The Shake Weight’s claims of being a revolutionary new way to work out the muscles are partially true – although it requires more coordination than it’s worth.

Available in two varieties; a two and a half pound version for women, for $19.95, and a five pound version for men, for $29.95, the Shake weight is a dumb bell with spring loaded weights on each end.

The weight is available at retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart, online and of course buyers can purchase the Shake Weight through a phone number.

You can lift the Shake Weight like an ordinary weight but to truly get the desired effect you have to shake it.

This review is based on the women’s version.

The Shake Weight comes with an instructional DVD and a few fliers demonstrating popular exercises and claims about its effectiveness.

The flier that comes with the product claims that a user will “see results in as little as 6 minutes a day.” During my six-minute workouts I certainly felt some things, although most of the feelings were self-consciousness and pain.

The workout was fine. Making it through the six minutes was a breeze every time. I even went a little longer than the suggested time. It never felt like much of a workout, though.

Though the website claims it’s a great way to shape and tone the chest, arms and shoulders I didn’t seem to get the full effect.

Honestly it seemed like a less effective and complete workout than doing a few push-ups.

Although I could feel my biceps, triceps and shoulders during the workout, I felt nothing in my chest until I hit myself during some furious shaking.

Yes, there’s a risk of hitting oneself while shaking it. Two of the suggested exercises led to me hitting myself. Not only did I manage to hit myself in the chest – the Shake Weight also assaulted my chin and the back of my head. Although the two and a half pound weight didn’t seem to cause any serious injury to my body, I can’t imagine that hitting yourself in the head with a weight is good for anything.

Not only did I manage to hurt my body, I also managed to hurt my pride.

I felt ridiculous using the Shake Weight. The motions all seemed so suggestive yet familiar.

Whether I tried a popular motion suggested by the flier such as the double hand front shake or one I improved myself, I couldn’t help but feel a little gross while working out with the Shake Weight.

Overall the Shake Weight doesn’t meet its claims as far as working out the upper body goes and doesn’t seem to be any more effective than any traditional form of exercise on what it does affect.

It’s not the worst workout I’ve had but it was certainly the most painful – on both my body and my pride.