Yourself! Fitness

 
List Price: $29.99

Our Price: $29.99

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Product Description

This Yourself!Fitness Program for Home PC software brings the expertise of a certified personal trainer and nutritionist into your home to guide you through a personalized health and fitness program. Maya, your interactive personal trainer, builds a program that is tailored to your lifestyle and gives you one-on-one training with over 500 unique exercises that never get boring. Choose your music, your mood and your focus and let Maya, through step-by-step coaching, do the rest. ESRB rating: E (Everyone). Genre is Heath and Fitness. Imported. 7.5Hx1.25Wx5.25L".

Features:
  • Unlimited access to a virtual personal trainer
  • Meal planning and nutritional guidance
  • Dynamic workouts to keep you motivated

Customer Reviews:

  • Nice but....
    I liked it in the beginning a lot! but after a month it gets really old. The exercises are always the same and the cueing and comments are the same there is not much variety and if you do it everyday it could get really old quickly....more info
  • The only workout that doesn't get boring!!!
    I love "Yourself Fitness"! I have lost so much weight with it. I love it because the workout is different every day. Plus, I can move all over my livingroom during the workout. These advantages are hard to find in any other CD or exercise equipment out there.

    My kids and I do the yoga together. The recipes are also great. I would recommend this to anyone that wants to get in shape, with a different workout every day. Maya is tough too. She'll check you! ...more info
  • Great Stuff!
    All I have to say about this product is that I am about to complete my 90th workout today. I have used Yourself Fittness since September 2005 and Im still going strong. The "meditation garden" with the Yoga is nearly impossible to use, but you can elect to use a flexibility workout that will incorporate mostly Yoga with a little stretching so you can still utalize this benefit....more info
  • Great progam if your willing
    The program is much better than a video. Perfect for people who arent sure about the gym yet and still want to be in shape. Personalized to YOU not your weight or gender to you only. Meals are very good and can be easy to make....more info
  • Great workout program
    When I first bought this, it sat in the box for awhile (shows how motivated I am to exercise!). I've been putting forth more effort to get healthy and this has been a valuable tool in doing that.
    Pros:
    I can choose how long of a program I want to work on today - as little as 15 minutes. How can I not give my health 15 minutes?
    You can choose the type of exercise, the type of music and setting. Maya makes it DIFFERENT EVERY DAY, even if you choose the same exercise and setting. There goes the "I'm bored" excuse. The program asks you for feedback on how you did and adjusts the next time.
    The trackbar at the bottom of the screen tells you what exercise you're doing, lets you know how long it is, and what is coming up. Really helpful!
    Cons:
    The yoga is too hard and too fast for a beginner. I just cant do it, even with the tutorial.
    There are periods during the workout where the music stops - not long, but annoying as there is no "beat".
    I'd like an option for low (no) impact for us folks with bad knees (or hips or ankles!).

    Overall, this is a great program and I am glad I bought it. It is varied enough to keep me motivated....more info
  • Just okay
    I initially enjoyed the flexability of having different types of exercise. I got the version for my computer and had too many problems with it skipping or stopping. I eventually stopped using it and use P90x now....more info
  • Will not work on most VISTA computers. RIP OFF. DON'T GET THIS. NO WARNING. Overpriced at $50.
    Will not work on most VISTA computers. RIP OFF. DON'T GET THIS. NO WARNING. Overpriced at $50....more info
  • Be Very Careful!!!!
    When I purchased this for my PC, I was thrilled. It was truly interactive and a fun program. It got me moving and I raved about it.

    However, a few weeks in, it simply stopped working. I went to the website and tried to use the PC patch, but it didn't work. I discovered from the message board that, not only were many people experiencing the same problems, but that the makers of the program had stopped responding to any tech support issues. In addition, they seem to be involved in a huge law suit.

    Now, to be fair, my understanding is that the folks who bought and are using the Playstation version are not having the same technical issues. I don't own that version, so can't speak to that personally.

