Listed as one of the top fitness trends for 2009 we have exergaming. “Exergaming” is video game technology that gets participants leaping, swinging and sweating—and they’re moving beyond Wii or Dance Dance Revolution. Video game–enabled bikes, boards, pads and other equipment are popping up in schools, health clubs and even doctors’ offices.”

The article on MSN goes on to list pros and cons.

Pros: “Active gaming makes exercise fun,” says Lisa Hansen, M.S., co-director of XRKade Research Labs at the University of South Florida. “Participants enjoy themselves, which motivates them to go to the gym more and work out longer.” (Umm, Lisa, most people are doing this in their living room, kidding themselves that it is exercise. In fact, they have a soda and a bowl of chips nearby)

Cons: Research from the University of Michigan Health System shows that actual sports burn three to four times more calories than virtual exercise—so exergaming shouldn’t replace “real” activities. And, Hundt says, “Nobody is checking your form or correcting poor posture, so the chance of injury is increased for inexperienced gamers.” (Wouldn’t that be a great conversation around the office cooler? Yeah, I pulled a muscle playing Guitar Hero.)

I understand the line between the computer and our lives is increasingly blurred. I understand too, because I see it with my kids, that we are not talking about Pong or Space Invaders when we talk about video games. Some of these role playing games are complex and require the mind of Columbo (old TV detective, in case you didn’t know) to solve them. However, there is no substitute for running a mile. You can’t run a mile on your couch.

Nor is there any virtual substitute for leadership. You can’t lead your group virtually. Emails are nice but you need to get out and talk to people where they are and build relationships with them. Remember that the number one determinant of leader success is the quality of the relationship between leader and led. Exergaming may be easy and fun but it isn’t real. If you want to be successful in any endeavor you must work at it. Leadership is no different. You may be a tactical genius in Wizards of Warcraft (I think that is the name of the game) but that doesn’t mean your people would follow you to an oasis in a desert if you were leading them.

Enjoy life. Play on your Wii. Then get out of the living room and do the work.

This entry was posted on Friday, January 2nd, 2009 at 3:04 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.