Wii Fit Exergaming = Lower Exertion, Similar Heart-Rate, and Energy Expenditure
Abstract
Background/Purpose Purpose: To investigate whether or not participants perceived an exergame Wii Fit Free Run (WFFR) differently than a jogging on a treadmill. Method 25 undergraduate participants, (15 males 10 females) performed a 15-minute zero degree incline treadmill (TR) workout (Bruce protocol) followed by a rest period, then a 15-minute WFFR workout (randomized). The WFFR workout consisted of five three-minute stages with speed controlled by a metronome cadence set equal to the participants' step rate for each of the treadmill stages. Participants wore a heart rate (HR) monitor and a Sensewear Armband. At the end of each stage, ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), HR, and caloric expenditure (CE) were measured. Analysis/Results Repeated-measures ANOVA with Bonferoni post-hoc comparisons revealed: no significant differences (p>0.1) between average HR and CE for the duration of both workouts; WFFR-RPE was significantly lower (p<0.1); WFFR stages 1, 2 and 3 produced a significantly (p<0.1) higher HR; WFFR-CE, stages 2 and 3 were higher (p<0.1), and TR-CE stage 5 was significantly (p<0.1) higher; WFFR-RPE, stages 2, 3, 4 and 5 were significantly lower (p<0.1); WFFR-RPE mean was 9.64 2.0 and the TR-RPE mean was 11.41 1.71 for stages 2, 3, 4, and 5 combined. Conclusions WFFR and TR produced equal exercise benefit with regard to overall HR and CE while the WFFR was rated significantly lower RPE scores. At the speeds prescribed in this study the WFFR can be an equal alternative to exercising on a treadmill.
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