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I think the key to losing weight when it relates to exercise is to find something that keeps you interested and coming back for more. This is an answer that is different for everyone. I am not seriously overweight, but I could lose 15-20 lbs (I have been around 206 lbs for the past year+ and should be 185-190 lbs). I am not a couch potato, I just haven't found the right thing to keep me interested long enough to get myself to exercise day in and day out. When I heard about the new game by EA, I was instantly interested, being an NFL fan for nearly 20 years. I thought the idea was fantastic, and was quick to go out and buy NFL Training Camp, even at the $100 price point which is still a head scratcher to me.
Now this review is very very fresh, as I have only had the game for a very short time, and it was only released less than a week ago. However, right off the bat, I can see some of the pros and cons that jump out at me immediately:
PROS
More than anything else, I love the concept. This will garner a lot of interest from males, and while its the same types of exercises found in EA Active, this is tailored to a non-female audience.
There is a wide variety of workouts available, exercises, graphs, stats, etc. This game will keep you interested, as it's not the same old stuff day after day.
The heart monitor is really, really cool. The straps that go around your leg and arm are made well, and comfortable. I was very impressed by the quality of the hardware.
CONS
I was very upset to see that in the very first workout that I did, the triceps exercise didn't work correctly. I did things exactly as the game instructed me to, and it just wouldn't work. I had to cheat and do something else to get past these exercises. I don't know how EA would fix this bug. Can they patch this online? For the price point of this game, there better be bug fixes that can be downloaded and applied or I will NOT be happy.
The package didn't seem to come with instructions on how to tie the resistance band. This isn't a huge matter, but when the game loaded, it should have first instructed me how to correctly tie these. I also feel that the band might break at some point. Probably not, but some more information for the first time user what they can and cannot do with the band should have popped up in a video to start.
All in all, I love the idea, but I am very concerned about future problems I am going to have with the game understanding what exercises I am doing. If EA can provide patches that can be applied online, my review goes up to 5 stars. If they do not, I will be dropping this down to 2-3 stars and contacting EA support. For $100 I expect things to work flawlessly, I don't think that's too much to ask.
Look for this review to be updated in the future, hopefully I can get in the habit of using this nearly every day.
**** RECOMMENDED (but holding out my final opinion until I get a better sense from EA how seriously they will be addressing issues)
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UPDATE 11/26/2010
The initial problem that I was having with the tricep exercises was due to the heart rate monitor being upside down. Shouldn't the strap know if it isn't in the right position?
So that issues is fixed, but today pushups wouldn't register correctly.
However, I am really enjoying the 60 day challenge thus far, it gives a great sweat and is fun :)
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UPDATE 11/29/2010
Still loving this WII 'game' nearly a week later and am up to Workout #3 of the 60 Day Challenge. Already lost a pound but I'll really start believing if my scale gets under 200 lbs. which I haven't seen in years.
I'm bumping this up to ***** and making this a big recommendation. I still think it's a little pricey, but it is what it is.
BTW 1 person suggested ditching the resistance band and just getting 10-15 lb. free weights. I think this is a great idea and don't see any reason why this couldn't be done.
***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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UPDATE 12/07/2010
Still using this 2 weeks later and it's getting harder, even with the 60 day program on "easy". One complaint that I have is that the game doesn't alert you for routines when you need to keep the wiimote in your right hand, so sometimes you are yelling at the tv when something isn't working. The programmers should have been able to note this as well if you didn't have the remote in your hand for the exercises you need to hold it. Also, there are times when you are tired at the end and don't want to have to look at the tv to figure out when to end the stretch hold, and the commentator doesn't tell you to switch sides at the midway point. Somewhat minor issues, but worth noting. These don't change my recommendation on the product though.
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UPDATE 12/20/2010
Almost a month into the 60 day challenge and I think it's the mark of a great routine when you still exercising nearly a month later, the workouts don't feel too long, and you are still going strong. I'm not losing weight yet but I don't know if that's because I really haven't changed my diet or have gained some muscle, but my muscles are sore much of the time, sore in a good way. I have had knee trouble for years and I have to say that with all the squats they have you do (and it's a TON) it can hurt quite a bit, but I don't quit, and am still fired to keep going!! I figure I'll eventually see the pounds start to come off, and if I ever get below 200 lbs (I am only at 203 right now at 6'1" so not very overweight at all) I will probably be a believer for life!
