Active Video Gaming for Fitness and Exercise

Gamercize Sponsors F1 in Schools

2012-01-29T08:43:00.004Z

Technology in Schools Produces Results!

Gamercize is getting involved in The Formula One Technology Challenge (http://www.f1inschools.com) for schools is a big way with sponsorship of promising schools. The mix of technology and education is a mainstay of Gamercize principles therefore this relationship fits well with the company goals.

Fifteen counties are taking part in the 2011 Championship Season, including USA, UK, Australia, UAE, Singapore and Malaysia. Once again this global appeal fits well with the Gamercize global brand and shows unity through technology for many different cultures.

The format of the Season is a number of regional finals for schools to enter teams not only designing and building an F1 Race Car model, but also the teams of children ages from 9-19 are responsible for creating a business plan, managing budgets and meeting costs. After the regional finals the top teams compete in National finals (see http://www.f1inschools.com/page--global-national-final-dates.html) to reach the goal of the global final. This format truly fits in with Gamercize's motto "Reach The Next Level".

Gamercize wishes the best of luck to all the schools and teams involved, and looks forward to the first National final, which in the UK on March 11-12.

Exergaming could be the answer to shifting those extra seasonal pounds

2012-01-21T19:21:00.003Z

By Rebecca Monks, Scotland On Sunday

http://www.scotsman.com/scotland-on-sunday/the-week/andrew-eaton-lewis/exergaming_could_be_the_answer_to_shifting_those_extra_seasonal_pounds_1_2044021

The term couch potato was once reserved for anybody who favoured a life spent in the living

Then the games console was invented. Children replaced playgrounds with PlayStations, adults were racing virtual sports cars rather than each other, and a brand new type of potato was born: the gamer.room over one in the great outdoors.

With this came questions. How would it impact on the health of the future generation? And if watching that episode of Friends for the 50th time had the power to keep potatoes on the couch and away from the gym, what damage could an Xbox do?

It is estimated that eight out of ten households in the UK now own a gaming console, but while the popularity of the industry has surged, so too have fears over rising obesity levels. Not least in Scotland, where between 1995 and 2010 the proportion of adults aged 16 to 64 who were overweight or obese (BMI of 25 or more) increased from 52.4 per cent to 63.3 per cent.

Yet just as it seemed likely that the country’s obesity crisis was going to be blamed on the latest version of Crash Bandicoot, there came an interesting development. Exercise gaming, pioneered by the Nintendo Wii in 2006, was born. Picking up on the popularity of sports games, Wii encouraged people to join in with the activities on screen, increasing exercise levels while capitalising on the popularity of the gaming culture.

The Wii enables players to participate in a wide variety of sports, from bowling to tennis and water skiing, all from the comfort of the living room. But has gaming evolved into something truly positive for fitness?

Exergaming is now so ubiquitous, every leading console is promoting its own fitness game. And it is not difficult to understand the appeal. A combination of busy lifestyles and a fascination with new technology mean the concept of exercising at home is unquestionably viable. One man who understands the appeal more than most is the CEO of Gamercize, Richard Coshott. “I came across the concept of gaming exercise one school summer holiday on a particularly pleasant day, when I suggested to my sons that we play football in the garden. At the time they were playing FIFA on the PlayStation, and would rather carry on in the World Cup than have a kick-about in the garden. When I insisted they put down the controller and play outside, I realised how out of condition they were from a ‘play’ regime of electronic sports and decided I needed to do something”.

Seeing his sons’ reaction to exercise gaming encouraged Coshott to create Gamercize, a company that markets interactive exercise products to work alongside Xbox, PlayStation and Wii. He explains, “The exercise needed to power the controller becomes automatic and unnoticeable to the brain, making the exercise element sustainable, which leads to real health benefits such as weight control, lower resting heart rate and improved physical co-ordination.”

Promoters are going out of their way to prove exergaming has real health benefits, yet there are still some significant concerns. Coshott admits the contactless nature of the workout increases the risk of injury, while the lack of encouragement from a virtual trainer may lead to a dip in enthusiasm. Furthermore, a study by the medical journal Paediatrics found the average session on Wii boxing, for example, amounted to the same amount of exercise as moderate walking. So perhaps it’s a bit too soon to be burning our gym membership cards.

Interestingly, Health Scotland has reported that during the week, boys spend an average of 31 minutes a day playing games consoles. If those 31 minutes were spent in active gaming, it could go some way to meeting the national guidelines for physical activity. After all, even 31 minutes of moderate walking, aka Wii boxing, is better than sitting still; and if gaming is as popular as the statistics suggest, exercise gaming could be considered a productive way to help achieve a national goal.

Is exergaming deterring people from attending the gym? Though the year on year statistics suggest that, on average, gym memberships fell 16 per cent last year, the likes of David Lloyd Leisure seem untroubled.

Group health and fitness manager Rob Beale says, “Gaming has perhaps attracted a new type of exerciser, but being part of a health club is an entirely different offering, so I don’t expect this to have any negative effects.”

Now, it seems the future of fitness is choice. Game on!!

Making a Splash in the World of Exergaming!

2011-10-30T19:52:00.005Z

a.k.a. the big (belly) flop!

I have been in the world of exergaming for a few years, and seen some "Big Splashes" on in the industry. Pretty much every single one of these has been quickly followed by the inevitable "sinking like a stone" without trace.

On the products side does anyone remember BodyPad? No? Let's try something more mainstream then, Fitbit, Nintendo's Vitality Sensor, Big Ben Cyberbike? All of these products have had a big money launches, lots of people jumping on the bandwagon in supporting the hype, but all have been forgotten as quickly as they were announced.

There are also consumer targeted games, mostly on the Wii platform, that have made the headlines, but failed to leave a subscript in the world of exergaming. In fact there are too many of these titles to mention, they come and go too often.

I must stand in defense of exergaming - these are not failed attempts at exergaming - these failed products represent failed attempts to make a quick buck. They miss the point; exergaming is all about sustainability, all about delivering the goods not the hype and everything to do with making a difference not a focus on making a steal.

