I really need to start getting in shape, but I have no time for the gym. Let's face it - Thats more money and takes up time. Wanting something I can do in the comfort of my own home in my own time!
And I glance towards my trusty iphone and all the neat little freebie applications!
I get out my iphone, as I know there seems to be an app for everything! I load up to my trusty itunes app store and browse about. I go to catagories, Health & Fitness, Top Free. And low and behold, there is a SixPack App!
Always tempted by these free apps, and who wouldn't be?!
App free by Pocket Cocktails Inc (Name sounds fun, so why not?!)
http://sixpackapp.com
Post date: 1st March 2010
Version: 1.40 (iphone OS 3.0 tested)
Size: 9.7MB
Rating: 4+ (stars/5)
I select to have a look at app before downloading. It states...
- Over 1 Million downloads of SixPack App worldwide!
- Contains massive content not found in any other fitness app!
- Featured on "THE DOCTORS" TV Show!
- Featured in Men's Journal "The Strongest Apps"
SixPack is the only app that features a "SIXPACK" for each exercise....
1) Before and After studio quality pics
2) Step-by-Step Instructions
3) Great information about the exercise
4) Helpful tips & tricks
5) Detailed Muscle illustrations
6) Don't - what NOT to do!
This app sources amazing content from a top selling weight training book which was supervised by a certified Athletic Therapist and Personal Trainer.
(ooh I am sold!)
Features over a hundred of today's most popular exercises, many that don't require any equipment!
PLEASE CONSULT WITH A PHYSICIAN BEFORE PERFORMING ANY EXERCISE OR POSE OR STARTING ANY EXERCISE PROGRAM
(I scroll down even further to view the app screen to show me what this app will look like once downloaded to my phone. And it looks great! There is a picture of a lady - a real one, not cartoon, laid on floor on an exercise mat doing a Twist Crunch)
The writing next to picture states don'ts of exercise.
Next it shows which muscles this particular exercise targets, with their muscle group name, then pictures of the exercise in steps.
This looks great! It's free, I scroll to top of page and click on Free, then install.
I am prompted for my itunes password, which I originally entered when setting up my itunes. (This is something I am glad I have to do, after all, you don't want anyone downloading anything on to your phone willy nilly!)
a widget/icon (picture of the app) has just gone to the front of my main iphone screen, waiting... displays underneath as I patiently await for my app to download. Loading..... (ooh getting excited!). This one seems to be taking it's time!
2 mins later I have my free App! Hurrah :)
OPENING MY APP
I am prompted if I want to upgrade to SixPack App Pro, which has additional..
Easy to use exercise log,
1-Rep max calculator,
exclusive cardio, nutrition and home gym content
( I can either select upgrade or cancel. Of course I only want my free app but to settle my curiousity I select to find out how much upgraded version is........I am taking straight to itunes page.
Wow, it's only 59p! Think I will just stick to my freebie for now thanks!)SixPack App opens
I have 8 separate sections!
- Chest
- Shoulders
- Back
- Legs
- Arms
- Abs
- Yoga
- Stretches
Wow!
Chest - Contains 12 different exercises!
Assisted dip
Bench Press Barbell
Bench Press Dumbbell
Cable crossover
Chest Press Ball
Dip
Dumbbell Fly
Front Bridge
Pec Fly Machine
Push Up
Push Up Tubing11 of these exercises require gym equipment to do! Either dumbbell's, exercise ball, cables, benches and machines!
If you don't have any of these, the only exercise you can do is a push-up! A little disappointing I feel! :(
Shoulders - contains 13 individual exercises
Bent over lateral raise
Ext. Rotation Ball
Ext. Rotation Tube
External Rotation
Front raise
Internal Rotation
Lateral Raise
Lateral Raise - Ball
Lateral Raise - Tube
Military press
Reverse Fly
Shoulder Press Dumbbell
Shoulder Press Machine
These exercise ALL contain equipment, so if you don't even own a dumbbell you are out of luck!
Back - contains 11 individual exercises
Assisted Chin-up
Back Extension
Bent over row
Bent over row - Tube
Chin-up
Dumbbell Shrug
Lat Pulldown
One-Arm DB Row
Roman Chair
Seated Cable Row
Upright Row
Non of these exercises are equipment free! :(
At this point I am starting to feel a little down!
Legs - Contains... (good lord! How many??? 29 individual exercises!