Main main frustration is with the DB squat forward and back routines. These are very difficult to do correctly and I find myself getting very aggravated doing these drills (but I still do them).
The structure of the workouts as a whole is sooo good. Warmups get you lose, cooldowns do what they are supposed to do, some drills hurt like hell, some tire you out a ton (WR sprints come to mind), some are easier, some are just plain fun (QB stuff). All in all, it's a fantastic balance!!
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UPDATE 12/28/2010
Major server issue this weekend with EA. Not only can thousands of people not get online, the data has been corrupted due to a bug with this issue. If this is not corrected very soon, I will be dropping my review 1 or 2 stars. At this price, with a company this big, this is completely unacceptable.
I had problems with the monitors tonight where I needed to change the battery mid-workout and had no idea what was going on. Would be nice if the game could keep track of battery charge as well. Doesn't seem that difficult since the wiimotes are able to do it.
Nearing 40 days of the 60 day challenge. Lots and lots and lots of squats (muy ugg) and I am not losing any weight, but I think the weight is being replaced with muscle instead. Still going strong!!
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UPDATE 01/06/2011
Up to 40+ days of the 60 day challenge and man it's getting harder. One of the workouts I did the previous week was my first 300 calorie day and 45 minutes long. I couldn't imagine doing medium or hard for this and don't plan to when I do my 2nd 60 day challenge starting next month.
Not sure if this is relevant or not, but I am a 3x open heart surgery survivor with an artificial heart valve, so I am a great candidate to show that this is a safe, healthy cardio option for many, many people out there!! I take atenolol for my heart so my heart rate is far less than everyone else in my online group which is kind of funny.
I wish that EA had built in support for dumbbells instead of assuming all users would be using the resistance band as there are workouts when I have to hold the wiimote in my right hand with the dumbbell at the same time. I don't know how they could have gotten around this without a 2nd sensor, but the dumbbell option is the way everyone should go. It's a better workout and more challenging.
Still no weight loss but there is no doubt I am gaining more muscle in my legs and arms. I've been drinking more water but haven't changed my diet much else, so the weight loss might take a little longer until I decide to get more serious about this aspect of my workouts.
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UPDATE 01/11/2011
OK I finally have some real complaints about this application, and having juuust finished my workout (the first of phase 3), I am going to bullet list these issues:
My exercise routine tonight was 24 sets, and of the 24, 8 were warm-up/cool-down. That leaves 16 exercises, 8 of which were jump squats or bag hops, some 2 in a row! This is totally unrealistic. I have the setting on easy for the 60 day challenge, and I am only moderately overweight (204lbs, I should be around 180-185) with knees that give me trouble, 3 open heart surgeries and an artificial heart valve. The problem is that people who are 350 lbs are not going to be able to do jump squats and bag hops over and over and over again. There needs to be some setting to determine what kind of 60 day challenge you want --1 tailored towards DBs which is what it seems like the default is, or 1 for quarterbacks and lineman. I don't mind doing these routines, but when I have to start taking major breaks and having bad form, this defeats the purpose. This isn't medium or hard, it's E-A-S-Y and I find the heavy, heavy, HEAVY quad and squat work to be way overbalanced away from strength and just conditioning. Balance is totally off and it's starting to sour me, which is an unfortunate for a piece of software I think is really good.
There needs to be a setting for what type of coach you want to have barking in your ear. Kind of like a Bill Parcells -> Peter Carroll meter. Sometimes when I am working my tail off and the game is telling me to move it is really not encouraging. I don't mind getting pushed, but the application should be able to tell when you are having trouble and curtail the abuse a bit. Like the last point, this is starting to sour me.
There has to be a clearer explanation of what the software wants you to do with your stances for these sets. Sometimes we are supposed to mirror our virtual workout partner, sometimes we aren't. A more clear cue on the screen needs to remind you what side you should expect to start on.