Although it is disappointing to see this "easy and cheap" attitude, it does go to show that exergaming has a profile that's now being noticed by very many, and this in itself tells me that exergaming is here to stay! There are many examples of products and people that are genuine, put the effort in and have real worth. The world of exergaming is getting bigger and I'll not say "wait to see what comes next"; rather "wait to see what we can do more!".

How to Fit Exercise into a Busy Schedule

2011-08-25T17:20:00.000+01:00

"I don't have the time to exercise, I'm too busy"

Does this sound like you? Getting the time for exercise is next to impossible, some say. Where do you find an extra hour a day? If you look at exercise this way, chances are you won't find the time, but think differently.

"The question is not how to fit exercise into my busy schedule, BUT How can I make exercise part of my routine?"

Routine is important, its habit, it's sustainable, it's the comfort zone. Schedules infer lack of choice, time boxed activities, it's the obligation zone. If you have kids you'll know how important routines are; Your child needs a routine for comfort and you change your schedule around to suit THEM! Making sense? Hope so, (especially to parents!!) but what can you do to implement this missing aspect?

The very simplest way of doing this is to take the stairs, not the elevator or escalator. If you work in London, or another major city, you'll probably find taking the stairs is quicker than the queue for the escalator anyway! (Well, probably not at first, but you'll get there!).

That's not going to get you all the way to 60 minutes a day though, although it'll be the right intensity. Here's a tip, take a diary (journal) of all the "free" screen time you have. Be it playing video games, surfing the web, listening to songs on YouTube, checking your Facebook or reading Blogs. Is there any pattern? Chances are there is, and after a few weeks you should have an hour a day (including weekends), so let's use this.

I'm not suggesting you forgo your leisure time in favor of going to the gym or out running, that's changing your schedule, and that's a bad tactic. What I'm looking for you to do is change your routine - instead of having this time as sedentary, making the behavior change to Active Screen Time (AST).

If you spend a lot of time on the computer or internet, use the Gamercize PC-Sport to make this active time. Studies indicate this will improve your BMI and health with a more efficient cardio vascular system, i.e. you'll be fitter. If you play a lot of video games, change that journalled sedentary time with Gamercize Pro-Sport for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. We're not suggesting you change the game to a tedious exercise game, keep playing what YOU want to, Gamercize works online, offline with the games people play for entertainment.

Gamercize Research Information

2011-08-23T10:45:00.000+01:00

Any time, any thing, any place - Gamercize delivers!

Here is the current list of Gamercize studies that have been published. You will notice there is no "back-page" to this publication, the reason being there is more to add!

I hope you can see that a sound concept leads to sound results! It should be recognized that it is the effectiveness and flexibility of the products that lead to these great results, if you have not experienced Gamercize, maybe it's time to put it to the test yourself!

Open publication - Free publishing - More active gaming

Getting the Team Spirit into Exergaming

2011-08-21T17:45:00.000+01:00

Group exergaming in teams? Gamercize shows you how!

The video gaming world has progressed from the solitary player of the late 80's, "two player mode" was always the greatest form of gameplay. Now those days are gone, with "online mode" being king - or are they? Gamercize works with all games on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, in all modes of play, and an often overlooked mode of "Linked Play" has to be one of the best exergaming experiences, it's multiplayer in teams!

One of the main advantages of linked play in exergaming is that it's a safe and controllable environment for users such as schools and clubs. Linked play gives equal levels of engagement of online play, with the simplicity in technology of single player mode. It's like the racing video games you see in arcades, with four cars next to each other, everyone gets a screen but the play is linked in the game.

Here's what you need to get exergaming in linked mode, using the Xbox 360 as an example. First you'll need a suitable Gamercize setup, and double it. A good configuration is a screen, Xbox 360 and 2x Gamercize Pro-Sport Power Steppers. Now double that. Arrange the screens and stations back to back if possible. The advantage of linked play over two player (also known as co-op) mode is that the screen real estate is not split, and each screen is hidden from the other team!

You will also need two Xbox 360 titles that are compatible with "system link", one for each Xbox. The game needs to support this function and as with every Gamercize experience - the game is the most important factor, so spend some time to get this right and do a little research (for some ideas check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Xbox_System_Link_games). The Xbox uses the term "system link" for linked play, here's the symbol to look out for on the back of the box;

The last thing you'll need is a connection between the two Xbox'es. Some people call this a network cable, RJ45, Ethernet cable or patch cable. It's the type of cable that plugs into the back of your computer at work. There is a port for this on the back of the Xbox, which is normally used to plug into the network for online play, but using it to link two Xbox'es together doesn't need help from IT, doesn't need ports open on the firewall and presents no risk associated with "online chat" etc. Plug the same lead into both consoles. This is what the port looks like (highlighted in the red box below).

You are all set to go! Now you can play the same game on both stations, but linked! For the next part, playing the game, you will need the help of another person. Using the same title in each Xbox start stepping (or cycling if you are using the Gamercize Endurance Cycle) to activate the controllers. If you have not set up gamer profiles for you Xbox, do this now (yes, you have to keep stepping while you do this, it's exergaming!).

In the main game menu there will be an item similar to, if not actually reading as "linked play", sometimes this is a sub-menu under a main menu item of "multiplayer". With BOTH stations at this point in the game it will be possible to set up a game where both are playing against each other.

There's often the chance to set up MORE than two stations in system link, this concept is readily seen in Major Leauge Gaming competitions, but we start to get a little more complicated as an eithernet hub is required. If you are interested in this option take a look at the Xbox knowledge base (and tell them Gamercize sent you!) http://support.xbox.com/en-us/pages/xbox-360/troubleshoot/kb/xbox-kb.aspx?kbid=910583

A great title to try this with would be a soccer game. Both stations can have two players, creating a 2 on 2 scenario where tactics and co-operation are the ultimate winners of the competition. Games that also have "plays" that can be selected also work very well, with the added advantage that the opposing team can't see what play you have selected, just like real life!

