Gold’s Gym Cardio Workout

5 Comments

1. PT Cruiser says:

   June 16, 2010 at 9:44 pm

   Review by PT Cruiser for Gold’s Gym Cardio Workout
   Rating:
   If you enjoy cardio boxing and want to work up a sweat, then this Wii game is for you. After doing the basic lessons and moving on to the regular ones for only a couple of hours my arms and shoulders feel like I can’t lift them anymore. I’m pretty sure I’ll be sore tomorrow morning.

   This is basically a cardio boxing game. The rest of the exercises are short games and workouts that are unlocked as you progress through boxing exercises. It looks like there are 6 regular ones and 4 that use the balance board. This is the extent of the balance board usage. None of the boxing exercises use the balance board. This is a little disappointing, but since you can’t jump on the balance board it would be a little difficult to do the boxing footwork which is bouncy, without damaging the board. Still, I thought the description of the game was a little misleading since the use of the balance board is limited to leg raises, push ups and a couple exercises that are already included with the Wii Fit.

   Still, I think this is a good addition to my Wii Exercise list because it’s engaging and holds my interest and I like games where I can build up the score and compete against my past scores. Here are a list of the pros and cons that I’ve discovered so far:

   Pros:
   
   Choice of music. There are several different music choices that you can preview and play during your workouts.

   Choice of settings. You can choose a gym, forest or seaside setting.

   Lots of movement and easy to understand instructions.

   You acquire points which you can use to buy things at the gym store, like different outfits.

   You can pick your trainer (male or female) and there are several different training levels so you can play according to your abilities at a pace that is good for you.

   Great response time on the controls and great sounds. “Pow! Crunch! Wham!” The movements and clicks of the Wiimote register right on. You can also click through scenery pans and other peripheral scenes to speed the game. (Thank you, UBI Soft!)

   Cons:
   
   The graphics are a little ragged on an HD TV with component cables and 480p settings. Wii HD Link Component Cable
   
   They are also a little simplistic compared to other Wii games, not bad, just simplistic.

   The balance board is used in only 4 of the side workouts, not in the main cardio boxing.

   All in all, I still think it’s a good addition to my Wii workout collection and it’s one that’s fun enough that it’ll get used often. It’s good arm and shoulder exercise that will compliment my We Cheer Wii game and a good way to work up a sweat without getting bored.
2. Wiiviewer says:

   June 16, 2010 at 10:39 pm

   Review by Wiiviewer for Gold’s Gym Cardio Workout
   Rating:
   Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2NSKZE1378COJ I review Wii games on YouTube. If you want to see more of my reviews go to youtube.com/wiiviewr.
3. Leah Carmel says:

   June 16, 2010 at 11:18 pm

   Review by Leah Carmel for Gold’s Gym Cardio Workout
   Rating:
   I actually got my copy a couple of days before it was supposed to be released from a video game store. It’s mostly cardio boxing, although there are other exercises including Punch Dog, reverse sit-ups, back strengthening and squats that utilize the balance board. There are 4 other exercises that have to be unlocked as you progress through the game. (I just unlocked Jump Rope today, on my 4th day.) Gold points are earned to be spent in the Shop on gear, and additional items go on sale as you go.

   After initial “registration”, you choose your trainer, either Alex or Nina. Other trainers are unlocked as you progress. (I just unlocked Brenda.) Each day, you have a choice of doing a prepared workout or an ala carte workout. After the prepared workout, you get to leave a punch stamp on the calendar, indicating that you’ve completed that day’s workout. There are Boxing Examinations you can take to test yourself.

   As of yet, I haven’t noticed the scale feature and I had to enter my weight manually when I first set up my profile. All in all, it’s a great workout- more interesting and interactive than Wii Fit (which I still love). I was sweating after about 5 minutes, and I’m STILL sore from my first workout! There’s less jumping and hopping around than My Fitness Coach, which, with my bad knees, is a big plus. I look forward to unlocking more of the features of this game!