Relating to that note, I am so sick of not having an option to not hold the remote on some of the sets where I use dumbbells instead. Sometimes the wiimote is barely in my fingers, as I have to clutch the dumbbell first and foremost.
I am starting to get concerned how seriously EA is taking this software. They have already slashed the price in half after I paid $100 for this in November (thanks EA), and are ignoring my forum posts and support emails about the stats corruption issue that occurred December 27-28th. Hopefully this is just growing pains, as I am still motivated to use Training Camp. I have missed 5 days in my routine due to scheduling conflicts, but I plan to really kill it these next couple of days to get back on track.
I'm glad people are enjoying my review and ongoing blog. It seems to be popular, thanks for following my progress.
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UPDATE 01/12/2011
Related to what I was saying yesterday, I am sick and tired of these workouts where they have you do the same thing over and over again in unrealistic amounts relative to the challenge level you have selected. Yesterday it was bag hops and squat jumps, this time it was 3 sets of prone knee drives/mountain climbers, with 45 reps per set. My form was terrible in the 2nd set and by the 3rd I just cancelled the set as I couldn't do it. More QA with balance of the workouts especially at easy needed to be done, as this is completely unrealistic. I ended up doing 91% of the workout but had to cancel out of 2 sets to be able to survive. I also turned off coaching comments completely as I couldn't take being yelled at while I was working my tail off.
Still a few days behind but I was too sore to do a double yesterday. This 60 day challenge might end up being 65 or so by the time I am done, we shall see.
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UPDATE 01/19/2011
I came down with the flu end of last week so I haven't been able to work out in 5-6 days. 60 day challenge is going to be pushed back because of this.
One big negative is that EA Support said there was nothing they could do about the bad data on the servers so that is a huge negative in my eyes. If the #s aren't accurate, why trust them? NOT. GOOD. EA.
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UPDATE 02/16/2011
Flu lasted longer than I thought and I ran into some home repair issues (water damage) with storms up in New England so I haven't touched NFL Training Camp in weeks. I also was upset at how EA support brushed me off and ignored my concerns about bad stats and also how after spending $100 in November they slashed the price in half 2 months later. So, I will be back using the program, but I need some time to recharge and take care of other things right now.
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UPDATE 03/03/2011
Now it's $40?!? I feel robbed EA. I pay $100 end of November, and 3 months later it's at bargain basement prices? Not cool at all, and it's made me incredibly unmotivated to use this, as I feel I have been scammed.
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UPDATE 05/15/2011
Back to NFL Training Camp but trying something different. I am making pre-defined workouts highlighting only the workouts I like. I hope this will keep me coming back for more. I'm still pissed about the price drop but it is what it is. I found the workout getting too difficult and not giving me much flexibility made me not want to play as often. I realize this loses the randomness and targeting areas I might not want to, but the most important thing is for me to be WANTING to do the workouts. We will see how this new plan works out...
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UPDATE 10/29/2011
I stopped using NFL Training Camp and joined a gym back in September. I was disgusted with how quickly EA slashed the price after I paid $100 and I got sick of how flaky it was at times. It's fun to use once in a while, but the lack of support from EA really soured it all for me. Final analysis is Not Recommended to to EA's lack of commitment to the product.
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Well, I am a little hard to please, but I was overall pleased with this game. I am certainly sore today and I am in good physical condition and utilize Wii for working out quite a bit (My Fitness Coach, both previous EA Sports fitness games, Gold's Gym cardio, etc.).I didn't really want this game; I went to buy the new EA Sports Active 2 game and it only comes with one set of sensors and needed a second set to do 2 player (thanks, Nintendo, for not selling those yet...) so I figured what the heck, I'd try the NFL game and at least I'd have another set of sensors. But, honestly, it's pretty good.
I am still not thrilled with the basic exercises. Reps are a little faster than the old EA Sports games, but still drags a little. The EA Sports Active 2 game makes it fairly easy to use just weights, but this game seemed to really require I hold the remote, so I opted for the band, which I don't like. Honestly, I probably will just stay away from that part of the game and do it with the upper body section of My Fitness Coach.
