- Balancing boards, or wobble boards, are fun and challenging, meant to improve balance and coordination in players of any age or skill levels. Balance boards range from inflatable sports discs to wooden boards with balled bottoms. Players stand on top of the surface and try to keep the balance board from tipping too far to one side or the other. Balance boards target core muscle development, balance reaction time and motor skill activity. They are great for soccer players, snowboarders, and skaters, as well as the average active person. Get control while you move the board from side to side, back and forth and in a circle. See if you can keep the board from touching the ground longer each time. Set goals and watch your balance improve. Get some extra balance boards and challenge your friends and family to games of balancing skill.
- In 2008, the University of Wisconsin's LaCrosse Exercise and Health Program released a study that examined the benefits of Wii Sports games. Wii boxing was at the top of the list for calorie burning, cardio workout games for the Wii console. Wii boxers increase their oxygen intake and burn calories five to six times above normal resting value when engaged in a match. Researcher John Porcari states that playing Wii against an opponent can be a inspiring motivator, and the convenience of a home console makes it more likely for a person to stick with a workout program. The hope behind the University's research is to find that people who don't normally want to work out will see that fitness can be fun.
- Dance Dance Revolution is an active game that comes in a number of formats. The dance pad is available for Xbox, Wii and PlayStation and is often found at arcade locations in the form of a mini, lighted dance floor platform complete with a video screen for instructions. Adults and children can start at any level, and work from slow, guided steps to faced-paced, complicated dance maneuvers. The game for console versions comes with a workout mode where players can amp up their dance routine, burn calories and track progress. In 2003, Dance Dance Revolution was registered in Norway as a national sport.
- The challenging workout game that has been around since ancient times, Tug-of-War is a group favorite for field day events and public gatherings. There is no limit on the number of people who can join the game, and variations can even include four or six-way tugs. Players hold the ends of a rope, teammates grouping together and opponents facing each other. On the referee's mark, players attempt to pull the opposing team across a center line between the groups to win the game. This requires continuous tension, a challenge to major muscle groups that have to exert effort for a given amount of time without rest, which helps a player test endurance and discipline, as well as cooperation with team members.