    I loved the program and should they ever solve their legal problems and tech problems, I would try this again, but right now I feel as though I wasted my money....more info
  • Great fun product
    This software is great. Yourself!Fitness is fun, easy-to-use, and very helpful. It keeps me inspired to work out. There are a few noticeable bugs, but they don't affect the way the product works. And the song and location options are sparse. But, I hear they are working on a new version, should fix all the issues....more info
  • Terrific substitute for a class or a personal trainer!
    I love this program: it keeps me motivated, and it's a good workout. The yoga segment ("meditation garden") leaves much to be desired--if I want to do yoga, I'll use one of my Rodney Yee tapes instead of this--but the workout is terrific. There are some bugs, though: sometimes the program has you do a different number of reps on each side for the same exercise, and often it congratulates me on learning a new move--which wasn't new to my experience with the program at all! Also, it would be nice if the interactive part were expanded to ask WHY you'd missed some workouts--I don't need lectures about consistency when I've missed workouts due to illness! But all in all, this has replaced nearly all my old exercise tapes and DVDs. Highly recommended....more info
  • Great addition to your routine
    I have had Maya for a year and have done 89 workouts. I use it as just another option for workouts. Like anything else it will get boring if it is the only tool in your fat burning suite. I use it when the weather is crummy mostly and I can't get outside. I look foward to the physical challenges every ten workouts and use those to make changes in my overall workout program. Overall it is a FANTASTIC value when I think about what a gym membership + classes would have cost me. I do recommend over time adding the step, ball, etc. Start with none and add them and you will keep yourself challenged and interested. I have lots of praise for Maya and am overall very happy with it BUT, I would recommend the following changes if anyone is listening...

    1. More workout options. For example, I would love to have a Strength and Sculpt section where there is no cardio but rather a combo of core, upper and lower body strength exercises. I can't afford the gym so I wish Maya had more focus on Strength training at home. It would also be good to have a strength option for just core, just upper, just lower that we could combine with longer cardio. Last night I wanted to work out my upper body with weights but also wanted a good cardio workout. I chose 30 min. upper body workout but the cardio segment was only 12 minutes! That isn't enough cardio! I end up most of the time just doing the 30 or 45 minute cardio workout and then putting on another DVD for strength and scuplt. Also, I would recommend having the option to shrink the time between sets. The rest between sets is too long, my heart rate comes down and I get bored.

    2. Let us choose the number of times we want to workout with maya in a week rather than choosing the days of the week. Sometimes the weather is perfect and I want to go out for a jog rather than do Maya. I shouldn't be punished for missing my Monday workout. This would be a huge improvement.

    3. Lowest priority. Throw a boy in there. My fiance won't use Maya because he thinks it is too feminine. I think he would if a boy led the program....more info
  • Disastrous software, no customer support
    From the start, my copy of Yourself! Fitness ran jerkily, with continual gaps in both audio and video. When it did run, Maya looked like a robot with bad teeth on a caffeine jag -- not at all like the comforting, supportive coach I've heard about. Then the program froze completely halfway through the introductory set-up, requiring a cold restart. I tried it three more times, cleaning the disks as per the instructions, with the same result. Each time the program messed up my PC's operating parameters including the screen resolution, requiring me to reset manually. (Yes, my PC has plenty of speed and memory, and has never acted up with other software.) Calls and e-mails to the vendor were not returned.

    If you check my other reviews, you'll see I'm not in the habit of flaming products with no provocation. This item, sad to say, deserves a thorough roasting....more info
  • All I can say is -=wow=-
    Yourself fitness is probably the best purchase I've made in 2004. I have always had a problem with fitness and exercise (I get bored quickly) but Maya (the yourself fitness mascot) constantly keeps me motivated, and makes me want to push myself to become even better. This `game' is excellently done, and the graphics (especially the backgrounds) are superb. If you want something to push for, there are different workout locations and music you can unlock the more you workout. I find pro/con lists in Amazon.com reviews really help me, so I'll add one.

