Wii - explain to an idiot what I would need to buy to use it for a bit of exercise.

[HuffwardlyRudge]

I'll need a Wii console.

And what else?

A wii fit.
A wii sport? Dp just mentioned this. What is it?
A spare hand holdy thing?
And do any games come on it or do I need to buy some games to start off with too? Which games?

Imagine you're explaining this to your Great Aunt Elsie, who lives in the wilds of Scotland and still goes outside to use the privvy.

Will it actually help me get fit? And toned? I run already, but something I could do in the house would be good.

an exercise DVD?

SOrry , I don;t get shelling out hundreds of pounds to pretend to play tennis.
But then I don't get exercise in general

To exercise you will need the balance board which comes as part of the Wii fit game. A lot of Wii packages come ready with Wii sports which is good fun and active too but doesnt require the balance board. If you want a spare controller it is better to buy the Wii 'play' game which comes with a free controller as you can get it for about the same price as a contoller on its own.

Hope this is helpful!

p.s. I don't think if you are quite active already it is briliant for exercise really but it is very good fun for all the family.

I was reading a review for the new wii personal trainer, you don't need the board, but it's better if you do. The reviewer was very impressed and noticed a difference in 2 weeks, she said she'd never go back to a gym after using it.

Hmmm. My eldest is only 3, so I think it would just be dh and I using it.

Really? Not good for exercise? It's just that it's so hard to exercise with 2 young children and no childcare. I have to run painfully early in the morning or after dark. I thought a bit of pretend tennis would be better than MNing while they nap!

X-post Coco.

Good tip about buying Wii 'play' instead of just a spare handset.

Oh definitely better than no exercise and good for those who need to start with something fairly low impact (myself). Maybe I just avoid the strenuous ones in favour of the more 'fun' activities!

Wii Family trainer is great fun and much more energetic than wii fit.

My five year old loves playing it with me.

I heard the 'Fitness Trainer' game was quite good, and you would need the basic wii, a controller and the game (games all about £35 +, beware). Wii sport not much good for fitness IMO apart from the boxing which i do a bit of occasionally.

But I don't really think any of this kind of thing is enough for good cardiovascular training, won't even touch the fitness you get from your running. The stuff like tennis, I think, is a bit frustrating, because its more about technique with the controller than it is your actual movement or fitness. But maybe I haven't used it enough. I got a wii for us at Christmas, and although we quite like it tbh we hardly ever use it now..the kids never ask to go on it even. I just do the boxing sometimes, it was an expensive error at the mo, but I might invest in more games next winter when we're not outdoors so much.

When you buy the console it comes wit a remote controller and a nunchuck(to plug into your controller) It also comes with wii sports (a game)

I have wii fit which is a game/fitness thing which comes with a balance board. Have seen a HUGE improvment in my fitness and weight since i started using it. It's around £70 and you do yoga type exercises, muscle exercises, aerobic exercises as well as fun games like ski jump.

There is also a new "game" out called something like fitness trainer which looks good too.

(we bought wii play for the extra remote and our extra nunchuck came from tesco)

i think your 3 year old will be able to play on it, i know a two year old that lives on his, it is great fun. Although don't become me, you can do everything with one flick of the hand i can play baseball and golf and pretty much all the standard games while lying on the sofa.

Using the wii board you will find that there is more exercise and the more you do the more you'll unlock. Of course you can cheat with the jogging but i try not to and also the steps is great cause you can unlock a mode that means you can step while watching telly.

I am completly unfit, and did get a little breathless while doing the hoola hoops and the more advanced step routine. And plus you can exercise on a raining day and have fun to.

I completly love my wii, but it is expensive, i think the wii is around £115, and the board is £70 you do get numchuck and normal controller inside and wii sports with the wii, and you get wii fitness with the board, and if you buy wii play it gives you a controller with it and that gives you i think about 9 games that teaches how to use the controller and numchuck.

What is a nunchuck?

it is the second controller that you use for the wii

I live in a block of flats with a neighbour below who never complains about the noise our family actually makes. But she frequently blames us for noise other families make, the sound of which which carries through the building.

Does use of the balance board make noise, do you think?

Are both controllers called a nunchuck? Or just the spare one?

No the long thin remote that comes with the wii is called a wii remote. The one that looks like a joystick is the Nunchuck.

You need the Nunchuck to play boxing on the wii Sports game and various other games. You need it for wii fit boxing too.