Is exergaming real exercise?

Contributed by Elize Ng and Jasmine Chen

What would you get by combining exercise and your favourite video game? Now, you may be thinking, “Exercise and gaming? No way!” In fact, in the United Kingdom and the United States, “exergaming” actually exists.

“Exergaming” is a term used in the west for video games that provides a form of exercise to users. A few examples of exergaming consoles or programs are the Nintendo Wii series, EA’s Sports Active and the recent addition, PlayStation Move.

Supporters of “exergaming” say it’s more fun to enjoy the benefits of a good workout while playing your favourite sports in the comfort of your own home as compared to running laps at the nearest stadium. Users are also able to track their own fitness progression via the video games.

Exergaming also creates an incentive for the young and elderly to physically move without the risk of overexerting themselves.

On the flip side, exergaming does have its negative effects, according to detractors. Too much time exergaming ironically runs the risk of addiction and time away from outdoor sports. Over time, the real intensity and human touch of the actual sport may be lost as players are not able to interact with other players and feel the intensity of an actual game.

The amount of calories burnt while exergaming does not not equate to that of doing real sports as well. Only a selected number of video games provide moderate physical activity.

However, that has not stopped some countries like Dubai, Australia and Korea have introduced exergaming to encourage their populations to get in shape.

In Britain, the UK Department of Health even endorsed the Nintendo Wii to promote a healthy lifestyle to locals. In Singapore, North Vista Primary School also introduced the use of the Nintendo Wii during PE lessons.

Have you ever thought of engaging in exergaming yourself? Should we encourage the use of technology in sports and keep up with the advance of technology? Or should we just stick to the conventional forms of exercise? We would like to hear your views and opinions on it!

Ed’s note: The two writers are from a local junior college who are doing a poll as part of their A Level Project Work. We hope you will help them out with the poll.