PC Fitness - Your Personal Trainer (PC DVD)

...interactive programme which runs a PC and is virtually identical to 'My Fitness Coach' which runs on the Wii Console which you can work with to improve your fitness. It offers a range of exercise routines at different levels to suit your needs. The big advantage to PC Fitness is that I got mine for just £5 on Amazon as opposed to paying almost £15 for the Wii version!


==Out of the box==

When you first load it ...
.../> I really do like PC Fitness. It certainly gave me a good workout. The cardio routines especially raise my heart rate and let me work up a sweat even if I select only the 15 minute option. Also the routines change every time as the exercises vary so I don't get bored with doing the same thing every time and they are relatively easy to follow. Some repeat of course but with the music changes and the routine changes I am really enjoying my daily ... more

If you have heard all the hype about Wii Fit but never actually managed to buy one or decided it was too expensive this DVD might be worth a look as it offers a great fitness programme. Not only that but the workout changes to suit your fitness and the parts you want to exercise so that it doesn't get boring like it does working out to an exercise DVD. According to the manufacturers there are 500 different exercises on here and they are combined into different routines so each day you are doing something different.

I do actually own a Wii Fit but to be honest I think one of the big failings with Wii Fit is the lack of proper aerobic exercises. The second is that it can be quite slow to go through a workout as you are waiting for the 'trainer' quite a lot. I have been supplementing my Wii Fit training with a Rosemary Conley DVD each morning to get in some aerobic training but, after about 9 months using the same DVD, it gets a bit boring and I was looking for something new.

What is 'PC Fitness'?

It is an interactive programme which runs a PC and is virtually identical to 'My Fitness Coach' which runs on the Wii Console which you can work with to improve your fitness. It offers a range of exercise routines at different levels to suit your needs. The big advantage to PC Fitness is that I got mine for just £5 on Amazon as opposed to paying almost £15 for the Wii version!

Out of the box

When you first load it and enter your name it takes you through a process when you enter your statistics, height, weight and measurements and if you have a heart rate monitor it will let you record the details from that. It also asks you to do some simple exercises and record your abilities so that you can track your progress over time.

You are also asked if you have an exercise ball, step or hand weights and if you do it will give you workouts using this equipment. Don't worry if you haven't got it though as the programme works just fine without it and you can easily add them on later if you want.

Once you have entered your details it will suggest a diary of exercise for you which you adjust to suit yourself. In my case it suggested working out three days during the week but my preference is a short routine each day so I simply adjusted it.
Then it takes you to a screen where you can choose what part of the body you want to exercise e.g. cardio, upper body, flexibility etc. There is also a Yoga section. You can also choose the exercise duration in 15 minute increments.

The next screens allow to choose the music style for your workout and the studio/location for the exercise. These are a bit gimmicky but they do help to relieve the boredom and, as you exercise more, you gradually get to unlock more options.

What do I think of it?

I really do like PC Fitness. It certainly gave me a good workout. The cardio routines especially raise my heart rate and let me work up a sweat even if I select only the 15 minute option. Also the routines change every time as the exercises vary so I don't get bored with doing the same thing every time and they are relatively easy to follow. Some repeat of course but with the music changes and the routine changes I am really enjoying my daily workout.

As you workout you can see a progress bar along the bottom showing you what exercise you are doing and you can see the next one moving along so that you are prepared for each change. The 'trainer' has a pleasant voice which I don't find too irritating and she certainly isn't as repetitive as the Wii Fit trainers are.

Every now and again there is a short break where she asks how the session was for you. If you choose 'no sweat' she will make your next exercise more challenging and if you pick 'I couldn't keep up' she will make it easier next time around. The idea is to keep you at the 'I was working hard' level so that you get the most out of the exercises.

That is what I like most about this software. It changes to suit you and the routines are varied and interesting. I have now been using it for about ten days and I am really enjoying it. I think it will certainly replace my Rosemary Conley going forwards as it is much more challenging without being too complex.

I love the way it allows you to monitor your progress even though all I am trying to do at the moment is maintain my weight rather than to lose any as I have got my weight under control.

My only criticisms of it are that I prefer the Yoga on the Wii Fit balance board as it helps me to manage my form better and I wish that it kept a record of how much exercise I am getting like the Wii Fit does.

It might be considered a disadvantage that this doesn't use the Wii Balance Board from Wii Fit but given the problems people have had in getting Wii Fit that might also be an advantage? As a regular Wii Fit user I think this is great used as well as Wii Fit to help overall fitness and it will certainly benefit any couch potatoes out there. One word of warning though expect to be stiff the next day if you haven't exercised for some time!

Would I recommend it?

Yes I would if you are trying to get fitter. You will certainly be able to work up a sweat with this. It won't help you if you are inclined to cheat of course as (unlike the Wii Fit) it doesn't know if you are slacking but if you cheat the only person you are really cheating is yourself.

If you combine this with a sensible diet I have no doubt it would help with weight loss and improve your fitness and tone.

You will look like a bit of a 'lemon' to the neighbours if you work out in the lounge in front of the window but if you have been using a Wii there in the past the neighbours will be used to it by now - if it bothers you, just close the curtains. I love the fact that this DVD is more portable than the Wii version, anywhere I take my laptop I can take this.

It is certainly well worth the £5 I paid for this on Amazon - I love it!
 

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