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College Students Get Credit for Playing 'Wii Fit'

by Caleb Johnson on September 15, 2009 at 08:25 AM

At the University of Houston, there's a converted racquetball court that houses an aerobics class. Yet, this isn't your traditional aerobics class, no spandex-clad instructor stands at the front of the room. Instead, students turn their gazes to a television screen.

That's because they're playing 'Wii Fit,' and it counts as college credit, too. According to NPR, students who enroll in PEB 4197 play the video game for 20 to 30 minutes twice a week. In turn, they earn one hour of college credit, and just maybe, a healthier body. There are ten Wii consoles that will track the students' progress throughout the semester. Charles Layne, chairman of the Department of Health and Human Performance, says the goal of the class is to attract folks who typically might not attend a traditional yoga or pilates class. In other words, it's a workout designed for nerds.

This isn't the first time Nintendo's exercise game has made an appearance in schools. It's definitely a trend we don't mind seeing, either. In college, we never would've set foot inside an aerobics class, filled with beautiful co-eds sweating to some dance music. But in the 'Wii Fit' class, we have a feeling our flabby bodies, and general nerdiness would be more accepted. [From: NPR, via Asylum]

Tags: college, exercise, health, nintendo, top, weird, wii, wii fit, yoga

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