xbox kinect - can you really get a good workout from a video game?

xbox kinect - can you really get a good workout from a video game?

We finally hooked the Kinect receiver up to our Xbox this weekend, and I was blown away by how big an impact this thing could have on our lives.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Xbox Kinect, here's the basic rundown: You hook a little sensor-receiver (the Kinect) up to the xbox, and it sits in front of (or above, or below) your television. That sensor then watches your movements, and translates them into the video game. In effect, you play the video game without having to use any controller - your body is the controller.

What did I think of Xbox Kinect?

Yes, the graphics are as good as you would expect.

And yes, the technology is amazing - kind of a science fiction, Minority Report meets modern day living rooms.

But most of all I was impressed with how active a video game can be. I was doing stuff around the house while my 8-year old played Kinect Sports, and each time I walked by the room he was doing something different - running, playing soccer, boxing, playing beach volleyball.. By the time 30 minutes had passed he was covered in sweat and ready for a break! (when was the last time a kid ever said he was tired of video games?!  :)

A quick look online this morning shows a wide selection of games, ranging from dancing, to sports, to sport-specific training workouts.

I'll write more about this after Cheryl and I get to "play" with it a few times. Can we burn 500, or 1,000, calories per hour? Can we get a really good workout in without leaving our living room? Based on what I saw yesterday I can easily see this becoming part of our workout rotation..

And on top of that, I just think it's too cool / ironic to be able to tell my kids to go play their video games as a way to keep them fit!

Has anyone else out there tried Kinect yet? What do you think?

-Chris Butterworth

all images clipped from the xbox website.

.