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Beat the heat with Kinect

Approximately 70 per cent of the UAE's population are overweight and 30 per cent are obese, according to the World Health Organisation - alarming statistics that give rise to the high prevalence of diabetes and increased risk of heart disease, among others risks. Low levels of physical activity are one of the major causes for increasing concern about the nation's health.

As temperatures soar, outdoor activities become an increasing challenge. Fitness classes don’t always fit that easily into a busy schedule, while gym memberships and personal trainer services can sometimes break the budget. This is where Kinect for Xbox 360, Microsoft's revolutionary motion sensor device, comes into the picture.

Launched in 2010, Kinect has a wide portfolio of fitness games which put your whole body into the action, with no controller required. All you have to do to start playing is to simply step in front of the sensor, and Kinect will recognise you and respond to your gestures. Requiring just a power connection, a TV and only 1.8 metres squared of playing space, Kinect allows you to stay in shape in the comfort of your own living room.

Aman Sangar, Interactive Entertainment Business Category Lead of Microsoft Middle East and Asia, explains, "Scorching summer weather and a car-oriented culture often leaves residents with few opportunities to exercise. Kinect uses a motion sensor that tracks your entire body, so when you play, it's not only about your hands and wrists. It's about all of you - arms, legs, knees and so on."

So whether you have 20 minutes for a quick work-out before you pick the kids up from school, want to combine exercise with your hectic work schedule, or get the whole family moving on a weekend in, Kinect has something for everyone. We've put together a list of some of the games on offer, so it's time to get connected, and get moving. The results will speak for themselves.


Kinect Sports: Season Two
The second season of the top-selling and award-winning Kinect Sports offers more full-body action, in-game voice control, and six new sports to enjoy - Football, Golf, Baseball, Skiing, Darts and Tennis.
Kinect Sports: Season Two turns your home into a world-class sports arena where immersive, full-body gameplay and the new Challenge Play mode allow for great family entertainment, and will get everyone from casual players to hardcore athletes up off the couch and into the game.

Dance Central 2
Dance Central 2 offers full-body dance moves with professional-grade choreography to a soundtrack featuring Usher, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Bruno Mars, Daft Punk and more. Sequel to the best-selling Dance Central, the new title introduces all-new routines and a simultaneous multiplayer mode.
In January, Xbox 360 announced that Christopher Lawrence, a professional UAE-based dancer and instructor, set the new Guinness World Record for the Longest Videogames Marathon Playing a Motion-Sensing Dance Game by dancing for 16 hours, 21 minutes and 44 seconds on Dance Central 2.

Your Shape Fitness Evolved
This game is designed to deliver a 3D, controller-free fitness simulation experience like no other. Built around the camera, depth sensors and the multi-array microphone of Kinect, Your Shape Fitness Evolved allows for real-time motion capture of the player's movements, facial recognition and voice and interactive menu commands.
Offering personal training or gym game options, players have the choice of choosing work-outs ranging from cardio to muscle toning, with your progress being continuously monitored, or having some fun taking part in games such as Virtual Smash, Light Race, Loop-a-hoop and Stack 'em Up.

Zumba Fitness
If you prefer dance-based exercises, then Zumba Fitness is for you. This one-of-a-kind dance fitness work-out is set to high-energy Latin and international music, and taught by Zumba instructor fan favourites Gina Grant, Tanya Beardsley as well as Zumba's very own creator, Beto.
The game is made up of 30 routines that will work you into a sweat and make you forget you're exercising. Plus, you can set up multiple profiles for the whole family, meaning that more than one person can use the system without affecting the previous player's result.

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