    Pros:
    1. Maya constantly keeps you motivated to do your best. She will ask you how you are feeling, and then adjust your workout accordingly.
    2. The music is great, and really helps you to get in the `workout' mood. Only 3 are unlocked at the beginning (Latin, 80's, and hip-hop) - not my favorite choices, but 80's seems to be a good mix of fast dance and energy, and once I unlock the rest of them, I'll be a happy camper ;).
    3. Workout schedule - you can program how much you want to work out any given day of the week - Maya will remember that and program your workout according to your internal computer clock, which saves you time.
    4. You can focus on the workout you want to do. So, say Maya suggests upper body strength (from your fitness evaluation), but you want to do weight loss instead. You just chose weight loss and Maya will do that instead.
    5. Meal plans - you can print off meal plans from the yourself fitness CD, benefiting your overall health.
    6. Tutorials - If you have no idea how to do an exercise correctly, you can enter a tutorial mode, where a person made of muscles will show you how to do the exercise, and Maya will verbally walk you through it. You can zoom or rotate around the person to make sure you are doing it right.
    7. The obvious feature of being able to do a workout with a personal trainer anytime anywhere (I suggest hooking a laptop, if you have one, up to your TV. It is much easier to do a workout on a larger screen)
    8. Great graphics, especially the backgrounds. And I LOVE the opening movie!
    9. Works on even old systems. My system is pretty old, but still meets the min requirements, and runs beautifully on my computer.

    Cons.
    1. The Meditation garden is pretty hard, especially if you've never done yoga before. Maya stops talking after a while, and just does the actions. (not a bug, the company said they didn't want to make her sound repetitive, so they made her stop after awhile). This is very hard when your doing `plank' (your face is on the floor) because you have no idea when Maya will change position.
    2. You can't use your own music, which would be pretty hard to do, because Maya would have to sync up to the music. But if she could, it would be awesome!
    3. No male trainer. Now, I'm a guy, and I still love this program, but it would be cool to have your choice of trainer (Maya or Maya's male counterpart). However, this program can be used by both males and females, so Maya will choose a workout specific to you.

    In conclusion, if you want to make a commitment to yourself, and get in shape, you should buy this software or Xbox or PS2 game right away. You won't regret it one bit. I can't wait till tomorrow so I can do my next workout with Maya!
    Good luck!
    (also, check out the yourself fitness website for a workout preview)...more info
  • My expectations were disappointed.
    I thought this seemed like a really good product, especially after reading all the reviews of how everybody loved it. It turned out to be quite the opposite. I did a few workouts with it when I got it but then didn't do anymore until a few months later (yesterday) and I was reminded why I hadn't used the dvd for awhile. Her exercises in a workout are very repititous. She has several periods where she gives you a break during the workouts. It advertised that there were lots of different exercised in the workouts. I haven't seen to many different ones. I was really excited to try the yoga but that made me upset too. She gives you a sequence of yoga poses to repeatedly do for about ten minutes straight and then for the last ten minutes she changes it and does another sequence of yoga poses to do repeatedly. I was hoping for a new pose each time. If you want to substitute your own moves instead of hers doing the workout and during her "break" times then it works alright. It also defeats the purpose of buying it except to track your progress which I'm sure everyone can do on their own. In summary, It looks like a great new fitness equipment that will solve all your problems but don't let appearances fool you. ...more info
  • Lives up to the promise
    I am not overweight, having any health problems or pains or anything like that, and I am below 30. However, I am trying to use Yourself Fitness on a daily basis in order to avoid putting on more than a few pounds of extra weight and, probably more importantly, because it is invigorating. After a 30 minute workout, a shower and some watermelon for hydration, you will not feel tired, but more energetic, determined and optimistic.
    The way I do it is with a two-computer or a laptop-dual screen configuration. On one computer, I am running the fitness software muted, while on the other I watch an episode from a favorite series (preferably something funny, or generally light). With the two screens next to each other, you can folow the on-screen trainer and the show with no problem. The best thing about this is that it helps me exercise on a regular basis because it takes your mind away from the fact that you are exercising and you will begin to look forward to exercising by way of positive association. Of course, you can also set up your exercise when a favorite show is running on TV, or turn on the radio to a favorite show, or anything like that that prevents you from getting bored.
    As for the software itself, it is indeed as complete as it can get. You create a profile where you input the essential data about you, such as age, sex, weight, but also your pulse - resting and a after brisk exercise, flexibility, weight and current capabilities of your muscles, and all of this being guided by the software what to do. You can also set your goals and see your progress.
    The exercises themselves are highly customizable - what you want to focus on during any particular exercises, how long you want it to last, even how rested you are when starting the exercise, and you can decrease or increase the difficulty as you go.
    One option that I am not using is following a meal plan, which goes as far as adjusting based on how many calories you want to consume and gives you the recipes and the detailed nutrition information for the dishes in the plan.
    You also have a Yoga module, which I have not tried yet, beautiful environments for the virtual trainer, and you can unlock more as you progress, music tracks to go with the workouts, and simple, but interesting, health tips at the end of each workout.
    The only problem is exercising for 30 or 45 minutes, having sweat run all over you, and having the program tell you've only consumed 200 or 300 calories :-)...more info
  • It gets me to work out!
    I have finally found something that makes me want to work out! it shows my progress. so even if I cant see myself getting smaller i can look at the progress i have made. I know all about the nutritional parts of health but have always had a problem with working out. I can schedule my work out for Mon-Thur so on the week end i can do what ever i want....Shop, Party, go to the beach. I would recomend this anyone who has had a hard thime getting motivated to exercise. For me this is perfect! and i dont have to go to the gym and use all that dirty smelly equipment with other peoples sweat on it. The workouts are always different. and after you do the assesment in the begining there are recomendations on daily focuses so it always your choice. try it you'll like it!...more info
  • Can I just say WOW!
    Ok, now I am pretty overweight but have been exercising with videos for a couple of months now. I have had Yourself Fitness for about a month. I love it!! I was getting bored with the videos because it's the same thing every day. This is always different which keeps you interested. There are tutorials if you are What? so you can figure out what exactly you are supposed to be doing. It's fabulous! ...more info
  • These workouts keep me going!
    I was expecting to like this program, not love it--and love it I do. I do workouts with it 6 times a week, and I'm on my 80th since September, when I bought it. I had hoped it would fill in with my home gym workouts and provide variety, but it's now my mainstay. I run it on a Dell XP Professional machine with no problems.

