Talk about fun!  Toy Fair 2010 opens in New York on February 14 and runs through February 17.  This trade show is the largest toy show in the Western Hemisphere.  Though it’s not open to the public, industry insiders will be sharing their products and attending educational sessions.  To kick off the event, the Toy of the Year Awards will be held on February 13.

As active gaming becomes even more mainstream, we’re excited about the active gaming vendors who will be at the show.  Find out more about companies like DDR Game!

For anyone who wants to keep up with the latest in active gaming, subscribing to Active Gaming News is a must.  This monthly newsletter covers all aspects of the active gaming industry, from product reviews to the latest happenings and more.  Whether you are someone in the fitness industry looking to broaden your knowledge on the latest trends, or a curious consumer who wants to find out what all the fuss is about, Active Gaming News is for you.

To subscribe, send a request to X360@itechfitness.com.

We here at iTECH would like to wish you and yours a joyous holiday season and a prosperous new year!

The new XR-Boards are in!  XR-Board 2000 features concealed wires, a magnetic attachment for the controller, a tether system to protect the ends of the wires, and a sleek new frame design.  Combine that with improved sensor technology and we’re ready to ride!

There is a trade-out policy in place for facilities with the original XR-Board; please contact iTECH Fitness for details.  For those who have been waiting to purchase, now is the time!  We’re excited to see XR-Board 2000 in our XRKades® next year.

With Wii sales booming and XRKades® all over North America bustling with gamers, it’s no surprise to us that technology-based fitness was on the American Council on Exercise’s list of top fitness trends for 2009.

Every year, ACE conducts a survey of its trainers, health specialists, group fitness instructors, and lifestyle and weight management consultants.  The results give us an up-close look at what fitness professionals see on a daily basis, and how exercisers prefer to spend their workout time.

From Wii Fit to Expresso Bikes, from the Lightspace to Dance Dance Revolution, active gaming is making an impact with fitness enthusiasts everywhere.  Technology lived up to the prediction this year and gave us something to do besides plodding away on the treadmill. 

Other trends from the past year include boot camp workouts, specialty classes, kettlebells, and budget-friendly workouts.  See the original story here.

Our neighbors to the north are doing some exciting work in the area of active gaming.  The University of Calgary in Calgary, Alberta, in collaboration with Mount Royal University, is home to Canada’s first exergaming research center.  Headed up by Dwayne Sheehan and Dr. Larry Katz, the center is seeking to discover just how effective active gaming is at keeping our youth active and healthy.

Using technology like the Wii Fit, XR-Board, and iDance, they are studying the acquisition of fundamental movement skills through the use of active gaming.  If games like these can be used to develop a child’s balance, coordination, and agility, active gaming could serve to improve self-confidence in physical activity and, therefore, cultivate an appreciation of movement that lasts a lifetime. 

Students in Grades 3 and 4 at an elementary school in Calgary have been chosen to participate in the five-year study.  Not only are they playing the games during their gym class and tracking their progress, they are using that data in other classes like health and math.

For more information about the University of Calgary Exergaming Research Centre, visit www.ucalgary.ca/exergaming.

It’s that time of year again: Club Industry!  If you’ve been wondering what XRKade is all about, now is a great time to find out.

If you’re headed to Chicago for this big event at McCormick Place, stop by booth 531 to see XRKade® in action!  The exhibit hall is open on Thursday, October 15 from 12:30-5:30pm; Friday, October 16 from 11:30am-5:30pm; and Saturday, October 17 from 10:00am-2:00pm.  While you’re there, take advantage of the special show pricing for all XRKade® equipment on our show floor!

Get to know our people, and let us get to know you.  Tell us about the needs in your facility and see how active gaming solutions can work for you.  See you in Chicago at booth 531!

Earlier this year, The Briar Club became the first XRKade® in Texas — and the first in a country club!  Club staff and members alike have embraced their new facility.

Over the summer, they ran a month-long contest based upon participation, and some of their participants attended all 30 days!  During slower hours, the kids were allowed to have competitions, complete with prizes, if they went down to the pool and gathered more participants.  Weekly contests and prize give-aways still keep the kids coming back for more.

But they haven’t stopped there!  The Briar Club is getting the adults involved with an XRKade® group fitness class.  They have adjusted their hours to accomodate school schedules and already have events planned for the upcoming fall and winter holidays.

Now is an exciting time to belong to The Briar Club — and we’re excited to have them as part of our XRKade® family.

iTECH Fitness is proud to call racecar driver Jason VandeKamp a member of Team XRKade®.  Jason started racing as a hobby in 2002, but he so enjoyed it that he continued to pursue the sport and in 2005 he had 48 feature wins and two championships!

In 2008 he joined Team XRKade® and took the racing honor of Rookie of the Year.  Already this year, Vandy Racing has surpassed their goal of tripling last year’s feature wins.  With seven weeks and about 20 races left in the season, the team expects to finish with more than 20 feature wins and 45 top-5 finishes!

Have you seen Jason’s car at your local XRKade®?  You might!  It has already made some appearances at the YMCAs of Minneapolis.  Jason says, “I appreciate the support of iTECH Fitness and think it’s great to see the kids have so much fun in the XRKade®.”

“I couldn’t be happier with Jason’s performance on the track and his support of the XRKade®.  The guy knows how to win and has a passion for his dreams, which is what we look for in our members of Team XRKade®,” says Mike Hansen, CEO of iTECH Fitness.

Our eyes are on the track to see what Jason will do next!

Team XRKade® is made of groups and individuals who embody the spirit of XRKade® in their daily lives and careers.  If you think you have what it takes, fill out an application at www.xrkade.com.

Humana Games for Health is hosting a fantastic contest!  The InsertCoin Healthy Game Competition is your opportunity to develop your own active game.  The game must be fun and promote a healthy lifestyle, and can be created with kids, families, or seniors in mind.

The semi-finalist designs will be considered for production.  While they can’t promise to produce the winning concept, the designer will be awarded $5,000!  Second place will get $3,000, and third place will get $2,000.

The game concept can require a gaming console, computer, sensor, skateboard — or none of the above!  You can use technology or accessories in any way you want, as long as your idea promotes health. 

Enter online at www.humanagames.com by September 9, 2009!