Microsoft Announces Xbox Fitness for Xbox One With Kinect 2 and P90X
Video games often times get a bad rap. If they're not being blamed for real world violence and carnage, there's the stereotypical view of the diehard gamer who's overweight, under-groomed, and lacks social skills. Like anything else, it all boils down to how you use something, and with the introduction of Xbox Fitness for the Xbox One, you'll have plenty of opportunities to work up a sweat and shatter stereotypes.
Xbox Fitness is a subscription service that brings celebrity trainers into your living room and onto the big screen. Through the Xbox One, you'll be able to train with Jillian Michaels, Tracy Anderson, P90X, Insanity, and more. The bundled Kinect sensor is key, allowing you to receive immediate feedback on your form, power, and heart rate, which you can then use to optimize your workouts.
How so, you ask? The second generation Kinect sensor is pretty remarkable in what it's able to detect. According to Microsoft, it estimates your heart rate by detecting micro-fluctuations in your skin. There's no sensor to wear. It also sees which muscles are most engaged by the power, force, and transfer of weight in your body and gives you tips to produce stronger results.
Some of the workouts can be pretty intense, and if you're dialing it in, a trainer may ride you to step up your game, just as he/she would in real life. There are a variety of workouts to choose from, so whether you have just 10 minutes or a full hour, you can jump in and burn off some calories.
Unlimited access to the service is available through Xbox Live Gold through the holiday season. Starting January 2014, unlimited access will required a paid Xbox Fitness Pass subscription and Xbox Live Gold, both sold separately.
Xbox Fitness is a subscription service that brings celebrity trainers into your living room and onto the big screen. Through the Xbox One, you'll be able to train with Jillian Michaels, Tracy Anderson, P90X, Insanity, and more. The bundled Kinect sensor is key, allowing you to receive immediate feedback on your form, power, and heart rate, which you can then use to optimize your workouts.
How so, you ask? The second generation Kinect sensor is pretty remarkable in what it's able to detect. According to Microsoft, it estimates your heart rate by detecting micro-fluctuations in your skin. There's no sensor to wear. It also sees which muscles are most engaged by the power, force, and transfer of weight in your body and gives you tips to produce stronger results.
Some of the workouts can be pretty intense, and if you're dialing it in, a trainer may ride you to step up your game, just as he/she would in real life. There are a variety of workouts to choose from, so whether you have just 10 minutes or a full hour, you can jump in and burn off some calories.
Unlimited access to the service is available through Xbox Live Gold through the holiday season. Starting January 2014, unlimited access will required a paid Xbox Fitness Pass subscription and Xbox Live Gold, both sold separately.
