Faced with epidemic levels of obesity in America’s youth, leave it to the toy industry to divine a way to incorporate fun with fitness. This year’s American International Toy Fair opening February 12 in New York, heralds the notion of coupling exercise with entertainment, or EnterTraining.
The newest entree into the EnterTraining market is TheEnterTRAINER® (www.theEnterTRAINER.com) which "powers your TV with exercise." In direct response to exercise, The EnterTRAINER® turns on any TV and maintains volume in direct relation to heart rate. If heart rate falls below a chosen workout target zone, the volume gradually lowers and ultimately the TV turns off. The TV power and volume are restored once the desired workout level is again achieved. Personalized workout levels are calculated based upon user age and workout goals (aerobic, fat burn or cardio) or heart rate targets can be set manually to conform to specific doctor prescribed regimens.
Applauded as one of the top ten new products launched at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show in January, TheEnterTRAINER promises to be embraced at Toy Fair as the new “gotta have.”
Bridging the gap between fitness and motivation, the mass appeal of this concept proves EnterTraining is more than just a fad.
Almost 46 percent of 31,000 fifth-graders screened in a coronary-artery risk project from 1999 through 2005 were considered overweight or obese, according to guidelines from the Institute of Medicine, an independent scientific adviser. The U.S. Surgeon General reports that, “Our society has become very sedentary. Television, computer and video games contribute to children's inactive lifestyles. 43% of adolescents watch more than 2 hours of television each day.”
Can the solution to obesity truly be found in front of the TV? Excessive video gaming and television viewing are a problem in almost every family. Parents and kids alike are excited to link their exercise performance with the reward of entertainment through EnterTraining.
Faced with the losing battle of limiting children’s access to TV and entertainment, The EnterTrainer® is used as a motivational tool enabling parents to offer a fun way for kids to enjoy their favorite pastime while getting the exercise their doctors recommend. Kids are excited to link their exercise performance, while parents find TheEnterTrainer a noncombattive way to limit television while encouraging exercise.
The EnterTraining craze has been applauded by the health industry as well as sponsored by state funding. In West Virginia, which has one of the nation’s worst obesity problems, each of the 157 middle schools statewide expects to get Dance Dance Revolution video game, with officials hoping to put it in all 753 public schools within three years. Players move their feet on a mat in response to scrolling arrows on the TV screen. To do well, they must tap the symbols on the mat at just the right time. The game isn’t meant to replace physical education and health classes. It is an option that might appeal to students who often dislike other sports.
"If we can get children to change their behavior at a young age, they hopefully will grow up to be healthy, active adults, which would have a positive effect on health-care costs," said Carl Callison of Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield a logical conclusion in light of the U.S. Surgeon General’s report citing that “overweight adolescents have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. This increases to 80% if one or more parent is overweight or obese.”
Diet coupled with exercise effectively manages weight and obesity issues. For those who dread exercise almost as much as they dread the notion of dieting, motivation is the key.
EnterTraining combines our favorite pastime with the rewards of fitness – now even workouts can be fun and games!
Press Contact: Tracey Smith Volpe
Company Name: TheEnterTRAINER.COM
Email: tvolpe-at-powerup.tv
Phone: 610-725-0250
Website: www.theentertrainer.com
