UFC Personal Trainer

So you want to be an Ultimate Fighter? Probably not, because unless you're at the elite level of the sport it's a largely thankless existence of constant training, eating sensibly and getting punched in the face. Going to MMA (or mixed martial arts) classes doesn't require the first two but the last one remains pretty much non-negotiable, so that still might not appeal. What MIGHT appeal, especially if you've ever watched a Georges St-Pierre fight alongside your friend, is chiselling your body into fighting shape - and if you're in the chunky slice of Venn diagram that wants to look good but avoid cranial trauma, then THQ thinks it's got just the thing.

You probably have your own opinions on whether being shouted into fitness by three UFC coaches (bearded gent Greg Jackson, Bostonian Mark DellaGrotte or jovial kickboxer Javier Mendez) will be more motivating than just going for a run or doing some press-ups, so I'll not get into that. What I will say is that there's less shouting than gentle encouragement - "Stop if you're tired," they sometimes insist, and they're more keen on reminding you about the good you're doing your legs than insisting that you grind out five more star jumps. The exercise selection, however, is solid: press-ups, lunges and squat thrusts are sensible staples, mixed with more testing stuff like squat holds and bunny hops. They're bookended with a set of nicely sport-specific stretches, and there are plenty of very sensible MMA drills included - from standing punches to triangle chokes on the ground. It'll no more teach you to fight than LA Noire will train you in forensic pathology (FINGERPRINTS, Phelps! Jesus!) but if you ever do decide to take things a step further and join a proper class, then you'll have the basic movement patterns down at least.

The big problem is with Move compatibility. The game's trying to cope with a huge variety of moves, and the only way it can sense quite a few of them is by making you velcro a controller to one leg for certain exercises. Obviously this means that at BEST it can recognise what about half your body's doing, so some of the mini-games - like the one where you're encouraged to throw lefts, rights, elbows and knees at a real UFC fighter - are a frustrating mess. It doesn't matter so much that you can cheat the exercises - you'd only be cheating yourself out of fitness - but this also means that, between exercises, there's a lengthy pause for you to re-strap controllers and learn the next move.

So instead of doing three "sets" of any move, or rotating between them, you'll simply crank out as many reps of one as you can in a minute or so, then stand around while the next one loads. Whatever you think of that as a game, it definitely isn't the most efficient way to exercise. So while UFC Personal Trainer might tick all the boxes presentation-wise - and will definitely take you from "hopelessly unfit" to "not disgraceful" if you're starting from scratch - it certainly won't get you in fighting shape.

This is a good program and will produce good results for cardio or core training, it is great for toning muscle as well, it has a very wide array of exercises and programs, some of the intros and dialogue can be a bit repetitive but the exercises are very well structured and explained, the only problem is when transitioning from ground based exercises to stand up the playstation eye camera does not always register your movements, but this minor annoyance is outweighed by the overall benefits.

This product is ok atleast no worse than anyother fitness product on the market....in fact it may even be one of the best currently out but thats not saying much. The warm-ups are a joke, the warm-downs are not exercise spacific and the PS move controller frequently doesnt register doing certain moves.

That aside you do get a good workout. Im no stranger to exercise and am aching after a few days of use although i am probably overdueing. One other problem is the calories burnt are far higher than what the games states about 1 to 1.8.

In short if your looking for a good workout game this is worth a look but be aware of minor issues you will have to put up with throughout.

Its a shame that given the technology (Move, Kenect etc) available there isnt better workout games but im sure they will get better...only time will tell.