Power ball

[Deep Thought]

I just picked up one of these off Amazon:-

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/b/ref=amb_link_55510065_1?ie=UTF8&node=397989011&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=special-product-offers-1&pf_rd_r=0XXW1JEEYB97WMS6P1YD&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=175165791&pf_rd_i=B000MLPGZG"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/b/ref=amb_link_555...rd_i=B000MLPGZG[/url]

A chap brought one along to a party on New Years Eve, and me and my mates spent all evening trying to get over 10,000 revs. It's basically a hand-held gyroscope. It's pretty addictive and is damn good exercise for your hands, fingers and forearm muscles. It's reckoned to be good for musicians. Our drummer is dying to get one after trying mine-he 's just got the go-ahead to go back to drumming after coming off his motorbike in January and seriously knackering his left forearm, and I told him to get one as it would be great exercise for his forearm tendons-now he's tried it he agrees. Anyone else got one? Have you found it good for your playing?

[Scorchin]

Great tool to use for combating RSI! Was recommended this and a few other options after a few sports injuries from years of racket sports. Did wonders, been using it for near enough 3 years now, average 14,000 on my right arm, 13,000 on my left. As a result I find I don't have to wear wrist supports when it comes to playing sports that put a lot of strain on the wrists (cricket, squash, tommy tank etc.)

[WalMan]

I'd be interested to hear how you get on and if you think it is of any real use or just another fad.

I saw them a few weeks back when one of the girls at work bought a couple & they were delivered to the office. I had a bit of a search around & read up on them but didn't bother in the end.

[Deep Thought]

You're not wrong there Finn, although I've only had mine a few days so I'm not up to competition yet! I've just managed to start it without the string, so I'm quite pleased with myself.

[stingrayfan]

[quote name='Deep Thought' post='174071' date='Apr 10 2008, 06:27 PM']...and is damn good exercise for your hands, fingers and forearm muscles.[/quote]
I know a couple of websites that help in that respect.

[WarPig]

i have one, havnt used it for ages though, might have to dig it out

[2wheeler]

Good fun and lots of wrist exercise without endangering your eyesight

[Ray]

[quote name='Deep Thought' post='174071' date='Apr 10 2008, 06:27 PM']I just picked up one of these off Amazon:-

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/b/ref=amb_link_55510065_1?ie=UTF8&node=397989011&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=special-product-offers-1&pf_rd_r=0XXW1JEEYB97WMS6P1YD&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=175165791&pf_rd_i=B000MLPGZG"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/b/ref=amb_link_555...rd_i=B000MLPGZG[/url]

A chap brought one along to a party on New Years Eve, and me and my mates spent all evening trying to get over 10,000 revs. It's basically a hand-held gyroscope. It's pretty addictive and is damn good exercise for your hands, fingers and forearm muscles. It's reckoned to be good for musicians. Our drummer is dying to get one after trying mine-he 's just got the go-ahead to go back to drumming after coming off his motorbike in January and seriously knackering his left forearm, and I told him to get one as it would be great exercise for his forearm tendons-now he's tried it he agrees. Anyone else got one? Have you found it good for your playing?[/quote]
Last year I had RSI in my right wrist (from using a computer mouse). The pain was constant and quite severe which made bass playing very difficult. I got myself a Powerball, used it daily and after about a week the pain had almost gone. After a couple of weeks it had gone completely. I can't recommend Powerballs highly enough.

My highest RPM is 9404. Anyone beat that?

[Perry]

[url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gIbroKyR2Pw&NR=1"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gIbroKyR2Pw&NR=1[/url]

[Pikefloyd]

I got one exactly a week ago, not sure if i've felt any benefits yet, (not that i had any RSI or anything) but been seeing a gradual improvement in my RPM, up to 7100 in left hand and 10300 in right!

[Deep Thought]

Oh I'm not doing too badly then, my record so far is 11,242. Still to crack 10,000 with the left hand though. I've seen the bloke on YouTube doing 20,000+. I think I'm a long way off that. Now folks mention it, I've never had much trouble with wrist strength in the right hand-can't think why. Still the Powerball is helping with the left.

[TonyRamwell]

Got one of these last year used it quite a lot for rehab on a bad wrist break, seem to be stuck at 10484 though, having dug it back out I'm sure i'll be vying for the Bass Chat record soon.....

[ahpook]

i'm quite tempted by one of these...anything that improves strength in that area must be good.

[paul, the]

I use one whilst watching The Simpsons. It doesn't have a rev counter though.

[kingforaday]

yeah, i got given one for christmas a couple years ago... they're really good, and definately improve your finger/hand/wrist strength stamina etc

i just always forget to use it! never been that great at excercise...

[markytbass]

Had mine about 12 months, not used it much but this thread has started me off again. 10321 left hand and 10507 right.

[charic]

I wonder where mine is...

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I have one somewhere, but hid it from the kids and forgot where...

[warwickhunt]

Let's hope that this doesn't do for wrist strength what the Opti-grab did for eyesight in Steve Martin's 'The Jerk'

[Cantdosleepy]

There seem to be about a million different sub types - techno, pro, turbo, 250hz etc etc etc. Are they all basically the same?

My wrists take a lot of damage (computer job, hobbies are writing (more computer) bass guitar and drums, masturbation &c &c) so if these things help then I'm dead interested...

[Bullet-Rule]

I've just ordered mine, a red neon pro. Basically, cantdosleepy, I think the techno is just a dressed up normal one but the pro, and those above them, have the rev-counters. I think most of them are 250hz but there are some high-end metal ones and stuff lol.

Edited April 14, 2008 by Bullet-Rule

[Cantdosleepy]

Madness. I'll go see what Maplin has on the way home...

[OldGit]

Bought one from Amazon last week after finding this thread.
It's just a basic one ... then found one in the charity shop so my kid can play with that one as it has lghts ... no rev counters though ...

Not sure what it's doing but diferent bits of my arms now ache

So how do they work? and how do you start them without the string thing

[allighatt0r]

You start them without the string by flicking them with your thumb... (NOTE: this takes a bit of practice. ) NEVER roll them on the carpet or your jeans etc. they gather dust and cease this way.

My dads got one, dunno what model but it has a rev counter...


EDIT: [url="http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=75651"]This explains[/url] how they work...

Edited July 4, 2008 by allighatt0r

[xilddx]

Crikey! Never heard of them before but I've just ordered a white Pro from Amazon. They look great fun!