    After profile setup, you're asked to do a 20-30 minute evaluation workout the first and every tenth workout to test cardio fitness, upper body, core, lower body, and flexibility you also are asked your weight. No, it's not exhaustive, but it's certainly good enough to go on with. Then the virtual trainer, Maya, makes a recommendation for a plan. You make your committment for days and durations, and on you go. (I'm a vegetarian, and on WeightWatchers, so I do my own menus--no comments about that part.)

    There's always a few minutes of warm up, about 15 to 20 minutes of cardio (for my plan, anyhow), and then onto the focus of the day. I was in OK but not great shape when I started, and I can really see the difference in musculature and endurance after this many weeks. I'm pretty pleased. I don't get bored, as the exercises routines are never *exactly* the same from day to day or week to week. We rotate through Cardio, Upper Body, Core, Lower Body, and Flexibility workouts. The "Weight Loss" workout turns out to be another Cardio class. You need about 4 paces square to work in, and a cushioned mat for floor work.

    The routines are adjusted for what equipment you have as well as how long you want to go. Durations are in 15 minute increments up to an hour. The equipment is minimal: your choice of any or all of cardio monitor, step-bench, balance ball, and hand weights. I don't have a step bench, but I may get one just for curiosity's sake (when I can afford one). The cardio monitor was a nice-to-have, too, though you can tell if you're at your 80% range by a certain natural rhythm to your breathing (in-breath for two steps, out-breath for two steps). You can get most anything you'd need from Target or by mail from Amazon. Two 3-pound weights are good starters for most purposes--I'm moving them pretty fast to use much heavier weights.

    Maya does check in with you thoughout the program to see how you're doing, and adjusts the difficulty appropriately. I'd say they pretty much got that right, and I do appreciate it. If I start off saying I'm not feeling great, the workout is easier. If I'm feeling peppy, she's that much harder.

    Not hard enough? Bounce more and use more weights. I have knees that hurt, so I do a low-impact version of the exercises when I have to, and that works fine, too. You have to use some judgement on your own to make it work for you, same as with any class or method.

    I have to say that I like the music pretty well, too. I think they mixed their own and did a good job of it. You can adjust the relative voice/music levels, too. Actually, if you were completely deaf but could see the screen, you could still have a good workout with this. The exercise you're on scrolls across the bottom of the screen, and shows what's coming up, too.