What makes this game good, though, are the cardio and combination drill exercises. You can make a workout just out of drills and most are "obstacle" course style and include segments for running, squats, and making football plays (quarterback drill, you throw balls to open receivers while doing foot fire with your feet... and my rear is sore from that!). Amd. because your brain is thinking about other things, the workout seems to fly by. The lunges are super hard to figure out... had some problems with that my first go around and had to watch the video (and my hubby never could get that to work and had to skip the exercise).
You do still have to use the remote quite a bit (and you'd imagine so with a football game) but at least there is no nunchuck cord to work around. And, if you set a custom workout on drills alone, you will work out pretty hard (my average heart rate last night on a set of 11 minutes of drills was 126, which I was happy about) and a 20 minute one this morning, I averaged 118. Seeing your heart rate is super nice.. you can adjust your intensity to make yourself work harder. It's hard to get up to the higher numbers unless you're running. But, I think it's a pretty solid game and would appeal to many.
UPDATE***
I did a video review of this product if you'd like to take a peek. If you have not purchased and are just researching, it should give you a good rundown of the product and how it works. I'm still quite enjoying this after owning it for a month and highly recommend to people who like to exercise and burn calories, especially during the winter when running outside is difficult.
Best Deals for EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp - Nintendo Wii (Bundle)
NFL Training Camp can best be described as "EA Sports Active with a shot of testosterone". I've reviewed a number of Wii exercise games in my day, and I'll admit, there have been times when for my reviews I've had to dance like a cheerleader or do step aerobics to songs like "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". Admittedly, there are times I've thought to myself, "there has got to be a better solution for guys to work out".The best way to describe NFL Training Camp is that EA Sports combined two of their properties. With their longstanding licensing relationship with Madden NFL, EA Sports has access to official NFL team names, players, and assets like uniforms, stadiums, and logos. And recently, EA Sports released the excellent EA Sports Active 2, an impressive follow-up to their original workout title that brings with it new wireless heart-rate monitoring, leg-strap controls, and more interactive "video game" elements. In a brilliant move, they put the two together and built a training title that really does let you feel like you're in the middle of an NFL training camp.
The game comes with the same hardware as EA Sports Active 2: a resistance band, a heart rate monitor that you strap to your arm, a motion tracker that you strap to your leg, and a USB receiver you plug into your Wii. If you buy both EA Sports Active 2 and NFL Training Camp, you'll have two sets of motion trackers and leg controllers which you can use for two-player workouts on either game. You can optionally use the Wii balance board to track your weight, but otherwise it's not used in any of the gameplay.
You start the game by creating your profile and your character, which you can associate with any NFL team. You even choose a real player to train alongside with.
There are two things I really like about NFL Training Camp. One thing is knowing that many of the drills are exactly what real NFL players do in their team workouts (In fact, EA Sports brought in actual strength and conditioning coaches from the NFL to consult on the training). The "Team Workouts" include fairly intense exercises such as foot fires, squats, heel lifts, lunges,and much more.
The second thing I really like is that many of the activities are interactive, like a real video game.
For example, there's an activity called "QB Read and React" where different targets on the field will pop up, and you need to make an overhand throwing motion to toss the ball to the target--if your team's logo is on the target. If you toss to an opposing team's target, it becomes an interception. You also have only a time limit before you will be "sacked", but you can do foot fires (running in place rapidly) to extend your "sack timer". A similar game is "QB Window", where you have to use a throwing motion to hit a target as it crosses the screen. Each time you do, you gain yards--four misses in a row without gaining 10 yards will mean you have to try again. There's an "obstacle course" game which combines both of these. You can also play as a receiver, where you need to run a pattern (basically following on-screen prompts) to catch a pass.
There are a few kicking games as well. The "punting challenge" involves you, like an NFL punter, to try to punt a ball as close to the endzone without getting a touchback. You punt the ball by making a kicking motion with your foot. There's also a "field goal" challenge where you have to time your kick with an on-screen cursor going across the uprights.
