SwiitBoard: the sweeter way to get fit on the Wii

by Tim Stevens, posted Dec 10th 2008 at 8:28AM

The Wii Fit's slab of a peripheral is called a Balance Board for good reason: it's fine if a little yoga and pilates action is all you need to keep in shape, but, sturdy as it is, jumping up and down is liable to form cracks before toned thighs. If you need some high impact aerobics to be rid of that spare tire you'll have to go custom, like the SwiitBoard from a cardio-loving Wii aficionado called frits. It's just a durable wooden plank propped up by foam blocks on either end and a Wiimote zip tied to the front. The magic happens in the software, converting the up/down impacts of jogging in place into forward motion, with left or right roll turning the avatar in the simple game he worked out (video below). It's perhaps a bit crude, but would you rather have a board that looks good or a bod that looks good? Yeah, we'd pick gadget aesthetics too. If you want your own, frits will sell you the software for €10 -- money that will fund another of his projects: a site that fights global warming via pictures of scantily clad, eco-minded ladies.

[Via Hack A Day]

Filed under: Gaming

Tags: balance board, BalanceBoard, hack, mod, nintendo, nintendo wii, NintendoWii, swiitboard, wii, wii fit, WiiFit

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Highly Ranked

OwlExterminator @ Dec 10th 2008 8:45AM

"a site that fights global warming via pictures of scantily clad, eco-minded ladies."

got a link?

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RobertFoster @ Dec 10th 2008 8:50AM

Sure, but it'll cost you €10...

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annon delivers @ Dec 10th 2008 12:58PM

http://www.climatebabes.com/

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Kade Miller @ Dec 10th 2008 3:44PM

Have never scanned through that much climate change material in one session before! The babes really do help the climate!

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lgespee @ Dec 11th 2008 6:36AM

I wonder what attracted the most engadget readers, the custom made Wii balance board, or the scantily clad, eco-minded ladies.

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Flashpoint @ Dec 10th 2008 8:48AM

Nobody, AND I MEAN NOBODY has experienced lasting weight loss on Wii Fit (or Wii sports for that matter).

Not even...Ryan Block. I am still waiting for his post review of Wii Fit so he can show us how much weight he lost ;-/

I know I'm gonna get low ranked, but, Truth be told, if you really want weight loss GET DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION.

http://www.ddrfitclub.com/Weight_Loss_Stories/

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neurobuntu @ Dec 10th 2008 8:57AM

climatebabes.com

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Karen @ Dec 10th 2008 9:16AM

Here's Vinnk's Weight loss and very detailed use of Wii Fit
http://www.4colorrebellion.com/wii-fit/

Highly Ranked

Brazell @ Dec 10th 2008 9:22AM

Or... run... outside... for free.

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Akio @ Dec 10th 2008 10:05AM

@Brazell

ARE YOU MAD?!

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Uchiha Sasuke @ Dec 10th 2008 11:15AM

@Akio

No, he's a Spartan!

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Doggabone @ Dec 10th 2008 11:18AM

I lost about 20 annoying pounds and I haven't gained them back yet. But you're right - the Fit alone (or any exercise regime) isn't enough. The missus and I also tweaked our diet - not very consciously, but after a week of nightly Fit routines, we became more aware of what we were eating and what time of day. For us, in our apartment, the Fit was the perfect thing to get the ball rolling. It's amazing how much an hour of aerobic excercise can do, and if you're of a mind to you can work up a real sweat by pushing the routines as hard as you can.

It's just an exercise gadget, it's not magic. If it works for you, if it motivates you, and if it provides enough workout that it pushes you past your current fitness level (certainly you won't get any real benefit if you're already in great shape!), it can be useful. For us, it got the ball rolling and now we eat better, and we're more active. The same as if we had started with brisk walking, jogging, or cycling or any other "entry level" excercise routine. Best $100 I ever spent, probably.

The blog Karen linked is almost word for word the story the wife and I would tell. The final wrap-up from the blog:

"In conclusion, Wii Fit works. But like any exercise it only works if the person using it is willing to put in the effort. I could have achieved the same results simply by doing sit-ups and push-ups everyday, and going for a run. In fact, that may have let me obtain even better results. However I don’t realistically believe that I would have had enough motivation to do that."

"Wii Fit works because it shows me everyday how much I weigh, how much time I’ve invested, and how well I am doing on my exercises. It also keeps fantastic records that I can look back on and it makes charts showing my progress (or lack thereof)."

"The balance board is nothing magical. Just by standing on it you don’t get a better body. You have to put in the time. What Wii Fit tries to do is to make that time enjoyable, and for me it accomplished that goal. To say that Wii Fit made me thinner is giving it too much credit. I made me thinner, but Wii Fit helped."

You see the same things in the DDR stories - it starts with the gadget, and as you become more aware and confident diet improves, and other exercise and activities become part of the lifestyle. You just have to find something you'll stick to long enough to get the ball rolling. I think I may pick up the DDR for our Wii - looks like a fun addition to our routines.

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OneLove @ Dec 10th 2008 11:28AM

running outside is bad for the environment! (plus, all the hot girls are at the gym)

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Loban @ Dec 10th 2008 11:42AM

No one single thing is going to make you lose weight. For the most part, you can't just run, or weightlift, or eat right. You have to do all those things to lose weight the healthy way and keep it off. Wii Fit is just a tool, it's up to the user as to how it's used. It's a fun way to get your mind in the right place, but you're not going to wake up one morning 10 lbs lighter by using Wii Fit alone.

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