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[quote]XSG wrote:
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Crap, you beat me to it on this one. My first hope is that no one sees this as some kind of panacea to the obesity epidemic we face in this country. At the same time, IF (and this is one big mutha of an IF) it gets couch potato kids up and moving around more than they would normally, good. Sometimes you need incremental gains before the true progress can start to kick in. The only problem is whether or not these games will really be fun to play. I mean, Halo 2 is so good and so f-ing addictive, I’m surprised it hasn’t been regulated yet.
Kuz
If this works, so much the better! We have an obesity epidemic in this country and I am for anything that can reverse its direction.
Zeb,
The cure to the American Couch Potato Syndrome is not more videogames and larger TVs. The cure is simply not eating so much goddamn shitty food. Unless they start packaging gym memberships and protein with video games, they are pretty much useless from a health standpoint. Don't get me wrong, I love video games and I love exercise. I also love steak and sex, but I wouldn't fuck a T-bone just to be able to do both at the same time--sometimes things just don't combine very well. I, for one, will continue to workout, play video games, fornicate, and eat steak. I just won't do it all at once.
I will agree with you on the front that “if” it works, then yay. But when it doesn’t I’ll be damned if I want to pay more to medicare or my Health Care provider so that fatty can surgically remove his stomach.
JB
I have two friends back in my hometown who i have been friends with since kindergarten. We are now in our early twenties. They stopped exercising about 10 years ago. I haven’t stopped. They are so damn out of shape its ridiculous. They found this game called Doom (the original) and played it nonstop. Then the next game and next game and so on. When I last saw them (over summer break) they had bought this retarded game called DDR (Dance Dance Revolution). I’ve seen it on TV and shit and i thought it was absolutely ridiculous. I played them and lost a lot, but actually had fun doing it. After 10 minutes of hopping around, I was sweating quite a bit. I realized that this is the wave of the future for fat people who like games. Games in which your body movement steers the game.
Only way its going to get people who are addicted to games like my friends off their computer chairs.
Its sad, but hey, its just like making fun of the fat person you see walking on the side of the road calling them fat. We all have to start somewhere.
i believe that a certain level of physical activity can conter act a semi bad diet due to the fact that you would be less insulin resistant in the muscles, metabolism would be higher, plus you are burning off some calories at a higher then rest rate. Eating a good diet will not make you fit, gain lean mass, or lift more weight, training does. laters pk
I think it’s a great first step. I’ve considered getting DDR for my xbox myself, since I hate cardio so much.
Lotus you are right!
XSG:
The point of the game is to get people active. We both agree that this will help the situation. Granted they need a diet change as well, however if they begin to exercise, by whatever means available, they may get motivated enough to begin to make those important dietary changes. I have assisted many people who gain a great amount of confidence through various physical achievements. These achievements are not up to T-Nation standards, but they nonetheless lead the people in the proper direction. Some go on to conquer their dietary concerns as well.
You can’t just sit on the side lines and condemn a device that could potentially help thousands, if not millions of people lose at least some weight. I have noticed that there are some on this site who are fond of making fun of fat people (not implying that you are one of them). Some on this site take an elitest view: “Those fat people are so disgusting, why can’t they just stop eating so much, my oh my.” Personally, I don’t think that’s either productive or appropriate given the seriousness of the various medical conditions that are advanced by obesity. And both the emotional and physcal pain that can be involved.
Is it appropriate to make fun of a smoker, or an alcoholic? For that matter is right to make fun of anyone who is struggling with a problem, even a non-addictive one. The way I understand it some people do indeed have an addiction to food. We all know that all you have to do is simply push yourself away from the table. Easy for me, easy for you. Not so easy for some of the obese. Why? There are many theories which range from using food as an emotional crutch, to the body actually craving sugar (as you know sugar can be addictive in many ways).
Whatever the reason is, any sort of device that helps those who are in need is a good thing. Not everyone is going to be a T-Man and lift big weights, or have a chisled body. However, everyone can get themselves into reasonable condition. Whether it takes “video exercise” or not is immaterial. Results are what we need right now!
I was in a video game arcade a while ago and there was an interactive boxing game there. It was a large arcade machine with sensors that you stood under that detected you movements. Your punches were controlled by glove like handles that you held while you punched. I can’t even tell you how much money I dumped in that thing. It was fun as hell and totally kicked my ass. My fiance and I were the only two people using it though. Go figure.
XSG,
whadda ya mean you wouldn’t bang a big juicy T-bone!? Come on man, if you never tried it how do you know you don’t like it? Led Zeppelin was famous for their escapades with shark steak and groupies, and those guys really know their shit.Bone is even in the name!
As far as games go, my kids(when I have them) will never even see an X box until they join the wrestling team and win some matches. Then they might.
[quote]Built Big wrote:
I was in a video game arcade a while ago and there was an interactive boxing game there. It was a large arcade machine with sensors that you stood under that detected you movements. Your punches were controlled by glove like handles that you held while you punched. I can’t even tell you how much money I dumped in that thing. It was fun as hell and totally kicked my ass. My fiance and I were the only two people using it though. Go figure. [/quote]
I’ve tried that same game! It was at the ESPN Zone in Las Vegas. Honestly, it was flat out tiring, especially since the gloves had a little weight to it. I felt self-conscious about building up such a sweat before sitting down to eat dinner, so take that for what it’s worth.
ZEB,
I was by no way attempting a put down the overweight, nor do I really think that it is correct to even generalize that the majority of people who play video games are overweight. In re-reading my last post, I realized it did seem pretty blunt and callous. I think games that require activity in order to play them are better than games that require a really nice chair that reclines, massages, and comes with a built in refrigerator. I have a lot of friends that play videogames; one was even kicked out of college because he just played EQ all day long (now he teaches English in China, go figure). I wouldn?t call any of them obese, out of shape–maybe, but not obese.
The problem I see with this whole thing is that it still will not force people outside and it won?t stop them eating poorly either. I?m not talking about just regular poor American dieting bad either, I?m talking the subside on Doritos, coffee, coke, and microwave popcorn with movie theatre butter bad. Children today, as an age group, have particular vitamin deficiencies that could be cured by drinking Milk and getting some freaking sunshine. I just think this whole thing is setting us up for failure. That sweet new ?insert exergame name here? will take place of the pickup games of football, soccer, and baseball. I don?t, maybe I?m being paranoid, but we as a population are getting entirely too focused on technology to fix our problems. Exergamming my help in the short term to get the otherwise immobile off their couch, but I think it will only spell disaster in the long run by creating a whole generation of people who would rather play ?sports? in their living room because nature isn?t climate controlled.
I think I?ll put my soap box away now and concentrate on getting my core up to speed with the rest of me.
JB out.
XSG:
Look at it as a first step for some. Perhaps the only step for others, but still better than what they were doing prior to that.
I know if I can get someone walking everyday, I’m happy. Matters not whether they are walking on a treadmill watching a soap, or walking outside breathing clean fresh air (although the latter is better).
Just want to get them moving! Right?