After winding down the slopes, we try to clear our minds with the unique Lotus Focus:
Wii Fit Plus Balance Games Playthrough Part 9: Lotus Focus
Lotus Focus
Talk about different. Lotus Focus takes the activity level down a notch, but proves to be a very unique experience. What you are trying to do is hold perfectly still...essentially maintain perfect balance. Not too hard right?
Guess again!
The developers made sure to make this a true test of mind and body. You don't just simply sit still on the balance board for 3 minutes...
There are footsteps on the creaky wooden floor, frogs in the background, a fly that buzzes about your Mii, and many more subtle distractions. The biggest kick is when the fly goes thru the candle's flame and burns to a crisp. It is still hard to see that and not laugh...which is bad, because a laugh will generate enough motion to cause your flame to flicker and burn out.
If you want a 4-Star Ranking you have to earn it...it requires a full 180 seconds (3 minutes) of maintaining almost perfect balance.
I started out with a great first run (almost made it) and then we had a few not so good attempts. I really didn't feel like I was moving, but whatever....you have to take what you are dealt. I knew I could 4-Star this one and I became hell bent on doing just that, lol. Luckily it didn't take too terribly long.
This one is truly unique, but doesn't really entice me to play it often. I think it is fun to shoot for the Perfect Score, 180 seconds and achieve the 4-Star Ranking, but after that I'd say it is one that you might play once or twice a year...if at all. It isn't really a bad activity, there are just so many more great options on Wii Fit Plus this one seems to settle in quietly at the bottom.
That said, it would make for a nice group challenge amongst friends etc with your little group adding more of a distraction. Very unique, fun for a moment, but not a lot of replay value here in my opinion.
Part 2-3 of our Wii Fit Plus Aerobics Playthrough continues on to the Island Lap, my personal favorite from the Basic Runs, and in all honesty one of my favorite activities on the entire disc. This is, as you guessed, a basic run, just at a considerably longer distance. Due to the lenght of the runs I had to break it down into 3 installments, let's take a look:
Wii Fit Plus Aerobics Playthrough Part 2-3A: Basic Run, Island Lap Routes 1-3
Wii Fit Plus Aerobics Playthrough Part 2-3B: Basic Run, Island Lap Routes 4-5
Wii Fit Plus Aerobics Playthrough Part 2-3C: Basic Run, Island Lap Routes 6-7
Basic Run: Island Lap Routes
Route Break Down
1: Guide Mii, Island Lap
2: Tan Dog, Red Collar, Swaying Bridge (Personal Favorite)
3: Black Dog, Red Collar, Sand Pit
4: Tan Dog, Red Collar, Lighthouse
5: Tan Dog, Red Collar, Beach
6: Black Dog, Red Collar, Castle
7: Spotted Cat, Blue Collar, Ruins
Take all the good things you find in the Long Routes and increase them two-fold. The Island Lap Routes are great! These runs last anywhere from about 6-10 minutes and are a great way to get in a quick cardio workout. You can control the pace to establish this as a warm-up exercise, intense cardio exercsie, or even a light cool down after a long Wii Fit Plus routine wraps up...
As with most unlockables, I do reccommend you work your way up to the Island Laps. Make sure to stretch before hand, perhaps with some Yoga poses that don't require the Balance Board.
With so many routes, this run really never gets old. It is always something new and different that you notice when you make these laps. How many people fall down? Which Miis wave at you? What was your score and how did it compare to last time?
I make it a point to run the Island Lap almost every night, that is how much I like it. I try to do the Cobra, Bridge, Spinal Twist, and Shoulder Stand before-hand. If I am busy, I still like to try and fit in one of the Island Laps. I have played almost 1,000 days and this one still hasn't lost its' edge. It truly is a great exercise. It is long enough to be a challenge and get your heart rate up, yet short enough to not be cumbersome or repetitive...a perfect blend of fun and function!
I hope that you will enjoy the Island Laps as much as I do...Finding all the different routes is a real challenge, and keeps things interesting...if you feel stuck in a routine, just try a new route. They are so diverse it really does spice things up!