   Update: 4/12/09- I’ve unlocked a couple of the “Special” workouts in the Shape Boxing, but only done Dodging, which is really tricky because you have to throw punches at the same time! I’ve unlocked all the locked excercises in Exercise and they are “Roadwork” (running & boxing a bear that crosses your path), “Sandbag” (punching 10 sandbangs in the allotted 3 minutes), “Log Chopping” (using the remote to saw through a log in 3 minutes), and “Jump Rope”. I’ve unlocked another trainer named Bob, who looks like the BIGGEST guy on Muscle Beach, and a two new outfits for the trainer I’ve chosen (Brenda), as well as a few new items that were given to me for reaching a X amount of punches. I’m still loving this game and have lost about 4 lbs since I’ve been playing it (along w/Weight Watchers). It’s not hard on my bad knees and I feel the burn where I should.
4. Tim S. says:

   June 16, 2010 at 11:38 pm

   Review by Tim S. for Gold’s Gym Cardio Workout
   Rating:
   Got it today and it may be considered too soon to give a fair review, but truth be told I’ve been duped. I was expecting a well rounded cardio workout but from start up you have to focus on boxing. Don’t get me wrong, if they called it “Cardio Boxing” I would have understood, but I was hoping for something my wife and I can use. She has little or no interest in cardio boxing.

   For myself I enjoyed the cardio boxing and I intend to use it as often as time allows. I was able to work up quite a sweat from it and I’m in pretty good shape to begin iwth.

   They should have called it cardio boxing or something similar. In that case I would have judge it for what it is.

   If you like cardio boxing and are looking for a different and fun workout, give this title a shot, but don’t be fooled into thinking you are getting something you are not.

   I have to admit when using two controllers, the boxing is challenging and fun. The boxing tips are authentic and I would even suggest this to amateur boxers or martial artists looking to hone their reflexes.
   
5. Jeff Fielder says:

   June 17, 2010 at 12:36 am

   Review by Jeff Fielder for Gold’s Gym Cardio Workout
   Rating:
   I’ve had this for a month now, and I have to say I’ve really enjoyed myself. I got bored with the Wii Fit within a few weeks; my biggest complaint that other than the Hula Hoop, nothing really gave me a good workout.

   Can’t say that for this “game.” I’ve worked out every day, and look forward to getting on it first thing in the morning. I do the prepared workout, and every other day will supplement it with some a la carte shape boxing or exercises. I like my trainer, and the little rewards are nice eggs to work toward.

   I drip like a sieve, and my muscles are sore. That’s a good thing.

   I like that you can pick three different levels in the prepared work out (light, regular, hardcore), or just do a la carte if you want more or less.

   However (and there’s always a however), there are some flaws.

   1) Not everything registers. Be it squats, upper cuts, ducks, or dodges, sometimes you have to REALLY exaggerate your movements to get it to register. It’s very frustrating to throw an uppercut and nothing happens, or to throw a punch and it registers a duck simultaneously when you’re doing ducking combos.

   2) As noted by others, it doesn’t weigh you. Missed opportunity there by Ubisoft.

   3) The English translations on screen ain’t such be good done right.

   4) On the sandbag exercise, it’s too easy to knock the bags out in 45 seconds. I haven’t unlocked all of the elements of the game yet, so I’m hoping there’s a “free” mode where you can do the side exercises for as long as you like.

   5) Sometimes it doesn’t register the “up” on squats. You have to really “bounce” (again, exaggerating motions) to get it to register, which takes away from the work out intent. I don’t want to exaggerate my motions; I just want to work out and get my sweat on.

   6) The “training” mode on the side exercises should be the default, and you unlock the “challenge” mode. Seems silly to challenge someone who hasn’t even trained yet.

   7) After a prepared work out routine, my trainer tells me that I really kicked butt (nice encouragement) and that I should try a harder work out next time. Um. You picked the work out, Alex, not me. Why don’t YOU try a harder work out next time. Maybe in time it will get more difficult (although I’m not complaining. It’s working me out as is!).

   I know these sound like a lot of gripes, but they are minor compared to the overall positive impression of this game. It’s a good work out, and I’m really enjoying myself. Beats a membership to one of the shape boxing gyms that are popping up all over the place. Seems to be ahead of that trend a bit, and is something you can do at home at your convenience.