Your Shape: Fitness Evolved is a new game for the Xbox 360 game console utilizing the new Kinect motion sensing peripheral. Calling Your Shape: Fitness Evolved a game is a misnomer; instead it is a fitness program designed to get gamers off the couch and into shape. Your Shape Fitness Evolved, by Ubisoft Montreal, is a launch title for the Kinect peripheral, and was released on November 4, 2010.
First, a few embarrassing facts. I am not in shape, at all. I'm 6'3", and have been hovering around 250 pounds since quitting smoking several years earlier. I am also not active, at all. The most strenuous activity I partake in regularly is going up and down the stairs at my apartment. I had been looking to change my lifestyle for quite some time, and I picked the Kinect sensor and Your Shape: Fitness Evolved as a tool to help get my on the right track to burning calories and getting into shape.
Your Shape: Fitness Evolved starts by asking you several fitness related questions, and uses the Kinect sensor to scan you into the game. Your in-game avatar is not a cartoony representation like it is in other Kinect titles, instead is it an accurate representation of you, tracking over 50,000 dots or reference points on your body. The precision allows Your Shape: Fitness Evolved to give you precise feedback on your workout routine, letting you know immediately if you are exercising correctly.
Your Shape: Fitness Evolved Features
The activities in Your Shape: Fitness Evolved are split into three sections: Personal Trainer, Fitness Classes, and Gym Games. Using the body scan, and asking a couple question, the Personal Trainer tailors a workout routine for your level of fitness, based on your goals. The routines are varied, using workouts from Men's Health and Women's Health magazines, as well as routines designed by well-known fitness experts. You are scored based on your form, as well as by keeping in rhythm with the on-screen trainer. A on-screen counter shows how many calories you've burned in real time. So far I've stuck with the Nice and Easy routine, burning close to 100 calories each session.
The Fitness Class section of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved contains two activities: Cardio boxing, and Zen training. Cardio boxing consists of several kickboxing routines, while Zen training focuses on slow Tai Chi exercises, which are great for warming up or cooling down after other activities. The Kinect's skeletal tracking shows how well your pose is, showing you what you need to do to fine tune the exercise.
The final section of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved is Gym Games. This consists of several fun activities designed to get your heart pumping. Virtual Smash will have you bash blocks, making you feel like Mario, while Light Race is part Dance Dance Revolution, part Simon Says. All the gym games are quick and designed to get you burning calories in a fun way.
Since getting Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, I've worked out three or four days, followed by a day of rest. I still play other games with the Kinect on rest days so I am not totally inactive. So far I've been going through my Personal Trainer routine (Nice & Easy), along with a session of Cardio Boxing or Zen Tai Chi (or both!) each day, working up a sweat and burning at least 100 per session. At first I was very sore due to my inactivity, but the pain has subsided. I am getting better at my routine; I can do a complete set of Tap Side Tap Back without struggling now. I haven't noticed any weight loss, but it is still early. I did notice the other day that my knees don't creek or pop as much as they used to, so that is am improvement. I look forward to keeping up the work and am hopeful to see results in the future.
For more information about the Kinect and my results with Your Shape: Fitness Evolved visit KinectJunction.com
| Price : $393.98
