Following Nintendo's hugely successful Wii Fit personal trainer, sports simulation specialist Electronic Arts has unveiled a new workout package for the Wii console. EA Sports Active, to be launched early next year, has been designed for women as a "fun and cost-effective" way to help achieve fitness.
Developed in collaboration with fitness experts including Oprah Winfrey’s personal trainer, Active comes with two specially-designed leg straps that hold the Wii’s Nunchuk controller to track lower body movements, as well as resistance bands to support a number of upper body strength training exercises. EA hopes to motivate users via on-screen, real-time feedback about information such as calories burned, and the intensity level of your workout will be able to be adjusted at any time.
The package features a “30 Day Challenge” - a fitness road map for players to reach their goals with the guidance of a virtual trainer. The Challenge provides a new 20-minute workout every time a player exercises, including instruction, feedback on technique and positive encouragement throughout the workout. Users can also create their own custom workouts, including exercises that use Wii Fit's Balance Board.
“EA Sports Active and our entrance into the fitness space is an exciting and groundbreaking milestone,” says Peter Moore, president of EA Sports. “As we continue to expand our brand, we have a real opportunity to redefine the home fitness experience with a more Western cardiovascular approach and exercises that will appeal to a diverse audience, getting people off the couch and into shape while interacting with our products in a way never before possible. EA Sports Active costs less than a gym membership, it provides a variety of exercises unlike a one dimensional in-home fitness contraption, and it delivers an interactive experience that you don’t get from a DVD – this is a true fitness revolution and a space in which we intend to be leaders.”
Oprah Winfrey’s personal trainer, Bob Green, says one of the most frequent questions he is asked is how to get fit at home, particularly from busy mothers. "EA Sports Active provides a fun and effective workout that targets your upper body, lower body, and gets your heart pumping in just 20 minutes a day. It’s a great way to get moving when you can’t get outside or you only have a short amount of time at home. In addition, I like the variety of exercises that it provides – one of the many reasons it has earned the Best Life seal of approval.”
