Nintendo PowerPad
I was always partial to video games played on the PowerPad. Titles like World Class Track Meet, Short Order/Eggsplode, or (my personal favorite) Dance Aerobics allowed us to work on our coordination, timing, and agility, as well as burn calories. Dance Dance Revolution owes its very existence to this unsung peripheral. Nowadays of course, we have the Wii, and it’s possible to get a pretty great workout focused on core training, strength exercises, and balance. Using the Wii, you can even jog, hula hoop, or do yoga. I myself confess to many a sore muscle after playing a particularly fierce game of tennis or bowling.
For kids, exercise is a natural part of having fun, but for adults, it can be terrible drudgery. I used to climb trees, ride my bike, and referee my make-believe roller rink, but now I spend hours doing crunches and climbing the StairMaster to nowhere. These kitschy and kooky devices remind us that fitness doesn’t have to be boring, no matter what age you are. The next time I hit the gym, I may just abandon my usual routine for a little jumping rope, and I hope the people around me won’t mind my rendition of “Cinderella, dressed in yella, went upstairs to kiss a fella …”
