Getting Fit for the New Year 2.0

The new Nike+ Kinect Training, though, is worth the price of a gym membership alone. If you wants to get fit but do it in the convenience of your home (or in the middle of the night, when many gyms aren’t open), you can now buy an Xbox 360 Nike+ Kinect Training Bundle, which comes with a 4G Xbox 360 console, Kinect sensor, two games — Nike+ Kinect Training and Kinect Adventures — and a one-month Xbox Live Gold membership for under $300.

I tried the Nike+ Kinect and think it may be one of the best fitness programs you can find. No wonder its fans have become so slavishly devoted that there’s a Facebook page, a user hashtag (#MyMoment), a mobile app (yes, you can track and share workout info with other users), and celebrity video diaries of athletes like Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson and NFL wide receiver DeSean Jackson using Nike+ Kinect Training to work out.

What’s so great? It’s  a personalized workout, so no two players will get exactly the same experience. (Multiple people can, of course, use the same game, though.) The Kinect will scan your body and use your personal information (including weight and birth year) and an assessment test (to test skill, speed, dexterity — all of which I did not excel at) to come up with the smartest fitness routine for you. You can specify the type of training you want, strengthen or tone, for example, and the program will guide you through exercises and cardio drills that are attuned to your abilities and goals. 

I got to choose between two trainers who guided me through proper technique and are never frustrated by my inability to master a squat thrust. They’re as real as you can get (in that uncanny Valley way) and offer lots of feedback and encouragement to keep you going and, if you can’t, you can use the voice command to ask for a time out. I’ve used the Nike+ religiously since I got it, have never gotten bored, but have also never excelled beyond it as well. It’s a game that, if judging by its fans, can be adapted to different skill levels, including very advanced athletes (yes, I’m talking about all you grrrl jocks out there) who wouldn’t be caught dead on the treadmill next to me. Where Dance Central 3 is pure fun, Nike+ Kinect Training feels like serious fitness work.