Is Wii Fit Yoga Really Yoga?

The Wii Fit Yoga program by Dreamcatcher is probably the most controversial yoga product on the market. Many yoga purists dismiss it as a gimmicky game, while others rave about it, saying it is a great introduction to yoga. Who's right?

First of all, what exactly is Wii Fit? Wii Fit is essentially a hardware and software program made for the Nintendo Wii system. The indispensable hardware for Wii Fit Yoga is the Wii Fit Balance Board. The balance board has embedded motion detectors that gauge shifts in balance and weight as you go through the poses. The board only measures 11 X 19 inches, but is sophisticated enough to accurately gauge posture even when you're doing poses like the downward facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). With only your hands resting on the balance board, your virtual instructor will tell you if you are putting too much or too little weight on your heels.

As you go through your routine, you must keep your eyes focused on the TV screen. The goal is to keep your balance centered where indicated on the screen by a yellow circle or rectangle. A small pink dot that shifts on the screen as your weight shifts shows you how balanced and centered you are. The goal is to keep that pink dot as centered as possible inside the yellow area. One drawback to having to focus on the television screen is that if the TV is not at eye level, just the act of looking down at the screen in standing poses can automatically lead to subtle improper shifts in weight and positioning. For beginners, however, this is probably a small disadvantage.

Breath (prana) is at the heart of yoga. An expanding and contracting blue ring indicates the recommended breathing cycle for each pose. Critics of the Wii Fit program argue that your virtual instructor does not emphasize breathing enough and that when you focus on keeping your little pink dot inside its target area, you are likely to forget the proper breath sequences (pranayama). It's a valid criticism, but with practice, you learn to follow the breathing rhythm naturally without having to focus too much on the screen.

Aside from the essential balance board, optional accessories include yoga mats and wrist/ankle weights. The "official" yoga mat measures 24 inches by 72 inches (183cmx61cm). It is an adequate size for a yoga mat and at $23.99 from Amazon, it is a reasonable deal. Wrist and ankle weights are a controversial subject among yoga enthusiasts. While using the weights may help in building muscle strength, if that is your goal, weight training combined with hatha yoga will probably yield better results.

One accessory that is worth looking into if you use your balance board regularly for any of the Wii Fit programs is the silicone sleeve. The sleeve fits tightly over the board and adds a layer of protection, prolonging the life of the board. At just under $15, it could easily pay for itself over time.

There is something disconcerting to many practicing yogis about the Wii Fit Yoga program. Yogis developed hatha yoga as a means to spiritual ends. A large part of the discipline is in focusing your attention inwards as you go through your postures. The guru is there to guide you in the finer details of the postures until you perfect your technique and are adept enough to do it on your own, with your attention focused wholly within.

In a perfect world, every student of yoga would practice under a true master, but the fact is, many yoga instructors are not as adept as they ideally would be and many yoga studios do not provide an ideal learning environment. Wii Fit Yoga is by no means perfect, but it is a lot more fun than following a video program and has the added advantage of being interactive. The balance board provides useful feedback that even experienced yogis find helpful. If you take it for what it is and are aware of its limitations, you can get a lot of value out of Wii Fit Yoga. Just don't put your TV on an altar surrounded by candles and incense. It's not THAT good.

Bunky Malone is an editor, writer, and active practitioner of yoga.

yoga-accessories.org Yoga Accessories Blog
yoga-accessories.org/category/yoga-balls Yoga Balls