Cable Kickback
Cable Knee Lift
Calf Press
Calf Press Tube
Calf Raise Ball
Deadlift
Hack Squat
Hip Abduction
Hip Adduction
Inner Thigh Lift
Inner Thigh Lift Tube
Kneeling Kickback
Kneeling Kickback Tube
Leg Curl
Leg Curl Tube
Leg Extension
Leg Press
Lunge
Lunge Ball
Lying Leg Abduction
One Leg Calf Raise
Seated Calf Raise
Side-Lying Leg Lift
Squat - Barbell
Squat - Tubing
Standing Calf Raise
Step-Up
Wall Squat
23 of these exercises require gym equipment! :(
Arms - Contains 19 individual exercises
Arm Curl Machine
Ball Dip
Bench Dip
Biceps Cable Curl
Biceps Curl
Biceps Curl Tube
Concentration Curl
Hammer Curl
Lying Triceps Extension
Overhead Triceps Extension
Preacher Curl
Seated Biceps Curl
Seated Biceps Curl Ball
Triceps Extension Tube
Triceps Kickback
Triceps Extension Machine
Triceps Press
Triceps Pushdown
Wrist Curl
Yep, all of these - gym equipment needed
Abs - 13 exercises here. I think this is the section I would have wanted more
Ab Crunch
Ab Crunch Ball
Ab Crunchh Tube
Ab Machine
Bridge
Bridge Ball
Leg Raise
Plank
Reverse Crunch
Reverse Crunch Ball
Side Crunch
Side Plank
Twist Crunch
8 of these exercises I can do! Finally!
Yoga - 16 poses
Child's Pose
Downward-Facing Dog
Easy Pose
Fish Pose
Half Locust Pose
Little Boat Pose
Mountain Pose
Relaxation Pose
Sphinx Pose
Staff Pose
Stork Pose
Table Pose
Thread the Needle Pose
Thunderbolt Pose
Warrior I Pose
Windmill Pose
Complete with funny name and equipment free, these looked like the ones I would be experimenting most with.
Stretches - 17 of these!
All stretches to work out the above areas of your body.
When selecting on the individual exercise you wish to do, a very clear picture, split in to two frames of the exercise being performed.
On the right of screen you have;
Steps - Step by step instructions how to do the exercise if you do not understand the picture.
Info - This gives you all the info you need on what the exercise does for you and gives you advice.
Tips - well, Tips! Thats it! It tells you the best way you can perform the exercise!
Muscle - Shows you a diagram of the targeted muscle group that the particular exercise will work.
Dont - Tells you what NOT to do whist doing the exercise to avoid any unjury!
At the bottom of the screen are 5 different icons:
* All exercises - This lists all exercises from A-Z rather than concerntrated body areas
* Workouts - This gives workout routines in order of difficulty level. starting from Beginner. All exercises are put into their own group.
Beginner
Beginner 2
Level 2A
Level 2B
Circuit
Travel
Upper/Lower
Push/Pull
Every routine advises that you should warm up at least for 5 minutes before hand.
Also informs how to warm up and how to do, also for how long. This depends on the type of routine you are going to be doing.
The Travel routine are exercises which contain no equipment. You can do these exercises anywhere on the go!* Search - This allows you to search the exercise you wish to do.
I don't see any point in this being here, as they are all listed anyway.
* Favourites - This will show the list of your favourite exercises you have tagged as favourites.
* Home - Takes you back to the front menu.WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT THIS APPLICATION?
Well, it's free! So thats not to be knocked. It does state that most of the exercises are equipment free. I think this is why they added the Yoga Poses and Stretches, so these would help to justify that statement. When quite clearly looking at these individual most of them look as though you have to own your own gym!
Seriously I shouldn't moan as it is free! On the plus side there are tons of tips and useful fitness information. I did feel as if I learned more just from looking more indepth into this app.
But what really annoyed me, and I mean extremely annoyed me, was the ads that kept popping up! Over and Over again! And the Upgrade to SixPack Pro. I had to keep hitting Cancel. However. The really irritating thing about this was, that the Cancel tab kept changing sides every now and then. I was used to seeing this on the left hand-side of the screen, so as soon as it came up I would tap it, to go away. After a few times of it being used to me doing this, it had moved to the right hand-side, so when hitting left tab it was going to Upgrade!
This was occuring after every 5 minutes or so.
So, it pulls no punches when trying to get you to upgrade to its latest version!
It is a great app which is very informative. But I don't think it is for everyone!
Most of the exercises contain equipment, which not everyone might have. Whether it has tubes (Elastic stretch cord with handles at each end), Dumbbells, gym ball, or full on gym equipment!
And yes some of the exercises can be modified, you can use a chair or small table instead of a bench for the bench press exercises, or tins of beans to subsitute dumbbells! LOL :)
None the less, it is a free app with lots of variety of fitness routines. If you can put up with the annoying ads popping up on screen every 5 mins, then give it a go!
LAYOUT
The diagrams and instructions are clear and concise, easy to follow. With great Don'ts to help, good tips and advice.
MY RATING
3/5. I only rate this so low because of the amount of gym equipment needed. I was very disappointed with this. And also because of the pop-ups!
iBuff with iphone 
