The tennis player’s grip firm and resolute, serves the ball to begin the match. However, there is no real court, opponent, or even player. It is simply an average person playing on the Wii, serving a virtual ball as their daily exercise.
Some believe that such simulated exercise can give them the same benefits as real exercise.
However, despite the original advertisements for supposed exercise-promoting Wii games, these games cannot take the place of real exercise. One study done in 2008 found that “three months of Wii Fit use produced no significant changes in daily physical activity, and showed a decrease in the amount of daily exercise.”
Exercising simulations such as Wii Fit simply can’t be relied on to produce results similar to the ones produced from actually doing a real activity.
Even though it promotes upper body movement and calculates the calories burned, the Wii Fit system is too stationary to provide a proper workout.
To count as daily exercise, activity should be strenuous and not lethargic attempts at moving around. Another benefit of real exercise that one can’t get with simulation, is allowing the brain to relax and not focus on any electronic interests.
Physical activity allows the body to be worked and gives the brain some rest from complex thoughts or overuse.
The body and the brain rest while one sleeps, and the brain works for most of the time when one is awake, but the body is not always worked as much as it should be.
Some people just don’t take the time to exercise; as it could be seen as a waste of time that could be spent accomplishing more brain-powered work that is often necessary for work or school.
Though some people simply do not prioritize physical activity, genuine exercise should be the only kind preformed, as simulations remain as incomplete versions of the original.