    I haven't done much with the yoga (Meditation Garden) section, but I'm not much into Hatha Yoga anyway. It's fairly fast-moving for my tastes, but that's not a bad thing. You may have to use the "tutorial" button to get the mannikin model to show you how to do things a time or two.

    Answering some of the negatives in other reviews: The "pixelation", or jaggies, is because Maya is placed on her background like a sprite with no anti-aliasing. Who cares? It's good enough visually for its purpose, and a few years old at that. It's not all that noticeable from across a room, anyhow. Not enough variety in exercises?--well, there's only so many variations to jogging, kicking, stepping, and arm-flapping that you can do. Have a favorite you want to substitute during a class for something Maya's doing? Go ahead. Who'll know but you? If you work this program, it'll work for you.

    Now, bad customer service is a sad thing, I have to agree. The company that made this isn't really in business any more, so they're not helpful, I hear, and more's the pity. I would have adored an expansion. But that's a business problem, not a design problem. And I'm not really surprised that some PCs have problems with the program--that's pretty much the story with PC games anyhow. I guess I didn't expect perfection, (being a programming/design geek myself) so I'm very happy with it overall. This has been a *lot* of bang for $30!...more info
  • Nice Complement to a Treadmill
    I have been running regularly for many years and am in decent shape. However, I am concerned that running does little or nothing for upper body and other muscle groups or for flexibility. At various times, I have tried other ways to strengthen and stretch, but have generally lost interest and gone back to only running.

    I was quite interested in hearing about this program and have been using it on my intel mac for about 2 months. I have averaged about 3-4 sessions a week, and am extremely pleased with the product.

    On the positive side, I like the idea of being able to select the focus and the time for each session. I have primarily been using the upper body and the flexibility workouts, with less emphasis on the core, lower body, and cardio/weight loss.

    The nice thing about these choices is that if you are still hurting from a upper body workout, you can select flexibility or one of the other options and work other parts of your body. In addition, I have the step, a series of hand weights, and a stability ball; all of which seem to add lots of new options for the exercices.

    It is a little difficult to understand or explain why a computer animated figure can get you to do exercies that you wouldn't do otherwise. The funny thing is that it does have that effect for me, and my wife has also become a big fan and regular user of Maya.

    As to results, I have noticed definite improvements in the two areas of interest: upper body and flexibility, and also some improvement in core strength. I am looking forward to skiiing this year, as I think these improvements will be helpful, and I will also explore some lower body in advance of the trips.

    Some Nits: The program suggested that my focus should be cardio, which made little sense in terms of where I was when I started. In addition, the program does give some odd feedback in terms of 'new exercises learned today', missing many and listing some that were not new. These don't really have any effect on the benefits of the program.

    Finally, I would like to have ways of incorporating other exercise into the progress and monitoring, such as the running or other non-Maya led workouts. I like to keep track of the range of fitness efforts, and it would be great to bring these all into the Inside Fitness program.

