Can you get a legitimate workout by swinging your arms in front of a TV screen or mashing buttons on a controller? The world of "exergaming" promises fitness through fun, but how do these virtual workouts stack up against real exercise science? We're diving into the critiques of an exercise scientist to see if video game developers understand fitness or if they're just creating the illusion of a workout.
TL;DR: The Bottom Line on Video Game Workouts
- Most dedicated "exergaming" titles, like Wii Fit, often use ineffective exercises and misleading terminology like "toning" and "firming."
- Effective beginner workouts must be genuinely challenging; providing ineffective exercises risks users seeing no results and concluding that fitness "doesn't work for them."
- Surprisingly, some traditional video games like Grand Theft Auto feature character animations with technically sound exercise form for movements like pull-ups, push-ups, and sit-ups.
- The key to a better physique remains the same: real, challenging resistance training and a proper diet, not virtual, unresisted movements.
The Myth of "Toning" and "Firming"
A common issue with fitness games is the language they use. Words like "toning" and "firming" sound appealing, but from a physiological standpoint, they don't mean anything. A "firm" look is the result of three things: how much muscle you have, how little body fat you have covering it, and your skin quality.
You can't "firm" a muscle. You can only grow it through resistance training or let it shrink. This misleading terminology has encouraged generations of people to avoid effective methods like lifting weights and managing nutrition, fearing they'll get "bulky," and instead chase a result with methods that don't actually work.
Wii Fit's "Saccharine Exercise"
The workouts featured in Nintendo's Wii Fit are a prime example of what Dr. Mike Israetel calls "saccharine exercise"—it looks like a workout to the untrained eye but accomplishes virtually nothing.
- The Rowing Squat: This exercise is critiqued for its incredibly shallow depth, barely qualifying as a quarter-squat. Furthermore, the rowing motion is completely unresisted, as gravity pulls downward, not horizontally. You're simply moving your arms for no functional purpose.
- The Plank: The plank is described as one of the least effective ab exercises. Isometric contractions (holding a position) are not very effective for promoting muscle growth. Dynamic movements like crunches, sit-ups, or ab wheel rollouts are far superior for building the abs.
- The Beginner's Trap: Some argue these games are good for getting sedentary people moving. However, the counterargument is that if a beginner starts with an ineffective program, they won't see results. This can lead them to burn out and wrongly conclude that exercise just doesn't work for them. A true beginner workout, like squatting to a chair, should still be fundamentally effective and challenging.
Grand Theft Auto: Surprisingly Solid Form
In stark contrast to the purpose-built fitness games, the character animations in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas are surprisingly well-done from a technical standpoint.
- Pull-ups: The technique shown is very good, with the character getting his chin well over the bar.
- Sit-ups: The form is described as "really, really good," featuring a full range of motion and controlled movement.
- Push-ups: The push-ups are also praised for having nice full lockouts at the top of the movement.
- Bench Press: The main critique is a physics issue. The character benches in a perfectly straight line, whereas a real bench press follows a natural arc from the lower chest up toward the face. The character is also shown floating over the bench.
While not perfect, the basic calisthenics in GTA are animated with more technical accuracy than the workouts in games designed specifically for exercise.
The Verdict: Keep Gaming and Training Separate
The final judgment is clear. The Wii Fit-style workouts receive a dismal 2 out of 10 for creating a false sense of accomplishment without providing a real challenge. The GTA workouts, despite being a minor feature in a non-fitness game, earn a respectable 7 out of 10 for their solid attempt at realistic form.
The takeaway? Video games are an incredible form of entertainment, but for now, they are not a substitute for a real training program. For the best results, get a challenging workout in a gym or at home, have a good meal, and then settle in for a gaming session. Keeping the two separate is your best bet for making real progress.
