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Wii producing full-body aches

Published on 28th November 2006 by Brett Thomas

"I coulda fought bettah, Howahd..." - Gamers are finding out that Wii sports actually exercises the body.

So, how's your physical shape?

If this sounds like a strange question to be asking on a game site, there's a reason for it. We geeks are not exactly known for our incredible physical prowess - and that seems to be a problem for some with the Wii. Gamers across the US are already complaining of aches, pains, and even injuries due to the console.

A term was coined a generation ago - "Nintendo Thumb." That wonderful predecessor to carpal tunnel syndrome is finally outdated thanks to the Wii's new control. However, the Wiimote (particularly with Wii Sports) has its own problem - it actually makes people get up and move. Therefore, people in rather poor physical condition are burning calories and straining muscles that they didn't even know they had before now.

Workouts are apparently not the only issue with the Wii - collisions seem to be an occasional occurance, too. One man knocked his soon-to-be-wife in the head during a particularly spirited session of Wii Sports. Other casualties have included lamps, walls, the Wiimote itself (sometimes with the wall), and family pets.

Of course, it probably won't hurt most of us to get off our duffs...but please, stretch before you Wii.

What do you think of the Wii workout? Tell us about it in our forums.

26 Comments

Discuss in the forums Reply

dire_wolf 28th November 2006, 14:32

Jesus, are they blaming nintendo for their own physical shape and clumsiness? hope there are no lawsuits about this or i might die a little inside . . .

Marquee 28th November 2006, 14:45

Hey fat people, stretch before playing on the Wii. Maybe if you are hurting while playing the Wii time to sell it and get a PS3 which is alot more lazy. LOL

Never saw the day that people will complain that they are lossing weight while playing video games.

MrWillyWonka 28th November 2006, 14:51

Hmm, the government should give out free Wiis to schools and fat kids. Obesity problem solved.

Buzzons 28th November 2006, 15:13

How can people hit each other with a remote! STAND FURTHER AWAY!!! wow, that was hard... and pets? close the door? don't let them in.. thats that solved.... wow! some people just cant accept that they fail at life and want to blame Nintendo for it! :(

DougEdey 28th November 2006, 15:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrWillyWonka
Hmm, the government should give out free Wiis to schools and fat kids. Obesity problem solved.

Now just to make em learn...

OldY 28th November 2006, 15:35

http://www.wiihaveaproblem.com/

;)

flabber 28th November 2006, 15:42

Hahaha, this is hilarious... blaming Nintento for their own sh*tty stamina and supreme clumsiness :D

Edhi 28th November 2006, 15:44

^That site is hilarious.

Firehed 28th November 2006, 16:20

Hasn't been an issue for me. But then again, I haven't felt the need to bowl at top speed (do consider not releasing the wiimote like you would an actual bowling ball!) or swing the thing as hard as I would an actual sword if I had intentions of decapitating someone. That said, I think they should have included one of those rubbery grip things so people getting really into it are less likely to send the wiimote flying.

It's been a ton of fun so far for me. I think I've put a solid ten hours on it in the last two days, one of which I was headed back to school after break finished and the other actually having school. And a friend of mine gave Zelda a quick go and was having a blast (and was apparently very impressed by the graphics, though I think the last system he's played was an N64 or something). It's very pick-up-and-play.

Regenesis 28th November 2006, 16:35

Collisions being the "occasional occurance"? I feel sorry for the casualties of Wii.

How unfortunate for the people, animals and objects caught in the crossfire.

<A88> 28th November 2006, 16:40

Dear me...they do something different and what happens? People can't cope with holding onto something without throwing it at their telly and having to move whilst they game. :(

<A88>

DXR_13KE 28th November 2006, 17:16

now i want this more than ever :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldY
http://www.wiihaveaproblem.com/

;)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

things to do with my wiimote.... rubberize it with something similar to this .....create a stronger strap..... make the strap attach to a glove or something..... i think thats it....

edit: just forgot

Quote:

Originally Posted by article
but please, stretch before you Wii.

:) :) :) :)

Marquee 28th November 2006, 17:18

Oldy thanks for that link. It was so funny.

Yeah I agree on one thing the strap looks a little thin.

but you don't need to whip the remote that hard to hit the ball in the game to max.

To all the dumb fat people out there, beware the Wii will expose your dumb and fat.

This is great for all the fat people. Rubbrized spoon.
http://www.metku.net/mods/supergrip/items.jpg

riggs 28th November 2006, 17:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Article
One man knocked his soon-to-be-wife in the head during a particularly spirited session of Wii Sports.

Was that an accident, or done on purpose?

