While this is a great exercise, it appears far too early in the program. Even after two months of Wii Fit and a background of weight training I can't complete the basic six repetitions without significant fatigue. A beginner would be frustrated by this exercise and might feel even less capable as a result; if it had appeared at the end of the list it would have been much more appropriate.

There are also three challenge exercises in the strength area: jackknife, push up, and plank. In these, you compete against your trainer (you may choose either a female or male trainer) to see who can complete more repetitions. If you're able to continue, you always win, because the trainer will drop out eventually, but these are a great quick way to test whether your strength is improving and where you're imbalanced. I can complete one hundred jackknives but only twelve push ups, so clearly I need to focus on my upper body strength.

The Wii Fit, however, gives you no guidance in this area. If you choose instead to do only the exercises that you find easy, it will cheerfully add up your minutes and not say a word. But then, that's the same thing as joining a gym. You get out of exercise what you put into it, and if you put time and energy into the Wii Fit you will get results.

Does it work?
That being said, did I lose weight in the eight weeks or so I've had the Wii Fit? About one pound. However, I notice considerably more definition in my arms from those push ups, and my balance and posture are significantly better. I am aware of how I sit and stand now in a way I've never been before, and people think I've lost weight because my posture has improved.

Plus, the Wii Fit makes daily weigh-ins more entertaining, and so I do them, and I can see patterns in my weight (as in, I go up every weekend) that can guide my eating and exercise decisions. I've spent years in various gyms and on various diet programs, and still the Wii Fit is teaching me new things.

I have now unlocked all exercises, although there are a few cases (such as the side plank and push up) where I will eventually be able to unlock more repetitions of the same exercise. I would like to see an add-on pack available with more exercises and perhaps more balance games, and I do wish that Nintendo had made it possible to select the exercises you want to do in a particular session and then just run through them without constantly having to return to the menu.

However, the Wii Fit is entertaining and challenging as it is, and I anticipate making use of it for a long time to come.

My rating is a solid 4 out of 5.

OUR RATING: 4 of 5

Dan Velasco is a Senior Technical Editor for WebSpherePower Magazine and DominoPower Magazine. He's a Sun Certified Java Programmer, Sun Certified Web Component Developer and an IBM Certified Solution Developer for WebSphere Studio V5.0. He's also a Principal CLP Application Developer (R4, R5 and ND6) as well as a CLP System Administrator (R4 and R5). You can reach him via email at dvelasco@webspherepower.com or on the Web at http://DanVelasco.com.