Junior Member
I bought the "Biggest Loser" Kinect game a few weeks ago, played it and never started up YSFE since then (and I did burn over 10'000 YSFE-calories before).
Biggest Loser (BL) also suggests a certain rhythm for most exercises, but does not force them. The BL-trainer even tells you that you can do it slower and work up to the recommended speed, but does not penalize you (or half-drown the music when you are out of rhythm, another thing that bothered me with YSFE).
The exercises are a little on the harder side in BL, and they also have floor exercises. What I like about the BL is that you can start a session of a certain difficulty that lasts 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 minutes, it starts with warming up exercises, brings on the main exercises and finishes off with stretching out. You get short breaks to drink water every few minutes. It generally feels more demanding that way (it feels like I'm moving more than in YSFE). On the contrast, in YSFE, you do an exercise, then you get shown the next one (camera goes to the floor), then you do it, ... but there are more breaks here.
YSFE has the better menu system, but since you get used to the not so well menu system of BL after a few days (and then spend more time working out), this is not such a big downside.
The tracking in BL works pretty good too. Sometimes it looses you, but I never felt that I get penalized for that.
In short, I prefer BL at the moment.
Junior Member
Ive been an at-home workout person for over 10 years now.
Today I tried the arm workout under the personal training menu. It scored me another 5% for dumb bell rows because it perceived me as not being "in rhythm" and I've been doing rows for years...
I think the menu system in YSFE is great and very intuitive. I think the classes work pretty good as well...but I get frustrated when I'm doing the work and not being credited for it. It's all-or-nothing approach is unrealistic. The fact it impacts your score and your progress is what makes it ultimately too frustrating for me. I want to be at least credited for doing the reps, even if I'm not in perfect synchronization with the trainer. Perfect synchronization should have been just another one of those green bonus circles... I guess I could ignore it, but then why even use YSFE at all...at that point I might as well just go back to using a DVD or doing it on my own.
I think they have a great approach. It just feels like the people who created it have never actually had a real personal training session. Your trainer isnt going to say, "Okay, that doesn't count at all...you made no progress today because you weren't doing your reps in perfect rhythm."
I look forward to using EA Sports Active 2. I used the Wii version before and liked it...its nice to have a very structure exercise program so there is no guessing as to what you have to do next. My only problem was having to hold the Wiimote all the time along with the exercise band.
Is there DLC for EA Sports Active 2?
Senior Member
I find the game is very particular about bending over a certain amount in the Dumbbell Row. I can get out of rhythm by accidentally raising my shoulder a very small amount while glancing at things on the screen. This also has happened to me while doing the Bent Over T. Hope that helps.Originally posted by xxHanoverxx:
Ive been an at-home workout person for over 10 years now.
Today I tried the arm workout under the personal training menu. It scored me another 5% for dumb bell rows because it perceived me as not being "in rhythm" and I've been doing rows for years...
There's a new "Nike Low Impact Starter Pack" DLC for Active 2 but it only for the XBox/Kinect and the PS3 versions.
Junior Member
I was looking forward towards EAS2, since it provides different approach from YSFE. My reasoning for not buying it yet was the fact that the game appears to be a quick port of wii/move game. Any Kinect game that is not done specifically for Kinect is going to have issues...besides if I am to spend $100 for something it better use the capabilities of the platform it was build for.
If the price is down now...I might go for it.
YSFE with all of its problems was built specifically for Kinect.
I also find it perfect for someone like me that has not worked out for years had injuries, but was a very active person prior to that. I can not begin to describe how beneficial it was for me during last couple of months. (thinking about trying to play ball again..my wife is rolling her eyes)
Regarding YSFE issues: It looks like a product were main gameplay is done well, but there was no time for development for really polish it out (gameflow, customization etc..). EAS is probably better at that simply because they build on top of the existing product. Site is really bad, it almost appears that Ubisoft is trying to figure out the priorities (which fitness product to push/invest into or not)
I tend to think people complain too much about certain moves not registring properly. If you take time you can figure out what exactly YSFE expects you to do for most of the moves (sometimes smallest adjustment that appears insignificant makes a difference). I had the same issue with Dumbell Row as NanoParticle, but figured it out.
