Motivate Me! Taking your phone for a walk: How Pokemon go has succeeded doing what parents have been asking kids to do for years

A new craze has taken over the world. it's called let's take the phone for a walk. I know most people who own a mobile phone take it with them when they go out. But it's rare for the phone to be the driver behind the actual movement.

• Take an old video game
• Overlay the characters onto a map you download onto your phone
• Give it plenty of hype and
• You have the makings of absolute brilliance

So what makes this phenomena so interesting?

The company that had all but disappeared from the gaming scene and

What could be described as an obsolete game has fired imaginations and the companies bank balance. It also does not look like the phenomena will be going away any time soon. (hint there's a wearable version coming, so you don't have to stare at your phone all the time).

Add in kids, teens and the young at heart who are more used to exercising their thumbs rather than their bodies - who are now scouring streets and parks looking for the characters.

People who were getting next to no physical activity are now racking up thousands of steps per day with their mates.

Exercise designed as fun:

There are many benefits

• People are outside
• They are exercising
• They're getting and enjoying social interaction.

Where traditionally video games create indoor, static, socially isolated individuals. Pokemon Go has done something parents the world over have been telling their kids to do for years.

"GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY"

Of course there will always be the odd case of the stupids

Walking into traffic and water because you are too intent on the screen

Playing while driving - hey if this is you, you're missing the point.

So what does this tell you about exercise?

• Exercise does not have to be boring or something you have to do to get and keep fit.
• Sometimes it can be a normal part of your day to day life.
• Exercise can be done anywhere and with anyone, and in a lot of cases you don't need any special equipment. In fact sometimes all you need is imagination, a smart phone, the map app and a penchant for zapping video game characters and you'll get all the exercise you need.