If you do get stuck, go back to basics, make sure you have the connections right and get some teenagers to figure it out for you! Have fun, keep fit and enjoy!

Gamercize in Hong Kong

2011-08-17T18:45:00.001+01:00

Gamercize has Global Appeal

This week saw Gamercize featured in a TV show in Hong Kong as an intervention for a case of a sedentary lifestyle. The experience of HKU was explained as "wow factor". See the video below.

Videos and content to keep you up to date with Gamercize are available on our Facebook page here. Hope you Like it!

Active Gaming for the Girls

2011-08-12T18:12:00.002+01:00

London's Girls get Exergaming!

When you think about Active Gaming (AG) you may be thinking about images of Wii Bowling in retirement accommodations, or maybe mom’s keeping up with a Jillian Micheal's fitness regime after the kids have left for school. Another perception you may have comes from the “gaming” aspect of AG, which gives the impression that it’s more of a “boy’s” activity. In my experience with my company Gamercize, I’ve found this is far from the case. Active Gaming is much more than this, and has a much wider appeal, global appeal in fact.

My company, Gamercize, works with many different types of active gaming users, including teachers and schools, and providers products and services to help every person be more active by changing sedentary screen time into active screen time.

One service we provide is a PE Teacher familiarization and training day, to bring PE and technology together, almost like a hands-on “Show and Tell”. These days are a great way to give us a chance to test out the reactions to different types of games, reaching out to new demographics, and acquire useful feedback from students. One event that appeared to offer different challenges was for a girl’s school. We took along a good selection of games, finding the Xbox 360 offered more variety than the PlayStation 3, that has predominately shooting or racing games. The fun part about the equipment we used was any game would work, the active part of the active gaming being to keep stepping to play.

The XBox 360 video game console supports 4 players, although most readily available and popular games available for them support two players per console. There are options for up to 16 players “linked” and countless social interactions available with online play. The cost per station is far more attractive for multiple players per console and the offline play mode makes it much easier for the teacher to be in control of the session without outside influence.

In the UK the adherence for girls in PE is generally lower than for boys, especially at the age range we had at this school, the teens. Some problems have been recognised and addressed, for example not mandating gym skirts and allowing sweat pants or shorts not appropriate for PE wear, but this group remains the most difficult to keep engaged in class. It’s difficult for teachers to keep to curriculum and progress the children if they only sporadically attend class; I was given the job of working out how to engage them more.

The easiest games to engage boys with are sports games, would the same be true for girls? Sports worked well, but it was clear the girls wanted more variety, so to engage the whole class we had to do a lot more. After changing games on the consoles a couple of times we settled into three different genres on all three consoles. Sports was still popular, fantasy racing won out over pure racing simulation and the last genre turned out best; fantasy adventure. This kept the whole class active and happy, and pleasantly surprised as they were expecting traditional gym work for the lesson, not active gaming!

What surprised me was about half the 16 year old’s in class had arrived not intending to take part in the expected gym class, with parental notes and the old “forgotten kit” excuses. I did wonder how many would have skipped PE had they known Gamercize would be there? From the feedback we had, the girls who were not planning to engage in the class appeared more keen on the active gaming class, with many asking if the equipment would be available next week.

One group that knew active gaming was coming to school was the teachers. After running the classes it is normal to use the equipment as an “ice-breaker” with the teachers and to wind down before reflecting on the lessons learned from the day’s classes. It was long past time to pack up and get on the road, but the competitive nature of PE teachers was overriding the message from the school clock. Of course do-overs were the order of the day as we battled it out with Super Monkey Ball Grand Prix.

The only other time you will see engagement over such wide demographics is with traditional sedentary video games. Although technology is not normally associated with the Physical Education department, the active version of video games looks very promising for attendance rates. The teachers certainly saw the appeal, which is always more conducive in a hands-on environment when the reactions of students can be seen first hand and the equipment tried out by all ages.

This post originally appeared on PE Central's Active Gaming blog at - http://pecactivegaming.blogspot.com/2011/08/active-gamings-global-appeal.html

The Power of Video Games (for Exergamers)

2011-08-10T21:34:00.006+01:00

Exergaming is Driven by Gaming

This is a post that has been long overdue! As I write this I am sitting with my kids (see pic from six years ago!) who have got me crawling, not the walls, but the floor to plug in our original Xbox. They have loaded a save game from 2004 and are playing with an "ancient" Gamercize for Xbox!

Recently I saw a re-post of an article (that's not worthy of a link, sorry) claiming to be "everything you need to know about exergaming". Sadly this promising title leaves a lot to be desired and represents a terrible view of exergaming. Why is it so bad? It has a common attitude, even shared by a fair few exergame advocates - those that don't understand and have never experienced "The power of video games" - that exergaming is great (but we don't know why).

There is one aspect of exergaming that sets it aside from traditional physical activity and fitness options, and that is THE VIDEO GAME! The whole reason that (good) exergames are successful is that they tap into the engagement, sustainability and enjoyment of a past time that can keep anybody playing for hours! It's time to refocus on the basic principle that makes exergaming what it is - video games.

Video games now with the latest Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles have two basic modes. I will make no apology for going back to basics. The first mode is offline, or story mode, where a player progresses through a what is in effect an "interactive movie". The game play can last for between three and over a hundred hours (Blue Dragon on 306!). Game play is preserved by saving the game and typically as you progress through the story, your symbiotic in-game character improves and gains new skills.

It's this progression, the sense of achievement, options for personalisation that leads to an attachment with the video game. The basics of video gaming are very simple, but in reality it takes tens of millions of dollars to make a global best seller. There is all this going for a video game, but what happens when you reach "the last boss" / "final challenge" / "finale"? In short, the player becomes bored with the game, and it's appeal is lost. This is the reason why there are always new games out each month, it's a concept called "attach rate", meaning the number fo games per console per year.