Not registring can drive you crazy ocassionally, but even if some move does not work, you have to remember that you are doing it for yourself and that all that numbers are only motivational factor, not a "set in stone" requirement.
As I said the benefits I got from YSFE by far outweight any issue/bus/design etc... Now for v2 they better step up or else....
I also did hear good things about the Biggest Loser..I guess it's time to spend some hard earned bucks again...
Junior Member
I got Biggest Loser new for about half price of YSFE, so I just gave it a shot.Originally posted by Dzipi100:
I also did hear good things about the Biggest Loser..I guess it's time to spend some hard earned bucks again...
What I also like about BL is that it works out a fitness schedule for you that you can follow (or ignore). You can edit this schedule on a weekly base. This week, I planned 3 workout sessions, each 20 minutes, challenging difficulty (= medium difficulty of 5), main focus on weight loss. You can specify that you have a resistance band and/or a gym ball, and the game will provide exercises for those. There's a weight-in event every week to further track your progress.
Also, BL lets you save the full session you just did, so you can repeat it later. I don't know if you can create your own sessions, will look into this and report back later.
Junior Member
I actually ordered the BL today...Best Buy was having a buy two get one free sale on video games. EAS2 will be at my doorstep when I get home tonight. so I will be able to compare all 3.
I know it sounds like I'm hating on YSFE...its more that I see so much potential with it..it's frustrating when it doesnt work.
I will say that the Fitness Classes work great...in fact, I think its even weirder that they don't care about rhythm at all in the Bollywood Dance class..yet they're all up in your face about Rhythm in the personal training/workout program section.
Junior Member
Wow from reading the posts and some going to get EA Sports Active 2 are in for a rude awakening. I have all of the exergamer workouts for Xbox and by far YSFE and TBL are the best, EASA2 comes dead last and its because of the following reasons:
1. The software to sensor issues make the routines quite glitchy
2. The sensor loses you once you hit the floor and the frustration itself will send your HRM up a notch or two
3. There are not as many routines for the xbox as there are for ps3 and the Wii and the DLC that came out yesterday (that we have to pay for) have routines that are already on the Wii.
4. Not only are the floor routines glitchy, but so are the Soccer Goalkeeper, Heavy Bag Boxing, Dodgeball and Mountain Biking.
My biggest disappointment was no basketball, but I got over that one.
The avatar moves around like it has Tourette Syndrome and believe me I have enough room to move around (the other games do not do this).
They say there is an update coming in late February that will fix that, so if you can, I would say wait before getting EASA2.
TBL is very good as well as YSFE!!
I've done P90X and Insanity and this workout is a nice change!!
Junior Member
Thanks for the update mzebony. I think I'll wait for February for EAS2 update and re-evaluate. Can you let us know if they fixed issues when the update hits? The EA approach does sound like they tried to get some easy cash out o fKinect owners.
Questions regarding BL. At what level of difficulty are excersises? YSFE level? Harder? Easier? I am really not into this to lose weight anymore (don't need to lose more that additional 4-5 pounds), but to get and keep myself in shape. Does BL work for this or is focused on losing weigth only?
Does BL have additional workouts that YSFE does not provide that would break the routine a bit and let me combine these 2 programs?
Member
I'd also be interested in hearing more about the BL workout focus. I'm more interested in endurance and strength training than losing weight. The EA game is still just too pricey and I really haven't been hearing a lot of great things about it overall. I'd probably still get it if the price was right, but even half off is too much at this point. I like having a variety of these games to switch off like I did for the Wii (My Fitness Coach, Golds Gym Cardio, Wii Fit, etc.)
Junior Member
I found it for $50 at amazon...and it comes with a heart-rate monitor that the game actually reads. Best buy has it on sale for about $60.Originally posted by bekkilyn: The EA game is still just too pricey and I really haven't been hearing a lot of great things about it overall. I'd probably still get it if the price was right, but even half off is too much at this point.
