Does anyone use a powerball?

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by JayKayD, May 2, 2005.

  1. Another Muay Thai Guy

    Another Muay Thai Guy Valued member

    Apparently you can sort of flick it with your thumb or something to get it started, all too complicated for me though, I like the little red string. :D Just don't start it by rolling the gyro along a table or something instead.
     
  2. Reece

    Reece New Member

  3. Tyranith

    Tyranith New Member

    I use the index finger of the opposite hand. I can't start it with my thumb like Akis does (that man spends waaay too much time PBing )
     
  4. Obiw4n

    Obiw4n New Member

    Yes, obviously if you don't want to collect a lot of dust with your powerball.
    Starting it without the cord is somehow faster when get used to it. You can do it after a few days if you try to do it from time to time... :)
     
  5. slipthejab

    slipthejab Hark, a vagrant! Supporter

    I just picked up a powerball tonight. Though it's just a cheap Chinese knock off version. It's got two or three little LED's and it the molding is decent quality and it's got a grippy rubber band around the perimiter.

    Shockingly the thing only cost me HKD$20. - so that'd be £1.47!!!
    (is that the right conversion?!?!)

    Interesting. After a few flub ups I've got it up and spinning like mad! :D
    My forearms seem to have gotten a good blast. My fingers/grip as well.

    The only bummer is... it's got no counter on it... so I don't know how fast I'm banging it out. :cry: Don't suppose there is a way to measure/guess this without the counter eh?

    It seems like it works primarily on muscular tension.
    Thoughts about that anyone?
     
  6. inthespirit

    inthespirit ignant

    I think it works on range of motion as well, and maintaining strength through that range.

    Apparently if you use it at low speeds, it's supposed to be good for rehabilitation, though don’t have much experience on that.

    You can use it for training sensitivity too, or at least that’s what I think, the technique is in one of my previous posts on this thread.

    Not too sure if you'll be able to guess the RPM, but if you want to get yourself one with a counter I'm quite sure if you order one from here (www.powerballs.com), they will deliver to HK.
     
  7. inthespirit

    inthespirit ignant

    Got a metal powerball today, it looks cool, comes in a trendy looking box too. It's heavier, spins smother, I think faster as well, but it does not feel like it, maybe cause of less friction. Not too sure what to make of it yet, when I get home I will compare with my plastic one, though it feels easier on my arms then the plastic one, which is not good.
     
  8. Obiw4n

    Obiw4n New Member

    Which metal powerball did you buy?
     
  9. inthespirit

    inthespirit ignant

    After using it this weekend, I really dont think that it offers as much resistence as the 250hz plastic one that I got.. kind of dissapointing.. it is fun using two at the same time though..

    It is this one..
     

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  10. Ad McG

    Ad McG Troll-killer Supporter

    If it's not an official one, then it most likely isn't going to be comparable quality wise. Remember that if you buy a powerball, they will actually service it for free, any time! They will literally replace everything on it if there is something wrong with it. Check the site out, their customer service is excellent.
     
  11. slipthejab

    slipthejab Hark, a vagrant! Supporter

    After a couple of days use with my 'cheap Chinese' version of the powerball I noticed that it's surprisingly well put together.

    One thing that I am wondering... I only get real resistance when I turn it directly against the inertia or motion of the gyro. This is only possible for a very short range of motion it seems... not because it's physically hard but because it seems it's something in the design. Hard to explain... not sure that it really makes any sense when I type it.

    I noticed that the most noticeable resistance is not at full speed but rather when I am building up speed. There is a point where I can pinpoint the force coming against me and work against it to get a work out... but as the speed increases it seems that I am able to overpower it with ease.

    I dunno.. maybe I was expecting too much from it.

    Funny enough the thing sounds like it's about to explode as it whirs up to a higher speed. My girlfriend has warned me against using it! :D
     
  12. Combatant

    Combatant Monsiour Fitness himself.

    Hey Slip, where did you get this cheap powerball from? I was thinking about getting one for warmups on my grip workouts. I'm not fussed about getting a real one though because I would much rather close the Ironmind #3 then get a high score on a snooker ball. :D
     
  13. Ad McG

    Ad McG Troll-killer Supporter

    Just get a decent one, they're mad addictive and will last forever. 18 quid on play.
     
  14. KickChick

    KickChick Valued Member

    I got caught up in the powerball hype months back.... (got the neon blue from "powerball" )

    It's sitting with a few other "gadgets" I no longer use :D
     
  15. Combatant

    Combatant Monsiour Fitness himself.

    ....but for 18quid I can get a new baraban gripper :cry: goddamn these fitness gadgets luring me into there trap! :bang:
     
  16. Ad McG

    Ad McG Troll-killer Supporter

    For 36quid you can get both :D
     
  17. Obiw4n

    Obiw4n New Member

    I created a chat on powerballs, if you wish to come and you have an IRC, go and use this adress:


    >> /server trash.recycled-irc.org -j #gyrotek

    or you can directly join us with this link:

    http://www.gyrotek.net/chatlog.html

    :) :)
     
  18. slipthejab

    slipthejab Hark, a vagrant! Supporter

    I picked it right in front of the the Yau Ma Tei Public Library in Hong Kong.

    At any rate... yeah it was stupidly cheap. The 'official' ones are no doubt manufactured in China. So what some enterprising young factory boss has done is finished his production run for PowerBall TM and then wacked out an extra 2,500 pieces that he's then repackaged and sold into the local market. Happens all the time with tons of products. So counterfeit is not really as counterfeit as people would make it out to be. :D
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 18, 2005
  19. Combatant

    Combatant Monsiour Fitness himself.

    lol, next time I am in Hong Kong i'll be sure to pick one up! :D i think I might have seen the ones you are talking about on ebay actually. I know what you are saying about the copied products though. Half the time its the same thing with a different label stamped on.
     
  20. Obiw4n

    Obiw4n New Member

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