This video game will make you break a sweat!
Your muscles will get a workout
as you play the on screen game.
Hey let’s face it. All of us could lose a few pounds here and
there right. It comes down to a society that is plopped behind
a keyboard (like me) and accustomed to the convenience of
drive-through-nutrition.
At my house we love to play video games. All of us do.
My teenagers, the 5 year old, me and even my wife. Of course we
enjoy different games, but we all like something.
My major concern though is, with all that video game playing,
that we are becoming fat and lazy. Sound familiar?
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There he was swinging an imaginary
bat right in the middle of the store! |
What do we do about it though?
We try to be disciplined and intelligent about it. Between my
wife and I we have about 5 college degrees. It is just too easy
(and fun) to sit there and waste hours playing video games.
We’re not into anything bad. We all love sports. I mean the
kids all play on basketball teams at least. But once we get
hooked on a game, look out, we are determined to advance to
the next level. Sound familiar?
The best of both worlds
Today I met my wife and son at Sam’s Club. Right in the middle
isle (that’s where all the really good stuff is) I could see my
5 year-old son in a baseball stance holding an imaginary bat.
Then he took what reminded me of a Mark McGuire power swing.
Before I made it to where they we standing, he took another huge
swing in the air.
Once I got a little closer, I could see a bead of sweat
forming on my young son’s brow.
Here he was, fully involved (mentally and physically) in a
heated game of baseball right in the middle isle of Sam’s Club!
You may have guessed it. He was playing the new Nintendo Wii
video game. But, he wasn’t just using his thumb on a
joystick or game controller. He was throwing his whole body
into a big league style swing!
As the game continued, I watched him go through various physical
activities as though he was in the sandlot playing with a bunch
of buddies. Swinging the bat, then later winding up and leaning
through the delivery of a mean fastball. He couldn’t have
gotten more of a workout if he was actually on a real baseball
diamond!
Nintendo’s Wii has hit a home run (please pardon the
pun). As if a physical game of baseball wasn’t tiring enough,
the sales clerk then showed us how to play the boxing game.
What an absolute riot! My son was now throwing air jabs and
upperercuts as other shoppers looked on. A small crowd began to
form and cheer on this young Rocky Balboa. He was bobbing and
weaving to avoid the on screen punches coming from an animated
game character.
I decided right then and there to purchase the Wii for his
upcoming birthday. I have always felt a little bad knowing that
he spends so much time playing games. Now, I am thoroughly
looking forward to meeting in our family room for an exhausting
tennis match or baseball game. Who knows, maybe we can talk my
wife into a widescreen plasma!
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