EA Sports Active?

[MrDNA]

That's weird CU, the same happens with my girlfriend but not with me. Strange to think it could be a female thing...? I'll find her cursing it out, saying "My hands are down, a$$hole!" hehe

[Calis]

I wonder if it expects you to skip one or so of the exercises and that's why you always exceed the calories? I know I've exceeded every single time as well.

New resistant bands are a must. Just make sure you get ones with handles like the one that comes with the game.

[MrDNA]

Wait, they sell them with the handles already? I must purchase these tomorrow! The girlfriend didn't want me taking the handles off the the band that came with the game and I was too lazy to switch back n' forth.

[kingfc22]

The fiancee and I are enjoying this after two days so far.

I agree that the resistance bands need an upgrade.

[kingfc22]

Jump lunges are the devil...

[sabotai]

I can't say I've never been at the weight I just saw on my scale since I have not weighed myself every day since getting this scale awhile back, but I have been weighing myself every day since starting the 30 Day Challenge. Over the 2 or so years that I've had the scale, I have fluctuated between 238 and 243. A few times as high as 245, a few times as low as 237.

Today's weight: 236.4

[MJ4H]

YES

[MacroGuru]

and bumpity.

[Mustang]

Better you than me.

[dolfin]

now that's funny.

[sabotai]

bump and update

Today's weight: 236.0 - lowest yet. The (digital) scale kept going between 236.0 and 235.8 before settling on 236.0....so close to a 235.X weight.

I weighed in at 236.4 and 236.6 on the 7th and 8th of this month, but I think I must have been really dehydrated those days. I weighed 238.8 on the 6th and 239.2 on the 9th, so those 236 days were sandwiched by days when I weighed 238 and 239 (for a few days before and after those 2 days).

This time, the 236 weight seems more accurate. My weights for the last 4 days are 236.6 (16th), 237.6 (17th), 237.2 (18th) and 236.0 (19th). And I had several days of weighing in the 237.X with one 238.X day before that 4 day stretch.

[SegRat]

I picke dthis up today. I then started the 30 day challenge. Well the first work out was brutal! My legs are killing me. I am not looking forward to tomarrows workout.

[Gary Gorski]

Just picked this up a few days ago - I can say that I'm actually bummed to have the rest days and look forward to the next workout. I also agree that the resistance band is worthless and the jump lunges are truely evil

I wonder has anyone been able to work out a system to incorporate weights into the workouts? I have some free weights but I can't get a good enough grip on both the weight and the wii remotes to use them at the same time so for now I'm just doing the motions with the pointless resistance band and then pausing it to redo them with the weights. Anybody have a better solution?

[MJ4H]

I bought good resistance bands. They have a set of 3 resistance bands at wal-mart that work pretty good. My wife uses the lowest strength one and I use the highest strength one (which is bumped up from the medium one because it finally snapped on me the other day). They aren't quite long enough to do the shoulder presses, but I'm not sure how they could be and still retain any resistance on the shorter things you have to do. So what I do is the shoulder press exercises from my knees. Works great.

As for my progress, I have finished the 30 day challenge twice on medium and am over halfway through it again on hard. We just do them in order from the custom/preset workout menu so we can workout together.

My last weigh-in was 197.5. I was 217.5 when I started, so I'm now down 20 lbs from this. Couldn't be happier with a purchase.

[MJ4H]

EA Sports Active More Workouts came out today. Picked it up and started the 6 week challenge. Pretty awesome, frankly. Much improved over original. Picks up motions better, pace is faster from workout to workout, some of the exercises are really creative (obstacle course is really awesome and intense, especially with a partner). Some core exercises now, including curl-ups in the first workout (that's the only core exercise in the first workout, but I'm sure there will be others).

So far, a nice revival for me. I predict 10 more lbs. in 3 weeks!

[stevew]

Do I need both versions? And wii fit? Or is the newest one good enough.

[MJ4H]

The newest EA Sports Active is a standalone program, but the one that my wife picked up didn't come with a legstrap or resistance band. You can get those in a separate bundle, though (I recommend buying a higher quality resistance band anyway).

[GoldenEagle]

I bought this awhile ago but just played the first time last night. It was fun, but I sucked at the Inline Skating. I had problems with the controller picking up my left lunge but I think I figured it out. I was also have problems with the triceps exercises.

MJ4H, is the expansion pack a 6 week or a 6 month program?

[MJ4H]

6 weeks. It does a little better at picking up motions, too.

