The NFL preseason has started, and players are participating in training camps.
And so can you. Sort of.
EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp is a workout game for the Wii.
It comes as a kit, and includes the Wii game, heart rate monitor, motion trackers, and a resistance band with handles. The game is compatible with the Wii balance board, but the board is not required to play.
The concept is that the player is part of an NFL Training Camp. You can choose what stadium you would like to workout in, and you can choose a player to act as your workout buddy. The workout instructor is a voice over. The workouts focus on strength and agility, with some cardio. You can customize the workout, follow a preset workout, or do the 60 Day Challenge.
It’s a fun concept.
The exercises are based on football skills and drills. There’s traditional exercises like squats and bicep curls, but there’s also moves that include throwing and kicking motions.
There are a few issues to consider before purchasing the game. There are two motion detectors that both need AAA batteries. So, in addition to the Wii controllers, you have to make sure that these have power. If the batteries are low on the monitors, the game will pause regularly to tell you so and to remind you to replace them for your next workout.
Also, the motion detectors do not always sense your movements. For example, I was trying to do a stationary squat hold. Once the game senses the squat, it starts a timer. The squat is supposed to last a minute, but I ended up holding it for five minutes and tried to move around to get the motion detectors to work. No such luck. You can opt to skip an exercise to get the game moving again, but it’s frustrating because you don’t get credit for doing the exercise.
Right now, the price is right on Amazon to give this game a try. It’s under twelve bucks. For that bargain price, it’s a fun addition to a Wii workout collection. Plus, I could never get my husband to use my workout DVDs, but he gave this game a try and seemed to enjoy it.
