front of the television.
One of the oldest video games to incorporate exercise was Dance Dance Revolution (DDR). DDR consists of a pad with colored arrows; As a character dances on the screen, players simply follow the movements by stepping on the right arrows on the pad. A typical DDR workout lasts approximately 15 minutes, although longer can be scheduled.
Another example of how to use video games to exercise is the Entertrainer. This simple device can be attached to any TV or radio and then strapped to your chest. As long as you keep your heart rate up, the Entertrainer will do nothing. However, if you stop moving, the machine will start turning the volume down on the TV until you finally turn it off. However, how you maintain your heart rate is up to you. Jumping, running in place, and waving your arms are all acceptable techniques.
If you need a little more guidance, pick up GameRunner, one of the best additions to video games to ever hit the market. GameRunner looks like a normal treadmill, except that it can be connected to first-person shooters. Using special devices on the handlebars to do anything from shooting to keeping your characters running, GameRunner is one of the best ways to enjoy active gaming.
Other video games that can be used to exercise and lose weight include: EyeToy Kinetic, where a small camera attached to your television transforms you into the main character of the video game. Once on the screen, you are instructed to kick, punch, and destroy a series of objects by doing certain moves in real life. Finally, Tetris Weightlifting is one of the few video games created to build muscle tone instead of cardio. To get the pieces into place, you’re required to move a heavy barbell, providing a significant upper-body workout.
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