One major misconception I see from a few exergame advocates and a lot of main steam media is to take an exergame in isolation. Attach rate statistics show the appeal of a game can last a couple of months at best. Is that enough time to change a lifestyle with exergaming? Maybe not, so sustainability (changing the game) needs to be a huge consideration when using exergaming as an intervention. Give it six months and that's where you'll see some amazing health benefits that traditional activity would be hard to match, especially when considering seasonal changes for outdoor exercise.

Video gaming has progressed beyond the solitary play stereotype into a whole new world, and the second major mode of games today - the online mode. The PlayStation Network (when it's up) and Xbox Live provide a transport mechanism for the most engaging for of gaming. While solo play may engage players for a couple of months, online play has the ability to engage players for 12 months or more.

Halo and Call of Duty (both compatible with Gamercize online or offline) are classic examples of video games that have relativity short story modes, but almost unlimited appeal when played online. The social aspects of online play are compelling for the human species. There is of course progression, but this is largely cosmetic, in terms of new kit, and almost never functional. Everyone has the same chance to achieve, depending on skill.

There's the catch for online gaming. It's one thing to beat a pre-programmed story, but another thing to compete and socialize with people from all over the world - and win! Getting to this level takes time and lots of practice (all of which is active time with Gamercize) but is more rewarding than, say, soccer practice compared with an actual match.

The true benefit of exergaming is the video game. If you've never experienced the "3 yard stare", it's unlikely you'll be able to fully appreciate this and the power of exergames. My advice would be to get online and get gaming with a genre that appeals to you (and don't forget to add Gamercize to the mix and keep healthy too!).

Active Gaming Research Projects

2011-06-07T11:01:00.011+01:00

Gamercize Proving the Case for Exergaming!

Gamercize gives wold wide support to graduates and undergraduates looking to research exergaming
.
If you are an undergrad looking for a project idea for your dissertation or a researcher looking to break new ground with the best active gaming has to offer then take a look at our Research Questions.

This is a list of the projects that have been completed using Gamercize equipment by various organisations;


.	Research Project	Product Used	Outcome	Researcher	Year
.	Observe the free choice of 7-11 year olds between exergaming and exercise to evaluate the engagement of physical activity interventions	Gamercize GZ Kids-Sport Stepper and Cycle	Gamercize showed six times more engaging than exercise	FPLC (Published in Future Fitness)	2007
.	Using emoticons (X Y Z) ask school children if they enjoyed Gamercize as a PE Class	Gamercize GZ Sport Stepper	95% Of 130 children enjoyed Gamercize in PE	Gamercize (Shown on BBC News)	2008
.	Compare the difference in experience of exergames by giving children 10 mins on each exergame and asking them to choose a favorite	Gamercize GZ Kids-Sport Stepper and Cycle	Gamercize was chosen 2:1 over the next best exergame	GPS (not published)	2008
.	Post-intervention interviews on 11-12 year old attitudes to physical activity	Gamercize GZ Sport Cycles	90% Of 50 children wanted to use Gamercize for exercise	University of Cumbria, Tyson J	2009
.	What are the fitness benefits of using Gamercize PC-Sport under desk stepper over 12 weeks, self-study	Gamercize PC-Sport	Improvement in RHR and reduction in BMI, 1 hour per day recommendation	University of South Florida, Runjaic I	2010
.	Comparison of physical activity levels in children between Recess activity and Gamercize activity	Gamercize Pro-Sport	Sustainable PA observed (note similar Wii study showed no sustainability)	University of Coventry, Duncan M (Reported EGOC)	2011

There are many research questions that still need to be answered, and this is a top list of study designs that Gamercize would be interested in seeing the results. There is a list of our "Research Questions" here.

Gamercize at Games for Health 2011

2011-05-28T20:15:00.004+01:00

Gamercize Pro-Sport for Xbox 360 Lights up GFH

I have been to the Games for Health conference before and the return to Boston was always going to promise something special. After the school and PE focus of national AAHPERD in San Diego a month earlier, this conference takes out the teachers and replaces them with academics.

I attended to support Gamercize primarily, which was exhibited at the conference by Motion Fitness in the Exergaming Tent. Gamercize was more than a product on show, however, with many of the presentations using the equipment as an example of exergaming.

One of the most notable mentions of Gamercize was from President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Shellie Pfohl. You may have remembered my post on her visit to the University of South Florida's active gaming labs, with thanks to, and run by Lisa Witherspoon (http://gamercize.blogspot.com/2010/11/healthy-people-of-tomorrow-play-video.html)

In Shellie's presentation she talked passionately about exergaming as a motivator to health and fitness, making an example of the Gamercize Power Stepper used with Toy Story 3 there, saying "I experienced it, I witnessed it and I thought it was pretty cool." I would agree with her that in the hands on consumers en-mass, there would be some positive results.

Meanwhile, back in the Exergaming tent I was introduced to officials of the National Active Gaming League (NAGL), a brainchild of Dr Ernie Medina. It did not take much introduction before the game was on!

At Games for Health we had the advantage of the new Afterglow controllers for Xbox 360 used with our Gamercize equipment. These definitely add another dimension to the experience of playing real video games with real exercise!

As for the score in the FIFA match I played... No comment!

My schedule in the US has been hectic but enjoyable over the last two and a half years, with visits to many US cities and I'm happy with what we have done over there. There are emerging markets in Asia, Europe and the Middle East which will benefit from my experience stateside, which is where my focus moves now having built the presence required to keep Gamercize rocking in the Land of the Free!

Exergaming putting PE in the news (Video)

2011-03-24T12:04:00.002Z

Gamercize in Tampa, helping kids get active!

Children are supposed to get 60 minutes of exercise a day, and that's often not happening. With child obesity rates rising and kids interest in physical education dropping, educators are constantly trying to craft new and exciting ways to get kids pumped about fitness.

Lisa Hansen is leading the way with research and practical application of exergaming in schools. The USF Research Labs are showing that technology and PE can co-exist with results that the kids love!

Video games and physical fitness: MyFoxTAMPABAY.com

Originally posted by The Exergame Network blog - http://exergamenetwork.blogspot.com/2011/03/exergaming-putting-pe-in-news-video.html

Gamercize - The Story So Far

2011-03-19T20:58:00.002Z

Check out this video to look back at the Gamercize story over the last five years!

The first five years of Gamercize active gaming has delivered real exercise to work with real games.

Patented technology provides the immersion of the very best gaming has to offer, with genuine heart pumping workouts at a level you choose. There is no finer exergame for the millions of true gamers playing the latest games co-op, solo and online. If you want to know what we have for 2011, click here:http://www.gamercizeshop.com

Gamercize - Reach the Next Level - http://www.gamercize.net

Active Gaming meets PE in Greensboro

2011-02-22T10:35:00.007Z

What did we LEARN from Southern District NC AAHPERD?

Active Gaming (or exergaming) is basically technology meeting physical activity. Which is a good thing, unless you're a PE teacher!

Exergaming is not bad for PE, but the way it is portrayed is poor in the eyes of the quality PE professional. Physical activity, for a start, is the age old nemesis that devalues PE from a taught subject to an organized recess. This message towards schools needs to change from exergaming, and the game changers where in Greensboro to do just that!

The representation of Kymm Ballard from SPARK at the recent AAHPERD conference brought good focus to the exergaming world as to what PE really is. Setting out a curric

ulum of physical learning, and using the skills of the teacher and the resources available to meet objectives is key. PE Students should come out of a class having learned something, and understood they have learned it too!

I chose this slide out of all others from Lisa Hansen's presentation on Active Gaming because it illustrates the reaction to a poor exergaming message.

If exergaming can't speak the same language as PE or share objectives, then the old mistakes will be repeated and we will all have let the kids down.

The presentation was about technology, and asked some core questions about not just active gaming but about quality PE. The focus was learning. One demonstration held for the presentation was how an exergame, Gamercize specifically, can be applied by teachers as a tool to make learning fun! We showed how you can teach soccer tactics, and yes, the kids break a sweat while learning so!

So what did we learn from NC AAHPERD - Exergaming can be an appropriate tool to make teaching PE easier in certain respects, certainly more engaging for the hard-to-reach student, but we also learned that exergaming needs to fit in with PE, not the other way round!

Gamercize School Handbook

2011-02-20T11:30:00.003Z

Your Guide to Implementing Active Gaming Technology in Schools

This handbook is for all teachers and principles looking for the practical side of technology for physically active learning, exergaming PE and using technology to improve physical activity uptake.

Open publication - Free publishing - More video games

Gamercize in Active Gaming Schools

2011-01-28T08:12:00.003Z

Welcome to Westminster Primary School, the first of five schools in a three year Westminster pilot study. This school is equipped with the Gamercize Kids-Sport for ages seven to eleven. When the kids are stepping their controller lights up and they can play normal video games, if they stop exercise the controller is disabled and the game pauses. They have to start stepping again to play. This is great visual feedback of the Gamercize interaction that keeps kids moving!

We are now at Westminster Academy in London, the second school of the Westminster Project, for the older children aged eleven to sixteen. We are looking at the positive effects Gamercize has on engaging the children in exercise to provide not only physical activity minutes, but to also improve learning and skill development. The equipment being used here is the award winning Gamercize Pro-Sport. These children are using their Gamercize Power Steppers to keep the controllers lit, so they can play great games on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

There is a wide variety of age-appropriate games for the kids to use and keep them entertained while they meet health, fitness and cognitive objectives. Student mentors help get the younger kids started, but the appeal of Gamercize is wide enough, even the teachers are immersed in active gaming.

To find out why Gamercize has been voted by the public as Best PE Exergame Of the Year and to browse the range of home , work and school equipment, see our website http://www.gamercize.net

Gamercize Voted Best Physical Education Exergame of 2010

2011-01-21T15:17:00.005Z

The Gamercize Pro-Sport active gaming accessory as been chosen “Best Physical Education Exergame” by public vote in The Exergame Network Awards. Gamercize was nominated in four other categories, also being voted “Best Competition Exergame”.

The Exergame Network (TEN) held the first ever public voting for awards relating to active video games with results announced this week. Of the fifteen award categories, Gamercize products were nominated for Best Physical Education Exergame, Best Competition Exergame, Best Group Exergame and Best Brain (Training) Exergame.
The Gamercize Pro-Sport range, for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii was the public choice for Best Physical Education and Best Competition Exergame of 2010. The international awards reflect public recognition of Gamercize used in schools around the world, available to educators with distribution hubs in America, Middle East, Asia and Europe.

“The nominations and awards mean a lot to Gamercize, and are testament to the hard work everyone has put into the company, our partners and distributors over the last five years. The awards mean a great deal to me personally being public votes, my goal is to make a difference to the young people of today and help them lead a healthy life rather than be an obesity statistic. I think we’ve demonstrated we can achieve this goal, and the recognition through these awards will encourage us to keep expanding the benefits of Gamercize to more and more children. Thank you to everyone who voted for us!” says Gamercize Founder and CEO Richard Coshott

The effectiveness of Gamercize in schools that these awards recognise is currently being tested in the biggest pilot of its kind in schools in Westminster, London. The project measures health, fitness and cognitive outcomes from getting kids active with Gamercize, covering five schools over three years in partnership with top industry consultants such as, Dr Ernie Medina, Stephen Yang and Judy Shasek under the lead of Dr Michael Duncan.

Results in real world operation from the Westminster Project are expected to ratify research study results that have proven Gamercize as effective in terms of both energy expenditure and sustainability for health impact.

For more information on Gamercize for schools, see the official Gamercize websitehttp://www.gamercize.net and order from your local distributor or directly from the webshop athttp://www.gamercizeshop.com

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Gamercize, the company behind world-wide patented exergaming accessories for PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation3, Wii, PS2, Xbox and Gamecube. Products encourage exercise motivation by making fitness fun for schools, home and office. See http://www.gamercize.net

Kinect Wins Top International Exergaming Award

2011-01-17T19:52:00.001Z

Microsoft Kinect has been awarded the top accolade by public vote in The Exergame Network Awards 2010. Fifteen categories covered the new generation of Active Video Games with nominations from industry experts and public votes from around the world.

