Your Shape: Fitness Evolved - Using the Xbox 360 Kinect to Get Fit

My primary reason for buying the new Xbox 360 Kinect was to buy one of the fitness games and get in shape. With a trip to Hawaii coming up next year, I want to be in top shape before hitting the beach in the Aloha state. After checking out a few fitness titles, I settled on Your Shape: Fitness Evolved. Here is an overview of my experiences, features, and benefits that the game has to offer.

Setting Up Your Account

Setting up your personalized workout program is a piece of cake (hopefully, the only one you are having if you plan on getting in shape). When you start up the game for the first time, the Kinect sensor will scan your body and takes measurements to ensure that it is able to track your movements correctly. After that, you will need to answer a few questions about yourself including gender, age, and weight. After the account is set up, the Kinect sensor will automatically recognize you and upload your account.

Setting Goals

Your experience with Your Shape: Fitness Evolved will depend on the goals that you set for yourself. The goals that you set will determine the types of exercises that are included in your workouts. Before you set your goals, you will need to take the fitness test. The fitness test judges your physical abilities and fitness level. Once you have completed the fitness test, you will select your ultimate objective from a list of goals. There are many goals to choose from including loosing weight, increasing physical stamina, or even getting in shape after having a baby.

Types of Workouts

There are three ways to workout - personal trainer sessions, fitness classes, and games. The personal training sessions allow pick a focus such as cardio, toning, sculpting, or several other workouts. Once you have selected the focus for the session, your personal trainer will lead you through a two part workout that contains three exercises per part. As your form and endurance improves, your workouts will automatically change to match your skill level. There are two different fitness classes to choose from - cardio boxing and Zen fitness. The cardio boxing is my favorite. I can easily burn 120 calories in a twelve minute session. The Zen fitness class is a slower paced workout that mixes moves from Tai Chi and yoga. There are also several games to choose from. The games are a great way to burn calories while playing with up to three of your friends.

Stats

Your Shape: Fitness Evolved also tracks your progress. Not only does it show you the number of calories burned during a workout, but it also records the total number of calories that you have burned since starting the game. During workouts, the game will also show you what percentage of your moves are done correctly.

More from Associated Content:
Review: Is the Xbox 360 Kinect Right for Your Family?
Six Great Xbox 360 Kinect Releases to Look for in 2011