A well done infomercial plays on the emotions and inspires a person to want to buy. A product called the Shake Weight has been shaking up the infomercial world lately and raising eyebrows with its rather provocative ads. The makers of this fitness product claim it works the arm and shoulder muscles more effectively than conventional weights. Is there any truth to this?
What Exactly is the Shake Weight?
The Shake Weight is similar in shape to a conventional dumbbell – but it has springs at each end. Unlike conventional dumbbells which are made to be lifted, the Shake Weight is designed to be shaken. When it’s used, the springs create resistance to work the arm and shoulder muscles. The makers of this product claim that the Shake Weight works on the concept of dynamic resistance – which implies that the muscle is worked in more than one direction with varying degrees of resistance.
Is There Any Scientific Evidence that the Shake Weight Works?
According to the makers of the Shake Weight, two studies showed that these weights work the arm muscles more effectively than conventional dumbbells – although these studies weren’t published in reputable journals – but were carried out specifically for the purpose of promoting the product. It’s hard to give them too much credibility.
Does It Do What It Says It Does?
It depends on what a person’s goals are. The Shake Weight only weighs 2.5 pounds. A weight this light is not going to build lean body mass, although it may do a little toning if used consistently. Most people will be disappointed to find that it won’t magically turn flabby arms into firm, toned ones. That would require aerobic exercise to remove the excess fat and resistance exercise to contour the muscle.
There is a DVD that’s six minutes in length that explains how to use the Shake Weight – and the muscles are worked through a very limited range of motion which isn’t ideal for toning or building. Rather than invest in a lightweight Shake Weight, it would be more beneficial to use heavier dumbbells (at least five pounds) to firm and tone the muscles in the arms and shoulders – while doing aerobic exercise to burn additional fat.
The Bottom Line: Does the Shake Weight Have Any Value?
On the other hand, the Shake Weight isn’t completely useless. It’s a good tool for warming up and increasing blood flow to the arms before doing an upper body workout. It’s also a good device to take to work for a little exercise that doesn’t require leaving the workstation. It’s small enough to be easily portable which is an advantage. Is it worth the $19.95 price? For anyone looking for ripped arms and shoulders, probably not, but it’s not a bad way to warm up before a real workout.
References:
http://www.shakeweight.com
