Saw the 'Men's version' on clearance for $10 at a store here, so said why not. The men's version is a little heavier. And I didn't see any of the commercials for it until after I'd already bought it (I don't have Cable TV or anything like that). The heavy-breathing beefcake probably would have turned me off of it completely.

I don't use it much, but it definitely is a workout. Shlup might have been using some hyperbole, but I can say that it is not the same as just picking up any random thing and shaking it.