[FrogMan]

my mom and sister gave my son a Wii for Christmas and while doing my own Christmas shopping, I saw the EA Active bundle at Wal-Mart for 35$. I had read the thread here and was already intrigued by it so I got it as a "to me, from me" gift. Did my first day in the 30 day challenge this morning at the medium level and I must say I got a fairly good workout out of it. I was sweating and overall thought it was fun.

I now see why everybody said the inline skating thing is a b*tch. You're basically doing horse stance sessions cut by jumps.

Looking forward to doing more. I'm already taking 3 hours or so of karate a week, but they're not always super intense. Hopefully, this will balance out well with the karate classes...

FM

[NewIdentity]

Now that the price has come down from $55.00 I have ordered a copy myself from Gamestop as there are no Dicks Sporting Goods near me. I already had Wii Fit and use it alot with Golds Gym Boxing to get in some pretty good workouts.

$19.99 at Dicks Sports
$29.99 at Gamestop


Gamestop: Wii EA Sports Active Bundle $29.99 + Tax (Free Shipping with code). - SlickDeals.net Forums

[cougarfreak]

Originally Posted by NewIdentity

Now that the price has come down from $55.00 I have ordered a copy myself from Gamestop as there are no Dicks Sporting Goods near me. I already had Wii Fit and use it alot with Golds Gym Boxing to get in some pretty good workouts.

$19.99 at Dicks Sports
$29.99 at Gamestop


Gamestop: Wii EA Sports Active Bundle $29.99 + Tax (Free Shipping with code). - SlickDeals.net Forums

Wow..........thanks for posting that, I just ordered from Gamestop. Amazon still wants 49.99 for it.

[Coffee Warlord]

Just picked this up myself. Way past time to drop some weight.

[FrogMan]

Revisiting this thread after a couple of weeks. I did day 7 of the 20 days included in their 30 days plan yesterday. Figured out only yesterday that 30 days for them means you train two days out of three for 30 days, giving you 20 days of workouts.

I know most everyone said the the rubber band was crap but I still hoped to be able to do more than the two sessions I did with it. It started tearing apart halfway through that second sessions and snapped completely apart before the session was over. Since it tore at about a third of the length, I was able to put the handle back on and finish that workout and did the following workout that way before but the band started tearing again at the end of that session. I went to Wal-Mart and bought a three-pack of Everlast rubber tubing that came with big foamy handles that you could use with either of the three rubber bands. I did one session that way but it was just too big even for me to handle the remote so I put the EA Active handles on the rubber bands. I've been using the medium strength tubing since I've bought them but I'm thinking about going the the heavy one. I'm also thinking that tubing is probably a better better not to tear, compared to all the pilates type rubber sheet resistances.

Anyway, I trained every other day for about a week, from Dec. 26 to the middle of last week but this will now go down a bit, mostly because I take karate classes four times a week. I do plan on training with EA Active on the three days a week I have off and I honestly think it will complement nicely with my less cardio type of training that karate gives me. I have made a personal workout with only a few exercises that consists mostly of their sports one, i.e. a bit of tennis, targets & heavy bags, etc, that for now only runs 6-8 minutes and I usually do that one right after my main session.

I've had to do a bit of adjustments with the side lunges because of limited space in my "training" area (aka kids' playroom, i.e. full of Legos and Bionicle parts). The side lunges are also giving me a bit of pain of my right knee so I often take it really easy on them. No problem on the regular lunges, or the reverse lunges, but there's something about the side lunges to my left that's not making my knee feel good. That is strange too cause I have a weak knee, but it's my right knee which is the one who's always been bothering me. The jumping lunges are also the evillest thing I've freaking ever did. Hate them with a passion.

I do like their depiction of sports training, even if they're not the most intense parts of any session, although if you really push yourself, the heavy bag section can be pretty intense.

I'm seriously thinking about picking up Gold's Gym after seeing a couple of video reviews on Youtube. Think it would go well with my martial arts background, and it's now only $20 at most places I've seen it...

FM

[Coffee Warlord]

I'm totally with you on the side lunges as well. Ironically, my right knee is also the one I've had surgery on, and it's the left that hurts like hell when I did those.

[Alan T]

Yes, the jump lunges are pretty much the devil. The session I had last night actually had me do 2 sets of jump lunges and 2 sets of squats and hold (where you hold the squat for close to a minute). That was the first time since I've used ea active that I actually felt like I was in pain afterwards.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Yes, the jump lunges are pretty much the devil. The session I had last night actually had me do 2 sets of jump lunges and 2 sets of squats and hold (where you hold the squat for close to a minute). That was the first time since I've used ea active that I actually felt like I was in pain afterwards.

ugh, not looking forward to those. Is that on hard or medium intensity, and how many reps of those squats and hold do they make you do?

The inline skating is similar to that one, at least if you do it properly...

I knew I was forgetting something when I posted yesterday. One thing I bought during the holiday break is a wireless nunchuck. Bought a cheap one that was on sale but it's been absolutely great to work out with and not have to be botherd with the cord between the remote and the nunchuck. No cord coming out of the thigh pouch, but also no cords whipping around when doing the boxing drills.

Highly recommend it for anyone who plans on training with a Wii.

FM

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

ugh, not looking forward to those. Is that on hard or medium intensity, and how many reps of those squats and hold do they make you do?

The inline skating is similar to that one, at least if you do it properly...

I knew I was forgetting something when I posted yesterday. One thing I bought during the holiday break is a wireless nunchuck. Bought a cheap one that was on sale but it's been absolutely great to work out with and not have to be botherd with the cord between the remote and the nunchuck. No cord coming out of the thigh pouch, but also no cords whipping around when doing the boxing drills.

Highly recommend it for anyone who plans on training with a Wii.

FM

It is on both medium and hard difficulty. It only has you do one rep, but you squat, hold it for close to a minute then stand back up. It then has you squat again but no hold the second time, that is it. Not a huge deal, but with everything else, it wasn't too much fun.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Alan T

It is on both medium and hard difficulty. It only has you do one rep, but you squat, hold it for close to a minute then stand back up. It then has you squat again but no hold the second time, that is it. Not a huge deal, but with everything else, it wasn't too much fun.

sounds good and yeah, as you said, it's not really the exercise in itself, it's the combination more than anything. The way you present it, it looks like the horse stance we do in karate and I can do about 3-4 minutes of that held down squat stance. Or at least will need to be able to to that when I test for my second dan, soonish from what I hear.

It's a bit like the inline skating thing. It was hellish the first time I did it, but it's not as bad now.

FM

[NewIdentity]

Yes, the band that comes with the game is worthless for me. But, worthless or not, if the band breaks in the first 30 days I am taking my game back to the store and getting another EA Sports Active game.

I am curious about the people who had their bands break in the first couple of days as why the didn't take their games back? Granted, most stores only allow you to return "Open" games for the same title, but why the hell wouldn't someone return their game; assuming it is not some type of gift?

[MJ4H]

My band didn't break in the first 30 days because I bought a stronger one very quickly and never used it.

[MCK]

Anyone have a recommendation of which resistance band to get besides the one EA sells or is it not that big of a problem. Play on buying this tomorrow for the wife & I. Thanks

[CleBrownsfan]

Anyone get EA Sports Active 2 yet? I have the Kinect and thinking about getting it....

[sabotai]

I got it for the Wii. The two sensors that comes with it makes it so that, with the Wii, you can use weights and not the bands. At least, for the weight lifting exercises I have seen. In the 22 I did today, I only needed the Wii controller for one of them (doing crunches while throwing a punch).

Like it so far. Much better than the first one since I don't have to mess with the Wii controller and the nunchuk.

Not sure how good the Xbobx Kinect version is though.

[MJ4H]

That sounds like a big improvement. Did your moves all register well?

[sabotai]

As well as they did with the first one. Only once or twice did it not register and I think that was because I was doing the reps too fast.

The Wii version comes with two sensors, one on your arm that's also a heart rate monitor and one for your leg. The sensors are read by a USB stick that comes with the game as well. Only did one "Cardio Kick Start" workout today (~18 minutes). Haven't really dug into it to see what new features it might have.

[CleBrownsfan]

I finished day two of my 9 week program yesterday burning around 220 calories each session. I do have to say the pace is pretty good - a lot better than I thought it would be. I had my heart rate up around 175 at one point and averaged 116 through two sessions. I'm going to buy some 20 lb dumb bells in place of the band. I don't get much of a "burn" using the band...

So far I'm really enjoying the workouts....

[sabotai]

Just a heads up, most of the band/weight exercises are fine, but a few were not designed with weights in mind. For example, seated rows don't work as intented with dumbbells. You pretty much have to use the band for those so make sure you keep in close in case you need it.

[MizzouRah]

EA Sports Active 2 for is Amazon DOTD for $47.99 that's a savings of $51.96 off retail price.

I picked it up for the kinect.

Amazon.com Video Games Deal of the Day

[Passacaglia]

Any significant difference between EA Sports Active and EA Sports Active 2? We just got a Wii and Wii Fit, and are thinking the Wii Fit might be too low impact, so it sounds like this may be what we're looking for. Another thing that annoyed us about the Wii Fit is that we couldn't work out at the same time. Is that possible with this?

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

Any significant difference between EA Sports Active and EA Sports Active 2? We just got a Wii and Wii Fit, and are thinking the Wii Fit might be too low impact, so it sounds like this may be what we're looking for. Another thing that annoyed us about the Wii Fit is that we couldn't work out at the same time. Is that possible with this?

bump

Anyone know this? I can't find anything that tells you what the differences are. I see someone has the original on craigslist for $10, and I'm wondering if I should get this or the new one. Also, it does not include the resistance band or leg strap. Does that mean it's been opened and rooted through?

[Poli]

Yep, it's been opened and rooted through. You can buy the replacement stuff at the EA shop for 20 bucks, but I don't use the resistance band at all. I use my own free weights.

Sports Active 2 has a heart rate monitor if I recall correctly. I haven't really looked into yet.

[MizzouRah]

Yes it does have a heart rate monitor.

[Mota]

I have played both Your Shape and Biggest Loser for Kinect, both are pretty good and have pretty seperate sets of exercises.

Surprisingly these are great workouts, I'm fairly active and on difficulty level 4 of 6, Biggest Loser kicked my butt. I had a 40 minute workout scheduled this morning and only finished 36 minutes, I couldn't go on any longer. So it was definitely nice to experience that, I was concerned that these would be video game exercise routines for sedentary people or something like that.

[Poli]

I had already been interested in trying the Biggest Loser on the Kinect. I bought it two days ago. Different exercises, different focus, whatever. I'm sore and worn out already!

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

bump

Anyone know this? I can't find anything that tells you what the differences are. I see someone has the original on craigslist for $10, and I'm wondering if I should get this or the new one. Also, it does not include the resistance band or leg strap. Does that mean it's been opened and rooted through?

EA Sports Active allows for two people to work out at the same time.

I don't have Sports Active 2 but I would assume it to be the same.

[Poli]

Definitely impressed with TBL. I'm on the hard routine and it's hard. A few issues I have with the Kinect sensor stating I'm not keeping up with the trainer...but it's only on two exercises so far. Just a little frustrating because when it gives you that message it means it's not counting reps for you. I guess because it doesn't think you're doing the exercise correctly at all. I get it, but on those exercises I'm not sure what the heck I'd need to do to get more in line with the instructor. I feel like, and it looks like, I'm right with him.

If that's my biggest worry, though, I'm doing fine. I'm sweating like a dog and I'm sore throughout.

[Poli]

Had my first weigh in on TBL. Nice little sequence there. Lost the challenge, finishing 3rd. That surprised me, even on the hard level I figured the challenges would be a breeze. I was the biggest loser as far as the actual game, though, so that was pretty neat.

[Jughead Spock]

I picked up EA SA this weekend and started up Monday. I like it so far, good workouts, and it always helps having *something* to answer to - meeting, physical trainer, video game, whatever. And just by getting in the routine again, it makes you think more about your food choices. i.e., 'I just busted my ass this morning, do I want to erase that with a can of Coke?'

Strap hasn't broken on me yet, but I'm definitely going to pick up some better ones.

I don't know that it'll be the be-all, end-all, but I am committed to the 30-day challenge and hoping it at least gets me back in the swing of things. Starting up is always the hardest part. I'd highly recommend this (or any of them) to anyone reading this that's on the fence.

[gstelmack]

I never got around to getting Active, but I did just recently get the NFL Training Camp version on a big sale. Enjoying it so far, although I'm having to do custom workouts because the workout generator does not seem to understand what "Easy" means. Tried an "Easy" intensity 15 minute full-body workout to check the thing out, and after a round of foot-fires, pushups, and the LB drill (which includes foot-fires) my heart rate was up to 170+, starting to feel nauseous, and had to quit the thing. They need to understand that some over-40 out-of-shape slob like me is going to be picking this thing up and tailor that "Easy" intensity to us until we work into it. Or use that freakin' heart rate monitor and force a break in the routine or something.

But doing a custom workout, picking my own exercises and adjusting their individual intensity, is working out better. Once I get warmed up I'll try some of their generated workouts again, and eventually I'll get to the 60-day challenge. And the punter and kicker workouts are fun.