Wii Fit Cardio is good for beginners, but it eventually gets too easy. You may begin to plateau. There are some things you can do to maximize your Wii Fit.

I must advise you to consult a physician, and start slow before making major adjustments. You will spend some extra money, but it’s not too expensive.

Here’s a list of items that I’ve used to make Wii Fit’s Free Step feature the ultimate total body workout.

Weighted vest

I use a 20 pound adjustable weight vest. I believe most vests are one size fits all, and the weight can be added or taken off. The average cost is 40-50 dollars. With or without a Wii Fit, the vest adds extra resistance to any exercise. Squats, push-ups, and lunges are enhanced by the extra resistance. I’ve known a few athletes who run and train with a weighted vest. The added resistance can increase speed and explosion. It gets the leg and core muscles to work even harder.

Dumbells

They can be any weight, but you need to get a set that you can lift continuously for half an hour. I recommended that you get compact ones that allow for a great range of motion. You will be pumping iron consistently while stepping. So don’t get a pair that’s too heavy. Even a 2 pound set can feel like 20 pounds by the end of your workout. I paid 20 bucks for a pair of 8 pound neoprene dumbells.

Ankle weights

They operate on the same principal as a weighted vest, but they are more targeted at the leg muscles. It can help tone the abs as you lift your knees. If you’re not ready for a 20 pound vest, you can start off with a pair of ankle weights. I have a 10 pound pair (5 pounds per leg) that I bought for about 12 bucks. Make sure they fit well and secure on bare feet. You can’t wear socks on a Wii Fit, so you’ll have to go barefoot on these ankle weights.

Wrist weights

If you don’t feel good gripping a pair of dumbbells, you can strap weights on to your wrists. It can be used in conjunction with dumbells. Rather than having multiple sets of dumbells, you can use wrist weights to add a couple pounds to your dumbells when you put on the wrist weights. I have a 4 pound pair, which I paid about 11 bucks for. I started my work out with 5 pound weights, when that got light, I added the 2 pound wrist weights. Eventually I outgrew the 7 pounds, and went for 8 pound weights. My next step will be to add the 2 pound wrist weights to the 8 pounders.

Stepper/Stool

In reality, the Wii Fit, is not very a good stepper. It’s only a couple inches off the ground. When I do my free step, I put a simple $5 stool in front of the Wii Fit. The stool becomes my stepper, the Wi Fit board becomes the floor. As you'll see in the video, ground plus Fit Board plus stool can become a 3 level stepper. You can get any actual stepper which runs at least $30 dollars. Basic step stools are good enough. Make sure you have good traction, and that the stepper is sturdy enough to withstand constant beating pressure. When I first implemented the stool with my Fit Board, I weighed 211 pounds, and I also had about 50 pounds worth of weights with me. You will need a sturdy stepper that can withstand 300 pounds.

Fitness cords

Simple fitness resistance cords cost less than 10 dollars a band, and have inifinite uses. I have not yet tried using them in conjunction with a Wii Fit Board. I’m still trying to figure out how to securely fasten them to either the stepper of board.

Like I said earlier, make sure your capable of this exercise and start out slow. You can pick which implements you want ,or you can go for it all.

Stepping on to the stepper/stool can be tricky, I suggest you get use to it at first. When you get use to it, you can be creative with your exercises.

Positioning the step stool farther or closer helps you vary the resistance and muscle groups worked. You can go side ways, backwards, and throw in some twists or lunges if you’d like. There are dozens of different things you can do with your arms from bicep curls, to tricep extensions, and shoulder presses.

I’ve combined other exercises I’ve learned with this stepper routine. By the end of a 30 minute session, I’ve given my biceps, triceps, shoulders, and abs a good workout. Since it’s Free Step, you can switch channels while listening to the rhythm on the Wii Mote. So I’ve managed to catch up on some TV while burning calories.

At some point I was doing Maximum Wii Fit about 4 times a week, 30 minutes a day. The results weren’t as satisfactory, I had lost about 7 pounds in 2 weeks with this Wii Fit exercise. I did do this in conjunction with weight lifting, and Perfect Push Ups.

Since I went on Tony Horton’s Ten Minute Trainer, I only do this stepper 3 times a week in conjunction with the trainer video. Since then I lost about 10 pounds in 3 weeks.

Remember what works for some may not work for all. Proper diet is also a big factor in weight loss. For now I’ve found a workout regimen that has worked. Eventually I’ll have to switch it up when I plateau. But many dieticians recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise, and it can be spread throughout the day.

Here’s a video and if you gave some of these tips a shot, or if you have any of tips on your own please do share for our fellow Wii Fit exercisers.