    Overall, this has turned out to be an almost perfect answer for my (previously) imbalanced training regimen....more info
  • Save your money
    The concept of the software is great, but I have yet to complete a workout running the PC version on Windows XP without the software crashing. Going by the comments on the support website, this type of problem has been unresolved at least since 2004. A very disappointing purchase. ...more info
  • I look forward to this program every day!
    This program is incredible! I've always needed some type of outside motivator for my workouts (a person that is expecting me to show up, or a class I'm required to attend), and Yourself! Fitness is the perfect version of that. You start off by doing a block of fitness tests to see where you are with different types of physicality (for example: flexibility, heartrate before and during exertion, etc.). After that each and every workout is tailor-made for you - you tell your new fitness instructor whether a certain section of a workout was too hard, just right, or too easy, and she makes note of that and changes the intensity/difficulty of that section for the next workout. You get to choose a workout focus as well, which is great, seeing that we're all looking for something a little different! For example, I know that it isn't good to target the same muscles in workouts on consecutive days, so I pick a few that I rotate between (core strength, weight-loss, and cardio), and therefore have so much variety (she changes the moves for each workout, as well as gives you the option of different environments for you to watch her perform these exercises in. There are also meal-plans and a meditation option where you spend time doing yoga/pilates moves while she is doing the same in a garden and water setting. I love how she cheers you on, it really doesn't seem to matter that I know she can't see me, because the program is, after all, asking me quite often how things feel for me and how motivated I am. I HIGHLY reccommend this for every level of exercise ability. It's just so fun, too!...more info
  • Great Product - Doesn't Crash on my PC
    I started using these product 3-years ago and found it to be just the thing for getting in better shape. Since I was a vain, very overweight male, I didn't want to join a club and be the most out of shape person there. I also didn't want to spend $80 a session on a personal trainer and I wanted a program with variety and a feedback system so I wouldn't hurt myself. The simple act of monitoring your heart rate with a chest/wrist heart monitor when you use this program will help keep you from getting sick or hurt. This will allow you to continue to workout on a regular basis without feeling so bad the next day that you don't want to do it again. I lost 30 pounds using this program and a good diet over 8-months. I have started to use it again after a 2-year break to get back on track again. I have never ever had it crash on my PC. I have a decent graphics card in my PC which may be the difference. I heartily recommend this to anyone regardless of your condition. It is really well thought out AND FUN program that adapts itself to your needs. Using this program on a regular basis and visiting with a Nutrition specialist once a month should certainly get you where you want to be....more info
  • Wonderful!
    I bought this item about two weeks ago and have been using it for a little over a week now. I THOUGHT I was in pretty good shape before Mya arrived--and oh, how she proved me wrong. There were a few days at the beginning there where I was seriously starting to consider if she might be trying to kill me. But, already I can feel a difference in my muscle tone (the soreness has yet to abate) and I am feeling much better about myself. Mya's encouragement, organization and spontanaety in routine have been a refreshing and thoroughly enjoyable (okay, so maybe not always SO much enjoyable) experience. My only critique is that sometimes she forgets to warn you when she's changing excercises (as in some of the yoga poses, in which you CANNOT see the screen), and sometimes she's a little fast in changing excersises or positions (but that may be just me). And I recommend a strong sense of humor for anyone trying the yoga poses for the first time--I think I wore out the tutoring button on those.
    So, in short, I would highly recommend this product to anyone looking to shed a few pounds, build some muscle, or just get in better shape....more info
  • Great Product!
    I bought this product after I read an article in a magazine. It is great! I had it over a month now and each workout has been different. I have not lost any weight, but I am losing inches. Shorts that didn't fit me at the beginning of August now do! I noticed I have more energy and I am definitely not as crabby. It is a great product for someone who wants a workout without having to go to classes....more info
  • bye bye gym membership
    Tried YF this morning and loved it. bye bye gym membership!

    Its been 5 years since i last did yoga and 3 since I have done any aerobics classes. So I elected for the 'guest pass' feature to get a quick idea about the program and get my footing. Chose to focus on 'weight loss/30 minutes/hip hop/no equipment/in the city.'

    Got started with some basic movements then 10 minutes into it... I am sweating like I would after 20-25 minutes at the gym on the eliptical machine. the music was good... and I like the little bar at the bottom that tells you the next exercise move coming up. after a bit, i was transitioning into the next move right on time (which has never happened in gym classes). 14 minutes into the 30 I am thinking I should have opted for the shorter workout... but I hung in there and got my self moving and really made myself proud.

    Managed to do the whole routine and am excited to try another tomorrow. I have 15 lbs to lose and am looking forward to it!

    (...)...more info
  • The novelty alone will keep you interested!
    I've been an on again/off again exerciser. I get frustrated with the time spent going to the gym, checking in, changing, etc. so I'd rather work out at home. I've got several videos, which I've stuck pretty well to, but Yourself!Fitness has allowed me to go a step further by keeping me exercising daily for 20+ days. I know that may not sound like much, but I'm very pleased with the committment I've been able to keep. Perhaps it's because Maya (the virtual trainer) responds so "humanly". I missed a work out one day last week, and when I logged in the next day she said "Hey! I missed you last time!" , almost as if she was really disappointed that I stood her up. Additionally, she sounds human, looks human and does human things...such as straighten her shirt between exercises, or tie her shoe, or tighten her ponytail. Again, this sounds a bit goofy, but the real-ness of her helps to make me feel like I really DO have to show up, that I'm letting SOMEONE down - videos and DVDs don't hold me accountable.

