Does Wii Fit Work during Pregnancy?
Obie Editorial Team
This last week, I broke out my Wii Fit and started exercising again. This was mainly because the weather has been so cold and I really didn’t want to go outside even to do jumping jacks or rope jumping on the front porch. Most of the options on the video game included low impact exercises that are great for pregnancy, especially because you can go at your own pace, but does Wii Fit actually count as exercise during pregnancy?
How Much Exercise is Suitable for Pregnancy?
Most of the workouts I’ve researched for pregnant women include low impact exercises like yoga, walking, and light cardiovascular exercises. These should be done about three times a week for 20-30 minutes. This is basically what I did on my Wii Fit this week. I put forth enough effort to get my heart rate up, but not enough that I was breathing so hard I couldn’t talk or felt lightheaded. I wasn’t lifting anything heavy, nor did I have to put any unnecessary strain on my joints.
What Does Wii Fit Offer?
Unlike Wii Sport which has a wide variety of sport options like bowling and tennis, Wii Fit has a menu of different types of exercises including aerobics, strength training, and even yoga. Many of the activities are done on the balance board, but the yoga and walking or jogging activities are done by simply holding the controller. I personally like the hula hooping games because it helps me with flexibility and stretching and it doesn’t make my joints hurt afterwards. There’s even a cycling option that’s basically high stepping for an extended period of time.
Follow-up Activities
I used my Wii Fit for about 15 minutes before going through a few sets of squats. I have a weak lower back at times, so I used the chair method for squats to help keep my back straight. Then, I finished off with some stretches. Altogether, I probably exercised for close to 30 minutes. At the end, I felt like I worked out, but my joints didn’t hurt, I wasn’t ridiculously out of breath, and I wasn’t out in the cold or a mile away from my house. One of the best parts was that the Wii Fit portion was entertaining, so I wasn’t concentrating on needing to work out as much as I was focused on winning the game or beating my high score, which made the whole process seem shorter.
Altogether, I felt that the Wii Fit could be used for and excellent pregnancy workout, if it’s also supplemented by other light cardiovascular exercise and some stretching. It certain made working out more fun.
Thread: Wii Fit while Pregnant?. (2010, February 8). Windsor Peak Press.