The goal now is simply to play, upload to YouTube, and blog here in small installments. This will not only be easier for me to manage, but I think you will enjoy it better as well. (And no, I have not forgotten about uploading the Challenges...that will be done soon and posted asap!).
So in my Wii Fit Plus Complete Playthrough I went from Yoga to Strength Training and am now taking on the Aerobics portion. It is very enjoyable and concise. Do not let the 9 exercises fool you though, you will spend a lot of time here, and I do mean a lot!
The first installment isn't too bad....let's take a look:
Wii Fit Plus Aerobics Playthrough Part 1:
Hula Hoop
This is our first exercise in the Aerobics arena; it is straight forward and fun. You can swing to the left or right, the board will register it the same either way. I do want to again stress I am not a Hula Hooper and I know I don't use proper form...if I stand upright and don't bend my knees excessively or rock my feet the hoops litearlly slow to a stand still and fall...so I do what works for the game. The result? How about a 4 Star Ranking right off the bat despite not playing in a LONG time! Awesome!
Super Hula Hoop: 3 Minutes
With the success we had in Hula Hoop I figured why not try out Super Hula Hoop. I have played this one more, but again, not in quite some time. For the 3 Minute round you do 90 seconds to the Right and then 90 seconds to the Left. This does get tiring, especially when you Hula Hoop my way, lol, but it is effective...definitely not a bad exercise for getting the heart rate pumping. We once more got lucky right off the bat and achieved a 4 Star Ranking! There are also 6 and 10 minute versions of Super Hula Hoop, but I'd had my fill of Hula Hooping for the night. I''ll tackle those very soon...wish me luck.
Basic Step
This one doesn't take long and I do actually enjoy it...not as much as Advanced Step, but it is fun none-the-less. True story...first round was horrible. I had to move the board towards the desk and computer to have any slack to step right...that put the board out-of-center with the tv, which actually does impact my performance, I could adjust over time, but I like to be square and centered for most WFP exercises. I went ahead and played it thru, we did not do well. I wanted to havea "good" score for the playthrough so I went at it again, this time sans the headset...much better. However, I still wasn't content...we can score better and the fact the whole first session was basically "ok" I knew there were points on the table.
So we went back for a third attempt and it paid off big time. We not only got a personal best, we also 4 Starred the exercise...very nice! This just goes to show you that practice and set-up are key variables in determining success on Wii Fit Plus!
Wii Fit Plus Aerobics Playthrough Part 3: Advanced Step
Advanced Step
I have to say, this is one of my favorites in the Aerobics regimen (behind the Basic Run and Boxing). I really prefer this over Basic Step. Advanced Step has a quicker pattern that suits me very well; Basic Step is a little slow for my liking. The added challenges of the "side step" and "kick" are very fun as well...they really spice things up.
My advice here, and for Basic Step, is to follow the Red Box and scrolling steps rather than the Miis around you. It works well for me, try both and see what works for you. I also go in sets of 4. Meaning "Up, Back, Up, Back" or "Up, Kick, Down, Back" etc. This allows me to stay focused...if I miss the kick, I simply don't fret about step 3 and 4 and focus on "five" or the start of th next 1-4. This lets me achieve a higher overall score by getting back on track quicker.
These strategies coupled with the faster pace and knowing to pull the headset and keep the board centered helped me 4 Star Advanced Step the first time in our playthrough...at least you know I'm not joking when I say I like it better than Basic Step!
You really look silly to onlookers, but it is a lot of fun and a good challenge. My improvement from when I first played to now is remarkable...shame it doesn't archive the low scores for comparison, lol. Remember, if you struggle, just play it again...and then repeat 1-2 times a night. You too will be amazed with how quickly you can improve.
Conclusion
These first few exercises are fun and very laid back. Hula Hoop and Basic Step really provide the skill set necessary to move on to the more advanced versions of the exercises. They are great for quickly getting the heart rate up, relieving some stress, or just having a little fun.