I mean, I wouldn't want to lose to a girl, but cracking her around the head is taking it too far... :D

I don't understand all this breakage though. Sure, the string on the handstrap looks a bit weedy, but how do you manage to accidently let go of it? Hell, us westerners have bigger hands than the eastern peeps - you'd think we'd be able to get a better grip on the Wiimotes.

Mind you, I'm saying all this having never used the Wiimote, so I may be way off the mark.

DXR_13KE 28th November 2006, 17:41

http://www.myextralife.com/archive.php?date=2006-11-01

http://www.myextralife.com/archive.php?date=2006-11-20

http://www.pcweenies.org/toon_archive.php?toon=944
:D

aggies11 28th November 2006, 18:28

While funny, this is all too true.

Every one of my friend's and I have been complaining about stiff shoulders and whatnot, the types of pain's we'd have if we were out playing sports. But instead it's from marathon sessions of Bowling and Tennis ;)

I've already smashed a lamp, and put the remote into the ceiling, bloodying up my knuckles something fierce.

To me, it's just a testament to the quality of the fun that you are having, that you forget you are in an actual living room. ;)

Aggies

mikeuk2004 28th November 2006, 19:29

I said this would happen a while back. Just sitting back waiting for the courts cases to start.

But still, it will take a while for their bodys get used to the exercise. Like any sport, if your lazy and never do any exercise then when you start it hurts until your body gets used to it.

I say stop moaning lazy people and put up with the pain for a bit as it will get better later. Deal with it.

Neogumbercules 28th November 2006, 20:01

What a lot of these people don't realize is that a quick flip of the wrist is all it takes in all of those wii sports games. One of the videos on that site shows a guy playing tennis, and when he serves he swings the Wiimote like he's trying to throw a 95mph fastball.

If only gamers knew this their wrists were as good as their whole body they could be lazy again and avoid this so called "exercise" pff what the hell is that?

Tyinsar 28th November 2006, 20:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by aggies11
...the types of pain's we'd have if we were out playing sports. ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeuk2004
I said this would happen a while back. Just sitting back waiting for the courts cases to start....
I say stop moaning lazy people and put up with the pain for a bit as it will get better later. Deal with it.

I wonder how many people in the Litigious States of America will get this point though (I'm sure most will, but there will be a few...). If I were a betting man I'd start a betting pool on how long it will take for the first case.

This silly thing might actually convince me to go out & buy a console. (I've never actually owned one before (although I remember having an Atari 2600 as a kid))

speedfreek 28th November 2006, 21:42

I cant stop laughing, this is so hilarious. "Im fat and lazy and when I tried to play viseo games I had to excercise :'( ." Get a ****ing life and quit whining about having to move other than the occasional trip to the fridge and bathroom. The first time I tried skiing I was sore for a week for using rarely used muscles, did I sue the ski slope, no. I would like a Wii and if it gets me some excercise then I think its a good thing. :D

metarinka 29th November 2006, 06:40

I think this could be a good thing like DDR (and as a dancer I hate when people refer to it as dancing) but it was very good exercise in disquise. I find it ironic on some level that people are using an expensive console and such to mimic relatively cheap sports that can be done for reals. I think the physical activity is a good thing and people doing stupid stuff is just a normal side effect

metarinka 29th November 2006, 06:42

any of you leaners? my cousin used to always lean in racing games, and flinch back when hit in fps' I think this is an extension and in a heated match people are gonna be trying to go for that 110mph server in wii tennis let go of the controller and boom new tv

Stuey 29th November 2006, 07:26

Women are going to jumping all over this...!!

Tyinsar 29th November 2006, 07:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by metarinka
any of you leaners? my cousin used to always lean in racing games, and flinch back when hit in fps' I think this is an extension and in a heated match people are gonna be trying to go for that 110mph server in wii tennis let go of the controller and boom new tv

In college I had a flight sim on my computer. I'd let others play and just laugh as the player and both guys behind him leaned into the turn. :)

My younger sister gets so into it she actually bumped the screen with her forehead as she leaned into a jump off of a platform in Jack & Daxter.

ralph.pickering 29th November 2006, 16:57

I'm going to get one for my wife - better than a gym membership. Add some of those wristband weights, 2 hours of Zelda a night and watch the pounds disappear :)

z4114 29th November 2006, 17:36

I've experienced the whole 'next-day soreness'. My times of playing baseball and tennis expired when I left high school. So 4 years down the road I pick up a Wii and spend hours on Wii Sports. I would have to say that the boxing game is the most exhausting one on there.

On the bright side, this is fitting in perfectly with The Hacker's Diet (the one referenced by the gamer losing 10 stone playing WoW). I've already dropped 10 lbs in a month and it rocks.

Anyone who gets mad that they're inadvertantly exercising are hopefully too lazy to get off the couch and go to court.