My Fitness Coach (Wii, 2008)

I decided to by My Personal Trainer, because I had Wii Fit, and I heard it was better. Not only is it better in that there are only useful rests occasionally, but it's a total body workout that really will put you in shape, not pretend to like Wii Fit. I love that it relies on my measurements instead of focusing on my weight and BMI also. I like that I can focus on yoga, cardio, or a certain part of my body for the day and the exercises are formed around MY capabilities and not, say, my husband's. Our workouts are so different since he is able to do so much more than me. However, it is not low impact like Wii Fit and if you have an old injury that is out of shape, you'll feel it.

The best part is that it is a REAL workout. It gets the sweat going, the heartrate up, and the muscles moving. My strength, endurance, and flexibility have all increased do to it. I love that it asks how each section of a session felt so that it will make it easier, harder, or the same difficulty next time based upon me and how I feel. Time passes quickly and time isn 't lost going from one exercise to another. It doesn't take a 40-45 minutes to do 15 minutes of workout like Wii Fit seems to. I have lost 2 lbs in the last 3 weeks from doing it. I never get bored with it, since everyday is different, and it has a fitness evaluation like every 2 wks or 10 sessions(something like that) to see your progress.

I also love that it is a whole lot cheaper than Wii Fit and it uses exercise equiptment you have like a step bench, weights, one of those exercise balls, and something else, but I don't remember what. I'm so glad I bought it!

I've been working out with Wii Fit and my exercise bike for several months and was ready to try something new. I bought My Fitness Coach and I've been pretty pleased with it. I got Active at the same time so I'll compare them.

My Fitness Coach gives choices of the types of workout you'd like--Cardio, Lower Body, Upper Body, etc. or you can let the trainer pick for you. It also gives you choices of how long you want to work out and the workout *is* that length. As you continue with the program, you can unlock new places to "exercise" in, as well as new music. The "trainer" has a calming voice and and does a pretty good job of letting you know what is going to happen next and when. The exercise titles move across the bottom of the screen so you can tell what equipment you'll need as well as what the next exercise is. You can use a stair stepper, weights, and a stability ball with the exercises if you have them. Sometimes I have difficulty keeping up with the steps or don't know how to correctly do the exercises, and I haven't figured out how to do the tutorials to show me. Sometimes the trainer counts for you but sometimes she doesn't. I wish she would because you don't always want to be looking at the screen. Periodically the program allows you to interact by asking how you're doing--no sweat, I was working hard, or I couldn't keep up. The "trainer" says she'll adjust your program if you push "I couldn't keep up". lol The buttons are small and sometimes it's hard to hit the right one. The only time you need the Wii remote is when you're answering those questions. The program tells you at the end how many calories you burned (really, only 27 calories in 15 minutes!?!). You don't interact with the program very much.

Wii Active is much more interactive. You use the Wii remote as well as the nunchuck in a special thigh belt along with a resistance band and the balance board. The belt and band are included. This program does a good job of coaching you along with correct formation and the remote and nunchuck help it document your movements. You make your own person (you don't use your Mii) and you can see your own movements along with the movements of the trainer. Each training session is different and includes lots of fun activities (boxing, volleyball, basketball, in-line skating) to go along with the strength and cardio exercises. You select the intensity of your training session when you start (low, medium, or high) but that option isn't given daily. You earn "trophies" for your accomplishments. The training videos are shown before you start a new exercise and you can click out of them if you think you can figure it out. It's also easy to find the tutorials again if you have questions. If you exercise with the tutorials, you'll keep your exercise time up. I haven't been able to figure out how to set the length of the training session--I generally work out a little less than 20 minutes. I like how the program keeps you moving back and forth with the various exercises and games. There is also a daily journal you can keep that asks about your lifestyle habits (how much sleep, how many veggies or glasses of water, etc.). At the end of a session a graph shows how your work-out went based on how many calories you burned.

I really like the interaction of Active versus My Fitness Coach. I like being able to set the exact amount of time on My Fitness Coach. I personally like Active a little better but I'll keep working out with both programs!

I just got this today and I already LOVE it! The only downside, but not really a downside at all, is that it does not use the Wii fitness board. No probs, i'm just going to order some risers later that attach to make it a stepping board, so I can still use it. You use your own equipment (balance ball, step board, hand weights and heart monitor).

What I love about this program is that it first off checks your physical health and vitals and then makes a program designed especially for you with a focus of your choosing. For me, I choose weight loss with a focus in cardio, so the video has me doing just that. If it's too advanced for me it chooses easier lower impact exercises until I can get to that level. Likewise, if it's too easy for you it chooses higher impact exercises. You can choose to focus in cardio, yoga, weight training and some other ones I can't remember right now. If you're a pro or a beginner it's good for everyone I think. Unlike the wii fit game there is no way for the trainer to know how you are really doing, or how good or bad your posture is, so you're on your own there. However, there is some training tutorials on each exercise in case you don't know how to do them.

The game plays like a fitness video and not a game at all except that you get to personalize it in putting in your vitals and weight stats and goals. You choose how long you want to workout, but choose a time to start when you have nothing else going on because the video does not stop and there are no breaks (except a 30 second break every so often for water) until your chosen time to work out is over. It's fun and a suprisingly great workout, so I recommend this to anyone.

I bought this for my wife and now find myself very much enjoying this. I enjoy the ability to focus on different areas. Its not just aerobic, but focuses on the five distinct areas. I didn't realize how poor my core strength was until I went thru 45 minutes of core training.

I like being able to change my workout focus and set goals. I also like how it integrates equipment(exercise ball, HR monitor, free weights, step), if you have it. I also like the reminders during the exercise, "focus on your abs", "don't lean forward", "keep your spine straight", etc.

For guys, I recommend this. I'm using this as a cross training for my running. I have added free weights to the exercises to give them a bit more.

Cons: I would prefer to use the arrow keys to select a choice. As I am working out Maya will ask how the last segment was. Using the remote during my workout is tough, I have made an incorrect selection. Using the arrow keys to select would help prevent this.

I can enter workout credits for other work, but there is no view of the work outs themselves.

Overall, I very much recommend this as a great tool for workouts.

I bought this game because it was much cheaper than the Wii fit. I think this work out program is good and easy to follow. You start out by making a profile and choosing a goal, weight loss, flexibility, upper body strength, etc. Your fitness coach selects workouts to help you reach your goal. Your coach also recommends a schedule of what days to work out and how long to work out each day. In the middle of each workout you will be asked how the workout is for you: No sweat, working hard, or not able to keep up. This helps to determine the level of your next workout. You get to choose your music and workout location. After a certain number of workouts you will take a physical challenge. This updates your profile so you can see your progress over time. Overall, I am pleased with this game and would highly recommend it!