Wii Fit Plus Aerobics: Part 8, Free Step

Part 8 of our Wii Fit Plus Aerobics Playthrough is broken down into 3 Parts...

Part 8 features the Free Step, it is eseentially just a basic on-and-off Step exercise that goes on for a set duration.  There are no side-to-side moves, or kicks...just the very basic.  Let's take a look:

Wii Fit Plus Aerobics Part 8-1 Free Step, 10 Minute

Wii Fit Plus Aerobics Part 8-2 Free Step, 20 Minute

Wii Fit Plus Aerobics Part 8-3 Free Step, 30 Minute

Free Step: 10, 20, and 30 Minute Durations

What can I say...not much, lol.  The Free Step isn't exactly the most exciting exercise in Wii Fit Plus.  There is minimal foreground or background activity to distract you, there is no background music to enjoy, and you only have two beats, the trainer's voice, and "no sound" to select for sounding out from your Wiimote. 

The 10 Minute version really isn't too bad...you have a target goal of 800 Steps.  The goal increases proportionally.  The 20 Minute version targets 1,600 Steps, and the 30 minute round sets your sights on 2,400 Steps.

These numbers may seem intimidating at first, but I assure you, they are not difficult to obtain.  You can actually hit each of the three goals on the "slow" pace.  You do at least have the option to select Slow, Medium, or Fast paces.  There is not much difference between them.

If you take this on with your Wii displaying on the screen you will probably grow bored, especially with Advanced Step being so upbeat, energetic, and just all around FUN.  This really lacks that soul, but you get a great workout in the process.  The reason is simple, you are doing a moderate exercise for a long duration.

Here is my advice...if you get in late, remember your favorite show comes on, or need to see the local weather etc, turn the Wii on, navigate to Free Step, and then workout while watching your select programming.  Heck you can even do Free Step during a movie. 

If you want to stay in-tune with the exercise, just keep it in a Picture-in-Picture window.  This is what I did while recording the playthrough and it worked out great.

There really isn't much advice for this exercise, you step on and off, over and over and over and over again, lol.  I do reccommend you work your way up to the 30 minute version.  It isn't the most stimulating exercise, but it works great for multitasking, which is exactly what Nintendo intended the exercise to cover.

Wii Fit Plus Aerobics: Super Hula Hoop and Rhythm Boxing 10 Minute Versions

Well, we are progressing nicely with our Wii Fit Plus Aerobics Playthrough, here are Parts 6 and 7 for your enjoyment.

Wii Fit Plus Aerobics Playthrough Part 6: Super Hula Hoop 10 Minute Duration

Super Hula Hoop: 10 Minutes

This one isn't tough, but it can be tiring.  We went about it casually and managed to pull in a 4-Star Ranking on the first attempt.  Just find a good form and twist, lol.  You do 5 minutes to the Right and 5 minutes to the Left.  It is defnitely good for getting the heart rate up and burning some calories.  I would still prefer the 6 minute version, but for Hula Hoop fans it doesn't get much better than this!

Wii Fit Plus Aerobics Playthrough Part 7: Rhythm Boxing 10 Minute Duration



Rhythm Boxing: 10 Minutes

This one is actually pretty enjoyable, granted it helps to not have to wear a headset on an offset balance board, and try to commentate while learning routines, but hey, I sacrificed for a good cause, lol.  Despite the 3 major glitches and a few minor incidents we were still able to net a 4-Star Ranking on the first go-around.  I would reccommend you work your way up to the 10 Minute version and then replay it anytime you are looking for a big burn, or just have some stress to vent.  It is a lot of fun, despite sometimes seeming repetitive, and once you get in a groove you can really rack up some points!

Conclusion

That wraps up this installment...take on these two exercises in one session and you will have passed about 20 minutes and really amped up your heart rate.  I would follow either of these with a simple Balance Game or Yoga pose to cool down and then maybe some stretching.  These two exercises, when done at their max of 10 minutes, are two of the real gems in the Aerobics playthrough.  They may get tiresome or repetitive, but play each thru the full course of time and they are sure to give you a nice workout.

Wii Fit Plus Aerobics: Hula Hoop, Basic Step, and Advanced Step

Hey Everyone,

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.