In the category for Best Home Exergame of 2010, Microsoft’s Kinect Sports has taken the honours with the majority of the public vote. Nintendo Wii Fit and Sports achieved significant victories in awards for older exergamers and rehabilitation.

”The inaugural TEN Awards is a significant initiative to raise public awareness of the commercial grade Exergaming solutions available world wide and to honour the key pioneering manufacturers in this exciting health and fitness genre” says Brett Young, founding member of The Exergame Network and CEO of Exergaming Australia.

The full results of The Exergame Network Awards 2010 are as follows;

- Best Children's Exergame - WINNER: Dance Dance Revolution Disney Grooves by Konami

- Best Physical Education Exergame - WINNER: Gamercize Pro-Sport for Wii

- Best Seniors Exergame - WINNER: Nintendo Wii Sports Bowling

- Best Accessibility Exergame - WINNER: Nintendo Wii Sports

- Best Home Dance Exergame - WINNER: Konami DDR

- Best Commercial Grade Dance Exergame - WINNER: Positive Gaming iDANCE2

- Best Exergame Fitness Avatar - WINNER: Wii Yoga

- Best Rehabilitation Exergame - WINNER: Nintendo Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus

- Best Group Exergame - WINNER: Positive Gaming iDANCE2

- Best Gateway Exergame - WINNER: Nintendo Wii Sports

- Best Competition Exergame - WINNER: Gamercize Pro-Sport for Xbox 360

- Best Brain Exergame - WINNER: NeuroActive BrainBike

- Best Music in an Exergame - WINNER: Positive Gaming iDANCE2

- Best Commercial Exergame 2010 - WINNER: Positive Gaming iDANCE2

- Best Home Exergame 2010 - WINNER: Microsoft Kinect Sports

”The first ever TEN Awards is a great step in helping both consumers and healthcare professionals know where to start when trying to select (or recommend) an exergame for their particular need. The voting was from a wide array of exergaming enthusiasts from around the globe. I believe this is a great start and hope that this will encourage game developers and exergaming manufacturers to continue to produce great products and raise the field of exergaming” says Dr. Ernie Medina, Jr., DrPH, founding member of The Exergame Network, CEO of MedPlay Technologies, and the “Exergaming Evangelist/Interventionist”.

The full nominations and results are available on The Exergame Network website at http://www.exergamenetwork.org/ and an analysis of the voting data will be provided later this year through TEN member and Co-Director of the USF Active Gaming Labs, Dr Lisa Hansen. The Exergame Network can be joined or contacted via LinkedIn, Facebook, Wiki, Twitter or by email at info@exergamenetwork.org

Study: Xbox is better exercise than Wii

2010-12-30T10:43:00.005Z

Active Gaming Proved To Keep Kids Interested

Two major criticisms of using active gaming for physical activity are the lack of exercise compared to traditional activity and the expectation that kids easily get fed up with the new way of moving.

Two linked studies in the United Kingdom have tackled these issues head-on by trialling active gaming in a free-play environment. Two schools in the Midlands undertook a medium term study using popular active games compared against free play in the playground.

The effort that the kids expended was converted into “steps” to make the results comparable between the playground and the video games. The initial study, over six weeks used Nintendo Wii Sports active play compared with the baseline of traditional play. The results showed that in week one the Wii was king of the calories, keeping kids 25% more active than the playground.

After the first week, the criticisms of boredom and poor exercise appeared well founded, as Wii exercise floundered to a poor 65% of traditional activity. The study was then repeated, this time using Xbox and Gamercize Power Steppers. The results, unexpectedly, turned the thinking about the shortcomings of active gaming on its head.

For the second data collection, the kids had to keep moving on the Gamercize steppers to power their controllers and play the game, which would pause if they stopped moving. Normal video games are compatible with Gamercize and games such as Lego Star Wars and FIFA were used.

The Gamercize results were similar to Nintendo’s results for week one, reflecting the kids excitement of “something new”. What happened next was unexpected. Rather than the initial interest tailing off like it did with Wii, the combination of Xbox and Gamercize kept the kids playing, engaged and active throughout the entire study period.

The Wii data supported the loss of interest and lack of exercise critisims of active gaming, but Gamercize for Xbox did not suffer a lack of interest over time or a drop in physical activity. What can we conclude from this? As a physical activity intervention, Gamercize uses the attraction of videogames to keep the kids engaged and the patented Gamercize approach of minimal interaction kept the kids active the whole time.

Results of the Gamercize study have been presented at the European Child Obesity Group. Reference: Duncan, M. J., Birch, S., Woodfield, L., Hankey, J. (2010) An evaluation of a 5-week, school-based, exergaming intervention using the Gamercize power stepper on body mass index and physical activity during school lunch breaks in British primary school children. Proceedings of the 20th Annual Workshop of the European Child Obesity Group, Nov 17-20th, Brussels, Belgium.

Active Gaming is a Glowing Success in School

2010-12-18T19:59:00.010Z

Gamercize Nominated for PE in The Exergame Network Awards

PE In London took a step forwards with the start of the Gamercize pilot in Westminster schools. A primary and secondary school in the first year of the project cover the age range of 5 years old up to 16 years old children.

The project is measuring health, social and fitness benefits from the application and integration of the Gamercize technology in the form of after school clubs, curriculum boosted learning and PE classes.

With the introduction of PDP Afterglow controllers with Gamercize on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 the project is all set for engaging kids for the long run. Kids love this new twist to active game play!

