Finding space for Wii Fit

The balance board is certainly smaller than most exercise equipment, which means it obviously requires less space, right? Not necessarily. Anyone who hasn't yet purchased Wii Fit, but is considering it, needs to sit down and consider a few things before bringing home the balance board. Space, room design, and location of the television can all impact your exergaming experience, so we've put together a quick guide to designing your optimal workout space for Wii Fit.


Buying Wii Fit is a little like buying a puppy. The shelter fees don't sound like much, so you give in ... and later, after buying dishes and toys and food and dog-accessories, those "reasonable" fees have ballooned into an investment. While Wii Fit won't cost you a lot of money outside of the initial $90, you will be making an investment of space, which some owners might not expect. The board isn't so big, right? The problem, however, is that you are.


Oh, we're not talking about the size of your behind -- we'll leave that to Wii Fit's little animated balance board guide -- we're just saying that there's more to the space you need beyond your girth. Most of the exercises involve movement, and even some time off the board, so you'll need to make sure you can accommodate everything. Stand in the middle of your selected fitness space, and ask yourself the following questions:

• Can you stand comfortably three feet from the television? This is the recommended distance.
• Can you extend your arms at a 90º angle from your sides? Stretch your fingertips as far as they'll go.
• Can you then lift them straight over your head without brushing the ceiling or any fixtures?
• Can you comfortably see the television from this position? Point the Wii remote at it?
• Is there plenty of room for you to jog in place? If you're the type to move around a little while doing so, try it out.
• Go back to your starting spot. Can you drop down into a push-up position and extend your body fully behind your hands without hitting any obstacles?
• Can you comfortably see the television from this lower position? Point the Wii remote at it? Try using the d-pad and buttons if you can't get the pointer.
  
• From a standing position, can you sweep down and touch your toes while keeping your arms extended?
• From a standing position, can you comfortably shadowbox?

If you can't manage all of these from the optimal position, don't worry. The balance board does not have to be facing the television at all times. If, for instance, your space isn't wide enough for you to keep away from the television and do push-ups, but there's plenty of room length-wise, just turn the balance board so that it's at a diagonal angle. There -- plenty of space!


Ceiling fan in the way? Try turning it off and positioning the blades so that you can reach between them. If that doesn't work, try finding a different position to stand in. Always make sure you can see the television without turning your head; otherwise, you're going to have to go solely off audio if you want to avoid straining something!

Check the position of your television. If your television is particularly high up, you may have trouble watching while doing low exercises, like push-ups. For these, if you can't lower your television, we recommend standing and watching the demo, and then following along with sound only.

Expect to move coffee tables if necessary for Wii Fit, because the workouts do require a fair amount of space. A good rule of thumb is to consider the length of your own body when calculating the amount of space you need, and remember that you'll need to stay several feet away from the television.

You do not need any extra equipment, however, unless you want something to brace against while working out the kinks in some balance exercises. As our readers reported, carpet is not the issue some thought it would be, and you probably don't want anything that raises the board any further off the ground. Once finished, the board is much easier to store than the typical elliptical machine, but while you're actually active, Wii Fit may require more space.

Remember that it's best to work on the balance board without shoes -- but many people find running easier while wearing shoes, particularly for the longer sessions. If you're making the running part of your workout, you may want to keep shoes and socks handy while using Wii Fit, and test these out in the event of slippery floors. You don't want to firmly stow the Wii remote only to hurl yourself through the television.

While all this may sound like a challenge for some living rooms, look for creative solutions. Slide your furniture around as a warm-up exercise. Finally invest in that new TV stand you've been considering. Move that end table a little so you can more easily reach your water. If you're determined about using Wii Fit to augment your healthy lifestyle, you can find solutions to the space issue.