I have been using the Wii Fit semi-regularly for a couple of weeks and am quite pleased with the results so far. Seriously, I have lost a couple of pounds, and some days I can really feel the effects of the Jackknifes and Lunges. More importantly, the motivation to exercise is up (I am even thinking of bringing my running shoes out of retirement).

For the most part, I have been doing the strength training exercises first thing in the morning. As I increase the reps and unlock new exercises, my workout is lasting about 30 minutes. I will post a more in depth report after one full month of using this cursed balance board.

I managed to get one of the hard-to-find  (I even paid retail, good luck). The workouts started on Monday, and I am going to take it easy for the first couple of weeks. Wii Fit has two tracks that are focused on getting a workout, yoga and strength training, and two tracks that are more aimed at fun, aerobics and balance games.

A little background on my fitness: I have never been really overweight, but I have also never had a whole lot of muscle mass. I am in my late thirties, and haven’t really made a commitment to working out regularly. That is not to say that I am a complete couch potato, with the exception of college football on Saturday, I don’t watch a whole lot of television and I haven’t even owned a game console the last few years until I recently got the Wii. I do get out and play with things like biking, kite flying, and soccer. The bottom line is I am not a total slug, but there is definitely room for improvement in my fitness

My first Body Test reported that my BMI (Body Mass Index) was 23.07 (not too bad for a 39-year old). The animated balance board that speaks to you throughout the game told me my ideal BMI would be 22.00, that would require a loss of 8 pounds - yikes! Since it has been such a long time away from regular workouts for me, I was conservative and gave myself two months to achieve my BMI goal.

The balance measurements of the Wii Fit are incredibly sensitive, the slightest shift in weight, either left to right or front to back, are dramatically displayed as you go through the workouts. I have been giving the Wii Fit about 20 minutes in the morning of active work (no fun games for now), and as my minutes accumulate, more exercises are unlocked. I have never practiced yoga before, and I am learning that I have a long way to go with my balance. The strength training is pretty standard fare, again with the emphasis on balance. Lunges seem much more strenuous when continually receiving feedback on proper form.

So, after a few days, my thighs are sore (the lunges) and I can feel my abs (the yoga and the flying V’s), but I am having fun. This morning, the thought of going out for a run even occurred to me (it’s been a while). I am going to resist the urge to expand my workout during these early weeks and concentrate on unlocking all of the exercises and getting into a routine.

Ordered a New Tech Ballistic 4.9 power kite on ebay. It was a flown once demo, and the price was right. Of course, I unpacked it in the living room when I go home, and was immediately impressed with the size of this beast. I understand that the Ballistic is a value kite, so I wasn’t terribly upset that the construction was not on the same level as the Prism Stylus. They did the right things: sewn bridle, stretched lines, etc, but there were loose/stray threads everywhere and the ends of the sleeving were not properly closed.

I probably should not call this post first flight, because I took the Ballistic out with the included control bar one time and quickly realized I should be flying this kite with 4-line handles. It was sluggish and slow turning on the bar, but the pull was incredible in 10mph wind.

After the first flight, I ordered a pair of HQ Quad Handles XL and some kite killers. Switching to handles required me to equalize the brake and power lines, as they were originally configured to use with a control bar. It took a few walks out to the kite before everything was dialed in, but it was time to do some real flying.

I took the Frankencruiser out to a local field about a mile from the shore, summer weekends at the beach are a bit crowded and the winds are brutally strong for a first flight. Launching the Ballistic in 8mph wind was easy, the kite didn’t fully inflate until it had passed through the power zone, so the pull was manageable. The handles were a smart investment, I could really turn this kite with the breaks. A totally different flying experience! The wind picked up throughout the session, getting up to 14mph, and the scudding was on. This kite has a decent amount of lift, so I am sure there is some static jumping in it’s future.

Got the Prism Stylus P.3 Power Kite (Seafoam) today in the mail. This is the first foil kite I have flown, and after one flight, I can guarantee it won’t be the last. The kite comes ready to fly with flying lines, winder, padded straps and includes a stuff sack. It packs down to slightly larger that a football.

Based on the Beaufort Scale, I estimated the wind to be around 8-12 mph at Sunset Beach, CA. I launched solo by weighing down the trailing edge, and gradually tensioned the lines until the kite inflated. A gentle pull on the straps and the P3 took off. I immediately felt the pull like nothing my Top of the Line Spin-Offs could generate. The P3 is loads of fun, fast and pulls like a train! After a few minutes, I was breathing hard and had worked up a full sweat. What a blast!

When my friend Fawad showed up some time later, I was ready for a break. Fawad is a novice kiter, but he’s always ready for anything. I turned over the reins and sat back to enjoy the show.

He’s hooked on the power kiting thing, and so am I.