There are defensive activities too, involving virtual version of real NFL training accessories like running through ladders and tires. Then, you have to push a tackle sled by holding out your hands and running in place. The activities become real interesting when in addition to running in place, you need to throw your arm out to block tacklers and jump to avoid obstacles.
Like EA Sports Active, there are pre-designed workout regimens that you can choose from, or you can design your own custom workout with your favorite activities. There's also a 60-day challenge where you can work out four days in the week (resting 3 days). You can chart your progress in terms of calories burned and challenges met, and even put it online to compare with friends, family, or anyone else on their online portal.
All in all, NFL Training Camp is a winner, and a great gift for the guy in your life who could use a little workout but is turned off by let's say, less than "manly" titles. As with EA Sports Active 2, it's a pretty good mix of more intense exercises and "fun" interactive exercises which keep the workout interesting and keep you coming back.
Honest reviews on EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp - Nintendo Wii (Bundle)
Hi everyone.I just got "NFL Training Camp" from Amazon the other day, and I have used it a couple of times now. I wanted to write a really quick review of my initial experience with the product.
First off, I will say that the packaging seems really nice. The equipment seems solidly made and it fits really well. It's also comfortable, which was a bit of a surprise. I was half expecting it to dig into my body or slide all around. The arm strap and the leg strap stayed in place throughout all of my workouts and never felt uncomfortable at all. In fact, after a few minutes I didn't even notice that they were on. The only ding I give the equipment is the fact that it's branded "EA Active" and comes with some decals for you to put on them to cover that up with the "NFL Training Camp" logo. Not a big deal, but come on EA...for $100 you couldn't even put the stickers on for us??
Once I got the disc in the Wii, it fires up with the profile setup. I went through all of that and then registered the product with EA and created an online account. The ONLY issue I have with the opening sequence is that it mentions how to set up the sensors, but doesn't really show you how. I thought that I was doing something wrong, and then I realized that you actually set up the sensors AFTER the preliminary video. I wish it would have told me during the video that there would be a detailed setup after the video...then I wouldn't have thought I was doing it incorrectly. Needless to say, I got it working just fine as soon as I realized there is an actual setup screen for the equipment.
I launched right into the "game" after that, and I set up my workout days and days off. I then went ahead and just set myself up with some custom drills. I have been mainly using the quarterback challenges. They are an absolute blast. They mainly require you to move your feet to "hold off" a blitz. There is a timer in the corner that shows you how close the rush is getting to you, and if you move your feet faster you make that timer go down slower. You then have to whip the Wii remote forward as if you are throwing a football when your receivers get open. I have to say, I had an absolutely awesome time doing these drills. I was moving my feet and really getting into gaining the yards with the receivers. One really cool feature is that it tracks your scores and then shows you how well you're doing on what is essentially a leader board. It's a GREAT way to get people to keep coming back for more, even when they have already gotten really good at the drill. You can always try and beat your best score...and if you keep coming back for more, then hey, you're still working out which is ultimately the point of the whole product.
I must say...I am relatively out of shape. Not really obese, but not really in shape either. In any case, the three QB drills I did really had me working. I was sweating and my heart rate was way up, which is easy to judge because of the excellent heart rate monitor with the system. The best part?? I was burning calories and getting what seemed like a good little workout, but it didn't feel like WORK. It was more like having fun that just has the side effect of burning some calories.
I did a few of the other workouts, but I was already pretty tired from my QB drills, so I don't think I did them as well as I should have. I started each workout day with the QB drill, mainly because I'm not quite yet ready to commit to the 60 day challenge, so I've just been doing my own drills at my own pace. Even though I didn't do the other drills as well as I probably should have, they all still seemed to work very well and were also fun. I will probably start the 60 day challenge in the next few days and then if I have to, I will ammend this review.
All in all, I'm really happy with the product. If you are the type of person that wants to work out but finds most workout DVDs and programs boring (like me) then you should give this a try. I have tried several workouts in the past and always gave up within about two weeks...and I KNEW I was going to give up because right from the get-go they didn't seem like any fun. This, on the other hand, has given me a completely different initial impression, and I feel that I will be able to stick with it for a good long while.
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