The start of the project is just one of three good news stories for Gamercize this month. Gamercize has been nominated in four categories in The Exergame Network Awards 2010. These are;

#2 Best Physical Education Exergame with Gamercize Sport for Wii

#9 Best Group Exergame with Gamercize Pro-Sport with Xbox LIVE

#11 Best "Head-to-Head" Competition Exergame with Gamercize Pro-Sport for Xbox 360

#12 Best Brain Exergame with Gamercize PC-Sport

You can vote for these at http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/421003/TEN, and also vote for the hottest category "Best Home Exergame 2010" that has the nominations including Microsoft Kinect Sports, PlayStation Move (Start the Party), Wii Sports Resort, EA Sports Active 2 and Ubisoft's Just Dance for Wii.

The final great news this month is results from research carried out at Coventry University that shows (in unstructured free play) that Gamercize is comparable in terms of activity and engagement to kids active play in recess.

Why is this great news? The study was first run with Nintendo Wii that could only sustain interest and activity for the first week of six, while Gamercize was sustainable for the entire six week study period.

Active Gaming For Fitness and Learning - Video

2010-12-13T18:36:00.003Z

The Exergame Network Award Categories

2010-12-12T19:50:00.003Z

Originally posted here - Please get your votes in and hope you choose Gamercize where we are nominated. It's an honor to be voted into the nominations, and it would be even more awesome to pick up an award maybe?!!

Fifteen categories cover the new generation of Active Video Games (Exergames) with nominations from industry experts. The Exergame Network's Active Gaming Awards have the following categories and nominations are:

The awards for the winners will be made in January, so get voting now! Make you vote count with the quick and simple survey at http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/421003/vote

1. Best Children's Exergame

Place your vote from the following finalists in the award that gets younger kids moving with active video gaming!

- Dance Dance Revolution Disney Grooves by Konami

- Wild Planet Hyper Dash

- Atari Family Trainer

- Just Dance Kids by Ubisoft

- Nickelodeon Fit by 2K Play

2. Best Physical Education Exergame

Place your vote from the following finalists in the award for an active video game that is best to use in PE classes

- HOPSports Training System

- Gamercize Pro-Sport for Wii

- Cyber Coach

- Xer Pro Sportwall

- Target Trainer

3. Best Seniors Exergame

Place your vote from the following finalists in the award to an active video game for the "silver gamer"

- Sony Eyetoy - Play

- Wii Sports - Bowling

- Cobalt Flux - Dancetown

- XaviX - EYEHAND

- NeuroActive Brainbike

4. Best Accessibility Exergame

Place your vote from the following finalists in the award for an active video game suitable for players with disabilities

- Nintendo Wii Sports

- Cobalt Flux - Hand Dance Pro

- Eyetoy - Play for PS2

- The GameCycle

- Target Trainer

5. Best Home Dance Exergame

Place your vote from the following finalists in the award for a console based dance video game

- Konami DDR

- Just Dance by Ubisoft

- Activision Dance Masters

- StepMania

- Microsoft Kinect Dance Central

6. Best Commercial Grade Dance Exergame

Place your vote from the following finalists in the award for an active video game dance system suitable for youth clubs and fitness facilities

- In the Groove 2

- Positive Gaming iDANCE2

- Cobalt Flux Blufit

- Pump It Up Pro

- Xerdance

7. Best Exergame Fitness Avatar

Place your vote from the following finalists in the award for the hottest in-game virtual trainer!

- Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum

- Daisy Fuentes Pilates

- Your Shape Fitness Evolved

- Wii Yoga

- Jackie Chan PowerBoxing

8. Best Rehabilitation Exergame

Place your vote from the following finalists in the award for an active video game used in physical therapies

- Wii Sports

- Sony Eyetoy for PS2

- Wii Sports Resort

- Trazer 2

- Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus

9. Best Group Exergame

Place your vote from the following finalists in the award for an active video game for four players or more

- Positive Gaming iDANCE2

- Gamercize Pro-Sport with Xbox LIVE

- Xerdance

- Cobalt Flux Blufit

- HOPSports Training System

10. Best Gateway Exergame

Place your vote from the following finalists in the award for an active video game that encourages participation in traditional physical activities

- Wii Sports

- XaviX Sports

- PlayStation Move Sports Champions

- Microsoft Kinect Sports

- Humana Horsepower Challenge

11. Best "Head to Head" Competition Exergame

Place your vote from the following finalists in the award for a two player active video games best for 1 on 1 competition

- Exerbike for PS2

- GameBike for PS2

- Gamercize Pro-Sport for Xbox 360

- Web Racing for PC

- LightSpace Wall Peter Welsh Boxing

12. Best Brain Exergame

Place your vote from the following finalists in the award for a brain training game that requires physical activity

- NeuroActive BrainBike

- Footgaming FootPOWR Pad

- Fisher Price Smart Cycle

- Gamercize PC-Sport

- V.Smart Motion

13. Best Music in an Exergame

Place your vote from the following finalists in the award for an active video game with good songs or music

- Ubisoft - Just Dance

- Positive Gaming iDANCE2

- Cobalt Flux Blufit

- Xerdance

- Wii - Walk it Out

14. Best Commercial Exergame 2010

Place your vote from the following finalists in the award for an active videogame system suitable for youth clubs and fitness facilities that was launched in 2010

- Makoto 2

- Cobalt Flux Blufit

- Positive Gaming iDANCE2

- Trazer 2

- GameBike 2

15. BEST HOME EXERGAME 2010

Place your vote from the following finalists in the top award, for a console based active video game for home use that was launched in 2010

- PlayStation Move - Start the Party

- Microsoft Kinect Sports

- Nintendo Motion Plus - Wii Sports Resort

- Ubisoft Just Dance for Wii

- EA Sports Active 2 for Wii

To vote please go to http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/421003/vote, thank you!

This question is required

Top 5 Reasons Kids get Bored of Exergaming

2010-12-07T10:11:00.006Z

Health and fitness need sustainable interest!

The reason why it is important to keep interest in exergaming is the side effects are improved health fitness and weight management. These benefits don't come overnight, so kids need to be engaged in the long haul.