    As to whether or not the fitness program is working or not - I can tell you yes. I really don't know how much weight I've lost, but I know it's enough that my pants fit differently, and that little "thing" on the side of my thigh (do we call those saddlebags? Yuk - such an UGLY word!) has dissipated. My shoulders and arms are changing shape, my calves are becoming more defined and I have lots more energy than I used to.

    I typically work out with Maya everyday for 30-45 minutes, and I usually choose the workout she suggests for me. I toss in a flexibility workout once or twice a week, and the meditation garden (yoga) once a week or whenever I'm feeling particularly lifeless or taut from earlier workouts. I like the fact that in the Meditation Garden, Maya repeats the instructions the first few times - it helps get the moves right and puts the particular move into muscle memory so that it becomes easy to do it without her narration.

    Note that throughout - and at the end - the program asks how you felt about the last section. Depending upon your answer, the next workout is modified to either slow it down or challenge you even more. I appreciate that it reflects my "mood" while keeping inline with the goals I've set.

    The recipes that are provided are tasty and easy to prepare. I haven't yet found anything that requires a trip to a specialty store. The menu plan is easy to set up and follow - I'm doing a bit of a modified plan since I have a family who aren't all dieting. And there is plenty of variety so I don't feel like I'm only eating chicken and brown rice with a small salad day in and day out.

    I seriously think that this is a wonderful program. I'm giving it great word of mouth among my friends. As I mentioned at the beginning, if nothing else, the novelty and freshness of the program will keep me interested for quite a while to come!...more info
  • Decent for someone starting Yoga
    I purchased this to help improve my yoga (I just started learning) and not for the "workout" parts. I will therefore restrict my comments to that part of the product dealing with yoga.

    Summary:

    Nice tool. Probably worth it if you are care about very introductory yoga. Would purchase the next version because I think this has a lot of potential.

    Pros
    - No competition
    - Develop did a decent (but not great)job thinking out the product and how it would be used.
    - Useful motivation tool. Doing a few minutes of this is better than watching TV.

    Cons

    - Weak graphics. The artwork of the instructor on the box and in the pre-rendered movies is excellent. "In-game" she appears pixelated and rudmentary. There's no excuse for this. There's not much complicated to be rendering compared to a number of other games (all of which accomplish a better visuals and real-time action). They have one character in a room. They should be able to optimize the visuals for this.

    - Maya is not aware that it real humans sometimes take more time with poses. Not everything can be done in three seconds. She she transitions impossibly fast. She engages in and switched between poses impossibly fast. She needs to slow it down.

    - Maya needs to provide more instructions about the basics: Breathing, posture, pelvic tilt, etc. A real yoga instructor tells you far more about what to think about in order to successfully achieve the pose.

    - Maya has not figured out that while I am trying to achieve the pose it's enourmously difficult to watch her at the same time to verify I am doing it correctly. Maya should verbally instruct the viwer on entering the pose so that we can listen and focus instead of craning our necks out of the pose to see what she is doing.

    - Music of mediocre quality.

    - Maya's lips not synch'ed closely to voice. I expect better.

    - Personal nit: I find the choice of rooms (environments) in which Maya does here thing to be weakly designed and tired. Personally I would prefer if just just demonstrated the poses in under a white sky on white floor with the walls infinitely far away. (If you've seen "The Matrix" you know what look I am talking about.)
    ...more info
  • Get Hooked on Exercise!!!
    I'm not a big exercise fan, but this product got me hooked on exercising and helped me lose 21 pounds. I've gotten two friends hooked on it too. It tracks your progress, mixes up the exercises so you don't get bored, and increases the difficulty so you progress nicely. It really is your own Personal Fitness Trainer. I own the Playstation 2 version and my friends own the PC version. No complaints on either version. ...more info
  • Excellent personal trainer
    If you're lacking a gym, hate sterile workouts that leave you plateaued, and need dynamic workouts - let this little number help you out. What a great program - your personal trainer adjusts to your abilities, the sound track is fine, the exercises are fun, and there are so many options to go along with it.

    The diet planning section is a little weak, though I never attempted to truly make use of it. You DO get tired of the exercises after repetition, so a little more variety would have been useful.

    That said, this is far better than a book or video, could even be better than a pass to the gym....more info

 

 
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