“Everyone does theres Best!”

A quirky, new iPhone App just released from i-labo, inc. Japan (September 10, 2009) does the impossible: it makes boring ol’ sit-ups entertaining.

i-fukkin, which translates to “abdominal muscles” is funny in more than just a ‘lost in translation’ sort of way. It’s built upon a simple premise: perform crunches while holding the iPhone horizontal so you can see the screen, and a Japanese ‘cheer girl’ (complete with pig-tails and pom-poms) counts aloud the number of sit-ups you do, offering words of encouragement when you slow down.

Everyone does theres Best!

Hey! Don’t be lazy!

Too much isn’t good for you.

Definitely worth the 99 cents, as I pumped out 5 sets of the “20 times” and two 1-min tests  tonight, waiting to see all what Alanya the ‘cheer girl’ would say and trying to beat my 1 min record. Besides, laughing tightens your abs even more. Switch the language setting to Japanese and count along with Alanya.

I forsee this little app being brought out at a party or two in the near future, but I’m doubtful it’ll become a regular feature of my training program. I prefer to do crunches, rather than sit-ups, which reduces the risk of straining my back. Since the counting mechanism in the i-fukkin app doesn’t register the small movement of a crunch, only the horizontal-to-vertical motion that a sit-up produces, at this time, I would say it’s more of a novelty than a viable training tool. Also, holding the iPhone out in front of you while you sit-up is not exactly proper form and could put an unnecessary strain on your neck if used repetitively to excess.

For the proper way to perform a crunch, watch the little clip below: