Study shows new jOG body motion controller makes Wii™ players take exercise | How to Defeat Childhood Obesity With Fun Activities

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What is jOG?

jOG is the ground breaking add-on for the Wii that lets you control your game character movement by jOGing on the spot. Simply plug it in, clip it to your belt and you’re ready to start playing your games in a new, exciting and active way!
jOG uses New Concept Gaming advanced movement technology to let you control the movement of your on-screen character by your own body motion. You run, your character runs. You stop, your character stops. Amazing!
jOG is compatible with all existing video games that use the Nunchuk joystick to control game character movement. Keep the joystick pushed in the direction you want to go and start jOGing to move your character in that direction. If you stand still, so does your character!

Watch trailer

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Why I need a jOG

jOG is not just an accessory to the Wii, it’s a reason to get off the couch and get together with your friends and family to play the latest games. Each step that you take in the real world translates to movement in the game allowing for total gaming immersion. As an added health and fitness benefit, jOG also includes a calorie counter. An hour of using jOG can burn up to 400kcal! With this added benefit, every game you play has never been so rewarding and so much fun!

-The study by John Moores University in Liverpool revealed that one hour using jOG to play a typical Wii game involves taking 6,000-10,000 steps. 10,000 steps is the number the government recommends adults take each day to stay healthy. jOG more than tripled energy expenditure, and increased heart rate by 40% compared to seated game play, in the young adults who participated in the tests.

Launched earlier this year, the jOG is an add-on controller for the Wii that detects body motion. When the player takes a step, so does the game character on screen. Players become immersed in the game and are compelled to take light exercise. The jOG works with many existing Wii games and is a small device connected between the Nunchuk and Wii Remote that clips onto the player’s belt or waistband.

Already widely acclaimed, the jOG has been named the Gadget Show’s number one product from the UK Toy Fair 2009. It has also been rated ‘Essential Gadget’ by The Sun and featured on Jo Whiley’s show on BBC Radio 1.

Brendan Ludden, Managing Director of NCG said: “We’re really proud that we’ve achieved what we set out to do – to produce a unique accessory that adds to the sense of immersion as you play your favourite games, that is great fun and contributes to your daily recommended exercise.”

With childhood obesity on the rise and video games among the causes, the new jOG
body motion controller could be the answer. An independent study shows that
using the jOG increases energy expenditure and heart rate.

One of the best strategies to combat excess weight in your child is to improve the diet and exercise levels for the entire family. Here are some simple exercise activities that can be completed by children, in 30 minutes or less, using a mini trampoline

Things You'll Need:

• mini trampoline
• hand weights or weighted gloves
• Jumpsnap jump rope

1. 
   
   Step 1
   
   Standing: Depending on the weight of your child, the first step it is to simply stand on a mini tramp. They will be working on balance and coordination - just standing on it!
   
   
2. 
   
   Step 2
   
   Bounce or Jog in Place: Once you are comfortable with balancing, graduate to a bounce or jogging in place. If children are interested in using hand weights, I suggest sticking with 1 or 2 lb weights only! That is enough to increase the heart rate and burn extra calories!
   
   
3. 
   
   Step 3
   
   Jumping Jacks: Jumping jacks can be dangerous if not done correctly. Work on separating you feet slightly, while you lift and lower your arms, until you get the hang of it. This requires much more coordination than simply bouncing or jogging.
   
   
4. 
   
   Step 4
   
   
   
   JUMPSNAP EQUIPTMENT
   
   Jump Rope: While bouncing, rotate your arms as if you were jumping rope. They say 10 minutes of jumping rope is comparable to 20-30 minutes of jogging and with the help if a mini tramp you've just added the fun! I suggest you purchase the following items if you are interested in this activity: Google JUMPSNAP and check out a new a creative way to jump without the rope.
   
   
5. 
   
   Step 5
   
   Jumping while catching and passing a lightweight kick ball: Once your child becomes a superstar on the mini trampoline, he/she can work on jumping/bouncing while working on eye-hand coordination. Try bouncing a ball or throwing a ball back and forth and join in the fun. As a matter of fact the entire family can get involved in this activity.
   resource: ehow.com