If you are putting exergaming in front of kids in schools, youth clubs or at home, here's the top reason kids get bored of certain exergames;

1. The "game" is just not fun -

Could you imagine the stereotypical teenage boy putting down his copy of Mario Kart Wii and picking up a copy Daisy Fuentes Pilates? If you can imagine that then - you are sure to make this mistake when implementing exergaming in any setting. The whole point of exergaming is making exercise fun for people that don't like or don't do exercise. Looking for an activity that is engaging and fun for kids is a very easy - video games. Looking for an activity that is physical, engaging and fun is the shortest step away - exergaming (where the game is the focus). Drop those fitness titles, kids find them boring off the bat!

2. Fit kids keep winning -

Ever seen a kid picked last when a PE class is split into teams? The kids last across the line in a running race? Do you think they feel motivated to improve, committed to the team, confident in their abilities? Probably not, so why re-enforce this experience in exergaming? Unfit kids will get bored and disinterested very quickly if they need to bring fitness and skill to the party. Exergaming can be the environment where "un-sporty" kids can succeed in a physical challenge. Exergames that rely on pre-existing skill and conditioning doesn't hold interest for the majority - and that's fast becoming "vast majority" as kids exercise less and weigh more. Forget exergames that are simply electronic sport by any other name.

3. There are no rewards -

In school, there are always objectives, learning objectives, development objectives or some other form of progression. Video games equally are full of progression; scores, trophies, achievements, leader boards, fastest laps, power ups, new levels, bonus content, upgrades, the list goes on. One of the addictive aspects of video games is the objective of progression. Many exergames lack the basic progression design aspect and get very boring after a short period of time. BUT; even with these flawed exergames it's possible to make off-screen rewards and build structure around exergaming in schools and clubs. Exercise buddies, tournaments, cross curriculum learning - there is so much more to exergaming than dropping equipment into a setting and "letting the kids get on with it".

4. There is no variation -

How boring would this blog be if every week I posted the same post? Ok, I'm not saying this blog holds fantastic interest, but I bet I'd lose all 5 readers in 2 weeks without variation. It's common knowledge kids get bored easily. Kids even get bored of a video game... eventually, but they never get bored of their video games console. They can vary the game they play, and that's what keeps them interested. Consider an exergame where you can't update the game - disaster! In a club or school the implementer can prolong the engagement of a single exergame, but not forever.

5. It doesn't work! -

Badly designed exergames rely on hype for sales, not quality experiences, and leave the player frustrated and quickly bored of it. Have you ever watched a broken TV? For how long? (Hopefully less than a few seconds!) The same usability and functionality goals exist in exergaming, if the game controls are too hard, not responsive or just don't work - kids will get bored in an instant. Exergaming is supposed to make exercise easy, and not difficult or frustrating.

What these factors lead to is an investment in fitness technology that gathers dust, moving further and further towards the back of storage.

Do you think you know how to resolve these issues and counteract those reasons? I do, and I'll let you know next week... but for now a clue - exergaming needs to put the "game" first and the "exercize" just needs adding on the end!

Public Voting Open For Active Gaming Awards

2010-11-28T20:03:00.001Z

What are the best ‘exercise-games’ and hardware for 2010? Is it Microsoft Kinect, PlayStation Move or Nintendo Wii? These questions and more are the subject of a public vote in The Exergame Network Awards for 2010. Fifteen categories cover the new generation of Active Video Games (Exergames) with nominations from industry experts.

Public votes are being collected by The Exergame Network (TEN) at http://www.exergamenetwork.org and through social networking sites, such as Facebook and LinkedIn. The results will be released in the new year. Fifteen award categories include “Best Children’s Exergame”, “Best Seniors Exergame”, “Best Fitness Avatar” and conclude with the premier award “Best Home Exergame of 2010” that has the nominations PlayStation Move - Start the Party, Microsoft Kinect Sports, Nintendo Motion Plus - Wii Sports Resort, Ubisoft Just Dance for Wii, EA Sports Active 2 for Wii.

Most people have heard of Nintendo Wii but the world of Exergaming is much larger as indicated by the number of categories and the nominations included in the TEN Awards. Exergaming continues to expand its influence being represented on TEN by field specialists such as Sheryl Flynn from Games4Rehab. Mark C Barlet from Able Gamers and Dan Lawler from PE4Life.

"I am excited to be a part of TEN putting together these amazing awards, and I hope that companies see this as a further reason to drive innovation in the Exergaming genre. I hope this increases the awareness of gamers with disabilities and companies look to some of the new technologies emerging and find ways to further include them in the fun." says Mark C Barlet, CEO of the AbleGamers Foundation & Editor-in-Chief of AbleGamers.com.

“For the first time ever, you can nominate and vote for your favorite exergame as a way of saying "Thanks" to the development team that makes staying healthy or enduring arduous rehabilitation more FUN! By acknowledging our appreciation we are encouraging more development, research and application into the health, wellness, leisure and rehabilitation game space! Exercise your right to VOTE” adds Sheryl Flynn PT, PhD, co-founder games4rehab.org & CEO Blue Marble Game Co.

To vote for your favorite exergame go to http://www.exergamenetwork.org and click on “TEN AWARDS - VOTING” or go to The Exergame Network Facebook page. The results and winners will be announced on the TEN website in the new year. The nominations were assembled by the TEN Awards Committee and represent the best exergaming has to offer in many diverse fields.

Please vote for Gamercize in "Best PE Exergame", "Best Group Exergame", "Best Competition Exergame" and "Best Brain Exergame"!!!

Active Gaming Video by USF from PECentral

2010-11-24T15:16:00.008Z

To Be Healthy in Florida You Need More than Just Sunshine!

If you know what active gaming (exergaming) is all about, you need to check out this video. If you have no idea what active gaming is - you need to check out this video!

A very healthy looking Lisa Hansen and Steve Sanders of the University of South Florida's College of Education talk you through the ideas for using exergaming in schools, and the kids pitch in with their opinions.

Great to see Gamercize being used in the classroom and the game rooms in this video and thanks to PECentral for sharing this video via SchoolTube!