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Obviously, this site is dead.
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Hey everybody. It has been forever since there has been a post here, and it wasn't exactly nice of me to not update anything for the past several months. The fact of the matter is that I started a new job that has taken up a lot of my time - so much so that I don't even DDR all that much anymore - and has robbed me of the ability to keep up with news, maintain the site, and write reviews.
My apologies for the abandonment. The site will stay up for those folks who, in the future, wish to reference what few articles there are, but it would be a waste of time to return looking for new content.
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Nintendo skips past "fun" and goes right to "exercise"
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You wouldn't think that I would find this disturbing since, well, I run a site called "DDR4Health", but Nintendo's press for the release of DDR Mario Mix focused on just one thing: burning off Halloween candy calories.
Let's not forget that a game must be fun and compelling for it to also work as a lasting form of exercise. Putting the cart before the horse in exergaming will do little good.
Article appears below.
[ Read the rest ... ]
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Typical activity + integrated exercise = success?
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That's what Biray Alsac of Arizona State University is putting forth with her seminar Fitness Outside The Box. DDR, Yourself!Fitness, and the GameBike get a mention, but Alsac also extends her seminar to technologies such as MP3 players and GPS.
Article appears below.
[ Read the rest ... ]
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Winning Invention Powers TVs with exercise!
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[Editor's Note: This was submitted by Mr. Volpe, so please be aware that he submitted a press release about himself. But hey, it's new technology, so why not post it.]
WINNING INVENTION POWERS TVs WITH EXERCISE
A prestigious national search for unique inventions has selected a local Philadelphian’s invention as a finalist in the InventNow® Amerca Competition. The device, called "The EnterTrainer"tm , motivates people to exercise by controlling the sound and power of a television with a person’s heart rate.
The Invent Now® America search is sponsored by the National Inventors Hall of Fame®, Popular Mechanics, and the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Inventor Joe Volpe was recently granted a patent for his "heart monitor for controlling entertainment devices" which is now available to consumers for around $99. The electronic accessory turns everyday exercise equipment into virtual power generators for TVs, stereos and video games. The tv or other device is controlled by a small wireless heart monitor worn under clothing. If the user does not exercise in their desired target heart rate zone, the volume of their entertainment gradually drops, and eventually if the target zone isn’t met, the entertainment device will turn off until the predetermined target heart rate is established.
"This is a powerful motivator and a fun way to get more exercise," says Volpe, who admits to being lazy about working-out. "Even when I got on my treadmill, I wouldn't work that hard." Using the established principles of heart-rate target training and a rudimentary electronics background, he created "The EnterTrainer" which varies the volume and power of any entertainment device in direct relation to heart-rate. “It may be used with any type of fitness equipment such as bikes, elliptical trainers, free weights, jumps ropes and can even be used for push-ups, sit-ups or calisthenics,” says Joe. The device, about the size of a softball is easily added to home fitness and entertainment equipment. You can set it for any target heart rate zone you desire. Guidelines and complete instructions are included.
For more information visit www.theEnterTrainer.com, or contact Joe Volpe, 610 725-0250, jvolpe@powerup.tv
[Submitted by jvolpe]
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This just in: Politicians won't play DDR
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Oh come on, like you really expected two governors to throw off their jackets, jump on a pad, and screech, "You're my little butterflyyyyyy". No joy for you if that's what you were hoping to see in this article about two governors visiting a Des Moines middle school gym class.
Article appears below.
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More Digital Life coverage
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Jason Fry of the Wall Street Journal took a tour of Digital Life and came away with this conclusion - the jocks are invading the geek domain of videogames, all thanks to exergaming.
It's an interesting perspective, but I think the two worlds are still fairly separate. There's a big difference between being good at Battlefield 2 and being good at DDR - and there are very few people to whom both games are appealing. While I agree that geeks who venture into physical games are going to get stomped by typically physical people, I would also say that typically physical people are just as likely to get stomped in non-physical games.
Article appears below.
[ Read the rest ... ]
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Physical games abound at Digital Life expo
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Adults learn that humiliation does not lead to active lifestyles
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The New York Times has a two page article on the reinvention of the American approach to phys ed. Instead of focusing on group sports, activities that only a small percent of kids follow up with after graduating high school, phys ed programs are turning their attention to individual exercises, nutrition programs, and goals.
There are two ways of looking at this. One is that individual programs give kids more tools to continue a healthy lifestyle on their own as they are based on personal goals and do not require coordination with others. The other is that a lack of team sports robs kids of the social and cooperative lessons learned in team configurations.
Both are valid statements, but there are plenty of other ways to teach kids teamwork during the course of their education that don't require shirts vs. skins or anyone being picked last.
Oh yeah, and DDR gets a mention.
Article appears below.
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DDR: Making kids healthy and happy
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So many options for dance gamers
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Eric Gwinn of the Chicago Tribune grabbed some kids and copies of DDR, In The Groove, and Pump It Up to see how each game fared with their target audience (and how each one stacks up in a workout). Check out his insights.
Article appears below.
[ Read the rest ... ]
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DDR4Health is a registered group with the President's Challenge fitness activity program. If you would like to have your activity tracked as part of the DDR4Health group, create an account for yourself and specify the following group ID info during the account creation process:
Group ID Number: 13491
Group Name: DDR4Health
Then remember to record your daily activities and see how you rank against other DDR4Health members. |
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